Blessed Marmion Novena: Day Five
Saint Paul and Blessed Columba Although I am writing this on Monday, 25 January, the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, it is intended...
Blessed Marmion Novena: Day Four
The icon of Blessed Columba Marmion was written by the hand of Brother Claude, O.S.B., monk of Mount Angel Abbey. Blessed Columba Marmion and the...
Blessed Marmion Novena: Day Three
Victims and Victimhood For today’s text from Blessed Columba Marmion, I chose an extract from Christ, the Ideal of the Priest, in which he presents...
Blessed Marmion Novena: Day Two
The Second Day of the Novena Saturday, 23 January 2010 O Holy Spirit, Love of the Father and the Son, establish Thyself as a furnace...
Novena in Honour of Blessed Abbot Marmion
The image of Blessed Abbot Marmion is a photograph I took of a painting in the Irish College in Rome in 2006. I remain grateful...
Holy Innocents
Rubens’ Virgin and Child surrounded by a wreath of chubby, pink Innocents (c. 1618) is delightful. Notice the almost mischievous smile of Baby Jesus. Does...
The Hymn at Matins: Singing in the Night
Stretching Godward My own experience is that the Invitatory, with the repetition of its pressing call to adoration, establishes the soul in the realm of...
Letter to a Soon-to-be Novice
Second Sunday of Advent My dear son, Listening to the Liturgy You have often heard me say that the sacred liturgy is, first of all,...
See that you be truly what you are called
A Mirror for Monks I was fortunate to obtain for our monastic library a lovely used copy of A Mirror for Monks by Ludovicus Blosius....
Pope Benedict on Saint Bernard
Faith is above all a personal, intimate encounter with Jesus, and to experience his closeness, his friendship, his love; only in this way does one...
Contemplation of the Glorious Face of Christ
In yesterday’s general audience, our extraordinarily “Benedictine” Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, presented the figure of Peter the Venerable, Abbot of Cluny. For the nascent...
Preparations
Today will be filled with the final preparations for the arrival of Diego and CJ tomorrow, and Brendan on the 12th. Thanks to the amazing...
Quaerite faciem eius semper
Seek His Face Evermore My plan was to write a little commentary on the splendid liturgical texts of this Ember Friday, but, as so often...
Love of Truth and the Constant Thirst for God
Ember Wednesday in September There are so many things that I would want to write about! Yesterday, for example, was the first of the September...
Saint Symeon the New Theologian
In this morning’s General Audience, our Holy Father presented yet another shining monastic figure as a model of holiness for the whole Church. Those who...
Ask little and get nothing
The painting (David Teniers?) depicts Saint Anthony of Egypt and Saint Paul the Hermit deep in conversation about monastic observance. I’m reading the autobiographical memoirs...
Servant of the Servants of the Cross of Christ
Pope Benedict XVI on Saint Peter Damian The Holy Father’s audience yesterday (September 2009) on Saint Peter Damian (1007-1072) revealed him, once again, as a...
Vere dignum et justum est
In preparation for the great monastic solemnity that began with First Vespers this evening, I offer this proper Preface for the meditation and joy of...
Into the Invisible
A faithful friend of mine in the Eternal City, an Apostle of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, sent me this text from a booklet by...
Zeal Begins Its Life in Silent Thought and Fear
A Tale of Two Cardinals Before writing about Saint Peter Damian whose feast we are keeping today, I want to acknowledge the birthday of the...