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 […]

MEETING OF THE SUPERIORS AND VOCATION DIRECTORS, PART ONE Last week the Vocation Directors and the Superiors of our monasteries of the United States Region met to consider the current vocation crisis and what response our communities might make. Our nuns and monks convened at Holy Spirit Abbey, Conyers, Georgia, bringing together sixteen vocation directors and thirteen superiors. […]

As part of our effort to update our web site and provide more information to the public through youtube, young film producer Patrick Mason has created two new videos for the monastery.  Check out Br. Efrain, our vocations director on the home page then click on Retreat House and see Father James talking about taking […]

THE SUNDAY REOPENING OF OUR GIFT SHOP AND PORTER’S LODGE went off smoothly and guests and Sunday visitors expressed their deep appreciation for its reopening. We (that is, the monks) are still familiarizing ourselves with the new cash register and some of the merchandise that has been in storage is still not back on the […]

If ever there is a subject that wakens our hearts to hope, it would seem to me that it is the subject of life after death. The blessed passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the rock foundation of our Christian faith. To quote the Nicene Creed, we look forward to the resurrection of the […]

We cannot defend ourselves from the attack of the noontide devil except with the aid of noontide light. When the noontide devil sets our to tempt a person, there is no chance of parrying him; he will tempt and overthrow his victim by suggesting what appears to be good, by persuading us–unsuspecting and unprepared as […]

Well, we aren’t going to make Ash Wednesday for the grand reopening of our renovated Porter’s Lodge/Gift Shop—Easter may be a more realistic date for its completion.  Mike (in photo on left) and his colleagues are hard at work painting now and the new carpet goes in next week.  Then we begin restocking shelves, installing […]

It’s time to begin to consider possible titles for Lenten Reading as mentioned in Chapter 48 of St. Benedict’s Rule for Monasteries: in these days of Lent they shall each receive a book from the library, which they shall read straight through from the beginning. Theses books are to be given out at the beginning […]

In the Chapter On The Daily Manual Labor (Chapter 48), St. Benedict makes the bold statement, then they are truly monks when they live by the labor of their hands as did our fathers and the Apostles. It’s one of those sentences I wish he had expanded and “unpacked” beyond the legitimizing precedent. Did he […]

First, concerning cats…You’re probably more aware than I am that a tsunami can hit Japan and an eyewitness’ video from an smartphone can appear on Youtube and there will be thousands of viewers in the first minute. On the other hand, someone can post on Youtube yet another video of a cat snoring or playing […]