Hey everyone,
Here is our 2008-09 "SVA Come and See" weekend poster: the dates are Oct. 31-Nov. 2, 2008, Feb. 6-8, 2009, and our Triduum Retreat: April 8-12, 2009. Please feel free to let others know about our program and print out the flyers for your parish or discernment group which can be found on our blog by clicking here: SVAmonks. Hope and pray all is well.
God's Love,
Br. Gabriel Myriam, OSB

Tridium retreats are THE BEST. It's great that you offer that!

Thanks Venite,
The retreats get better and better each year and we are actually in the planning stages of trying to do either a 40 hour devotion on the retreat or at least all night adoration so the Lord can speak to the young men during their time here.
SVAmonks

I remember going to SVA for a Triduum retreat in April of 2003. It was about a month before I graduated with my B.A. We had a wonderful time. I still remember Fr. Sebastian's question to us. "What does the Resurrection of Christ, this cosmic event, mean to me?" I reflect on that still.

That was also the same time that Cardinal Law was at the Archabbey for retreat. I am from the Archdiocese of Boston and I had the opportunity to communicate some thoughts to him. I remember seeing him around the Archabbey and how he looked. Such moments are forever etched in my memory.

I also remember the Easter Vigil. I had an experience there that I do not think I could forget as it showed me the power of good Liturgy. I was not feeling very well that night but there was no way I could miss the Easter Vigil. That was when I was brought into the Church in 1997 and I have never missed the Vigil since (and to this day). Despite how I felt, I still went.

I have to tell all of you that how SVA celebrated the Vigil was truly wonderful. Could it have been better? Yes, but what I experienced was very good. In fact, my illness went away during the Liturgy and I was quite refreshed in spirit after having attended the Easter Vigil Liturgy. It showed me the power of good Liturgy and that was another experience that etched my soul for all time.

Br. Gabriel, if you would please say hello to Br. Jacob Amos and Br. Shawn Anderson for me, I would appreciate it.

Peace!
-Kevin Symonds

Hi Kevin,
Thank you so much for the kind words, I felt the same way my first Easter Vigil at the Abbey. Father Shawn Matthew just started working on his doctorate at VCU, I'm sure he will be a wonderful witness on campus and I will pass on your greetings to him. Br. Jacob is studying here at the Archabbey and when I see him next I will make sure to tell him you say hello. Please continue to pray for us and for all young men discerning.
Pax,
Br. Gabriel Myriam, OSB
SVAmonks

Oh my goodness....He is a priest now? Boy did I miss the memo! Fr. Shawn and I were at Steubenville together 8 years ago. In fact, he was the one who introduced me to St. Vincent's. Thank you for passing on my greetings, I appreciate it very much. I will continue to pray.

Peace!
-Kevin Symonds

Pray tell, Br. Gabe, were you able to say hello to Br. Jacob yet?

-KJS

Hey! I know the Priest who wrote the icon in your avatar! It is gorgeous btw. Where is your abbey, I go to school with the St. Benedict's abbey brothers/priests

Our Abbey in is Latrobe, PA which is about an hour Southeast of Pittsburgh. St. Benedict's in Kansas is a daughter house of ours as St. Vincent Archabbey was the first Benedictine Monastery in the United States. We are also the largest Benedictine monastery in the world with over 170 monks vowing stability to SVA. For more information on our community please see our blog site:
SVAmonks
btw: 2 St. Benedict monks (Br. Jeremy, OSB and Br. Gregory, OSB are studying at our Seminary and God-willing will be ordained deacons at the end of this academic year)

You are also the summer training camp of the Pittsburgh Steelers No wonder they are a great team .