The Monastery of Christ in the Desert

Our Benedictine monastic community near Abiquiu, New Mexico, warmly welcomes you to our Abbey on the banks of the Chama River.

Learn More About Our Monastery

The Monastery Church and Art Gallery,  will be open to daytime visitors, each Monday through Saturday, from 09:00 am to 5:30pm. The Giftshop will be open to daytime visitors from 09:00 am to 12:30 pm and 2:00pm to 3:30pm. 

On Sundays, the Conventual Mass is at 9:15 am and the Giftshop will be open from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm. 

Be our Guest

We welcome both day visitors and overnight guests for self-directed retreats. We celebrate mass daily, and invite you to pray with us.

Support Us

This monastic community is possible only by the generous support of friends like you. While the Monastery is an officially recognized Roman Catholic organization, it does not receive any direct financial support from the Church.

Explore the Monastery

We warmly invite you to explore a photo gallery that shows where we live and how we go about our monastic life.

Monastery News & Homilies

We invite you to subscribe to our newsletters to receive these directly via email.

Holy Week Schedule of Services 2024

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, March 24th: Procession and Conventual Mass at 9:15 am Holy Thursday, March 28th: Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper at 5:00 pm Good Friday, March 29th: Afternoon Liturgy of Good Friday at  3:30 pm Holy Saturday, March 30th/31st:...

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Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Year B

Scripture Readings: Isaiah 50:4-7; Letter to the Philippians 2:6-11; Gospel According to Saint Mark 14:1 - 15:47 Each year on the Sunday before Easter, Christians around the world celebrate and commemorate what is traditionally called Palm or Passion Sunday, when we...

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Daily Martyrology for March 18, 2024

In Jerusalem, in 386, St. Cyril, bishop and doctor. As a priest, he delivered Catechetical Instructions, 24 of which have survived. Intended for catechumens and the newly baptized, they are an invaluable witness to the teaching and liturgy of the church in the middle of the fourth century. He was bishop of Jerusalem for 35 years, 16 of which were spent in exile.

In 651, St. Braulio, bishop. A student and friend of St. Isidore (April 4), he succeeded his own brother John as... read more

Prayer and Chant

Learn more about the Monastic Day or review our Daily Prayer Schedule.

Prayer Requests and Mass Intentions

We are glad to include your requests for prayer in our daily chanting of the psalms. Mass intentions (including the delivery of a Mass card) may be requested for small stipend.

Daily Prayer and Mass Schedule

All are welcome to join us at daily worship. Click here for our daily prayer schedule which begins at 4:00am and ends at 7:30pm.

Current Road Conditions

Updated on Monday, March 18th, 2024, 7:39 am

After rain/snow over the weekend, the Forest Service Road 151 leading to the Monastery is currently wet & muddy.

Only high clearance four-wheel drive vehicles should be used for traversing Forest Road 151 at this time.

For those who travel the road, please be aware that there may be traffic traveling in both directions on the road, so round curves with caution. Be courteous and allow faster traffic ahead of you. Simply pull to the side of the road and let them pass.

Safe and peaceful travels.

Click here for driving directions