Readings: Wisdom 7:7-11; Hebrews 4:2-13; Mark 10:17-30 There’s a kind of familiarity with the Gospel that deadens the impact. I’d grown up calling this narrative “the Rich Young Man”–and even our Bible translations use that term. But in Mark’s Gospel, it’s the punch line. It’s only when the man turns away sad that we’re told he […]

Readings: Wisdom 7:7-11; Hebrews 4:12-13; Mark 10:17-30 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. James Orthmann presiding and preaching.

Readings: Genesis 2:18-24; Hebrews 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16 This is perhaps not the sort of Gospel that a monk should presume to speak about to married people. You would likely be much better suited to share your thoughts with each other at home. I will do better to speak to my brothers this morning about what can […]

He set love in order in me. Utterly necessary. Zeal without knowledge is insupportable. Therefore where zeal is enthusiastic, there discretion, that moderator of love, is especially necessary. Because zeal without knowledge always lacks efficacy, is wanting in usefulness and, all too often, is harmful. And so the more eager the zeal, the more vigorous […]

Our prayer in common is our vocation as Cistercians, members of the Benedictine monastic family. This is our witness of the value of praying together in Christ, our witness to all the faithful in the Church. This is also our great blessing from God, being such a rich source of grace for each of us […]

Readings: Genesis 2:18-24; Hebrews 2:9-11; Mark 10:2-16 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 Eucharistic Adoration will begin at 4:00 PM; all are welcome to join us. Vespers (5:30 PM) will be followed by Benediction of the Most […]

Readings: Numbers 11:25-29; James 5:1-6; Mark 9:38-43, 45,47-48 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. Vincent Collins presiding and preaching.

Readings: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; James 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37 The official arrival of autumn this Wednesday unfortunately heralds the arrival of the cold and flu season. And as we know so well from past years, a cold or flu is something difficult to keep to oneself and it is almost inevitable that we will infect others […]

Since the last Monastic Immersion Weekend, we’ve been enjoying volunteer help clearing the growth around the native hardwoods and bushes planted along our streams. I myself have been going out about three times a week–I’m now up to ninety minute work periods–to clear the growth. The cooler temperatures are a real help and I can […]

The Divine Office is not a performance but our worship of God. We represent the whole Church, Christ’s Body, who, as God’s creatures, offer to our Creator our worship, praise and thanksgiving. We express our needs and the needs of those around us confident of his provident care for creation. He even calls us his children, […]