Letter to our friends
September, 2nd 2014
Dear friends,
It has already been ten years since the dedication of our church, and over these recent months nothing remarkable has happened to upset the regularity of our monastic lives. The clothing, vows ceremonies, and ordinations that we told you about were followed by a few others. Theology, philosophy, and exegesis professors came in succession. Every day brought its chores. The pallets of mustard, of sweet spreads and cosmetics (from Nový Dvůr), the pallets of jams, dietary supplements and other health-food products (from Sept-Fons) were loaded on trucks, sold and consumed. By mid-August, the swallows nesting under the roofs of the baroque wing of our monastery could see their young take wing. By the end of the day, in the low and warm light they dotted the cloister garden. In a few weeks with a better experience they will fly away to spend their winter in more genial climes. Still, a few events emerge from our day-to-day life – the steadiness of which we rather like.
Shortly after Easter, our Abbot General went to Sept-Fons for his regular visit. Dom Eamon used to be Mount Melleray's Abbot in Ireland when he was elected, at the general chapter of Assisi, in July 2008. He had come to Nový Dvůr in July 2012, but he did not know Sept-Fons very well. Accompanied by Dom Lodde, Abbot of Orval in Belgium, he stayed there for about two weeks. When he left, everyone was quite satisfied!
At the end of August, at Nový Dvůr , Brother Jean-Paul celebrated the sixtieth anniversary the death of his great-uncle, Father Valentin Maria Krejčí, a Dominican friar who studied in Olomouc, and lived in the convent of Plzen before he was arrested by the Communist police in 1950. On August 26, 1954, he died from the repercussions of his captivity. Brother Jean-Paul is working toward writing a monograph on this religious whom he never met, but whom he rather likes and admires.
In reading this news, you might feel that "everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds". You would be quite wrong! I often tell the brothers that, year after year, our lives become more complicated and happier. Worries and happiness grow together. So what is the point of telling you about it? And if, although unlikely, this austerity was missing from our lives, there would certainly be something pertaining to Height, Scope, and Depth that we would be missing. Let us not complain. Ah ! One more thing: I applied for the Czech citizenship. The answer should come in soon.
As always I remain yours faithfully.
Thank you again, you can count on our prayers.
Br. M. Samuel, abbot of Nový Dvůr
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February 2009
Autumn 2013
July 5, 2013
March 10, 2013
A few weeks before Christmas 2012
September 2, 2012, Solemnity of the Dedication of Novy Dvur
Whit Sunday 2012
January 11, 2012
September 30, 2011, Feast of Saint Jerome
May 1 2011
September 2 2010
May, 2010
January 29, 2010
Pentecost 2009
February 2009
May, 2008
February 2, 2008
September 2, 2007
July 5, 2007
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March 25, 2006
February 2, 2006
September 2, 2005