The Current

While even the First Family now must contend personally with the effects of the coronavirus, the School recently passed one of its prescheduled assessment dates to determine how the reopening should proceed. And if "All systems go!" sounds overly positive, it is accurate to say that the School will continue its fall programming as planned. This does unfortunately leave in place the temporary suspension of the visiting of the campus. While two positive cases have been identified so far this fall, the protocols in place for quarantining, contact tracing, and symptom monitoring have helped to hold the number there. Armed with masks, hand sanitizer, and spacing, liturgical life will also keep on. The Confirmation program has begun, and this year will include the reception of the sacrament for students whose preparation was abbreviated last spring. House Mass is proceeding as a once-per-term service in the church. In a letter to the community, Headmaster Dan McDonough notes with gratitude the efforts that help make all of this possible: "Every day we are grateful for our caring community as we work together to follow the safety protocols.  All our students, faculty, and staff are going to great lengths to protect each other, to provide the needs of those at home, and to continue the School's routine." 

The Abbey's Church of Saint Gregory the Great is considered an architectural gem. Yet decades of wear, with its location set amidst Rhode Island's marine climate, has taken its toll on the structure. This battering led to the need for substantial restoration, which by 2008 could no longer be further delayed. The restoration project has since earned several architectural awards, including the 2016 New England Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. It was indeed a massive undertaking. Restorers had to attend to worrying structural issues, particularly in the clerestory, strengthening the entire structure with cross braces, completely removing and reinstalling the windows, addressing leaking in the roof. Integral to the team working on this complex and in many ways unprecedented project was Newmans, Ltd. of Newport, which had the job of tending to the most visible and fragile component on the site – Richard Lippold's wire sculpture, Trinity. While this restoration pertained primarily to the interior of the church, Trinity's anchoring throughout church's entire structure required work in tandem with the whole restoration team. And while the sculpture had not itself been exposed to the Rhode Island weather, the twisting and turning of the entire nave from its battering had made an impact on the piece. Dust, corrosion, and general aging of the materials had also been occurring, to necessitate a radical reworking of this remarkable piece. With all of these factors, particularly the severe corrosion of some of its materials, the Lippold work was in dire condition (Read more on the restoration in this month's Archives column).

Brother Benedict Maria continues to supplement the monastery’s online presence. The latest addition to the menu is the availability Friday afternoons of Divine Adoration, live-streamed on Youtube from 1:30-5:00pm each week. While this quiet devotion may not seem to lend itself to the Web, one who in fact offers even a few minutes of prayer before this Presence online may be surprisingly rewarded. Those who are physically distant from campus may find it a way to reconnect with the spiritual center of the monastery. In addition, by subscribing to the Youtube channel (no cost – just click “subscribe” and you’re done!), you will find readily available our weekday Masses, Vespers, and both of the School Masses, with various additional devotions that Brother Benedict has posted. Back in the old days, before the internet, one might stop off to visit a monastery, or steal into a church for quiet prayer. Well, one still is able to do this, though it is slightly more complicated during our pandemic. But in our new world, one may also visit a website, or steal some time to contemplate before the Blessed Sacrament, albeit through the screen of one’s laptop or phone. You will find these and much more on the monastery website, and can find daily homilies, both written and recorded, Vespers, daily Mass , Masses for particular saints, Holy Week, and more. This Web presence continues to make monastic life more visible than ever.