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.
Schedule for Holy Week 2019
HOLY THURSDAY—2019 4:00 am Vigils 6:00 am Lauds 8:00 am Terce and Meeting for Monks 9:00 am Work Meeting for Guests at Giftshop and Necessary Work 12:15 am Sext 3:00 pm None 5:00 pm Eucharist of...
read moreEaster Sunday Reflection
Growing up in the 1950’s and 60’s, before the advent of color TV, let alone videos and DVDs or the movie channel, one the five Portland, Oregon, television channels televised the movie, “The Wizard of Oz” each year, one of Hollywood’s greatest films. As color TV was...
read moreHomily for Easter Sunday Day Mass — Cycle C—2019
Homily for Easter Sunday Day Mass -- Cycle C--2019 FIRST READING Acts of the Apostles 10:34a, 37-43 Peter proceeded to speak and said: "You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached; how God anointed Jesus of...
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 April 22, 2019
At Constantinople, in 536, the death of St. Agapitus, pope. He was a learned man and a friend of Cassiodorus, with whom he planned to start a university in Rome. He was elected pope when he was already elderly. He went to Constantinople to dissuade Justinian from invading Italy. He failed in that mission, but managed to have the Monothelite patriarch of Constantinople replaced by St. Mennas.In 1091, at the abbey of Brauweiler, Blessed Wolfhelm, abbot. He was educated at the... 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 2:30 am Monday, April 22, 2019.
The road leading to the Monastery, Forest Service Road 151, is passable for all vehicles.
SEE HOLY WEEK SCHEDULE ON THIS WEBSITE UNDER THE MENU SECTION ENTITLED: "ABBOT'S NOTES"
ALL ARE WELCOME