Tag: Mt Saviour Monastery

Martin Boler, OSB RIP

Fr Martin Boler.jpgThe second and longtime Prior of Mount Saviour Monastery, Father Martin Thomas Boler will be laid to rest today.

Father Martin was born in 1924. After his medical education he entered the newly formed  (1951) Benedictine monastery of Mount Saviour in Elmira, New York.
At a certain point in 1969 Father Damasus decided a younger man ought to lead the monastery and so he resigned. Father Martin was elected the Father Prior of the community, a diakonia he held from 1969-2008. He’d been in declining health for the last few years and reposed in the Lord on November 7.
Father Martin’s life was beautifully captured by Br John of Weston Priory in A Memoir on Fr Boler by Br John.pdf
May God be merciful to Father Martin, and may his memory be eternal.

Sun and Seed

Weather-wise, the day was spectacular. The day was spent at the modest lake house the abbey has had for many years on Lake Norman, just north and west of Belmont Abbey. Among many things the five of us did together today was to plant grass seed to cover the bare spots in the “lawn.” The day away also afforded us the opportunity to foster the companionship and devotion (to the Lord): we prayed the Office of Sext and had lunch. By the way, are you aware that a bale of straw costs $4.75? I think it’s a little expensive for straw! But I suppose the farmer is worth his wage.

Brother Anthony was tired of sowing seed so he showed the inspirational video “The Everyday,” a narrative about the monkish life at Mount Savior Monastery in New York state. Mount Savior was founded in 1950 by Father Damasus Winzen in order to live a monastic life without an outside work like a school or parish and to be most devoted to the Divine Office.

In all the day was a nice getaway with confreres. And let’s hope that it rains soon and that the birds don’t get fat on the seed.