Popularly called, “La Soledad,” the Benedictine monastery of Our Lady of Solitude, near San Miguel Allende in the State of Guanajuato, Mexico, is a dependent priory of Christ in the Desert. Monks have been there for nearly fifty years, and live a life of prayer, work and hospitality, quite similar to us in New Mexico.

The original monastic church at La Soledad is a gem, designed by the late George Nakashima, who was also the architect of the church at Christ in the Desert.

In recent years the monks at La Soledad built a larger church to accommodate their community and guests. The original church, though, is still used for prayer.

Unfortunately, distance and some language barriers, and now, of course, the pandemic, makes regular interaction between our two communities difficult. Nonetheless, we keep each other in thought and prayers as we pursue the common ideal of seeking God, under a Rule and an Abbot, as Benedictine monks.

Blessed day to all and weekend ahead.

Abbot Christian and the monks