After lunch yesterday a band of volunteer labor readied the Chapter Room as our monastic church for at least the next three months. Five of the fourteen pews from the guest chapel were moved into the Chapter Room and the built in benches around the room have become our choir. Luckily, Br. Martin remembered the […]

Like anyone who had participated in the Abbatial Blessing over a week ago, I was filled with positive impressions and happy memories. I certainly felt that there is reason to contribute a post after the event but was less sure of the approach to take. Fortunately Abbot Joseph used the Blessing as the subject of his […]

If you’re used to delays in construction, we at Holy Cross Abbey just had a happy surprise. The renovation of our church will begin a good week earlier than planned. That’s good news for us, looking forward to moving back into the church. I realize it’s bad news for a number of other people since this coming […]

Readings: Sirach 35:12-14,16-19; 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18; Luke 18:9-14 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Abbot Joseph Wittstock presiding and preaching.

Please be aware that the Gift Shop will be closed all day on this Saturday, October 15, as we celebrate the Blessing of our new Abbot with Bishop Loverde.

Readings: Exodus 17:8-13; 2 Timothy 3:14-4:2; Luke 18:1-8 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. James Orthmann presiding and Fr. Dominique Nelson (Guadalupe Abbey) preaching. Fr. Dominique is a member of our community in Lafayette, Oregon and is a guest here for Abbot Joseph’s Abbatial Blessing on Saturday. Perhaps the Old Dominion […]

At the end of September, from 28 September to 1 October, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dom Eamon Fitzgerald, our Abbot General, and his secretary, Fr. Simeon Leiva-Merikakis. Dom Eamon had been Abbot of Mount Melleray in Ireland when he was elected Abbot General by the General Chapter some seven years ago. Soon after […]

I believe past posts have made reference to the upcoming church renovations at Holy Cross Abbey. We now have a date, 24 October, when the work will begin. Of course that means that we will have to move out of the church for our liturgical celebrations. During the projected three months of work, we will […]

Readings: 2 Kings 5:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19 No one asks to be the victim of prejudice. Each of us has some touchy area in our identity that is easily wounded by someone’s prejudice. Tragically, this is inevitable in a pluralistic society. Pluralism was forced on ancient Palestine. The Jews were ruled by four […]

Readings 2 Kings 5:14-17; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17:11-19 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. James Orthmann presiding and preaching.