Visitors!!

My brother, Barry, arrived in Kansas shortly after I did and we spent a couple of days together. That was before I officially entered the monastery, so he was not a guest while I was in the abbey (though we spent a lot of time at the monastery).

My first actual guests while I was in the Abbey were... drummmm rolllll... Chris and Zak Francis from Montgomery. Chris and Zak came for a campus visit from September 24-25 (and stayed in the Abbey Guest House on Thursday night). On Friday, Sept. 25th Benedictine College (BC) hosted a "Raven Day" for perspective students. Zak & Chris liked what they saw and Zak is planning to attend BC next fall!!

Then on the morning of Sunday, October 4th, I got a call from Julie & Greg Alexander. They had given 2 presentations (on marriage, of course) in a KC suburb that previous Friday & Saturday and saw how close St. Benedict's was to them (a mere 1 hour away). They (with 5 of their 6 children in tow) visited that afternoon. We had a great time before they headed back to San Antonio that evening!

So the door is now open for visitors...

God bless you all,

FrJD

WARRRRRRR EAGLE!!

Just had to get that in while AU is ranked #17... I hope that this coming weekend's trip to Arkansas does not ruin that (the Razorbacks crushed Texas A & M on the road last Saturday [go SEC]!)...

I must admit that I miss my tailgating in the Loveliest Village!!

Work...

I keep getting new work experiences... worked my first chain saw... my first wood splitting apparatus... my first picking and shelling of chestnuts (with leather gloves, of course!)... first planting of (25) Christmas trees (which should be ready in about 5 years)... and I can't remember what else.

We took down the poles and strings which held up the 300 tomato plants last week (after picking the last of the tomatoes) . And we uprooted the (3) peanut patches last Friday.

Always something to do here... and good people to do it with.

Trip to Denver...

I was blessed by being allowed to go to the Diaconate Ordination of 5 men in Denver, CO over the last weekend of September. God willing, they will all be ordained priests in May of 2010.

Dave Nix, one of my FOCUS missionaries in Troy, was one of the men ordained (CONGRATS, Dave!!). Archbishop Chaput officiated and did his usual superb job (very inspirational homily).

I stayed with the Companions of Christ in Denver - a fantastic group of young men studying for the diocesan priesthood (of Denver), who live in community. Very enjoyable.

I also got to see Chris & Elizabeth Kuetermeyer (and their 2 children) during my stay. Chris was another one of my missionaries in Troy and I spent Sunday afternoon with them. Great to see them and catch up.

It was a nice break away from the monastic life, but I was glad to return home on Sunday evening.