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...
For All of Us There Exists a Path to Bethlehem
Here is the official English-language translation of Pope Benedict XVI’s magnificent homily, delivered in Italian during the Mass in the Night of the Nativity of...
And All the World Desires to Behold His Face
Loving greetings for a very Blessed Christmas to all the readers of Vultus Christi. May the Infant Jesus, in the arms of His Most Holy...
In Time for Christmastide Reading
Just published by Zacchaeus Press! I recommend The Mystery of Joseph to every reader of Vultus Christi. Part One of the book reflects on the...
Ember Friday in Advent
Restore the Ember Days For the second time this week, we celebrated a special pre-dawn Advent Mass in candlelight. Having anticipated Matins last evening, we...
Te, Christe, solum quaerimus
For my friend, Monsignor A.B.C. Sometime in the early 1970s the Benedictine nuns of the Abbey Pax Cordis Iesu at Ryde, in the Isle of...
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...
Am I not here who am your Mother?
At Clear Creek Brother Juan Diego and I have been at Clear Creek Monastery for the past few days. I have been preaching a retreat...
Rejoice, O Virgin Mother clothed with the sun!
Again this year, I want to present this beautiful Akathist to the Blessed Virgin Mary of Guadalupe. It is the work of Dr. Alexander Roman....
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,...
Tota pulchra es, Maria
The Novena in Preparation for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary begins today and continues through December 7th. Tota pulchra...
The Filial Obedience of the Priest
Archbishop Mauro Piacenza, Secretary of the Congregation for Clergy, addresed the following letter to the priests of the Church on November 18th. “Do you promise...
Clear Creek
I am leaving this afternoon for the Monastery of Our Lady of the Annunciation at Clear Creek to preach the monastic community’s annual retreat. I...
Sin’s Knotty Entanglements
On the Twenty-Third Sunday After Pentecost and the ferial days following it, we pray: Absolve, quaesumus Domine, tuorum delicta populorum: ut a peccatorum nexibus, quae...
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....
Via Crucis for Priests
I’m happy to announce that my Via Crucis for Priests has been published in Magnificat’s Year for Priests Companion. Read about it here. It would...
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...
Ut sanaret filium ejus
Passing On the Tradition One of the best things about being a very small monastic household is the freedom to make use of the opportunities...
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...
Sitit sitiri: He thirsts that we should thirst for Him
Progress Report Our little community life, marked by the rhythm of the Hours, by Eucharistic adoration, work, and welcoming guests, is already that of the...