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.

As our readers realize, we are considering the shape of our liturgical life and this can be an opportunity to review the monastic tradition of prayer. We can see it rooted in the Gospels, the Letters of the Apostles and find it expressed in the Acts of the Apostles which we happen to be reading […]

Readings: Isaiah 35:4-7; James 2:3=5; Mark 7:31-37 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. Vincent Collins presiding and preaching. It is the First Sunday of the month and Eucharistic Adoration will begin at 4:00 PM

If you find yourself inspired by Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the Environment or have always wanted to be a part of the sustainability effort at Holy Cross Abbey–or need a good workout–we can offer you an opportunity through September and October. Now that the bird nesting season (15 May through 15 August) is over, we […]

There is an arrow that pierces Mary’s heart: the living and active Word of God that cuts more keenly than any two-edged sword. Of this our Savior said: I have not come to send peace but the sword. A polished arrow, too, is that special love of Christ, which not only pierced Mary’s soul but penetrated […]

Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 We return today to St. Mark’s Gospel after the past weeks of hearing St. John’s account of Jesus’ teaching on the Eucharist. From now on in Mark’s Gospel, we observe the increasingly angry attacks which the Pharisees make on Jesus. Jesus retaliates, calling […]

Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; James 1:17-18, 21-22, 27; Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Abbot Robert Barnes presiding and preaching.