Congrats to Brother Boniface!!!

I have known Br. Boniface Copelin, O.S.B., of St. Gregory's Abbey near Oklahoma City, for nearly twenty years, off and on. Back in the day in Columbus, Ohio, it was Boniface (Timothy then, before he returned to the monastery from where he'd been on leave) who was my buyer's agent when I bought my first home, a lovely little townhouse condo in the German Village section. It was in an excellent location, and had I stayed there longer I could have made a good amount in equity on it, since it was a half-block from what became a very hot area of town, with lots of new shops and all. I really loved it there, too. I often wonder what would have happened if I had not taken the job in Indianapolis, which in doing, I believe, put my directly on the path to eventual ordination myself, although I didn't know it at the time.

So Boniface nee Timothy helped me buy that condo, and within a year I had moved to Indianapolis and we fell out of touch. I had heard he had returned to the Abbey, this time for good. He looked me up via email one day several years later, while I was still in Indianapolis before the Great Move to Manhattan, and we've stayed in contact ever since. I attended his robing and taking of final vows at the Abbey in 2004, I believe it was, and it was a joy to see him then.

Well, Br. Boniface has been in Rome these past few years studying for the priesthood himself. (Hey, I wanna study in Rome!) And this past Sunday, April 20, he was ordained to the sacred order of deacons in Christ's Holy Catholic Church. I really wanted to surprise him by attending, but it just was not going to be. I'm going to make arrangements to attend his presbyteral ordination in August (At the Abbey, in Oklahoma) and that will be fun too.

Here are some pix that Boniface sent just this morning.

Here's the Abbot, Br. Lawrence, presenting Br. Boniface (left) to the Bishop:

Br. Boniface is being examined by the Bishop:


Br. Boniface becomes a deacon!



The Deacon, the Bishop, and the Abbot



I'm so pleased and proud for Boniface and for the Church!

RFSJ