In the last twenty years (or so) there has been much to discredit the church and seriously question its purported divine origin—it seems all too human, sinful, and earthly. As we know, this has led many to abandon it—a trend that shows little sign of letting up. It is at such painful and difficult times […]
Wednesday of the 33rd Week
Eating a morsel of pork seems such a benign act in exchange for not surrendering one’s body to torture and execution! Surely, bodily life—that precious gift of God—is more important than avoiding some minor infraction of the Law? Still, as we know, this was more than slavish obedience to some arbitrary dietary law. For, eating […]
Friday of the 32nd Week of the Year
The beauty of the fall colors we have witnessed over the last few weeks is just one instance of what the Book of Wisdom describes as expressions of the beauty of the Creator. As Christians the world of nature is—as Saint Bernard observed—the book in which we can read of God and gain some insight […]
Friday of the 31st Week
It is a very evil person who is completely devoid of all virtue. And not being that evil, we surely all possess certain virtues—some of which may be weaker and others more developed. The distribution between weaker and more developed virtues is significantly linked to spiritual, psychological, and physical factors present and operative since early […]
A Word from Our Cistercian Fathers
Let us honor Mary, …. since she knows the course and outcome of all miseries, she soothes our fears, she awakens our faith, strengthens our hope, drives away our cowardice, and encourages us when we are timid. You fear to approach the Father? Terrified by the mere sound of his voice, you flee to the […]
Fr. James’ Homily for All Saints
1 November, 2025: Solemnity of All Saints: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a I’ve heard some Christians claim that the number one hundred and forty-four thousand of every tribe of Israel are the total of those who “will be saved.” That is not what the text says: rather, a vision of a great […]
Thursday of the 30th Week
Even though Saint Paul lists dire circumstances such as anguish, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, the sword and indeed death itself, as being unable to separate us from the love of Christ, we know all too well that trivial and superficial things can and do separate us from experiencing Christ’s love and presence. These things […]
GIFT SHOP CLOSED THIS COMING SATURDAY MORNING
This coming Saturday, November 1, we will be celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints, and Holy Mass will be at 10.00 a.m. To accommodate this, the Gift Shop will be closed in the morning, but open in the afternoon at the usual hours—2.15 to 4.15.
Wednesday of the 28th Week
An insult is usually construed as such because it is believed to be based on what we consider an untruth about ourselves. Thus, in order to experience the accusation that we are selfish as an insult, we need to believe that we are actually generous. Being accused of selfishness and knowing it to be the […]
Wednesday of the 27th Week of the Year
As we monks know, Saint Benedict warns against obedience that is cringing or sluggish or half-hearted, or that is carried out with grumbling or any reaction of unwillingness. According to these criteria Jonah’s obedience was not pleasing to God. And yet, as we have been hearing these last few days, the Lord was able to […]