Dear Friends,
Our first piece of good news which is happening right now is that the sun has appeared at last and there are signs all around us that Spring is on the way! We were lucky enough not to have any flooding recently, but the rain never seemed to stop and the buckets and basins here and there inside the monastery and guest house were sure signs that our roofs were not immune to the onslaught. During these weeks, we kept in our prayer all those people who were suffering from the floods - particularly staff, students and friends, who live in what the media was calling the “black spot”. We realise, too, that though the rain has stopped, the aftermath of the floods is still there and that it will take all those affected months to get back to normal. We will continue to pray for you all.
2013 has been an eventful year for us, beginning as it did with the celebration of Sr. Mary Joseph’s 80th birthday in the company of her family from all generations down to the newest baby. Soon afterwards we were united with the universal Church at the unexpected news of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and awaited with interest the election of his successor. The white smoke came quickly and, conveniently for us, around 6 p.m. which allowed us to gather for supper in the community room and watch the proceedings. We were joined by Dom Eamon, Abbot General of the S.O. Cistercians and his secretary Dom Thomas, normally resident in Rome, but spending a few days with us following the meeting of the Region of the Isles. The name of Jorge Bergoglio was not immediately familiar to some of us, but soon became so as the new pontificate began.
