Having completed the formal aspects of his visitation early in the month, Br Robert James, the Superior of our Order, treated our monastic community to an outing to the neighbouring Knysna Elephant Park, which included time in close proximity to those wonderful animals after an introduction to the admirable conservation work that has been done at the park during its history. The visit with the elephants was followed by lunch at the park’s restaurant. Later in the month, Br Robert returned to a wintery upstate New York, a stark contrast to our Southern Cape summer.
On Ash Wednesday, our community began our Lenten observance with the Imposition of Ashes during a noon liturgy, a reminder to us of our mortality and of the precious gift of life itself.
The context of life on a newly acquired property requires attention to more mundane concerns as well, including further electrical and plumbing repairs and other maintenance. There was also more proactive maintenance begun, in an effort to reduce the need for reaction. The roof of the monastic enclosure building was resealed and the walls then treated for moisture damage. The borehole water system was upgraded, and the amount of water storage increased. The backup generator was serviced for use during electricity supply failures.
Preparation to be able to receive guests hospitably began in earnest, with attention to inadequacies in the guesthouse plumbing. The property access gate control system was upgraded to facilitate the reception of guests and other visitors. The size of the prayer space was increased by removing the dividing wall that had separated the oratory from the sacristy, so that more than one or two guests and visitors can now join us in our chapel prayers. The sacristy has been relocated.
A member of the local Formosa Parish has become a welcome regular at some of our chapel prayers since she attended the Blessing of the Monastery early in the month. Brothers have also started engaging in spiritual accompaniment with locals in person, in addition to the spiritual accompaniment they offer online. Br Josias had online sessions with some Associates of Holy Cross and with members of the ACSA Disability Committee, who are working to ensure that those who are disabled can feel welcome in Anglican Churches in South Africa.
We were pleased to receive visits by friends of the community from Hermanus during the month. These prayed with us then joined us for coffee or tea or a meal or two.
At the end of the month, Br Roger attended the annual gathering of representatives from Benedictine communities throughout southern Africa. This was again well hosted by the community at Inkamana Abbey outside Vryheid in northern KwaZulu Natal. The gathering this year was enhanced by the presence and participation of the Abbot Primate of the worldwide Benedictine Confederation and of the Moderator of the Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum, the global organization for Benedictine women.