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.
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.
Visit our Gift Shop
We sell statuettes, plaques, boxes, and CDs of our chants. 100% of the proceeds support our monks and upkeep of the abbey.
Abbot’s Notes, Homilies, and News
We invite you to subscribe to our newsletters to receive homilies and news directly via email.
ABBOT PHILIP TO RETIRE
The Right Reverend Philip J. Lawrence, OSB, the Abbot of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, recently announced in the summer newsletter that given the required retirement of an abbot at age seventy-five coming in 2019, he has decided that he will retire on...
read moreThe Abbot’s Notebook for August 8, 2018
The Abbot’s Notebook for August 8, 2018 My sisters and brothers in Christ, Blessings to you! There are times when things hit me so strongly and I know that I should not write about them until I calm down. There is such a situation in my heart right now. So please...
read more19th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle B – 2018
NOTE: I will retire as abbot on December 12, 2018. I have been writing these homilies since the First Sunday of Advent in 1997. I will no longer write these homilies. My last homily will be published for the Solemnity of Christ in the King, November 25, 2018. ...
read moreImpressions of Italy: Santa Rita
It almost goes without saying that there are many popular saints in Italy. Not all the saints near and dear to Italians were born in Italy, but lived here at some point in time and eventually won the hearts of Italians and remain very popular to this day. To name a...
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Daily Martyrology for August 14, 2018
In 958, at Einsiedeln, Blessed Eberhard. He resigned his position as provost of Strasbourg cathedral to join his friend Benno, the former bishop of Metz, at his hermitage at Einsiedeln. After Benno’s death, Eberhard became the first abbot of the community, and during a famine used its resources to feed the hungry.In 1196, in Latvia, St. Meinhard. He was an Augustinian Canon in Segeberg Abbey in Holstein, and then traveled to convert the pagan tribes in what is now Latvia.... 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.
Our Chanting
We have recordings of our chants available on CD and MP3.
Ave Maria
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 at 5:00 am on Tuesday, August 14, 2018
The road leading to the Monastery, Forest Service Road 151, is passable for all vehicles, especially in the mornings. There may be an occasional thunderstorm in the area, afternoon and evenings, these next few days. If you are in a two-wheel drive vehicle and get caught on the road in a downpour, you should stop because it will become very slippery. Just wait for the rain to stop and in a very few minutes, then the road will drain enough for your to continue on your way.