Liturgy Classes

Last week we had liturgy classes with Fr. Michael Joncas.  Fr. Michael teaches at St. John's University in St. Paul Minnesota.  He is also a well know composer best known for songs such as “On Eagle's Wings” and “I Have Loved You”.  We studied   the history of the Mass and the history of liturgical music.  Fr. Joncas is a wonderful and engaging teacher.  His often said phrase about specifics in the liturgy was "I just love this".  It was very evident that he loves his work.

Visiting with the Conversi

Last weekend our community visited with the Association of Iowa Cistercians Conversi group.  The Conversi are people interested in the associates group but live too far away to come to the monthly meetings.  Once a year as may as can come to Mississippi Abbey/New Melleray Abbey for a retreat.  This year and for the past several years one Conversi drives to the retreat from Spokane Washington.

During their visit they shared about how  important the group is to them and how grateful they are for the spiritual formation it provides.  One member said:this is not a chat room, we really are a faith community.

Junior Seminar at New Melleray

Last Sunday we invited the juniors attending the Junior Seminar over to our abbey.  The juniors of our order meet yearly for two weeks to study together and to get to know other juniors in the order and experience Cistercian life in another monastery.  Juniors are monks and nuns in simple vows preparing to make solemn profession.  We visited with them in our Chapter Room.  Then they had a tour of our candy operation and of our farm.  We prayed Vespers together in Church, followed by a pizza supper in our refectory.  We then prayed Compline together and the juniors returned to New Melleray for another week of classes.