"Making All Things New" December 2015
In This Issue
Mountain Online Auction
5 Blessings of Being a Companion
2015 Mountain Auction
Holiday Mass Schedule
Pictures from Our Past
Mountain on Instagram

Nature's Corner

The evergreen of the pine trees teaches us that with faith, we remain evergreen, 
and if we persevere, we can flower and bear fruit. 

Merry Christmas to all.
 
Peace, Br. Joe Kotula, ofm

SHOP AMAZON & SUPPORT MT. IRENAEUS

Each time you purchase from Amazon, we encourage you to shop on smile.amazon.com
where you can select Mt. Irenaeus to receive 0.5 percent of your total purchase price.

This is an easy way to help support the Mountain this holiday season. Many small donations can make a big difference! 


We would greatly appreciate your participation!

Be Still

This Advent season, consider taking time out of your day to slow down, listen and meditate.

Visit our "Be Still" webpage, which features prayer resources and audio meditations for you to engage in this practice.

Fr. Dan's Podcasts
 


 

Winter 2015 Newsletter
 
Access the latest print newsletter online.

Connect with us!
Finding the Greatest Gift 
Fr. Dan Riley, ofm, offers a reflection on getting back to the simplicity of the gift of Christ the Advent season celebrates.
 
The manger scene at Holy Peace Chapel
It is not all that unusual that this time of year, with many things going on and with the importance we put on particular gifts, that we might actually misplace them or forget a gift already purchased for someone who is very special to us. With all the attention that this present first got, this particular gift may have been wrapped by someone and hidden away so that it might be brought out at the most important and special time.

In some ways, this has happened in our history in the sense that God's Incarnation in Jesus Christ has been almost forgotten or put aside. Hidden in some ways so that we would not see its full revelation or receive it as the gift it was meant for each of us. What a great gift and what a great need to go find it, retrieve it from wherever it is and place it before those who are to receive this gift. 

St. Francis of Assisi also lived in a time when this deep possibility of human experience of God seemed to be put aside or almost hidden. For each of us it can become forgotten or not receive the significant appreciation that it deserves and wishes to give to us.

In 1221, when Francis was returning to Rome, he came to the small city of Greccio and to a small band of brothers there for prayer and rest. It was here again and again that he found the simplicity of life among the poor and downtrodden of this particular area ... Read more.
Five Blessings of Being a Mountain Companion
Joe Flynn shares some of his favorite aspects of serving as a Mountain Companion at Mt. Irenaeus. For more on Joe's experiences, click here.

  • 1. There are always opportunities to get to know new people on a meaningful level.
  •  
  • 2. There are always opportunities for solitary prayer and silence.
  •  
  • 3. The land itself is alive and ever-changing; every season has a way of welcoming me into the day with different sunrises, animals and expressions of foliage.
  •  
  • 4. Conversations, especially in the chapel, are full of wonderful surprises and insights.
  •  
  • 5. The food is always excellent!
Tasty Mountain Recipe: Caramel Apples 
Br. Kevin Kriso, ofm, shares a simple, sweet treat often served for student groups at the Mountain.
 
Several years ago, when I was at a country fair, I saw a large group of people lined up at a booth. I thought, "What's going on over there that is so attractive?" As I watched, the booth workers made a very simple but very popular treat. 

I use this recipe often when student groups come up. It is very tasty and "hands on" and they love it.

Caramel Apples
Take some nice unblemished apples. Wash and drain them.
 
Cut out the cores and slice the apples (you might consider using one of those combination apple corer and slicer tools, as pictured).

Place a handful of apple slices in cereal or salad bowls.

Pour some caramel syrup over the apple slices (you can find caramel syrup near the ice cream section of your grocery store).

Cover with some whipped cream, add an optional tablespoon of granola and serve. 
Holiday Liturgical Schedule

Christmas Vigil Mass
Dec. 24 at 9 p.m.

Christmas Day Mass
Dec. 25 at 11 a.m.

New Year's Eve Prayer Service
Dec. 31 at 11 p.m.

New Year's Day Mass
Jan. 1 at 11 a.m.
Pictures From Our Past

Friends gather at Mt. Irenaeus in the winter of 1989.

The Mountain on Instagram
Enjoy this recent post from Fr. Dan. For more, follow @mtirenaeus.

The pre-dawn crescent moon seems to stand still, caught in the cold sky yet treasuring the quiet that fills the woods around here with dark mysteries of winter life. These mysterious times of Advent anticipation are some of the greatest gifts of living here on Mt. Irenaeus.
 
The quiet of this pre-dawn time invites me to go slowly, reflectively about each day, taking in the suffering and pain of others and letting it be reflected, refracted, reformed through the light of this moon and soon, the sun+son that calls us to peaceful practices of justice.
 
You, the living and hidden one, who are with the people in distant lands and disturbing times - you who abide here with us in these valleys, on these hilltops - come with your power and might and save your people! Lead us to paths that will take us to one another, finding ways to form a "Common Home" and ways that are bright with justice, mercy, solace and peace. Come, Lord Jesus, Come!

Contact Us

 

Mt. Irenaeus
P.O. Box 100
West Clarksville, NY 14786
585-973-2470