Dear Parishioners,
I am writing this letter to you
while I am on retreat with the Trappist monks at the Abbey of the Genesee
in Piffard, NY. I have been coming to
this monastery, on and off, since I was 19 years old.
This year, however, it was a bit different.
Since many of the monks are
elderly, all visitors are required to wear a mask when attending Mass or at times
of prayer. For me, it is uncomfortable
attempting to chant the psalms throughout the day while wearing a
mask. Masks limit my breathing (which
you know I have had a hard time doing lately) and can lessen my intake of oxygen. I complied but did not enjoy it. My usually frequent communal participation
lessened, as I found it much easier to pray alone without a mask.
Next, since the retreat house had
been closed throughout the pandemic, there is currently no cook for the
retreatants. Each of the houses on the property is
responsible for itself. While it is more
inconvenient than anything else, this is a different situation
than in past years.
I also had been able to interact
with more of the monks in previous years, even having helped in the bakery, but
this was not to be the case this year.
Only one day during the retreat was a priest available for the Sacrament
of Penance and Reconciliation and there were no optional conferences of which I
was aware.
Lest anyone think I am
complaining, I look at it as par for the course with the many things
that have been going on in the world. Things
have certainly changed as we encounter various restrictions on our activities
and behavior. This virus has often caused
separation and isolation of peoples, rather than bringing them together.
My two priest friends and I have
been able to offer Mass and pray together, but it was more in the guest house
than in the monastery with the monks. Yes,
the experience here this year was unlike the decades of retreats I had attended
here in the past.
Nevertheless, know that you are
remembered in my prayers and Masses, and I am feeling better and growing
stronger each day. I just can’t believe
how long is seems to be taking for me to recuperate completely. I know that I still am not there yet!
The bakery here at the monastery
is still open and I plan to bring a few loaves of the Monks’ Bread
home with me. What started primarily
with their raisin bread has morphed into many different varieties over
time. Each monastery supports itself in
various ways (making vestments, producing honey, making caskets, etc.) and the Abbey
of the Genesee has done this with its bakery.
Many years when I have made a retreat
here, I have tried to visit the abbey cemetery to pray for the deceased members
of the community. Since it is November—the
month of the Holy Souls—this would be most appropriate. I hope to do this before I leave.
See you when I get back!
Fr. Ed Namiotka
Pastor
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