Although there are obviously exceptions—and perhaps even a significant number of exceptions—Catholics are not usually known for preaching on street corners, or actively recruiting new members for the church. Indeed, so much so that Pope Francis has felt the need to exhort priests and bishops to go out in active evangelizing ministry and not simply […]
Memorial of Saint Aelred
Like the sun that God causes to rise on the good and the bad, so too good health is experienced by both the good and the bad. Similarly, sickness—sometimes believed to be a punishment for sin—is also the lot of both good and bad alike. However, although this suggests that illness and disease cannot be […]
Memorial of Saint Gregory of Nyssa
Although Saint Mark describes Jesus as preaching and driving out demons as if these were separate and distinct functions, in many instances these are one and the same thing. For with Jesus preaching is always synonymous with the Truth and when the Truth is preached and heard, falsehood and ignorance—those hiding places of the demons—are […]
Retreat House Availability
Due to a group cancellation, there are now 15 vacancies at our Retreat House for the weekend of February, 16-18.
A Word from Our Cistercian Fathers
Yet every just man, every holy man in the Church, for all that he is glad to be enlightened, sees that to a great extent he is still in darkness, and he is saddened by this. Of necessity therefore, although he is enlightened, he asks to be enlightened still more. For the more his lamp […]
A Word from Our Cistercian Fathers
Blessed is the faith of the simple shepherds. Although it found an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes it was not at all scandalized by them so as to refuse belief and think the less of him. Rather its devotion was increased so as to be more grateful for such condescension. For the more deeply humiliated […]
Fr. James’ Homily for Christmas Day
Christmas Day Mass, 25 December, 2023: Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-6; John 1:1-18 This life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. That verse is certainly a crucial reminder for our times. The fact is, we recognize light because it contrasts with the […]
Fr. James’ Homily for the 4th Sunday of Advent
Fourth Sunday of Advent, 24 December, 2023: 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-12, 14a-16; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38 I don’t need to tell you how many beautiful paintings of the Annunciation there are. It is, perhaps, too easy to miss the more ominous details not only of those pictures but in today’s Gospel. Think, for example, of […]
Fr. James’ Reflection for December 22
22 DEC: 1 SAM 1:24-28; LK 1:46-56 Elizabeth, past the age of childbearing, is pregnant for the first time. Mary, betrothed but unmarried, is pregnant, period. As much as they are drawn to each other under such precarious conditions, neither expresses despair or fear, but exaltation. Isn’t it significant that all the verbs in Mary’s […]
CHRISTMAS MASS TIMES
For those wishing to worship with us this Christmas, Mass Times are as follows: Sunday evening, December 24: Christmas Vigil and Holy Mass at 8.30 p.m. Christmas Day: Holy Mass will be celebrated at 10.00 a.m., preceded by the Office of Terce, at 9.45 a.m.