04/09/08
The Holy Triduum and the Octave of Easter were filled with excitement. Solemn 3 cope Vespers completed the Triduum and the Octave week was busy with much cooking and hospitality. We welcomed more than 20 guests who came through the monastery for overnight stays during that 2 week period. The community also gathered for special meetings to look at proposed Church designs from Duncan Stroik soon to be available on our website.
At the end of the week I became something of a hermit in preparation for diaconate ordination. Fr Cassian led a 5 day retreat guided by the liturgical texts of diaconate ordination from various time periods. By comparing these texts we were able to dive more deeply into the meaning of the ritual and I was more prepared to receive the sacrament of Orders. On Tuesday April 1st, the Archbishop celebrated a Pontifical Mass during which I was ordained. The ordinary for the Mass was chanted and the propers were Palestrina motets sung by the Basilica professional choir. It was a beautiful Mass in which the richness of the tradition and the grace of the sacrament were tangibly present. Thank you all for your prayers.
-Brother Subprior Benedict Nivakoff, OSB
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