Sorry for my slack blogging lately, folks! Life is full these days, and sometimes the blog just sinks down to the bottom of my priorities, and that's just the way it is.
A short post this time, as life here is pretty much the same mostly. We have a house full of guests, young people full of life and energy. It is really pretty awesome, and makes for a lively spirit in the place. One of the young women here has been joking about all the strange things she has had to do since arriving. Chopping up entire carcasses of sheep and cows for meat was one; now she is breaking up black walnuts (we drive over them with a van for that stage), and then picking the nutmeat out of the shattered shells. MH is a weird place.
The farmers and the food processors had a grand end of the season supper together last night. All of the food is frozen, canned, dried, or in root cellars for the winter. It would appear that we have once again staved off malnutrition, thanks to the hours and hours of hard work from... well, just about everyone at some point or another. It is a group project!
We had a prayer service on Friday for the refugees and migrants of the world, with a holy hour, decades of the rosary interspersed with readings and testimonies from various refugees over the world, and a song composed by one of our women to the text "I was a stranger, and you welcomed me."
The biggest news, however, is that the laymen of MH have completed their election for a new director general. We elect our leaders like no other community on earth does, holding ballots until we reach unanimity. The Russian word we use for this is sobornost, about which Catherine Doherty wrote quite a bit. I am pleased to announce that Larry Klein has been elected to be the new DG of the laymen for a four year term beginning in January.
Larry is replacing Mark Schlingerman who has served with great generosity in this position for the past twelve years. I ask your prayers for both these men as they transition into their new responsibilities, for all the men at this holy and joyous time, and for our community. And know that we are praying for you as well, in the works of our hands and the prayers of our lips and hearts.
i didn't realize how the election process was at MH... pretty cool i must say!
ReplyDeletewonder what that kind of election would look like out here?
God Bless Larry!
Can you imagine trying to get unanimity in the general population? We'd be without a Prime Minister entirely... which doesn't strike me as such a bad thing, honestly!
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