It is almost a week since the first brother tested positive for Covid. Since then, all but one of us, has become ill with Covid. Most of us are well on the road to full recovery, but two of us are still in the earlier stages of Covid. Later this week we will do another […]

Every year on January 26, we celebrate the Feast Day of our Holy Cistercian Founders—Saints Robert, Alberic, Stephen, and their companions. For the monastic community, this is what we call a “Holy Day” and one in which the daily schedule resembles a Sunday. Accordingly, Holy Mass will be celebrated at 10.00 a.m. (preceded by Terce […]

The Only-begotten of God, the Sun of justice, like a huge and brilliant candle has enkindled and enlightened the prison of this world – so that everyone willing to be enlightened can come near him and be united to him so that nothing may come between them and him.  Our sins are barriers between us […]

Monday, 26 December: Acts 6:8-10; 7: 54-59; Matthew 10:17-22

In his book Chance or Purpose: Creation, Evolution, and a Rational Faith, Cardinal Schönborn reminds us of the apparent insignificance of humanity living precariously on this tiny planet that seems lost in the sheer immensity of a universe made up of billions of galaxies that seem to stretch into infinity. As people of faith who […]

As we suspected, our fruitcakes in the Gift Shop are now ALL SOLD OUT. We apologize for those who may not be able to purchase a fruitcake this year. Please remember that our cakes are still available online at monasteryfruitcake.org—at least as of 12/21/22. Christmas Eve Vigils & Mass Saturday evening at 8.30 p.m. and […]

My sweetest Jesus, revive my listless spirit in You now, in Your death restore to me a life lived for You alone.  Grant me a way of life corresponding worthily to the price of Your blood.  Grant me a spirit that savors You, senses that sense You, a soul that understands Your will, virtue that […]

Let us, along with the disciples, now follow the Lord as he goes to the wedding. Then, as we see what he was going to do, we may believe along with them.  When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’  Being merciful, being extremely kind, she felt […]

There are some things about which we are uncertain whether God wills them or not, so we must not really want them or deeply reject them.  … it is certainly here in the middle that the whole danger lies … we seduce ourselves by faithless flattering and coaxing in order to pretend that we are […]

Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10b; 1 Corinthians 15:20-27; Luke 1:39-56      Alphonsus Ligouri was not prone to moderate his baroque extravagance when writing about the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, when he considered the end of her earthly life, his opinion was sober. If the eternal Word of […]