Readings: Numbers 21:4-9; Philippians 2:6-11; John 3:13-17 If you’ve ever watched those commercials of researchers testing the safety of new cars by crashing them, you may recall seeing–often in slow motion–the seeming collapse of the entire front of the car. Initially, one’s reaction might be to consider such a vehicle distinctly unsafe and image that […]

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It is no surprise that the Retreat House is already reserved, weekdays and weekends, throughout October. Everyone wants to visit that time of year to view the autumn foliage along the Blue Ridge. That’s not to say that November and December are not equally beautiful in a different mode. Since, too, many people are eager to prepare for Christmas […]

This Sunday, in the universal Church, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross takes precedence over the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. This is also the patronal feast of our Abbey. The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. Joseph Wittstock presiding and preaching. This is also the weekend of the Monastic […]

Br. Edward was experiencing trouble breathing Wednesday evening so Br. Efrain took him to the hospital. He has been diagnosed with pneumonia in one lung and will be in hospital for the next few days. Please keep Br. Edward and our community in your prayers.

Although Br. Edward is not yet as mobile as before, he is improving and can do much more on his own–sitting up in bed, walking short distances with his walker, for example–than before. He is well assisted by care-takers from Home Instead, supplementing the limited help the community can give. We are all grateful for […]

Readings: Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; Matthew 18:15-20 Our Sunday reading of Matthew’s Gospel has been more spotty than complete, but in this digest form it’s easier to see a pattern. Jesus is preparing his followers for the future when he won’t be with them. Think about it. In the last few weeks Jesus extended his […]

The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. James Orthmann presiding and preaching. It is the first Sunday of the month and Monthly Eucharistic Adoration will begin at 4:00 PM. All are invited to join us in the stillness of the Abbey church.

Yesterday afternoon, Sunday, 31 August, Abbot Robert Barnes joined Mother Marion and our sisters at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, Crozet Virginia, to break the ground on the site of their future church. The building permit was received this week and the sisters are anticipating building a permanent church to the east of the […]

Truly she stood by Jesus’ cross, when at the same time the pain of the cross crucified her mind and as manifold a sword pierced her own soul as she beheld the body of her Son pierced with wounds. Rightly therefore was she recognized as his Mother there and by his care entrusted to a […]