Blue Cloud Abbey: Happenings

Click to Enlarge Updated at the beginning & middle the month Wed, Sept 1 2010

Corn Days 2010.
	Our corn harvest this year was a bountiful crop. So much corn requires many hands, so most of the monastic community, and a couple neighbors, helps out. Br. Chris usually starts picking the corn very early in the morning. When the rest of us get to the garage to start shucking, there is a big pile of corn waiting for us. Meanwhile, Br. Chris goes off to the garden to get more corn. The corn is then brought to the kitchen where it is washed (or as Vicky in our kitchen says, "warshed"), cut from the cob, put in gallon baggies and then is frozen. We used to blanch the corn, but have found this step unnecessary. The corn is delicious!

Blue Cloud Visitation
	The monastic community recently finished with our regular 4 year Visitation. A regular Visitation is required of all monasteries. The process for us involves two monks (in this case, Frs. Vincent and Sharbel) coming from different abbeys and listening in a private meeting, what each monk has to say concerning our community. After hearing from each monk, the visitators make a summary to the whole monastic community. The community then takes that summary as guidance for present and future planning. Pray that we see positive results from our recent Visitation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Camp Mahpiyato - a great place for families, churches, and gatherings.
	Camp Mahpiyata (Dakota for "Blue Cloud") continues to have many group staying at our facilities. Here the Heffernan family, whose ancestors homesteaded nearby, are being regaled by Fr. Tom, who is in charge of the camp. As economic times continue to be an issue for many people, our camp seems to be getting busier and more popular. People are looking for a more affordable and family-centered way to enjoy their summer get-togethers. If you want to know more about our camp, check out our website by clicking on the link below. http://www.bluecloud.org/camp.html

Views from a monastery - Fr. Basil's funeral in Guatemala.


Upper left:The funeral process begins with the monks carrying Fr. Basil's coffin. Upper right: The procession continues in the city streets of Coban with many showing their support. Lower left: In the church - incense soon fills the area. Lower right: Abbot Denis and Prior Pedro praying before Fr. Basil's final resting place.

The Bell tower at night.
	The bell tower of our abbey is sign to the world that the monks are here to worship and give glory to God. Recently, one of the monks said of the bell tower and its illumined cross at night, It is like a flame on top of a candle for all to see." This picture was taken one night by opening the shutter of the camera for about thirty seconds. The result is that more stars appear in the sky, and the cross is luminous even more than usual.

Buddy helping out with Corn Day.

As mentioned above, our corn harvest requires many hands, or in Buddy's case, paws. Like most cats, however, Buddy begins his work by being entirely curious about what's going on, but swiftly finds a place to sleep (typically a most inconvenient place).

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