Newsletter – Easter 2025 (E)

2025 Easter

Happy Easter!

Dear friends of St. Paul’s Abbey,

Praise and thank Jesus Christ, who triumphed over sin and death and rose again to become the Lord of us all. We want to share with you the joy of His resurrection. May the grace, joy, and peace of the Risen Lord fill your hearts and your homes abundantly. We send you this update news from Newton Abbey with heartfelt prayers.

General Chapter: The 23rd General Chapter of the Congregation of Saint Ottilien was held from January 15 to 23 at the newly completed retreat house called as a Cultural and Spiritual Center located in Waegwan Abbey in Korea. The General Chapter is traditionally held every four years at St. Ottilien Abbey in Germany. Still, this year’s meeting was historic as it was the first time in the 141-year history of the Congregation that the chapter meeting was held in another location. A new Abbot President of the Congregation was elected during the Chapter meeting. Fr. Javier Aparicio Suarez has long served as Secretary and Mission Procurator of the Congregation. With his characteristic warmth and charisma, we believe he will faithfully serve and work for the Congregation. New members of the Council were also elected: Abbot Blasio Park of Waegwan Abbey and Fr. Pacomio Chong-Kun Choe, Prior of St. Joseph’s Monastery in Korea, were both elected as council members. It was the honor and gladness of the Korean brothers.

Brothers: I departed for Korea on January 9 to attend the General Chapter and returned to Newton on February 5. After the chapter, I stayed at Waegwan Abbey, where I spent the Lunar New Year with the brothers, had precious moments filled with joy, and celebrated Abbot Blasio’s feast day. One particularly joyful encounter was with Br. Antonio Geun-Il Moon intended to join Newton Monastery last year but instead entered Waegwan Abbey due to visa issues. He officially entered on January 10, and I was fortunate to arrive that day and meet his family after the entrance ceremony. I hope he may join us in Newton after his formation and profession. Br. Luke Seung-Yun Oh, who returned to Waegwan after five years in Newton, is now faithfully serving as the vocation director and organist. Two brothers from Waegwan Abbey have been assigned to Newton this March and are currently undergoing the visa process. One of them, Fr. Beda Yeon-Soo Na, first joined Newton in 2004, made his perpetual profession, and was ordained here. In 2014, he was assigned to Waegwan Abbey and served in various locations throughout Korea, and he is now returning to Newton. Br. Theodore Su-Yong Lee, a dedicated community member, is currently applying for permanent residency, although the process has been delayed. Abbot Joel went to Schuyler Priory to give a presentation at St. Benedict Center from February 14 to 16. Then, he went to Washington, DC, to visit Fr. Ramond Studzinski, OSB, and stayed until February 20. Abbot Justin is still with us, showing Jesus’s love for us from his fatherly and spiritual side. Our community at Newton currently includes Abbot Justin, Abbot Joel, Br. Bernardin from Hanga Abbey in Tanzania, and five Korean monks. Last year, there were some difficulties as three monks were reassigned to Korea, but we expect new energy to be brought into the community with the arrival of two new brothers.

Guests: We are always grateful for the many retreatants and visitors to the monastery. In addition to group and individual retreatants, we are often visited by friends and religious guests. On January 6, Fr. Maximilian Jacobs from Inkamana Abbey in South Africa visited Newton after participating in a sabbatical program in Colorado Springs and stayed until January 10. On February 20, Fr. Moses Man-Geun Yoon from the Salesians of Don Bosco attended a meeting in Washington, visited Newton, and spent time with us. Fr. Yoon has studied in the western U.S. for a long time and has visited us several times. Also, from February 20 to 28, a family facing hardships stayed with us seeking help. While we were not able to offer much, we are grateful that they were able to leave with renewed hope. We sincerely pray that all who visit Newton Monastery may be filled with the Lord’s grace and love.

Dear friends, this year marks the 23rd year of Korean monks living in the Newton community, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. We sincerely thank you for your continued prayer and support, which has allowed Newton Monastery to grow steadily. The sale and lease of the old monastery building, land across from the monastery, and the former seminary building are expected to be finalized by June this year, which should reduce our management burdens. Plans and designs for the renovation of the Abbey Chapel are also gradually progressing, and we hope to begin construction early next year. We sincerely thank those who have already supported the chapel renovation. However, much help is still needed, so we humbly and cautiously ask for your continued support. Once again, we sincerely thank you for your help and prayers. May the joy of the Risen Lord fill your lives with grace and good health. Thank you.

Fr. Samuel Kim, O.S.B., Prior
and the monks of St. Paul’s Abbey

How to support St. Paul’s Abbey

1) Mail check: Payable to St. Paul’s Abbey; send a check with an appeal card using an enclosed return envelope.

2) Zelle: Send to St. Paul’s Abbey, Tel.: 973-222-2728; please let us know your name and contact after you send a donation.

3) Credit Card: use our website  www.newtonosb.org/donation

U.I.O.G.D.