Community & Abbot President Vincent

Glastonbury Abbey Newsletter

16 Hull Street, Hingham, MA 02043

TEL:  (781) 749-2155

www.glastonburyabbey.org

July-August 2013
Abbey Church

 

Worship 
                    

Monday - Saturday

6:30 a.m.      -    Vigils

7:45 a.m.      -     Lauds

12 noon        -     Mass

5:15 p.m.      -     Vespers

7:45 p.m.     -      Compline

 

Sunday, as above, except:

9:30 a.m.     -     Mass

12:45 p.m.    -    Midday Prayer

 

Exceptions:

July 4:  Independence Day Holiday

                             No Vigils

7:45 a.m.      -    Lauds

8:30              -    Mass

[Office Closed]

 

July 11 - Solemnity of St. Benedict

9:30 a.m.       -   Mass

12:15 p.m.      -   Midday Prayer

5:15 p.m.       -    Vespers

 

July 24 - Annual Cookout for Senior Citizens

9:30 a.m.      -    Mass

 

July 28 - Sunday Supper

4:30 p.m      -   Sunday Supper

7:00 p.m.    -   Vespers

 

August 11 -- Blessing of the Abbot

10:00 a.m.   - Mass (Outdoors - weather permitting)

 

August 15 - Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary - Our Lady of Glastonbury 

9:30 a.m.     -    Mass

12:15 p.m.    -    Midday Prayer

5:15 p.m.      -    Vespers

7:45 p.m.     -    Compline

 

August 25 - Sunday Supper

4:30 p.m.     -   Supper

No public Vespers.  Monks begin Retreat  

Vesting

 

Vocations 

The Monks of Glastonbury Abbey invite you to pray with them for vocations to the monastic life.

 

The month Hour of Adoration for vocations will be held on Monday, July 29, integrated with Compline at 7:45 p.m.  

Glastonbury Bookstore

 

Bookstore/Gift Shop Hours 

Monday - Saturday

9:00 a.m.    -    5:00 p.m.

 

Sunday

12 noon        -    4:00 p.m.
  

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TEL: 781-749-2155

                       

Community Milestones

  
Blessings and congratulations to the members of our community  on the anniversary of their monastic profession.
  
July:            Fr. Thomas (1972)
                     Br. James (1992)
                     Fr. Andrew (1996)
                     Br. Albrecht (2012)
  
August:       Fr. Timothy (1954)
                     Fr. Nicholas (1965)
                     Fr. Gerald (1965)
                     Br. David (1968)
                     Br. Daniel (1975)
                      
SoupAndBread

                   

Feed the Hungry

  
July 7 and August 4:  Monthly collection of food for the hungry.  Please bring either canned and/or dry goods to Mass.  We deliver the food to either the Hingham Food Pantry or to Wellspring in Hull.
  
July 28 and August 25:  Sunday Supper.  Monthly supper for those living alone or in difficult circumstances.  Abbey Center, 4:30 p.m.

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Father Thomas Elected Abbot
  

We are so pleased to announce the election of Father Thomas O'Connor, O.S.B., as the third abbot of Glastonbury Abbey!

 

Abbot Thomas was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts and has four siblings. He entered the Glastonbury Latin School, now defunct, in 1968. He professed his solemn vows in 1975 and was ordained a priest in 1993. He has a BA in Psychology from Bridgewater State and a Masters in Theological Studies from St. John's University School of Theology in Collegeville, Minnesota.

 

Abbot-elect Thomas has filled many key positions in the Abbey, most recently as Prior-Administrator. After a 5-year period of discernment regarding the viability and future vision of the abbey, the monks decided they were ready to elect an abbot. (An abbot is one who gives a living guide and interpretation of the Rule of St. Benedict for the monks to follow in this current time.) After 3 years of serving as Prior-Administrator, Fr. Thomas was chosen by his brother monks during the Abbatial Election Process on June 29th.

 

The formal ritual, the "Blessing of an Abbot," will be bestowed at the hands of Cardinal S�an O'Malley, OFM. Cap, Archbishop of Boston. He will preside at a special Mass which will take place outdoors on the Great Lawn at the Abbey on August 11th.

 

The monks with their abbot ask for the prayerful support of all our friends as, by this step, the community moves into a new future.

 

(Abbot Thomas is in the front row, on the left, in the above picture.)

                      

A Delightful Garden Tour!

With the sun beaming, over 400 people viewed the Abbey's gardens, plus home gardens of some generous, and tasteful!, neighbors in Hingham, Scituate and Cohasset. Each garden was distinctive and exquisite.

 

Gardens, like love, don't just happen. They take time to cultivate and mature. A garden of love was evident on the Abbey grounds, not only on that day, but every day.

 

To all who helped - underwriters, artists, gardeners, bakers, volunteers - and our dedicated Garden Tour Chair, Ann McCarthy-Egan and her committed committee -- the monks thank you for a spectacular job!

  
Thank you, Garden Tour Volunteers!!
Ann and Tess
  
Garden Tour Chairwoman Ann McCarthy-Egan (second from left) and Tess Simkus (third from left), checking out the grounds with some of their posse.

To see pictures from both the Garden Tour and the Golf Tournament (see below) taken by professional photographer Lucy Wightman, click here.

 

14th Golf Tournament and Auction:  

We give thanks to all who made

     this event a huge success!!

  
  
  
Glastonbury Institute - Coming in September 
 

The Glastonbury Institute, entering its second year, has developed more extensive programs of educational, cultural and spiritual interest for the coming Fall and Spring. Most classes will be mini-courses of three sessions and be given only once in a week, from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. on Tuesday evenings. We hope these earlier times will be welcomed by people glad to get home earlier.

  

Here are some of the programs lined up so far:

  

  -  Celia Sirois, "Basics of Bible Study"

  -  Sr. Rosemary Ryan, MMS, MD, "Ethical End-of-Life Issues"

  -  Fr. Nicholas, "History of the Reformation"

   - Br. Daniel and Annabelle Wallace, "Breathing Underwater:         Spirituality through the Twelve Step Program"

  -  John Sheff, "Overcoming Anxiety and Worry"

  -  Fr. Timothy, "Celtic Spirituality."

 

In addition, Kay Trask will again conduct the twelve-week "Artist's Way" program, and Father Andrew hopes to return with his scripture classes.

 

Judy Dwyer will moderate the "Faith and Film Series" with eight film presentations, beginning with the fantastic "Life of Pi" on September 19th.

 

In the Spring, the popular Lenten suppers and programs will have the theme "Spirituality and the Arts" and will feature speakers Peter S. Hawkins, Lynne Griffin, Jin Kin, Bill Brett, and Nancy Cusack.

 

Meanwhile the well-established interfaith lecture series, "Listening to Other Voices" enters its fifteenth season with the theme, "Profiles in Spiritual Courage." This series will begin in October with James O'Connell, MD, Boston Health Care for the Homeless, and then Sister Simone Campbell of Network and "Nuns on the Bus" in November.

 

We believe the Glastonbury Institute is becoming a premier source of learning on the South Shore. A full descriptive pamphlet on all these programs will be available in August. Mark your calendar and join us!

 

Glastonbury Abbey Mass Guild

Spiritual Enrollments

 

Rhododendren
  

New Abbey Exclusive Perpetual Enrollment Design!

By Botanical Artist Ruth Ann Wetherby-Frattasio, O.S.B., Obl.

 

Spiritual Enrollments are a beautiful way to share your love and faith.  When loved ones, living or deceased are enrolled, they are included in the Daily Mass, Liturgy of the Hours, and all the Monk's prayers and works.
 

 Annual Enrollment Cards:

($5.00 Suggested Donation) Sympathy, Healing, Thinking of you, Special Occasions, Holidays

 

Five Year Enrollments:

($10.00 Suggested Donation) Six page booklet includes prayers and Abbey history

 

Perpetual Enrollments:

($20.00 Suggested Donation) Padded 5x7 folder with a lovely picture and enrollment form side by side inside 

 

Enrollments are available in our Bookstore or by contacting the Mass Guild office @ 781-749-2155 Ext 242 or E-mail: massguild@glastonburyabbey.org

 

~~~

                     

Monks on Annual Retreat - August 25-30 - Abbey Closed to Public Worship

  
Each year the monks at Glastonbury step back from their normal public activities for a period of community silence, prayer and inner refreshment.
  
There will be no public times of worship, including Mass, from Vespers on Sunday, August 25, until before Vespers on Friday, August 30.  The Abbey Center, Bookstore and grounds are all closed to the public at this time.  Only the business office will remain open for limited activity. 

 

Book Review

Morwood Book
  

Title:  "Faith, Hope, and a Bird Called George: A Spiritual Fable"

Author:  Michael Morwood

Publisher:  New London, Ct: Twenty-Third Publications

Reviewed by:  Bruce McCabe 

 

This is a marvelous and ingenious book about Hope, a woman who lives alone and works out many of her life's most profound questions with the aid of  "conversations" with her  remarkably empathetic and wise partners, Faith, a cat, and a parrot named George.  Yes, you read that right.

 

For the rest of the McCabe review click here!

  
  
  

Children's Bible Camp: 

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade

 

August 12 - 16:  Glastonbury Abbey will offer a Summer Bible Camp in honor of Susan DeWinter, whose deep love and deep commitment to children, gardening and the arts form the inspiration for this endeavor.  The curriculum of the Camp will concentrate on Bible creation stories through hands-on nature activities, music, poetry, puppet making and art.  The Abbey grounds, with accessible gardens, walking trails and resident goat herd and bee hives, will provide ample opportunity for direct nature appreciation and experience.  It promises to be a wonderful and joyous summer experience!

Each daily session will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at a cost of $20.00 per day or $90.00 for the week.

This Bible Camp will be staffed by Ellie Devine and Dotty Banks, two experienced early childhood educators. 

To register, please call the Abbey office on weekday mornings at 781-749-2155 x200 or email retreats@glastonburyabbey.org.