Chronicle Today 18 September 2007
Morning at Lauds “To him who conquers I will give the morning star, and I will confess his name before my Father “Ant Song of Zach).
During the dawn, the Morning Star was Venus, so my brother, Fr. Nivard, was able to tell me. The star was brilliant. He said that through his telescope in his monastery in Cameroon, Venus appears as big as the Moon. That was the view across the Lammermuir Hills to the East. At Vespers that same evening, as I looked out the Church Window looking West on the enclosure I was riveted by the sight of a beautiful Roe-dear grazing peacefully near the Memorial Grove of the Atlas Martyrs.
Stigmata of Francis.
Yesterday, according to my sister Patricia it was the Franciscan Memorial of the vision of St. Francis about to receive the Stigmata on Mount Alvernia. Traditionally it was the day on which the FMMs celebrated their Clothing as Franciscan Missionaries of Mary. It was Sr Patricia’s Golden Anniversary of the occasion.
“The Little Flowers of St. Francis, tr. by W. Heywood, [1906], at sacred-texts.com” provides the moving background of Francis’ Forty Days Fast beginning on the Feast of the Assumption ending at Michaelmass in THE SECOND CONSIDERATION OF THE MOST HOLY STIGMATA.
“Thereafter, when the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady drew nigh, St. Francis sought to find a fitting spot, more secret and remote, wherein in greater solitude he might keep the forty days’ fast of St. Michael the Archangel,”
Prior’s Driving Test.
A first requirement of Fr. Mark, now the Bursar as well as Prior, was to be able to do shopping, bring Brothers to various medical appointments, etc. This morning at Mass a special prayer was voiced that he would succeed in gaining his Driving Licence. This was his second attempt. Charles reminded us that St Thomas Aquinas, the greatest of teacher, had said, if a student failed the third time he could be regarded as unfit for the task. So we were on tenterhooks waiting for the outcome. Mark was deposited at the test venue and then had to make his own way back by public transport. He might have been thinking, before, that this might be his only means of transport in the future. Eventually, as the grapevine spread the news, there was rejoicing. We were even anticipating a special supper to mark the event. Some splendid Pizzas were prepared. Entering the kitchen I instinctively opened the windows to let out the smoke.. Displayed for our delicate palates were the shrivelled up burnt offerings of what had been large Pizzas. A day to remember!
