The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Abbot Robert Barnes presiding and preaching. As one of the venerable Orders in the Church, Cistercians have the privilege of their own liturgical Ordo, with variations on the Church’s liturgical calendar, sanctioned by ancient usage. 26 January is, for us, the Solemnity of the Founders of Citeaux […]
Homily for the Second Sunday, Year A, 19 January, 2014
Readings: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6; I Corinthians 1:1-3; John 1:29-34 When I listen to what John’s Gospel has to say about John the Baptist, I start to ask questions. The Fourth Gospel has much to say about the Baptist but in a way different from the other three Gospels. Have you noticed that in today’s Gospel […]
Winter is a Perfect Time to Visit
I wish all our friends and those that have never been here could see Holy Cross Abbey right now. The snow covers the ground and trees and the glory of God is present in nature. Winter is a perfect time to retreat here at the Abbey. The Retreat House has beautiful single rooms with bath […]
The Octave of Prayer For Church Unity, 18-25 January
Yesterday the Church began its week of prayer for Christian or Church Unity. It occurs annually and has, in one form or another, been observed since 1908. It is a response to an initiative by Pope Leo XIII at the end of the nineteenth century. Vatican Council II placed the longing for full unity between […]
I Warned You
The March Monastic Immersion Weekend only has a few spots left…if you are interested send in your $100 deposit asap… The group already registered is a varied and very fun group of people. And we have some new instructors from the monastic community to join our existing faculty that you are just going to love hearing […]
A Word from the Cistercian Fathers for January
You have heard, my soul, what you should be. Go apart for a while from your concerns and leave aside for a space the tumult of your thoughts. Enter into the inner chamber of your mind and exclude everything except God and what will help you in seeking him; and when you have found him, […]
Solemnity of the Epiphany, 5 January, 2014
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 and continue through Vespers (5:30 PM), concluded with Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Homily for the Solemnity of Mary, 1 January, 2014
Readings: Numbers 6:17-22; Galatians 4:4-7; Luke 2:16-21 I don’t think it’s unusual for people of our age to have grown up with some fantastic associations with Mary and devotion to her. There were schedules of Marian prayers believed to insure a death accompanied by a priest and the final sacraments, as there were titles and […]
Humility According to the Rule of St. Benedict (3)
I have been considering humility in the Rule of St. Benedict and have been locating it in the Holy Scriptures. Today we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family whom we find described in Scripture. But the Holy Family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus exist in their own right and as multi-dimensional human beings, exhibiting […]
The Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Wednesday, 1 January, 2014
The community Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM, Fr. James presiding and preaching. It is a non-work day and the community follows the Sunday schedule; Benediction of the Most Blessed sacrament will follow Vespers (5:30 PM).