The Holy Father Asks for Our Prayers
The Holy Father asks to be joined by the prayers of all the faithful, so that the Lord may enlighten the path of the Church....
A Church with Face and Garments Soiled
Good Friday 2005: A Prayer by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger Lord, your Church often seems like a boat about to sink, a boat taking in water...
In puero puer
Saint Augustine preached this morning at the Third Nocturn of Vigils. Amazing. It makes one want to applaud! Does anyone preach like this today? Read...
Nolite obdurare corda vestra
This painting of Jesus preaching in the synagogue at Capernaum is the work of the Polish-Jewish artist Maurycy Gottlieb (1856-1879). Note that he depicts Our...
Blessed Abbot Marmion on the Mercy of God
Today, January 30th, is the eighty-sixth anniversary of the death of Blessed Columba Marmion. Dom Marmion’s liturgical memorial is observed, not on his anniversary of...
The View From My Window
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Holocaust Remembrance Day
Today, January 27th, is observed as Holocaust Remembrance Day. Radio Vaticana has two feature broadcasts marking this observance. You can listen to them here and...
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...
Conversion of Saint Paul
General Intercessions That the Church in East and West may persevere in seeking the unity willed for her by Christ from whom the whole Body...
Saint Francis de Sales
General Intercessions That the Church may never be without gentle shepherds according to the meek and humble Heart of Christ: servants of unity and of...
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...
In our time, grant us your peace
Rainbow Over Gaza This AP photo shows a rainbow over Gaza today, 18 January 2009. In the context of what is happening in the Mideast,...
Let your foot wear out the threshold of His doors
This morning at the Third Nocturn of Vigils, Saint Augustine offered a splendid commentary on today’s Gospel. I will hold it in my heart all...
A Little Bit of All the Virtues
Friday of the First Week of the Year I Hebrews 4:1-5, 11 Psalm 77: 3 & 4bc, 6c-7, 8 Mark 2:1-12 Toil and Rest There...
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...
Numquam sine aqua Christus
El Greco’s painting of the Baptism of the Lord has, at least to my eyes, a Chagall-like quality. Whereas one would expect a predominance of...
Rationabile Obsequium
Our Holy Father gave an extraordinary catechesis yesterday on Romans 12:1. A certain Irish priest friend of mine should be very pleased! The titles are...
All that has gone before
A wise and dear friend wrote me from her cloister for the feast of the Epiphany. By God’s providence, our lives, with their changes and...
Christus apparuit nobis
The Epiphany of the Lord Today is the festival of adoration par excellence. The venite, adoremus of the Invitatory antiphon, sung again to the same...