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As I walk along the great halls of St. Leo, I feel within my heart and soul that God is always with us and guiding us, the monks of St. Leo, to do wonderful things.
This year, we have celebrated four very important events, the first being Saint Benedict. Since we could not celebrate on Sunday of Lent, the celebration was moved to Monday the 22nd of March. Either way, we still had a joyous celebration no matter what day we celebrated. Secondly, on Saturday, we welcomed, with open arms, Eduard Savatano into the Novitiate. The very next day, we also welcomed, with much anticipation, Jose Miguel into a time of privation as a Postulant. And finally during the celebration of our Father Saint Benedict, we had the Simple vows of Brother Columba.Brother Columba had spent the last seven months in the Archabbey of Saint Vincent in Pennsylvania. There, with the approval of the Archabbot, he took part of the Novitiate program along with six other novices from the Archabbey.
The ceremony at Saint Leo was wonderful. This was a blessing not only for Brother Columba, but for every member of the Abbey. We are blessed with a future to not only remain a positive presence within central Florida but it also gives us a chance to continue to serve our brothers and sisters within our own community. For each new member that enters St. Leo is a blessing to us all. It is what keeps us going and gives us motivation to strive everyday for a wonderful and positive future.
I remember very well when I welcomed Brother Columba into the novitiate more than a year ago. As we read the Rule of Saint Benedict, it states that we should not open the door easily to those who want to come and join us, but to test the spirits and see if they are truly seeking God. This was a hard moment for Him. He had said that he had knocked on many doors before seeking his calling in life, but those doors did not open for him. Coming to Saint Leo, he had finally found his opened door.
Brother Columba has professed simple vows and the entire community has celebrated this moment with a tremendous amount of joy and happiness and above all, love. This was an important moment for the community that we are growing into and touching lives. His profession of simple vows is a blessing for him as well, as he so eagerly expressed with much content. “I wanted to give myself in consecrated life to God for so long”.
It takes time these days for people to truly find their place not only within our own lives but with God’s as well. One may ask where can they embrace their true calling and flourish. I do not have the answer for that, it only lies within you and in trust of God’s calling but for the next three years, Brother Columba will review his life to see if this is truly what he wants. Only he will know if he is willing to give himself to God in this monastic way of life. This time of simple vows will be for Brother Columba a time to keep on exercising his life as a monk and fully make that commitment to himself and God. Therefore, I ask you all, friends and family of Saint Leo that you may pray for us and for Brother Columba. Pray to persevere in this monastic life and that we, the rest of the monastic community, continue our desire to be Holy and be a good example for him and for others that may be attracted to the monastic way of life here at Saint Leo Abbey.
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