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News from Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery
Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Archabbot Lambert Reilly, OSB of St. Meinrad, Indiana

1. Archabbot Lambert Reilly, OSB gives 2004 retreat. Last week, the monks were on retreat with Archabbot Lambert Reilly, OSB as their retreat master. The annual retreat provides the monks with a greater periods of rest, prayer, and reading.
      The half-hour conferences by Archabbot Lambert covered the following general topics. The blue words are links to an audio clip.
• Jesus is our Life (3:52 minutes) • Faith (3:51 minutes) • Peace of God (1:23 minutes) • Sin (1:36 minutes) • Beyond Scandal (3:18 minutes) • Loving One Another
• Mercy
• The Eucharist
• Prayer
• Thirsting for Righteousness

Mother Marion and Dom Damien.

2. Abbatial Election. On Thursday, our community will have an abbatial election. Dom Damien Thompson, abbot of the Abbey of Gethsemani, and Mother Marion Rissetto, abbess of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery have been with us since Sunday for a visitation. [Each monastery in our Cistercian order has a visitation every two years by the Father Immediate of the monastery.] Our community has voiced its desire to proceed with an abbatial election after two years under a superior ad nutum (appointed superior). Stay tuned for Thursday’s announcement of our new abbot.

The children worked in the morning before having Mass and a picnic.

3. Clean-up volunteers. Mrs. Kathleen Stento, leader of the home-school support group at St. Theresa’s Church in Douglasville, brought a group of children to the monastery last week for Mass and volunteer work. Kathleen and several parents helped their children to clean the public grounds by the lake (with some additional help by the geese). After a morning of work, the group had Mass with Father Porres, a diocesan priest, in our crypt chapel. Then, the group enjoyed a picnic by the lake.
      Our lake is a popular place for reading, picnics, and reflection for our retreatants and day visitors. We thank the children and their parents for helping to clean the area of fallen limbs and branches.

See the photo gallery of the performance by The Martin Luther King, Sr. Choir on April 25.

Clariece Paulk and the Arts Department of The Cathedral at Chapel Hill perform in our monastery church on Sunday, May 23 at 3 p.m.

3. Anniversary Concert Series. Last month, The Martin Luther King, Sr. Choir performed at the monastery as part of our 60th Anniversary Concert Series. See the photo gallery of the performance. A CD of that concert is in its final production stage and will be available soon.
      This Sunday, May 23 at 3 p.m., Clariece Paulk and the Arts Department of The Cathedral at Chapel Hill will perform in our monastery church.
     The Cathedral’s Vocal Arts Division, which comprises the mixed-choral ensembles of The Cathedral Choir, The Joyful Sound Choir, and The Young Singers of the Cathedral, will offer performances of a wide range of repertoire from classical to contemporary styles of sacred choral music. Clariece Paulk will direct the choirs and orchestra and accompany them on the piano and organ.
      Over the past 60 years, our monastery has become a landmark in the State of Georgia as a place of prayer and a beacon of light for many who seek peace and respite in the contemplative silence and solitude of our monastic presence. Our 60th anniversary concert series gives us the opportunity to say “thank you” to the community at large but especially to our friends and benefactors for your gifts and support to Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery.
      There is no admission charge for the concert. A freewill offering afterwards which will help defray the medical costs of some of our older monks.
      Doors open this Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and the Cathedral orchestra will perform a 10-minute prelude before the concert begins at 3:00 p.m. Come early for the better seats. The Abbey gift shop will be open for your convenience after the concert.
      We look forward to seeing you on Sunday, May 23.

Click here for The Cathedral at Chapel Hill concert flyer in PDF format.