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.
It is Still the Christmas Season!
We are celebrating now the days between the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord and the Baptism of the Lord. With the Magi of old, come let us adore the Lord! * *...
read moreThe Abbot’s Notebook: The Baptism of the Lord
Do you remember the day you were baptized? I certainly don’t remember mine. I was all of twenty-five days old when my Baptism took place, on January 4, 1953. It must have been a cold and quite possibly rainy day in Portland, Oregon, that Sunday when my parents,...
read more2nd Sunday of the Year – Cycle C – 2019
2nd Sunday of the Year - Cycle C - 2019 FIRST READING Isaiah 62:1-5 For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet, until her vindication shines forth like the dawn and her victory like a burning torch. Nations shall behold...
read moreAbbot’s Notebook
“Our Monk in Rome” is now “Our Abbot in Abiquiu,” or something like that. There will no longer be new postings on the “Our Monk in Rome” page, but please proceed to the “Abbot’s Notebook” page for my news and views. At least to begin with, there might not be a weekly...
read more
Daily Martyrology for January 16, 2019
Around 96 AD, the martyrdom of St. Priscilla. The important catacomb in Rome named for her is under the care of a convent of Benedictine sisters.At Arles, in 429, St. Honoratus, monk and bishop, co-founder of the monastery of Lérins, which produced many bishops and influenced the development of monasticism at such places as Condat in the Jura.
In 1711, in Sri Lanka, Blessed Joseph Vaz. He was born in Goa and ordained a priest there. He organized an Oratorian... 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 Wednesday, January 16, 2019.
The road leading to the Monastery, Forest Service Road 151, is having weather, rain and snow showers. So, it will be quite muddy and slick, which will make travel by a two-wheel drive vehicle extremely difficult. It is always best in bad weather to have a four-wheel drive vehicle for the journey here.