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, […]

Readings: Wisdom 2:12, 17-20; James 3:16-4:3; Mark 9:30-37 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. Joseph Wittstock presiding and preaching.

Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17 On this feast of the Triumph of the Holy Cross–the patronal feast of our monastery under the sign of the mystery of Christ’s cross–we are God’s witness in the Church to the saving grace of the cross of Christ in our lives. The cross is a profound enigma, […]

Readings: Isaiah 50:5-9; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-36 Mark’s Gospel begins: The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. But for the next eight chapters there will be no mention of the title Christ until Peter uses it today. In between, however, Jesus is identified in many ways: a voice from heaven calls […]

I would emphasize today this essential point: that the expression of community prayer in choir has to be rooted in our personal prayer. The external performance of monastic chant, if it is empty of spiritual devotion on the part of the monks and nuns offering it, is quite meaningless. That is obvious. You remember St. […]

Our Monastic Immersion Weekend ended after a beautiful Mass celebrated by Fr. James.  In our two days together we had wonderful conferences from Sr. Kathy Ullrich who spoke to us about the layers of our lives, outer, right here and inner.  She also told us about a retreat the sisters had with the Abbot from […]

Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Philippians2:6-11; John 3:13-17 This is the patronal Feast of our monastery and is a non-work day for us; we follow the Sunday schedule. The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Abbot Robert Barnes presiding and preaching. A relic of the holy Cross will be exposed from Vigils to Vespers for […]

Readings: Isaiah 50:5-9; James 2:14-18; Mark 8:27-35 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. James presiding and preaching. Participants in the Monastic Immersion Weekend will be celebrating with us; please keep them in your prayers.