Supplementary Reading

Letter of Father Suitbertus

Father Suitbertus of Saint John of the Cross sends greeting, peace, and blessing in the Lord to each and every member, friend, and supporter of the Family of Saint Jerome.

I greet with brotherly affection both those who took part in the last Cenaculum, happily completed a few days ago with God's help, and those who this time were kept from participating by various duties, tasks, or adverse circumstances.

So that at the next Cenaculum, God helping and granting life, health, and peace, the greatest possible number of participants may be present, it seemed useful to us already now to settle certain matters about it, so that you may be able as soon as possible to arrange everything necessary for your free and ready participation.

First of all, after taking a vote on the matter, we have decided that the next Cenaculum will be held from Monday, the 21st, until Tuesday, the 29th of July, A.D. 2003.

Moreover, having likewise been informed of the opinion of the majority by a vote, we have determined that this next Cenaculum will be held in Austria, in an ancient Cistercian monastery near Vienna where the Divine Office, that is, the Liturgy of the Hours, is still recited in Latin to this day.

As for keeping the cost as low as possible, I shall do what I can. You, however, should be willing from this very day to set aside the money that will nonetheless be needed, by sparing other expenses.

I hope with all my heart that this time in Vienna, in my homeland, I may be able, if God grants me life, to greet as great a number as possible of the members, friends, and supporters of the Family of Saint Jerome.

Soon I will send to you all registration forms, preliminary programs, religious, scholarly, and sightseeing, together with other notices concerning the next Cenaculum that are worth your knowing.

May the blessing of Almighty God, best, greatest, eternal, and immense, one and triune, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, descend upon you all and remain always; and may the Blessed Virgin Mary always and everywhere protect you all, powerfully drive every evil away from you, and cast down into hell whatever belongs to the power of the Evil One. Amen.