Readings: Joel 2:12-18; 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 The community Mass will be celebrated at 7:00 AM, replacing Lauds, Abbot Robert Barnes presiding. After the Gospel, the ashes of last year’s palms (from the Sunday of the Lord’s Passion) will be blessed and distributed as a sign of our repentance.
Updates
Well, the snow is over for a while, our roads are clear and we’re back to normal, whatever that is in a monastery (perhaps any of us can say the same in any way of life). I’m told that a rather warm week is ahead as we couldn’t imagine last week. Posts may be a […]
Improvements in the road conditions
Wednesday, 27 January, 1:45 PM: As of this morning, Castleman Road has been plowed allowing more than single lane traffic. Passage along the road is normal and four wheel drive is no longer required. Area for parking at the Abbey, though hardly normal, is greatly improved this morning; digging out continues and we anticipate normal […]
The situation at Holy Cross Abbey
Plowing the snow has begun at Holy Cross Abbey but as anyone who lives in Clarke County already knows, there is a LOT of snow to clear. We’re heaping surreal and compacted piles of the stuff. We hope to reopen Retreat House on Friday. Of course, the gift shop is closed. Whatever problems remain here, Castleman Road, approaching our […]
St. Benedict for the Rest of Us
Many have inquired about attending St. Benedict for the Rest of Us which will be held at the Retreat House Chapel on April 17th. Their inquiries have ranged from ‘ how do I register’ (answer: by sending email to companions@virginiatrappists.org) to ‘can the Rule of St. Benedict really apply to me? Can I really use […]
Special Events and MIWs Scheduled for 2016
The community is pleased to announce the scheduling of special events and retreats for 2016. For information on any of these events or to register to attend, send email to companions@virginiatrappists.org or call 540-955-4604…this year we will have two Monastic Immersion Weekends, an event on monastic life for those not called as monks and nuns […]
Fr. Joseph’s Homily for Christmas Day
Readings: Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18 Although Midnight Mass can pose problems for parents with young children, as sleep patterns are disturbed by staying up late, or waking up in the middle of the night, from a liturgical point of view it might be worth the effort–at least as far as the scripture readings […]
CHRISTMAS SCHEDULE
The Night Mass, Christmas Eve, Thursday, 24 December, 2015/ 8:00 PM: Christmas Carols sung by Madeline MacNeil accompanying herself on the hammered dulcimer Christmas Eve, Thursday, 24 December, 2015/8:30 PM Christmas Night Mass integrated with Vigils, Abbot Robert presiding and preaching The Day Mass, Christmas Day, Friday, 25 December, 2015 11:00 AM: The Christmas […]
2016 Abbey Calendars are In
Here’s a terrible, blurry photo of the cover of the new calendar for 2016. You can acquire a copy or copies (Christmas remember!) by sending a check for $15 for each calendar to the abbey with “calendar sales” on the envelope. We will rush them out to you as soon as we get them to […]
The Monk as a Marginal Person, Part 3
In the last installment we were considering an insight from an essay on Thomas Merton (“Man of Prayer”) by Br. David Steindel-Rast. Cultivating a life of prayer is not a procedural technology. It is not getting from this starting point, constructing something new that will then function according to expectations and produce an anticipated result. […]