Thursday, April 29, 2010

Planting season...

Lest I forget, we have been doing a lot of planting recently. Tomatoes, corn, beans, tomatoes, okra, onions, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, tomatoes, etc... Yep, lots of tomato plants - 231 planted so far, about 100 more to go... Last year we planted about 300 and (fortunately) we reaped what we sowed!! I learned to make salsa last year and am looking forward to the almost unlimited supply of tomatoes and peppers...

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Monthly Update...

I will try to remember to post at least once a month (someone just got on me for not posting more often - but we do a lot of the same things day-to-day here).

Lot going on at our school - Benedictine College (www.benedictine.edu). A new building was approved. It will be the signature building on campus. Check it out on the web site... and pray that the rest of the funds to come in to build it ($4.4 Million still needed!). It is going to be beautiful and have a great view of the river (as it will be on the bluff overlooking the Missouri River).

Holy Week was nice here at the Abbey. It was different not running around taking care of details and preparing for the beautiful liturgies of the Triduum (and being exhausted afterward!).

On Easter Monday, our monks went on an Emmaus walk to a local parish where we had a cook-out. Some monks rode in cars. I did not have the sense to do so and got a big blister to prove it!!

The Sunday after Easter, our Archbishop visited (Most Rev. Joseph Naumann of KC in Kansas) and celebrated our Mass where about 11 students received sacraments for the first time (varies ones receiving - full initiation (2), confirmation (5), first Communion and reception into the Church (4)). A very nice Mass and a feeling of completion to the Easter Vigil!

My niece (and goddaughter), Ann Marie Dean, was confirmed on my parent's anniversary (April 11). She took the confirmation name of Justin! I am very proud of her and edified at the choice of such a great saint's name, the same as I took at my entrance into the Novitiate.

I went to a softball and baseball game of our college. We won both of the ones I attended. I was tempted to grab a bat or a glove and go out on the field... but I wisely resisted.

Blood Drive yesterday at our college (yes, I reaching now)...

I am currently watching 2 Bible Study DVD series' (The Great Adventure - overview of the Bible timeline and a class from the Augustine Institute's class on the Gospel of John). Both are excellent.

Everything else is about the same - pray, work, study... Please keep me in your prayers!

God bless you all,
Fr. Justin Damien Dean