Monday, 26 December: Acts 6:8-10; 7: 54-59; Matthew 10:17-22
Abbot Joseph’s Homily for Christmas
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 […]
Fruitcakes Sold Out & Christmas Mass Time
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 […]
A Word from Our Cistercian Mothers
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 […]
A Word from Our Cistercian Fathers
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 […]
A Word from Our Cistercian Fathers
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 […]
Fr. James’ Homily for the Assumption
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 […]
A Reelection at Holy Cross Abbey
This morning, following a Holy Mass invoking the Holy Spirit, Abbot Joseph (having completed his first term of six years) was re-elected Abbot of Holy Cross Abbey, for a new six-year term. This grace-filled and peaceful event was presided over by Dom Vincent Rogers OCSO, abbot of Saint Joseph’s Abbey, and Father Immediate to our […]
A Word from Our Cistercian Fathers
Not only is Christ’s mercy celebrated, but his judgment as well, because even if he learned compassion from the things that he suffered so that he was merciful, he had also the power of judgment. In short, our God is a consuming fire. How can sinners not fear to come near? As sure as wax […]
A Word from Saint Gertrude the Great
“O God of my life, I do not know how I may worthily praise you or with what I may reward you, my beloved, for all the good with which you have rewarded me. Consequently, I offer you in me, and me in you, my cherished Jesus, as a holocaust of praise to you. I […]