Is now...                                                              Monday, January 30, 2012 - Week 25

St. Michael's Abbey
 

examination2

Q: Why are candles blessed on the Presentation of the Lord?

 

A: The feast of the Presentation on February 2 has often been referred to as Candlemas in the Western Church, since it is on this day that priests traditionally blessed the beeswax candles used for Office and Mass throughout the coming year.  The candles were also distributed to the faithful or the faithful themselves brought their own candles for blessing at this Mass.  Christ is the Light of the world, and the candles fittingly symbolize His presence. The following day is the feast of St. Blaise, the bishop of Sebastea and 4th century martyr, who is invoked as patron of cures of diseases of the throat.  In the blessing of St. Blaise, the candles blessed on Candlemas are held at the throat and the blessing is administered by the priest. 

Come to the abbey for Mass on Candlemass (February 2 - 11:00 a.m.) and St. Blaise ( February 3 - 7:00 a.m.) and see the candles blessed and receive the blessing of throats.  
Roses for Mary 
Rose Unforgettable
Unforgettable is a Hybrid Tea rose bred by Bill Warriner for Jackson & Perkins in 1991.  It is no longer available, which, given its name, is ironic.  It came into the abbey collection when a friend gave us pruned branches from her garden, and this branch, stuck into the ground, took root.  It is an enormous plant, easily achieving 7 feet in height between prunings. The health of the plant is perfect in Orange County's climate, and its dinner plate-sized flowers are great for cutting. Why this plant was allowed to slip from commerce is a mystery.  It would be one of about 5 or 6 varieties in the collection that are not available on the market. 
 
 

Transforming Lives for Christ 
Fr. Abbot Eugene J. Hayes, O.Praem.

Abbot Eugene came as a diocesan seminarian from the East Coast, where he was studying for the priesthood at a seminary in New York.  He entered St. Michael's, and pursued his studies at the Angelicum University in Rome.  Ordained a priest in 1977, he served in many different capacities in the community - as assistant dean in the preparatory school and as a professor at Mater Dei High School before being sent to The Catholic University of America to study canon law. He received his doctorate in this field and was elected as procurator general of the Norbertine Order.  This post saw Fr. Eugene serving in Rome for 6 years as the Norbertines' representative to the Holy See.  Elected second abbot of St. Michael's Abbey on June 27, 1995, Abbot Eugene received the abbatial blessing from Bishop Norman McFarland on September 15, 1995 at Holy Family Cathedral.  An avid reader, Fr. Abbot enjoys reading the Fathers of the Church and is involved in priestly formation at the abbey, teaching seminarians canon law and the constitutions of the Norbertine Order.

NORBERTINE NOTABLES 
St. Frederick - February 4th
St. Frederick of Hallum (1113-1175) was the founder of the abbey of Mariengaarde in Friesland in the Netherlands.  He was the son of a poor widow in Hallum, and his local pastor, noticing his piety, taught him Latin and encouraged his vocation.  After ordination, Frederick became the assistant priest to his pastor in Hallum and ministered there for a time, eventually succeeding him at his post.  After his mother died, Frederick sought to build a hospital and establish a monastery of canons.  To learn about the life of regular canons, he went to the Norbertine abbey of Marienweerd where he was a novice. He gathered companions in his venture and in 1163 built a monastery church dedicated to the Blessed Mother, Mariengaarde (Mary's Garden).  This community consisted of both priests and nuns initially, but Frederick soon moved the sisters to a monastery named Bethlehem. Frederick traveled to the Norbertine abbey of Steinfeld to join his community to the Norbertine Order.  Frederick remained abbot, pastor of Hallum, and rector of Bethlehem all at the same time. A seminary was attached to the abbey and became famous in a short time. While visiting the Norbertine convent of Bethlehem, Frederick fell very ill and returned to Hallum. In the church in which he had celebrated his first Mass he also celebrated his last. After the Mass he returned to the abbey to die. He said to his confreres, "Pray for me, because I could not care for the poor as much as I wished since the monastery was so poor." He urged them to follow the Rule and assured them that he would never abandon his confreres as long as they would remain faithful. He died on March 3, 1175. So many miracles occurred at his grave that the church of Mari�
ngaarde became a much-visited pilgrimage site.
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St. Michael's Abbey

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