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.
Health & Safety
May 24, 2021 – Please follow ‘Full Details’ link to read about our gradual re-opening.
Beginning Monday, May 31st, Memorial Day, our Monastery Church, Giftshop and Art Gallery, will be open once again to daytime visitors, each Monday through Saturday, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Masks are required for visitors to the Giftshop and in church.
On Sundays, the Conventual Mass is at 9:15 am and the Giftshop will be open from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Our Guesthouse for overnight retreatants remains closed.
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.
Abbot’s Notes, Homilies, and News
We invite you to subscribe to our newsletters to receive homilies and news directly via email.
June 19th: Candid Camera
Caught in the act of being herself, our clever cat Monica was surprised when a photographer-monk found her flipping through the June issue of Readers' Digest. Hence, the out-of-focus photo of the cat as she dashed off the table in the Reading Room, but you get the...
The Desert Blooms: Spring Flowerings at Christ in the Desert
An Easter Season Video Offering from Abbot Christian.
Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B
Scripture Texts: Job 38: 1, 8-11; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17; Mark 4:35-41 We might all agree that in daily life there are circumstances, events and realities that make us feel happy or joyful: getting a vacation, for example, or seeing old friends and family after a long...
Abbot’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...
Daily Martyrology for June 19, 2021
At Val-di-Castro, in 1027, St. Romuald, abbot. After seeing his aristocratic father kill a relative in a duel, he joined the Cluniac monastery at San Apollinare-in-Classe near Ravenna. He became a hermit and founded hermitages in northern Italy. Peter Damian (Febraury 21) was his disciple, and together they established Fonte Avellana and Camaldoli, austere eremitical communities following the Rule of St. Benedict.In Milan, in the second century, Sts. Gervase and Protase. St.... 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 9 PM Sunday, June 13, 2021.
ROAD CONDITIONS
The Forest Service Road 151 into the Monastery is damaged in places throughout. Areas of concern are (1) long straight-aways, (2) around cattle guards, & (3) through marked "Flash Flood Area". Erosion and wet driving have produced potholes and raised protruding rocks which may damage tires at higher speeds.
OF PARTICULAR CONCERN for inbound traffic is a very deep pothole at the second cattle guard. Incoming cars may avoid this pothole by bearing much to the right. We recommend additional caution, even for familiar drivers, until the road is resurfaced.
Updated at 9 PM Sunday, June 13, 2021.
GENERAL UPDATE
The Monastery is commencing gradual re-opening, beginning with reception of day visitors. The Guesthouse remains closed to overnight guests.
As of Monday, May 31st, the Monastery Church, Giftshop, and Art Gallery, are open to daytime visitors, Monday through Saturday, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Masks are required for visitors to the Giftshop and in church.
On Sundays, the Conventual Mass is offered at 9:15 am. Attendees are welcome. The Giftshop will be open from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Our Guesthouse for overnight retreatants remains closed.