March 2010

MARCH 2010 CALENDAR

 7. Third Sunday of Lent

9. Adult Education 8:00PM Old Main

10. Adult Education, 8:00 p.m., Old Main

11. Adult Education, 8:00 p.m., Old Main

12. Novena to St. Benedict begins.

  • Second Friday 3:00-5:00PM

14. Fourth Sunday of Lent

  • Daylight Savings Time begins

16. Adult Education 8:00 PM Old Main

17. St. Patrick, commemoration

  • Adult Education 8:00 PM Old Main

18. Adult Education 8:00 PM Old Main

19. Saint Joseph, solemnity

  • Mass (without Vespers), 5:15 p.m.

21. Fifth Sunday of Lent

  • Hospitality Sunday after Mass
  • Oblate Meeting, Vincent House

22. Transitus of Holy Father St. Benedict

  • Mass with school, 10:00 a.m.
  • Solemn Vespers, 5:15 p.m.

23. Adult Education 8:00PM Old Main

24. Adult Education 8:00PM Old Main

25. Annunciation of the Lord, solemnity

  • Mass (without Vespers), 5:15 p.m.
  • Adult Education 8:00 PM Old Main

28. Passion Sunday

This calendar follows the Order of Worship as approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship on 22 June 1972 in Rome for the American Cassinese Congregation of Benedictine Monasteries.

LECTIO DIVINA: The following is the schema of readings for this month, which we encourage you to consider as a prayerful preparation for the Sunday Eucharist:

  • March 7: Exodus 3:1-8a, 13-15; 1 Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Luke 13:1-9.
  • March 14: Joshua 5:9a, 10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Luke 15:1-3,

11-32.

  • March 21: Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3:8-14; John 8:1-11.
  • March 28: Isaiah 50:4-7;Phillipians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14-23, 56

OBLATES: This month the Oblates of Saint Benedict will meet on Sunday, 21 March 2010 on the lower level of Vincent House.  New members and inquirers are welcome to attend.  For more information, call Father Hilary at 973.538.3231 [ext. 2019].

ADULT EDUCATION: During Lent the Abbey will offer three lecture series.  On Tuesday, March 9, 16, 23, Fr. Gabriel Coless, O.S.B. will present a series on Dante’s Paradiso.  On Wednesday, March 10, 17, 24, Fr. Gerard Lair, O.S.B. will present a series on The Historical Jesus.  On Thursday, March 11, 18, 25, Br. Liam Mullin, O.S.B. will present a series, Defending the Faith: Church History Revisited.  Each lecture series is $10 per person.  The lectures begin at 8 p.m. and will be in the Kountze Room, Old Main.  For more information or registration, contact Father Bruno at 973.538.3231 [ext. 3002] or e-mail: Bruno@delbarton.org.  All are welcome!  Bring your Bible!  

BLOOD DRIVE: Delbarton annually hosts a blood drive.  This year the drive will be held on Monday, 1 March 2010, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. in the Gregory Room on the lower level of the Fr. Stephen Pavilion.  All are encourage to donate.  For more information, please call Barbara Pereyra at 973.538.3231 [ext. 3080] or e-mail: BPereyra@delbarton.org.

MUSIC IN WORSHIP: Kathy McNeil, our principal organist, will be giving an organ recital at the Princeton University Chapel on Thursday, 4 March 2010 at 12:30 p.m.  This performance is a part of the Afternoon Concert Series at the chapel.  For more information, contact Kathy at 973.829.0797 or e-mail her at kathmcneil@verizon.net.

SAINT BENEDICT’S DAY: This year we honor the “transitus” (or passing) of the blessed Abbot Benedict from this life to paradise on Monday, 22 March 2010.  Conventual Mass will be celebrated with the school community at 10:00 a.m. and Solemn Vespers (without Mass) will be sung at 5:15 p.m.  This day ranks as a solemnity on the Benedictine calendar.  Many monks mark this feast in March as the anniversary of their profession.  All are welcome.
            The information concerning St. Benedict’s “transitus” can be found in the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great: Six days before his death, Benedict ordered his tomb to be opened.  Soon he was attacked by a fever and was weakened with severe suffering.  As the illness grew worse every day, he asked his disciples to carry him into the oratory.  There he strengthened himself for his departure by receiving the Body and Blood of the Lord.  While the hands of his disciples held up his weak limbs, he stood with hands raised to heaven and breathed his last amidst words of prayer [Dial. XXXVII].

HOLY WEEK RETREATS: There are two retreats available at the Abbey Retreat Center on April 1-4, 2010:

  • Women and men who wish to make a private retreat and join the monks at prayer during the Sacred Triduum may make reservations with Fr. Patrick: 973.538.3231 [ext. 2100]  or

e-mail Patrick@delbarton.org.

  • Men (ages 18-45) interested in discerning a vocation to the priesthood or religious life are welcome to participate in our Monastic Experience program.  Contact Abbot Giles at 973.538.3231 [ext. 3001] or e-mail Giles@delbarton.org. 


UPCOMING CONCERTS : Free and open to the public.  No tickets are required.

  • Friday, February 26th, 8:00 PM: Instrumental Music Concert, featuring the Brass, Clarinet, Percussion, Jazz, and Wind Ensembles.
  • Sunday, February 28th, 3:00 PM: Young Abbey Orchestra
  • Wednesday, March 3rd, 7:30 PM – Abbey Orchestra Concert: Featuring Edvard Grieg’s “Holberg Suite” and contemporary music from “Phantom of the Opera” and “Pirates of the Caribbean”.
  • Thursday, March 4th, 7:30 PM – Choral Concert: Featuring Delbarton’s Schola Cantorum, the Senior Chorus of Villa Walsh, and Gothicappella.

COFFEE AND CAKE: On Sunday, 21 March 2010 we will take an interlude from our Lenten discipline and serve coffee and cake in the Estabrook Dining Hall immediately following the liturgy for all who wish to join us.  This is a wonderful opportunity to meet some of the people and monks with whom we worship.  If you can bring some baked goods, call Anna Comes at 973.984.3840.

OFFERING: During the month of February, the congregation offered the monastery $22,500.00 through the collection at the Sunday Eucharist.  Thank you for your generosity!


MAILING LIST: For address corrections, or if you know someone who would like to receive this mailing, contact our Abbey Administrative Assistant, Roberta Roser at 973.538.3231 [ext. 3042] or e-mail her at rroser@delbarton.org.