May 8th: Abundance of Lilacs

Helped in part by recent rains, an old lilac bush at our Saint Benedict Ranch House, part of our guest facilities, is blooming splendidly just now. The blooming never lasts very long, and almost always happens in early May, being a fleeting enjoyment in the midst of...

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C

Scripture Readings: Acts of the Apostles 13:14, 43-52; Book of Revelation 7:9, 14-17; Gospel According to Saint John 10:27-30 Our Lord Jesus Christ, during his earthly ministry, knew very well how to speak to the people about his person and his mission, using simple...

May 6th: Contemplation

Some of our monks are reading and benefitting from a recently published book by the American Dominican friar Thomas Joseph White, who is currently Rector at Rome’s “Pontifical University of Saint Thomas,” the “Angelicum,” as it is popularly called, run by the Order of...

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year C

Scripture Readings: Acts of the Apostles 13:14, 43-52; Book of Revelation 7:9, 14-17; Gospel According to Saint John 10:27-30 Our Lord Jesus Christ, during his earthly ministry, knew very well how to speak to the people about his person and his mission, using simple...

May 2rd: No Huge Hurry

Spring is still in progress here, with mild temperatures at present and some deciduous trees still in bloom, as is evident in today’s photo. Work is now going on to replace the roofs of some of our buildings, including the library, chapter room, classroom,...

April 29th: Spring

A LIGHT EXISTS IN SPRING by Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1986) A Light exists in Spring  Not present on the Year   At any other period —  When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad  On Solitary Fields  That Science cannot overtake  But Human Nature...

Third Sunday of Easter, Year C

Scripture Readings: Acts of the Apostles 5:27-32, 40-41; Book of Revelation 5:11-14; Gospel According to Saint John 21:1-21 In this Sunday’s Gospel passage, Simon Peter tells several of the other apostles, “I am going fishing.” Peter and at least six other apostles...

Second Sunday of Easter, Year C

Scripture Readings: Acts of the Apostles 5:12-16; Book of Revelation 1: 9-17; Gospel According to Saint John 20:19-31 We continue our yearly celebration of the Passover of Christ, whose triumphant resurrection from the dead is our hope and joy. Today the Gospel...

April 25th: Our Sunday Visitor

A century-old Catholic publication, “Our Sunday Visitor,” is still going strong and has moved from being a modest weekly newspaper to an expanded full-color monthly magazine. The new format, contents and photos are commendable. The current May 2025 issue...

Happy Easter!

A blessed and happy Eastertide to all our families, friends, benefactors and oblates. We keep you in our prayers and are grateful for yours. Today’s photo is from the beautiful mission church of San Antonio, Los Ojos, New Mexico, a little over an hour from our...

Good Friday

“It is finished,” are Christ’s words from the cross just before He “bowed his head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). What is finished? On Good Friday the old creation, of sin and separation from God, has ended, is finished, and a new...

Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Scripture Readings: Book of Exodus 12:1-8,11-14; Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 11:22-26; Gospel According to Saint John 13:1-15 Each Holy Thursday the Church recounts the evening when Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his closest disciples. At that...

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion, Year C

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 50:4-7; Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians 2:6-11; Gospel According to Saint Luke 22:12-23:56 Palm Sunday Mass normally begins outside the church building with a recounting of the triumphal entry of Jesus into...

March 31st: Mid-Lent

We are now half way through Lent and continue to experience the progressive arrival of Spring in our Chama Canyon wilderness. The Eastern Christian tradition refers to this annual preparation for Holy Week and Easter as the “Lenten Spring.” Keep in mind...

Fifth Sunday of Lent, Year C

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 43:16-21; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Philippians 3:8-14; Gospel According the Saint John 8:1-11 Holy Week is drawing nigh. In fact, just a week from today is Palm Sunday and the following Sunday is Easter. Maybe for many...

March 25th: The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

The century-old stained glass windows in the mission church of San Jose in Los Ojos, New Mexico, about an hour from our Monastery, cannot but inspire those with gaze upon them. Each of the windows is some ten or more feet tall and marvelously calls to mind particular...

Fourth Sunday of Lent, Year C

Scripture Readings: Book of Joshua 5: 9,10-12; Saint Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians 5:17-21; Gospel According to Luke15:1-3,11-32 The story is told of a catechism class studying the Parable the Prodigal Son. After emphasizing the wrong attitude of the older...

March 23rd: Spring Sightings

Spring has officially begun and flowers are beginning to appear in our cloister garden. We await some weeks for the fuller blooming that will bring many and varied flowers to our gardens. We are now in the planning stages for Spring planting in our large greenhouse,...

March 18th: March Moisture

Having had a dryer than normal Winter 2024-25, we were happy to have gotten recently some consecutive nighttime snowfalls of an inch or two. Each time the snow was completely melted by midday, but it provided at least some moisture to our land. Sometimes we even say...

Third Sunday of Lent, Year C

Scripture Readings: Book of Exodus 3:1-8; 13-15; Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 10:1-6, 10-12; Gospel According to Saint Luke 13:1-9 Each year the first two Sunday’s of Lent are linked with specific events in the life of Christ: the temptations he...

March 13th: Robins Returning

Spring cannot be too far off, with the return of robins to our cloister courtyard and the days growing longer and warmer. Indoors, the orchid in today’s photo is nearly in full bloom and will remain so for the next few months. The liturgical color of Lent is...

Second Sunday of Lent, Year C

Scripture Readings: Book of Genesis 15:5-12, 17-18; Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians 3:17-4:1; Gospel According to Saint Luke 9:28-36 I like to call the first Sunday of Lent, “Christ in the Desert Sunday,” for its emphasis on the mystery of our Lord’s...

March 10th: Best Pumpkin Bread

Although we occasionally make and enjoy pumpkin bread here, we don’t sell it. However, we do know a source of excellent pumpkin bread for sale, coming straight from Hollywood, California! See today’s photo and the contact information below, and give Carlos a call or...

First Sunday of Lent, Year C

Scripture Readings: Book of Deuteronomy 26:4-10; Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans 10:8-13; Gospel According to Saint Luke 4:1-13 Each year Holy Mother Church gives us this season of Lent to renew our intention of living more completely for Christ. Lent is a...