"Because We Love the Brethren!" (1 Jn 3:14)

It started out like any other Sunday. The sisters scheduled for the kitchen were downstairs engaged in the usual "sport" of trying to find the various pots, pans and other cooking implements they like to use and the rest of the community was enjoying the quiet of Sunday in their cells, outside enjoying the flora and fauna or in the Choir.

Around 10AM Sr. Mary Martin got a call from Sr. Maria Pia of our monastery in the Bronx saying that Fr. Michael Monshau was there to give their annual retreat and he would like to visit for the day. Would this be OK? But of course!

Originally, a friend of theirs was going to drive Father but had to pull out at the last minute. Sr. Mary Christine would drive him. Wonderful! Oh, yes, Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart would accompany her. Super!

Sr. Mary Christine and Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart with Fr. Michael Monshau.

Fr. Michael and the Sisters arrived just in time for dinner. Because our Dominican Brothers are our family, for special occasions we will invite them to have a meal with us. This was one such time, especially since Fr. Michael had only a few hours to spend with us. Father is home on vacation from teaching at the Angelicum in Rome. When we found out he was coming we laughed because spaghetti was on the menu along with chicken and a huge salad.

What is Sr. Mary Catharine talking about? Sr. Mary Catharine and Fr. Michael know each other from the Dominican Family Assembly that was held in Manila, Philippines in 2000.

Fr. Michael regaled us with stories of his life in Rome and caught us up with the new novice and profession classes of our Brethren in the Central Province. Of course there was the usual, "How's Father So-and So and Fr. Such-and-such?" We sat long over the dinner table and then faced the reality of the clean up!

Whatever Fr. Michael was sharing it was funny to Sr. Diana Marie and Sr. Joseph Maria!

While the novices did the dishes some of the professed sisters showed Father Michael and our Sisters from the Bronx the progress of our kitchen renovations. After, we showed them around the garden which Sr. Mary of the Sacred Heart had never seen during her previous visits.

Fr. Michael and Sr. Mary Amata. Father introduced Sr. Mary Amata to our community.

The Sisters then joined us for Office while Fr. Michael visited in the parlor with Sr. Mary Amata and then they were off.

Fr. Kieran opens his anniversary card and reflected a bit about his 50th anniversary of profession as a Dominican Friar. One thing is obvious—Fr. Kieran is one HAPPY Dominican!

That evening we gathered in the parlor to honor another friar! On this day 50 years ago, our chaplain Fr. Kieran made profession as a Friar of the Order of Preachers. Father is very good about exercising and eating healthy but we managed to convince him that such an occasion required that he have a piece of Almond Nut Crunch! Ad multos annos!