The Holy Abbots Robert, Alberic, and Stephen
Happy Onomastico to novice Brother Stephen of the Abbey of Our Lady of Spring Bank! Be sure to visit him at Sub Tuum today! Collect...
A Grand Monastic Feast
Pioneers of A Fresh Start For Cistercians and Benedictines, January 26th is the feast of the Holy Abbots of Cîteaux, Robert, Alberic, and Stephen. They...
An Act of Love
My confessor said something to me today that reminded me of a prayer that impressed me back in the days of my monastic youth, and...
Saint Aelred of Rievaulx
For study and meditation: proper texts for the Mass of Saint Aelred, Abbot. January 12 Saint Aelred, Abbot Entrance Antiphon MR The Lord is my...
Iesu, Rex Admirabilis
I was fifteen or sixteen years old when, thanks to a fervent Trappist laybrother at Saint Joseph’s Abbey, I discovered a lovely English translation of...
The Invitatory: Venite adoremus
Prepare Thy Soul One might say that, in the structure of monastic Vigils, Psalm 3 (see my previous entry) corresponds to the porch of the...
In the School of the Lord’s Service
Food for the Soul Over the past several weeks I have been reading two fascinating and inspiring biographies by Dom Guy-Marie Oury, O.S.B. The first...
At the service of all those touched by grace
The Suitable and the Unsuitable There is much discussion in ecclesiastical and monastic circles about the discernment of vocations. One gets the impression, at times,...
Ut gaudium meum in vobis sit
At Today’s Second Nocturn This is what I read at the Second Nocturn of Matins this morning. It is a good example of what gives...
Quaerere Deum
Pope Benedict XVI Collège des Bernardins, Paris 12 September 2008 The Holy Father’s discourse today at the Collège des Bernardins (a familiar way of referring...
Nihil Amori Christi Praeponere
Saints Benedict and Paul This Solemnity of Our Father Saint Benedict, falling in the Pauline Year, invites us — I want to say, compels us...
Strengthen Ye the Feeble Hands
Monday of the Second Week of Advent Isaiah 35:1-10 Psalm 84:8ab and 9, 10-11, 12-13 (R. Isaiah 35:4f) Luke 5:17-26 The Promises of God Again...
A Little Bit of Heaven Present on Earth
Monday of the Twenty-Third Week of the Year I Votive Mass of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Good Counsel Colossians 1:24–2:3 Psalm 61:5-6, (R. 7a)...
What God Expects of You in Christ Jesus
At the Monastery of the Glorious Cross, O.S.B., September 4, 5, and 6 will be marked by a triduum of Votive Masses in honour of...
The Church Forever Young
Here are the novices (wearing the white scapular) of the Cistercian Abbey of Heiligenkreuz in Austria. Pope Benedict XVI will be visiting the abbey next...
Saints John and Paul, Martyrs of Rome
Guercino did this drawing of the martyrdom of Saints John and Paul in 1630-32. He used a pen and brown ink, a brush and brown...
Called to Reflect the Face of Christ and His Mercy
The June 20th daily edition of L’Osservatore Romano contained an article on the ordination of two Olivetan Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of Santa Maria...
To France
I leave early tomorrow morning for la doulce France via Geneva. I will be giving some conferences in two monasteries of the Benedictines of Jesus...
O Clemens, O Pia, O Dulcis, Virgo Maria
Allow me to recommend a book for the month of May: Mary Most Holy, Meditating With the Early Cistercians, edited by E. Rozanne Elder, Cistercian...
No Peace Without Chastity
A Holy Abbess The Benedictine–Cistercian calendar commemorates today Saint Franca of Piacenza, virgin (1173–1218). Franca was an intrepid monastic reformer. After enduring sufferings and persecutions...