In the previous post, we noted Merton’s opinion that whatever the agenda of the culture we find ourselves in, the monastic would take her or his proper place by remaining a monastic–we are simply monks, simply what we are. Embedded in that state, unlike a career or identifying profession, is the call from God. We […]

Readings: Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 1:5-8; John 18:33b-37 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. Joseph Wittstock presiding and preaching.

Some people have asked for a copy of last Sunday’s talk for the commemoration of Thomas Merton’s 100th birthday. This post is not a verbatim account of that delivery; the particular treatment was a response to that particular group of people and, it seems to me, cannot make the same sense to those who weren’t there. Why? […]

A dozen landowners, educators, farmers and civil servants from four neighboring counties in Northern Virginia were honored today by the Lord Fairfax Soil and Water Conservation District. All the awards recognized contributions to good stewardship of the natural environment. Among the honorees was Holy Cross Abbey, receiving the Outstanding Conservation Farm Award. Aside from improving our conservation of energy […]

This post is more than a little overdue but I was having computer problems over the weekend. On Saturday afternoon, 7 November, Holy Cross Abbey once again hosted an event to introduce our friends to the film Saving Place, Saving Grace. The event began with a short prayer service, Abbot Robert Barnes presiding, for the healing of […]

This Wednesday, 18 November, is the Sixty-fifth anniversary of Holy Cross’ founding from Our Lady of Refuge in Rhode Island. We thank God for all those who were our founders that day and those who came here to join them, however briefly or permanently, and now rest in our cemetery. We ask God to continue […]

Readings: Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews 10:11-14; Mark 13:24-32 Since All Saints Day we’ve been hearing more and more from the Book of Revelation, The Apocalypse, both at Mass and in the Divine Office. Our weekday Gospels have been dwelling on things coming to an end and today’s Gospel had been called the Apocalyptic Discourse of Mark’s […]

Readings: Revelation 7:1-2, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12 In his tribute at the funeral of Princess Diana, her brother, the Earl Spencer, warned against the temptation to canonize his sister. To do so, he said, would be to miss out on the very core of her being–her wonderful sense of humor, her joy for […]

The month of November focuses on the completion of time, what we’ve traditionally called the Last Four Things: death, judgment, hell and heaven. The Liturgy captures this in the celebration of All Saints and the Commemoration of All Souls at the very beginning of the month. The Commemoration of All Souls does not go back […]

Readings: 1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. Vincent Collins presiding and preaching.