Br. John Vianney, O Cist., concluded his extended stay at Gethsemani on Dec. 16. Br. John Vianney is a monk of Our Lady of Grace monastery in Vietnam. Like several of his brothers before him, he came to experience Gethsemani’s expression of the monastic life and also to improve his command of English.

He arrived in January of 2019 with plans to stay for two years. However, like most of the world, Br. John Vianney’s plans were put on hold due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Vietnam closed its borders and Br. Vianney ended up staying nearly an entire year longer than expected.

This was a blessing for the Gethsemani monks, who appreciated Br. Vianney and his warm, friendly, optimistic presence. Still, all sympathized with his predicament and were happy for him when his return was made possible.

We thank Br. John Vianney for his time with us and keep him and all his confreres in our prayers.