Off to Tarrawarra

Seven years and two weeks ago, a friend of mine entered Our Lady of Tarrawarra Abbey; to-morrow, Br Luke will take his solemn vows as a Cistercian monk there.

Getting to the Abbey will mean getting up about as early as the monks do! – I am taking the 6 a.m. flight to Melbourne, which requires arising before the sun, even in these days of high summer.

Thursday will be a reunion in many ways, given that I expect to see many old friends at the Abbey and afterwards; then come a few days in Melbourne, culminating in Sunday Solemn Mass at St Aloysius, before I return home.  It should be a pleasant trip...

News from Wyoming

From a correspondent, regarding my mate Pete from Bunbury, who has joined the Carmelite Monks in Wyoming:

Peter is enjoying Carmel very much - sung Mass every day, the silence (believe it or not!), and the prayer times.  He is still joking around a lot though, and frequently bursts into laughter at lunch during the readings of holy texts!  He has taught them "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport" and is now working on "Said Hanrahan". He has also got them all playing cricket.

He asked me to send his fraternal love to several people, including yourself, and to remind you that he is praying for you.

God bless Pete, and also Br Luke, my friend and Cistercian monk, who just sent me a very holy letter!

Happy Feast

Happy Feast of St Bernard, Our Lady's Champion, Last of the Fathers, Glory of Clairvaux, Doctor Mellifluus, Abbot and Doctor of the Church!

Please pray today for all Christians, that we may profit by his life, teachings and prayers; and for all Cistercians, that they may particularly emulate his spirit - pray please especially for Br Luke, a friend of mine, who is a monk-in-formation at the Abbey of Our Lady of Tarrawarra, in Victoria.

V/.  Pray for us, St Bernard.

R/.  That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Short Shrift

As is my wont, I made a quick confession just now at St Francis, in preparation for my flight back to Perth early tomorrow. To my surprise (having forgotten the times) I ended up hearing Mass, as well, while waiting - and, lo!, it was quite bearable, the priest even wearing a chasuble, and varying only a few acceptably variable phrases; even that Swiss E.P. didn't bother me, I listened carefully and agreed with the whole thing: I must be growing soft.

Yesterday I had the joy of seeing Br Luke at Tarrawarra Abbey - he's another old friend, who entered the Cistercians of the Strict Observance there on Ash Wednesday 2005, and pronounced his first vows (for three years) on his feast day last October. He tells me that, thanks be, he finds each day he feels more and more suited to his monastic life, if that's the right phrase; he asked me to pray for him and his brethren, and I certainly shall, as I know he will pray for me.

Must dash - a few tasks still to do, after having bought some more books... Tonight, a farewell for a friend, a gathering of Catholic bloggers, and Dr Tracey Rowland's booklaunch.