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.
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.
Guesthouse News
The Monastery Guesthouse will be closed during the month January of 2026, with guests being received again beginning February 1, 2026. However, all of the available Guesthouse slots have been fully booked as of now, up to April 12, 2026. Beginning April 12, 2026, the...
Second Sunday In Ordinary Time, Year A
Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 49: 3,5-6; Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 1:1-3; Gospel According to Saint John 1:29-34 Probably many or maybe even most of us like to have someone travel with us when we make a long journey. It helps to...
Daily Martyrology for January 17, 2026
In 356, in Egypt, St. Antony, who is well known from the Life which St. Athanasius wrote about him and from his own letters and sayings. He was born of Christian parents, orphaned young, and then felt called to leave everything to follow Christ. He retired to an old burial ground around 273, and in 286 to an abandoned hilltop fort where he stayed for twenty years. After visiting Alexandria in 311 to support those persecuted under Maximinus, he founded a monastery at Pispir and then retired... read morePrayer 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
Saturday, January 17, 2026, 1:06 pm
The road leading to the monastery is clear and dry. There are bumpy sections along the way.
Please watch for free-range cattle standing on the road.
Always drive carefully on Forest Service RD 151, as there is traffic in both directions. Also, there are often hikers and bikers on the road.
Be courteous by letting faster vehicles pass. Simply pull to the side and allow them to go ahead.
Pray for peace in the New Year.