Directorate: Fr. David May, re-elected director general of priests.

New Local Director: Shatzi Duffy, England.

Assignments: Sherman Everson & Miriam Stulberg, Edmonton; Marg Stobie, Regina; Daniel Rabideau, England.

Deaths: Rochelle Greenwood’s mother.

First Promises: Lisa Diniz, Mumbai, India. Alexandra Do, San José, California. Neil Patterson, Munster, Ontario. Fr. Murray Kuemper, Yorkton, Saskatchewan.

First Renewals: Joanne Kuntz, Walkerton, Ontario. Joo Eun Lee, Seoul, Korea. Aliz Trombitas, Füzesabony, Hungary. David Guzman, Winslow, Arizona.

Second Renewals: Muriel (Jocko) d’Ursel, Namur, Belgium. Emmanuella Kim, In-Cheon, Korea. Peter Bullen, St. George’s, Grenada.

Third Renewals: Sandra Novecosky, Burr, Saskatchewan. Sung Hee (Maria) Park, Seoul, Korea. Tom Kluger, Toronto, Ontario.

Final Promises: Petra Muller, Middleville, Michigan. Michael Weitl, Audubon, Iowa.

by Paulette Curran.

Summer is here—even in early June as I write this. All is full, lush, and green, and for now—though this early it will not last long—it is quite hot. Several hardy souls have even ventured into the still-ice cold water of the Madawaska River.

by José de Vinck.

O Lord, let us perceive the warmth of your glory in the sunshine hours of our summer days. May the skies be blue over our dwellings, and may the clouds bring refreshment and growth to our crops. May the balmy breeze be for us a reminder of your Holy Spirit, blowing wherever it wills over our dreams and endeavors. And when the sun sets on our happiness or our sorrow, let us be evenly grateful to you for letting us participate both in your beatitude and in your passion. Let the fullness of our strength in the summer of our years be consecrated to the fulfillment of what we are supposed to be: choirs of thanksgiving and channels of praise. Amen.

by Pope Benedict XVI.

The following is excerpted from the pope’s talk to youth and seminarians at New York’s archdiocesan seminary during his recent visit to the United States, April 20, 2008.

What matters most is that you develop your personal relationship with God. That relationship is expressed in prayer. God by his very nature speaks, hears, and replies.

by Cheryl Ann Smith.

When is the last time you just sat and did nothing—just allowed yourself to be lost in the wondrous beauty of nature or in the procession of people and houses outside the windows of your bus or train? When is the last time you read a book on a park bench?

 by Fr. David May.

If you’ve ever visited Madonna House, Combermere, you may know that we have a vegetable garden plot located between St. Mary’s and the Madawaska River.

This very sandy but flat piece of land has been steadily improved over the last decade or so, and one of the crops that does well there is sweet corn. Depending on how much Chris Hanlon, our chief gardener, plants, I head down there early on summer mornings on a bike, so that I can spend some time hoeing and weeding that corn before community prayers at 8:00.