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March 12, 2020Dear Oblates and Friends of Portsmouth Abbey,
After consulting with Fr. Michael Brunner and other campus officials last evening, we have come to the conclusion that it is in the best interest of everyone’s health and safety that we sadly cancel this Sunday’s Lenten Day of Recollection. The fact that we would have been seated in close proximity to each other while in the church and the dining hall is alone reason for concern.
Each day the news brings us more disturbing numbers about the spread of the coronavirus. This week alone I have received e-mails from Amtrak and Budget Rental assuring customers of their efforts to disinfect and sanitize their rolling fleets. And it’s not only unprecedented cautionary messages coming out of the commercial sector, but also from the Archdiocese of St. Louis, the Diocese of Providence and educational institutions throughout the country.
Yesterday two other planned Lenten retreats on our campus were postponed or canceled by the local diocesan officials: one was to include the high school principals of the area. The other retreat had been planned by the Office of Men and Women Religious since last year.
In the next few days I shall clean up the notes for the conference I would have delivered on Sunday and disseminate them to you as an attachment to an e-mail. In a small way my rambling words might supply you with some thoughts to meditate upon at home. Several Oblates do not have e-mail access so please spread the word of this cancellation to others with whom you are in contact. If you have made travel reservations and have a guest room reserved through Br. Joseph, the guest master, please know that you are more than welcome to spend the weekend here as planned.
The crocuses and daffodils are sprouting up on campus and it would have been a beautiful weekend along Narragansett Bay had these extenuating circumstances not arisen.
Much love & in Christ,
Br. Sixtus
Director of Oblates
