In the summer, our chapel’s Air Conditioner cannot handle the heat upstairs next to our attic which is like a sauna in the afternoons. We have converted Father Henry’s old cell in the professed section into our Vespers chapel. The clothing of our two new novices was scheduled for First vespers of Our Lady of Mt Carmel on July 15th. Since they requested to be clothed in the chapel, we sweated it out on that afternoon for the ceremony. These first pictures show us waiting for the programs to be printed. Br. Juan Guillermo and our live-in Martín Orosco were 15 minutes late with the programs due to some last minute changes that needed to be made. On the choir side from left to right: Br. Joseph Le, superior of our monastery in San Antonio; Marion Bui, John Magdalene, Brad Wagner & our novice, Daniel Lacourrege.

On the other side of the choir sit Jorge Morales and Fr. Sam Anthony from our house of studies in New Orleans. Finally the programs arrive. Martin distributes them to the choir side of our chapel.

After the entrance song, Juntos como Hermanos, Our Father Provincial asks the two postulants, Jorge and Brad, “Dear Brothers, what do you ask from us?” They respond, “We wish to try your way of life, and are willing to be tested ourselves, that we may follow Christ wholeheartedly, in this Order of Discalced Friars of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel.” The Provincial then says, “May the Lord grant you this help.”

Then comes the prayer where we find out what names the two new novices have taken: “Let us pray. Lord God, you give us the desire to hear your call. Listen favorably to the prayers of your servants Jorge Maria del Cordero de Dios and Alberto de la Madre Dolorosa as they ask to join our community. Grant that the life in common of the Friars of the Blessed Virgin Mary may become a communion of love.”

After the ceremony we gathered on our back porch for some pictures. The two main photographers were Br. Joseph Le with his fancy camera, and Martin with everybody else’s camera.

So here’s our two new novices all decked out on their clothing day in five layers of wool, a reminder undoubtably that they entered the monastery in order to suffer.