Today the Church celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Since our founding in 1964, the cloistered Carmelite nuns of Santa Fe, New Mexico, have been friends of our monastery. Their prayerful support and prophetic witness to a life of prayer and silence are an inspiration for many, far and wide, including us.
Our monastery is also friends of the Carmelite nuns of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Santa Fe is about two hours away from us and Las Cruces about six hours.
We are grateful for the prayers and for our connection and friendship with a number of Carmelite communities, of both nuns, monks, friars and laity. We wish them all a blessed celebration of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. May she intercede for us all!
Some of our friends have expressed concern regarding the Laguna Fire, and wondering if we have had a evacuate our property. Fortunately, the fire is some miles west of us, and though smoke blows our way off and on, we are not in imminent danger, nor do we need to evacuate. We are on a “ready” status (three categories exist in these situations: ready, set, go). Some rain fell Monday, and we hope for more in the coming days.
We pray for the many fighting the fires in New Mexico, both on the ground and in helicopters and planes. Helicopters are regularly getting water from the Chama River that runs through our property, to help put out the Laguna Fire.
Today’s photo shows our cloister garden and the fact that the sky is blue and no smoke is evident on our land. For this we are grateful.
Be assured of prayers and please keep us in yours. Thank you.
Abbot Christian and the monks
