The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Abbot Robert Barnes presiding and preaching.
A Word From The Cistercian Fathers for March
Daily, the just man sings: I was assailed so as to fall but I did not fall because the Lord upheld me. But even when he falls he will not be cast headlong, for the Lord is the support of his hand; that is, when he sins he will not be condemned because he has […]
Third Sunday of Lent, Year C, 3 March, 2013
The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Abbot Robert Barnes presiding and preaching. It is the First Sunday of the Month and we will begin Eucharistic Adoration at 4:00 PM. All are invited and welcome to join us.
Homily For The Second Sunday of Lent, 2013
Gospel: Luke 9:28b-36 Just the other day, I came across an unexpected reference to transfiguration. The author mentioned how transfiguration rendered an entity what it most deeply is, rather than different from what it is. All the same, that transfiguration involves letting go of what was. And the author offered the example of a vase […]
Insight from the Book of Judges, 24 February, 2013
With Fr. Robert away at the Regional Meeting, Sunday Chapter was given by our Prior, Br. Joseph Vantu. In the face of all our recent losses–two funerals, three weeks apart and in the same period, two more brothers having to move to nursing homes–Br. Joseph addressed our experience. He approached it as “Downsizing” at Holy […]
Regional Meeting at New Melleray Abbey
Since last Thursday, all the Superiors of our monks and nuns are meeting at New Melleray Abbey in Peosta, Iowa. Where’s that?, you may ask. With some dismay, I’ve learned that some East Costers have no idea what lies west of Pennsylvania and once heard someone say, when they heard “Iowa” mentioned, “Oh, where I come from, […]
Second Sunday of Lent, Year C, 24 February, 2013
The community mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. James presiding and preaching.
Monastic Values
As most of you realize, we have celebrated two funerals only three weeks apart here at Holy Cross Abbey. At Fr. Malachy’s funeral, Fr. Robert observed that both funerals reminded us that life and death are not in our hands. Br. Benedict was believed to be very close to death for the last five years […]
Update on Br. Edward
Br. Edward has been moved to the Hospice Nursing Home on Cork Street in Winchester as a transition from his twelve days in the hospital to a return home at the Abbey. He is on a course of antibiotics and physical therapy; his digestive problems are connected with a hiatal hernia he has suffered with […]
Abbot Robert’s Homily for the Funeral of Fr. Malachy
In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places…I go to prepare a place for you. We are here today to pray for the soul of our Fr. Malachy, that the Lord in his great mercy may bring our brother into the fullness of life promised to those who seek God above all else. Father […]