Msgr. Irwin Preaches Monastic Retreat
During the week before the Solemnity of Pentecost Msgr. Irwin preached the annual retreat for the sixty monks of Conception Abbey, Conception, Mo. The theme for the conferences was "Liturgy and the Monastic Life." Pictured here is Msgr. Irwin (left) with Archbishop Jerome Hanus, former abbot of the abbey and former archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa (center) and Abbot Gregory Polan, present abbot of Conception. Among the things for which Conception abbey is noted is that they staff a college seminary, oversee The Printery House and that several monks serve in surrounding parishes. More recently Abbot Gregory has served as general editor of the revised Grail Psalter which will soon come into general use in the liturgy for the English speaking world. At Conception the monks have already revised their daily celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours in accord with the revised Psalter and set it to music.