A visit is a blessing…

It is always considered a blessing to the community when someone comes for a visit.
Last April 14th, Dom Marcus picked up a Filipino Diocesan priest assigned in El Cristo Rey parish in Arizona, Fr. Eugene from the community of The Disciples of Hope, to spend for a week in our monastery.

After spending with us for some five days, Fr Eugene left the monastery last April 18th of Friday for Arizona with an edified heart and happy memories of his visit: the experience of waking up early for our 4:00AM Vigils in Church; our silent main meal accompanied by a table reader; our silent prayers in Church at 5:20PM to 5:50PM; our Solemn Vespers and the silence and solitude of the location which is very conducive for meditations and reflections.

One day before he left, that was Thursday, he requested me to join him for some pictorials inside and outside the cloister. I gladly accommodated his invitation to pose with him.
The following images will show me and Fr Eugene in several places, in and out, of the monastery.

at the Cloister garden


still at the garden


infront of the main gate to the monastery portals


infront of the Abbey Church with another guest friend


infront of the meditation garden


inside the Abbey Church


inside the Abbey Chruch infront of the life-sized Crucifix


inside the Abbey Church infront of the statue of St. Benedict


at the Guests' Receiving Hall


inside the monastery's Refectory