April 30 Forannan d. 982

John and Thommy
good morning
i love you

talk about 'follow your dream'! here's an irish monk, minding his business, catching some rem sleep and kaboom! he has a drean. [too much mead?] an angel showed him a beautiful valley that was to be his home.... this bishop/abbot, joyfully esconced in his homelad, sitting high on the hog, has a dream - maybe not unlike the dreams that Joseph had? certainly, Foranan knew an angel when he dreamed one! and the message was clear. and, Foranne had long since vowed to follow the word of God, the Word ... so, he was prepared and followed.

along with 12 companions - of course, the irish are telling the story, how better to enrich a holy man's autobiography than making parallel's to Jeus' life.... he left ireland and in 962 he arrived in belgium and joined the community at the abbey of Waulsort on the Meuse.... soon elected abbot.... the irish pol qua monk.... or, because Otto I had chartered the place as an Irish abbey, to have an irish abbot forever - and Frannnan was the right man at the right time - i can't imagine many irish monks meandering about belgium in the tenth cnetury. .... so, it does matter who you are, where you come from, and where you are at the moment....

Forannan first improved the practice of the monks.... in a build it and they will come approach.... he built a community that many men wanted to join... and he expanded the monestary to better serve the men who came and the community they served.

in addition to being the typical hub of the region, the monestary became also a waystation for pilgrims....

build it and they will come... grow.... do more.... and better.....

i love you
dad