PINE CITY, N.Y. — Thomas Hartle, OFM, recently led a retreat for postulants of Holy Name and Immaculate Conception provinces at Mount Saviour Monastery, a traditional Benedictine facility located outside Elmira, N.Y., familiar to many friars affiliated with nearby St. Bonaventure University.
Each postulant participated in the entire monastic prayer schedule, including 4:45 a.m. vigils. They also ate their meals in silence, in the monastic refectory with the monks during the Feb. 18-22 retreat, according to Ronald Pecci, OFM, director of HNP’s postulant program, who said that teh retreat was based on the Tavolas of St. Francis and St. Clare.
Participating postulants were Bill Long and Jeffery Jordan, from Holy Name, and Peter Le from Immaculate Conception. Rick Martignetti, postulant director for the IC province, was not able to attend, Ronald said.
The two provinces began collaborating on retreats early last year, according to Ron.
“Both the postulants and directors found the retreat and monastic experience enriching,” he added. The postulant program has been very well received this year, as it approaches its completion in May.
Shown in the photo are Stefan Steiner of the IC province, Ron Pecci, Jeff Jordan, Tom Hartle, Peter Le, and Bill Long.