We still have good availability in the Retreat House through July and August, both weekdays (Monday through Friday) and Weekends (Friday through Sunday). If you’ve ever stopped and wondered why vacations can seem frantic and anything but relaxing, how about taking some vacation days for a retreat? It’s a great way to truly get away from everything, […]
A Visit to Our Lady of the Angels, Crozet, Virginia
Fr. Charles Cummings from Holy Trinity Abbey, Utah, has been serving as chaplain to our nuns at Our Lady of the Angels monastery in Crozet, Virginia. That’s a few miles outside of Charlottesville. During this past week, Fr. Charles went, as he has annually, to the Medieval Congress hosted by Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. He […]
Fr. Robert’s Homily for the Solemnity of the Ascension
Readings: Acts 1:1-11; Ephesians 1: 17-23; Mark 16:15-20 Today, on Sunday, the Church in most of the United States celebrates the feast of the Lord’s ascension into heaven instead of last Thursday. The bishops in our country have chosen the ascension to be moved so all Catholics may participate in this important feast of our faith. […]
Current Vocation Challenges for Monastic Communities, Part Two
As we’ve been know to say in the past forty years, do you want to hear the bad news or the good news first? Actually, I’m not sure whether that’s the appropriate question in this case since we can’t forecast where things are going. We can only refer to what we know from the past […]
Sixth Sunday of Easter, 10 May, 2015
Readings: Acts 10:25-26, 34-35, 44-48; 1 John 4:7-10; John 17:11b-19 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. Vincent Collins presiding and preaching.
A Word from the Cistercian Fathers for May
In this life, Martha and Mary should never be separated. When the time comes when Jesus is no longer poor or hungry or thirsty or able to be tempted, then Mary alone–that is, our spiritual activity–will occupy the whole of the house–that is our soul. Saint Benedict saw this, or rather the Holy Spirit in […]
Abbot Robert’s Homily for Br. Edward McLean’s Funeral
Readings: Isaiah 25:6-9; Romans 8:14-23; John 14:1-6 It is fitting to mention as a preface for our readers, that Br. Edward’s family and friends appreciated the understated irony of Abbot Robert’s characterization of our deceased brother, who was an “original”. The delivery of this homily was punctuated by the congregation’s laughter. After the burial, Br. […]
Fr. Robert’s Homily for the Fifth Sunday of Easter, 3 May, 2015
If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask for what you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified…Abide in me as I abide in you. This Sunday the Church continues to unfold the grace of the paschal mystery for us. A new image appears […]
Br. Edward McLean
James A. McLean was born to Catherine Grady McLean and Alexander W. McLean on 8 April, 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. James had two brothers and a younger sister; Francis McLean would become a Christian Brother. James had already graduated from St. Joseph’s College (Philadelphia) with a Bachelor’s Degree when he entered the novitiate of Our Lady […]
Schedule for Br. Edward’s Funeral
All the rites listed below are celebrated in the Abbey Church. Our friends, neighbors, visitors and Br. Ed’s family are all invited to participate in the recitation of the Psalms between 10:10 AM and 1:55 PM; there will be a sign-up sheet just inside the church door. Friday, 1 May, 5:30 PM: Vespers of the […]