From August 6-10, 2017, a group of monks gathered for a workshop aimed at preparing them to conduct visitations for the monasteries of the American Cassinese Congregation. The Abbot President, our own Abbot Elias, organized the program, which included information about the history of visitations, what Canon Law and the Constitutions of the congregation says about visitations, and specifics about writing a visitation report. 

Also in attendance was a forensic psychologist, Dr. Mathias Hagovosky, who spoke about how to interview monks as visitators endeavor to gather information about the specific monastery. The Fine Arts Center provided a great venue for the sessions.

The visiting monks were lodged in the Abbey Retreat Center, and prayed and took meals with the monks at Delbarton.  A number of the monks also took time out to visit The Cloisters in New York City, and dine at a Morristown pizzeria. 

The workshop was most worthwhile for the participants who will render service to their brethren throughout the congregation.  It was an great blessing to have so many monks visit St. Mary’s Abbey and enhance our singing the psalms in choir!  Great fraternity was also enjoyed by all.  This is all part of a new effort in the congregation for monasteries to offer mutual assistance to one another. 

Pictured -- 1^st Row L-R:Prior Justin McCreedy (St. Martin Abbey), Prior Boniface Copelin (St. Gregory’s Abbey), Fr. Peter Tynan (St. Martin Abbey), Abbot Philip Davey (St. Bede Abbey), Abbot Elias Lorenzo (St. Mary’s Abbey), Abbot Richard Cronin (St. Mary’s Abbey), Fr. Jonathan Licari (St. John’s Abbey), Abbot Lawrence Stasyszen (St. Gregory’s Abbey)

2^nd Row L-R: Fr. Edward Seton Fittin (St. Mary’s Abbey), Fr. Meinrad Miller (St. Benedict’s Abbey), Br. Damian Whalen (St. Gregory’s Abbey), Fr. Elias Correa-Torres (Belmont Abbey), Br. Aelred Senna (St. John’s Abbey), Abbot Austin Murphy (St. Procopius Abbey), Br. Luke Turner (St. Benedict’s Abbey)

3^rd Row L-R: Fr. Daniel Ward (St. John’s Abbey), Fr. Michael Tidd (St. Mary’s Abbey), Fr. Augustine Kelly (St. Anselm Abbey), Fr. Michael Peterson (St. John’s Abbey), Prior Bradley Jenniges (St. John’s Abbey)