Congratulations to Br. Richard | November Beauty

Congratulations to Brother Richard for his installation as a lector in October and admission to candidacy for the Transitional Diaconate and to the Ministry of Acolyte, this past weekend. We all look forward to his ordination to the diaconate in the spring of 2024 and to the priesthood in 2025.

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The adornment of leaves and flowers have faded away and the skeletal landscape lies dormant anticipating the coming warmth of spring, but mellow summer breezes remain far away. In the meantime we look forward to pristine snow and magnificent winter sunsets. This stark season of natural silence is a reminder that all things fade. In this month dedicated to the faithful departed, It encourages meditation on the four last things: death, judgment, heaven, and hell and on the heroic lives of the saints who have gone before us and who enjoy the beatific vision in eternity.

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November has a beauty unto its own which is reminiscent of the subtle and austere elegance of Carmel, both in appearance and spirit, which fosters a single-minded focus on God alone. The slowing of life and waning daylight is a signal to return our focus to prayer, especially during the quickly approaching season of Advent which embodies the hope of the contemplative life. In the frigid cover of night, there is an expectant waiting for an intimate encounter with the Living God.