Our Brother Francis Pham prepares to receive the Cistercian cowl, which is a sign of a monk's solemn consecration and perpetual commitment to God to live as a monk for the rest of his life here at the Trappist-Cistercian Abbey of New Clairvaux.  Brother Francis is seen here taking a new cowl and placing it on the altar at the beginning of the Divine Office of Vespers.  On Pentecost Sunday (May 27), Brother Francis pronounced his vows in public during Mass before our Abbot, the monastic community and the entire gathered assembly of the faithful.