The Benedictine Monks of Weston Priory
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Monastic life, like all religious life, is above all a historical response and not a prefabricated model. The Spirit is constant and changing at once, like life, like history, and we must let it change us for this era. We ought not confuse stability with the rigidity of cadavers.
--Simon Pedro Arnold, OSB


2009 Fall/Winter Bulletin:
Celebrating 25 Years of Public Sanctuary

Cover:
The Ixcot Family of Guatemala, in Public Sanctuary at Weston Priory, Vermont, 1984-2009

Twenty-Five Years of Welcome (pages 2-3)
“This year we have been celebrating the 25th anniversary of the declaration of Public Sanctuary at Weston Priory, and the arrival in Vermont of the Ixcot family of Guatemala. We hope to share with you some of this story over these years told in the reflections of our brothers, friends, and from each of the family speaking for themselves. . .” more

A 25 Year Journey of Faith - brother John (pages 4-10)
“For twenty-five years, Felipe and Elena and their five children, refugees from violence in Guatemala, made their home in the Sanctuary of Weston Priory called Casa Guadalupe. The blessing of their presence remains a faithful gift within this house.” The story of this family and this Sanctuary. . . more

Weaving Memories: Reflecting 25 Years at the Weston Priory (pages 11-15) The Ixcot Family: Felipe, Elena, Julio, Alicia, Sonia, Maya, and Juanita each share their memories of Sanctuary at Weston Priory. more

Banana Tree - brother Augustine (Poem, page 15)   more poetry

Reflections on 25 Years of Sanctuary - Marianna McGuffin (pages 16-19)
“Throughout the years I saw Elena's and Felipe's testimony against the genocide and oppression of the 70s and 80s evolve into insightful presentations of Mayan culture that reached countless schools, churches, synagogues, colleges and universities. What remained unchanged was their dedication to and overwhelming concern for the Mayan people. . .” more

Weaving and Planting-Lessons for Life - brother Michael (pages 20-23)
“Elena started to weave again. . . Then, with shy simplicity, she taught a group of brothers to weave. . . Elena's weaving was filled with spirit and meaning . . . When Felipe and Elena planted their gardens in the Green Mountains of Vermont, in our Mother Earth, the roots went deep. To be connected to a sacred mystery that goes beyond grief and authentic pain was integral to the growth that occurred in our 25 years together. . .” more

Posadas - brother Daniel (pages 24-25)
The Posada celebration “is one of neighbors getting together and offering hospitality to one another. They remember a poor homeless couple who were denied such hospitality in Bethlehem when their son was about to be born . . . A very powerful experience for us brothers was to celebrate the Posadas with Felipe, Elena and their children, a family in exile, away from their beloved Guatemala. . . ” more

Life Together in One Heart
Chronicle: May through October 2009
(pages 26-28)
We share the ongoing chronicle of our monastic life as a community of brothers seeking God in today's world. . . more

Postscript - (pages 29-30)
“Felipe and Elena have chosen to return in mission to live among their people in Guatemala. And this year they have been joined by their son, Julio. . . Their daughters: Sonia, Alicia, Juanita, and Maya have each set out to develop their own careers. . . more



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