Mary Noel Donovan Lucy Jochens Saint Nicholas Party Bill Jochens Greensfelder Trusts and Estates & Development

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1 Dear Friends, November was a busy month for the Alumni Mothers Club at Priory. It started with our First Friday Rosary, which is a wonderful way to start our month. A special thanks to Dr. Kathleen Dixon for spearheading this to offer our rosaries up for the school, the Monastery, the teachers and staff, the alumni and the whole Abbey family. Followed by the Monks Thanksgiving Feast chaired by Barbara Donnelly. A special thank you to Barbara and all the alumni moms who went out of their way to make something special for the monks dinner and/or who donated to help purchase the turkeys for the monks dinner. As usual, our alumni moms provided a delicious, abundant Thanksgiving Feast for the monks. It is always nice to give a little back to the monks who continually give to us every day. We have such awesome moms! Some of Father Laurence s comments about the Thanksgiving Feast prepared say it all: Thank you and the alumni moms for providing us with a magnificent Thanksgiving dinner... You are so generous with us and we are all grateful.... I can still taste the yumminess. Next came the decorating of the Switzer House by Mary Noel Donovan and her elves. From my years at Priory, the Switzer house has never looked better for Christmas. Mary Noel made it our Switzer home verses our Switzer house! Please drop in and see the beautiful decorations and enjoy a peaceful moment during the business of the Christmas season. It was so wonderful to see so many of you at the Christmas Boutique. It keeps getting better every year. This is always one of my favorite events because it brings together the Mothers Club and the Alumni Mothers Club at the most special time of the year. Hope you got lots of Christmas shopping done. Now on to December, Lucy Jochens did an outstanding job chairing our newest party - the Saint Nicholas Party. The Switzer house was filled with the true Spirit of Saint Nicholas and Christmas giving to others and enjoying the company of each other! It was such a beautiful site to see all of the baby layette baskets created for the Coalition for Life Saint Louis, who support mothers who chose life. It was a wonderful party bringing together our alumni moms in the Switzer house for some Christmas cheer and service to other mothers and children in need. A perfect combination for the caring mothers of the Alumni Mothers Club. The Alumni Mothers Club would like to extend a special thanks to Bill Jochens and Greensfelder Trusts and Estates & Development for their generous donation to underwrite the Baby Layette Baskets for the Coalition for Life Saint Louis. Also, thank you to all of the alumni mothers who generously donated cash or layette items to fill the

2 baby layette baskets. For some of the mothers this maybe the first and only gift they receive for their newborn babies. When Lucy dropped off the baskets, here is her response: "God bless all of you!!" And "Merry Christmas" were the last words they said as I left the Coalition for Life office yesterday. Many words of thanks from the young group I met yesterday. I just want to share their thanks with all of you and extend mine too for going that extra yard to make it happen. Lucy Julia Masetti is busy planning the Monks Christmas Open House to be held on Sunday, December 18 th. If you would like to help in the kitchen getting ready, serving, bringing a dessert or appetizer or cleaning up, Julia could always use an extra hand. Last year, we had a blast in the kitchen getting the food trays ready. It was just like being in the kitchen with my mom and sisters getting ready for a holiday. If you haven t attended the Monks Christmas Open House in a while or ever, Mass is in the Abbey Church at 5:00 p.m. followed by the Reception in the Monastery at 6:00 p.m. Julia is preparing a delicious spread of food and it is always wonderful to visit with the monks and the Abbey family. What a blessing it is for me to work with such a talented group of women in the Alumni Mothers Club. Our bonds to Priory, the monks, the Abbey and the whole Abbey family are so deep. Seeing alumni mothers present on campus is like being home for Christmas. A special thanks to all of you for your continued support to the Alumni Mothers Club and the whole Abbey family! The Alumni Mothers Club is alive and well at Priory! Priory starts their Christmas break on December 20 th. With the hustle and bustle of the Christmas, it is time to slow down and take in the true Spirit of Christmas - the birth of Our Infant Savior. Remember the special time when your child(ren) was/were born and time seemed to stand still when heaven opened its door for a brief moment to welcome your baby into the world. The love and joy of a newborn is one of our greatest gifts

3 from God. For Him to humble himself to become a helpless infant for our salvation, is only one of His many acts of love for us. May your Christmas be filled with the love, hope and joy that only Our Infant Savior can give us. Take yourself back to the stillness of that Holy Night in the Manger when Our Lord was born, away from the brightness of the world. Wishing you and your family a very Blessed Christmas filled with the Joy of Jesus Birth. May your New Year be filled with much faith, hope and love! Christmas blessings to you and yours, Michelle Moen Alumni Mothers Club President Annette Croghan Alumni Mothers Club Vice President AMC and ABBEY UPCOMING EVENTS December Sunday, December 18 Monks Christmas Open House 5:00 p.m. Mass at the Abbey Church 6:00 p.m. Reception at the Monastery January Friday, January 6

4 First Friday Rosary Devotion After 8:15 a.m. All School Mass Abbey Church Tuesday, January 17 Winter Coffee: When Your Son Leaves His Faith Father Michael Brunner 9:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Switzer House February Thursday, February 2 Xanadu Set Up for Chic Boutique 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Corley Gym Friday, February 3 First Friday Rosary Devotion After 8:15 a.m. All School Mass Abbey Church Xanadu: Set Up for Chic Boutique 9:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Corley Gym Xanadu Preview Party 4:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Corley Gym Saturday, February 4 XANADA 6:00 p.m. Priory Gymnasium Tuesday, February 28 Fat Tuesday Party 4:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Switzer House March Wednesday, March 1 Ash Wednesday Morning of Recollection 9:30 a.m. Noon

5 Saint Anselm s Parish Centre Friday, March 3 First Friday Rosary Devotion After 8:15 a.m. All School Mass Abbey Church Thursday, March 9 AMC Lenten Series 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Saint Anselm s Parish House Thursday, March 23 AMC Lenten Series 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Saint Anselm s Parish House Thursday, March 30 AMC Lenten Series 10:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Saint Anselm s Parish House Monks Christmas Open House Sunday, December 18 th 5:00 p.m. Mass in Abbey Church 6:00 p.m. Reception in the Monastery The AMC helps to host the Monks Christmas Open House and are in need of volunteers to help set up, serve, clean up and/or bake some homemade Christmas goodies. Please contact Julia Masetti if you can help. First Friday Rosary Devotion Friday, January 6 After 8:15 a.m. All School Mass Abbey Church

6 Please join Dr. Kathleen Dixon for the First Friday Rosary Devotion in person or in the comfort of your home. We pray for the special intentions of the Abbey family to include: Priory School, the Monastery, the Abbey Church, the students, the faculty, the staff, the monks, the alumni, the parents, etc. Alumni Mothers Club Winter Coffee Tuesday, January 17th When Your Son Leaves His Faith Father Michael Brunner 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Switzer House Mothering never stops, do you need suggestions or input from others on what to do when your son leaves his faith? Join Father Michael at the Switzer House to hear his insight on what a mother can do to support her son who has left his faith. Peggy Gower, Jan Jordan and Haruko Bresnahan will be hosting this event. Keeping You in the Loop Just wanted to share a few changes at Priory with you. Father Gregory shared this update on October 20, 2016 with the current Priory family, thought you might be interested: Dear Parents, Brother Dunstan, Classical Languages teacher and chair of the department, has requested a sabbatical leave beginning at the end of this Fall Term. A letter from Brother Dunstan about his sabbatical is below. Please be assured that all of Brother Dunstan s classes will be covered by suitably qualified faculty in the Classical Languages Department. Dr. Michael Johnson has agreed to serve as interim department head of Classical Languages for the remainder of the year. Our Division Directors (Mrs.

7 Hartnett and Mr. Nickolai) will communicate with the parents of Brother Dunstan s current students regarding changes in teaching assignments to take place at the start of the Winter Term. Brother Dunstan will also continue to work with colleagues over the next few weeks to plan for a smooth transition for the various organizations he oversees as faculty moderator, including the Sodality and Classical Honor Society. I ask that you keep Brother Dunstan in your prayers as he takes this time for reflection, prayer and the restoration of his vigor and spirit. Yours sincerely in the Lord, Father Gregory Mohrman, O.S.B. 76 Headmaster From Brother Dunstan: Dear Parents, Earlier this year, I spoke to Father Abbot about the possibility of taking a sabbatical, a leave of absence for one year. As my spiritual father, he generously agreed. My original plan was to finish this academic year, but I now feel it is best to start my sabbatical at the beginning of the second trimester. This was a very difficult decision, and made with great care. I hope the love and devotion, with which I have tried to serve your family, may help you understand. Simply said, I have become exhausted and have felt so for a while. I need time to commit myself to prayer and rest, time to focus on God. I have requested to spend some time, after a home visit, in a cloistered monastery where with God s help his plan will unfold. I promise you there is no need for worry. I want to express to you the great joy I have found in this school. The following story from ancient Rome says it best. Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi, was simple and modest despite her noble status. One day a friend was boasting her wealth and expensive jewels. Seeing Cornelia in her modest attire, she said people believed she must be poor. Cornelia drew her two young sons to her side and said, These boys are my treasure. There is no jewel more precious in all the world." As a monk with no wealth or treasure of my own, I have always felt there was no jewel more precious to me than my students. You, their parents, are part of this treasure for your loving support has been a great comfort, too. Dr. Rashford and Father Gregory have been very solicitous to ensure that my classes are well provided for. My colleagues in the Classics Department will share these responsibilities. So let us pray for one another. Together or apart, we are always bound together in the love of Christ. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. God bless, Brother Dunstan Holms, O.S.B.

8 Here is another major change at the Monastery and Priory shared by Father Gregory on November 14, 2016: Dear Priory Parents, As our new trimester gets underway, I am pleased to announce that Father Cassian Koenemann, O.S.B., 97 has been appointed to the position of Prior at Saint Louis Abbey. The Prior ranks second to the Abbot in the Community, and the Rule of Saint Benedict states, The prior for his part is to carry out respectfully what his abbot assigns to him, and do nothing contrary to the abbot s wishes or arrangements (RB 65:16). Please keep him in your prayers as he takes on this new responsibility. After prayerful consideration, Abbot Thomas has granted Father Bede Price, O.S.B., a long-term leave of absence to spend time with his family and to assist in the care of his ailing father. Please keep Father Bede and his family in your prayers. These two monastic changes bring adjustments to the Theology Department at Priory. Because of Father Cassian s expanded duties within the monastery, I will be reducing his teaching assignment in the High School. Please be assured that the school administration is working diligently to ensure that his and Father Bede s winter and spring term classes will be covered by suitably qualified faculty in the Theology department. Finally, as many of you know, this is Mrs. Diana Hartnett s last year teaching at Priory. She retires after 30 years on our faculty, 16 of those as Director of the Junior School. We are extremely grateful to Mrs. Hartnett for her tireless dedication and service to our students and their families. We pray for her continued blessing as she makes this transition into "retirement." I am pleased to announce that Father Maximilian Toczylowski, O.S.B. will take on the role of Director of the Junior School, effective July 1. Father Maximilian, Priory class of 2000, has been a monk for 13 years, and has broad experience in teaching, coaching, and supervising student activities. Father Maximilian earned a B.A. in history and philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, and recently completed his Master of Divinity degree at the Dominican House of Studies (Blackfriars) in Oxford, England. Please keep Father Maximilian in your prayers as he begins this important work. Be assured of the prayers of all the monks for you and your families, and please remember us, especially Fathers Cassian, Bede, and Maximilian, and Mrs. Hartnett, in your prayers. Laus Tibi Domine. Father Gregory Mohrman, O.S.B. 76 Headmaster

9 Alumni Mothers Club Prayer Line Are you, your family or a friend in need of prayers? Did you know the Alumni Mothers Club is here for you? Let us lift you and your loved ones up in prayer. The Alumni Mothers Club Prayer Line prays for the Abbey family and the special intentions of the Alumni Mothers Club. Prayer is the most powerful gift we can give to anyone. If you would like to join the Alumni Mothers Club Prayer Line, you are always welcome and you can pray from the comfort of your home. For any special prayer petitions or if you would like to join the fellow alumni mothers in prayer, please contact Leslie Foran at foran@primary.net or fill out the Prayer Request Form. If you need to speak to someone, please call Leslie Foran at (314) The Alumni Mothers Club of Saint Louis Priory School extends a special thank you to Greensfelder Trusts and Estates & Department and

10 Bill Jochens for generously underwriting the Baby Layette Baskets! The baskets were donated to the Coalition for Life Saint Louis and given to mothers, who chose life, and their newborns. Alumni Mothers Club Dues and Volunteer Form If you have not paid your AMC dues yet, you can pay your dues online or by mail with the downloadable form on the website Please help support the AMC so we can continue to: carry out our service to support the Monks with their Monastic Social Events and to provide their Thanksgiving Feast; provide the alumni mothers with a variety of spiritual, social and service events in order to maintain their special friendships within their Priory family and give the Switzer House our special women s touch inside and out for our beautiful Priory Home. Alumni Mothers Club has a Section on the Priory Website To get the latest Mothers Club Information check out the AMC online. You can also pay dues and sign up for volunteering online. Click here to go to the AMC section of the website.

11 Thank You for Sharing Your Time A special thank you to Barbara Donnelly, Julia Masetti, Mindy Finan, Audrey Altpeter, Colleen Kinnison, Peggy Gower, Suzi Yannakakis, Marianne Weber, Lucy Jochens, Brenda Buchol, Jane Sehnert, Christy Millsap and Jackie Paletta for taking time out of your busy Thanksgiving schedule and making a special dish for the Monks Thanksgiving Feast. Thank you to our Christmas elves Mary Noel Donovan, Karen Monette, Audrey Altepeter, and Dr. Suzanne Miller for making the Switzer house our Switzer home for Christmas! You brought Christmas to the Switzer home and your love shines through in the warmth and beauty you created for Christmas in our beautiful Switzer home. A huge shout out to Lucy Jochens, Peggy Gower, Annette Croghan, Mindy Finan, and Jackie Paletta for all of your help with the Saint Nicholas Party! Also to Mary Goedde for your delicious dip! Also, to all of you attended the party, helped with the basket assembly and/or dropped off gifts, thank you for your generosity! Your good works will help to clothe a newborn baby! In Memoriam Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace. Amen Special prayers for all of our loved ones and alumni mothers who have gone before us. May the Love of Our Infant Savior and your special memories shared fill the hearts of those who have lost loved ones this past year and years past.

12 Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year filled with much faith, hope and love.