Jeremiah rightly compares the blessed man who trusts in the Lord to a tree planted by the waters. Because he sends out the roots of his heart to the streams of love, he will not fear when the heat of anger and distress comes, and in the time of drought, when for a long time […]

Readings: Jeremiah 20:10-13; Romans 5:12-15; Matthew 10:26-33 I believe that today’s Gospel is a real challenge to the world we live in and even how we live our Catholic Faith. Jesus clearly says, Fear no one, yet I see so many people who call themselves Christians afraid of anything different from themselves. I see many […]

Readings: Jeremiah 20:10-13; Romans 5: 12-15; Matthew 10:26-33 The community Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, Fr. James presiding and preaching.

Readings: Isaiah 49:1-6; Acts 13:22-26; Luke 1:57-66, 80 The community Mass will be celebrated at 7:00 AM in place of Lauds. John the Baptist, as the cousin of the Lord and Precursor of the Christ holds a special place in Christian devotion. However, it’s not because he is the cousin of the Lord but because his […]

Readings: Deuteronomy 7:6-11; 1 John 4:7-16; Matthew 11:25-30 The community Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, like a Sunday Mass, Abbot Joseph Wittstock presiding and preaching. It is a non-work day for the community and we follow the Sunday schedule. Abbot Joseph has been away, attending the Regional Meeting (12-20 June) of our U.S.A. Abbots […]

Readings: Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14-16; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17John 6:51-58 The community Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM, Fr. Vincent Collins presiding and preaching. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament begins at the conclusion of Mass and continues through Vespers, ending with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. The monastic community will keep thirty minute watches in […]

Readings: Exodus 34:4-6, 8-9; 2 Corinthians 13:11-13; John 3:16-18 Today’s Gospel may seem puzzling–after all, there are Gospel passages that mention the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit and today is Trinity Sunday. But if the Church has chosen this text for our celebration, it’s worth considering why. I’d suggest that this Gospel actually provides […]

Readings: Isaiah 49:1-6; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10; John 19:17-18, 25-39 It is with some uneasiness that I undertake to preach this funeral Mass homily, knowing Fr. Paschal’s disdain for eulogies that bear little resemblance to the one being eulogized! Accordingly, I suspect that he has been pleased with the very frank, honest, but affectionate postings […]

The Mass of the Resurrection for Fr. Paschal Balkan will be celebrated on Saturday, 10 June at 2:00 PM in the Abbey Church. The burial in the monastic cemetery will follow immediately after. Earlier in the day, Fr. Paschal’s body will have been received by the community after Lauds (approximately 7:25 AM). Between that time […]

When I showed up six years ago I don’t think Fr. Paschal was one of my fans.  After all, here I was ‘a secular’ being given access to the monastery as I tried to understand it better so I could raise a little money and hopefully raise a few monks…it wasn’t normal to have a […]