January 6th: Wild Kingdom

A young mountain lion from across the Chama River has been eyeing our flock of sheep and even gave them a “run for their money” in broad daylight. However, intrepid guard-donkey Matty chased away the predator for now, but that’s  no guarantee the...

Solemnity of the Epiphany

Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 60:1-6; Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 2:1-12 The Solemnity of the Epiphany, literally the “manifestation” or “showing” of the Lord Jesus Christ to the nations, is...

January 3rd: Christmas Continues

It is still Christmastide, up to the Feast of the Epiphany (the visit of the Magi) on January 6th, and concluding on Monday, January 8th with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. After that we return to “Ordinary Time” until Ash Wednesday on February 14th...

December 26th: Joy to the World!

The Savior reigns. Don’t forget: Christmas has just begun. Don’t cease from celebrating at least until the Epiphany on January 6th/7th. With assured of our prayers for a blessed Octave and beyond, the twelve days of Christmas. Abbot Christian and the...

Christmas Day Mass

Readings: Isaiah 52:7-10; Letter to the Hebrews 1:1-6; Gospel of Saint John 1:1-18 The scripture readings assigned for the Mass of Christmas day emphasize an attitude of child-like wonder at all that is taking place. In the text from the prophet Isaiah, the city of...

Christmas Mass at Midnight

Scripture Readings: Isaiah 9:2-7; Letter to Titus 2:11-14; Gospel According to Luke 2:1-14 First, a blessed and Merry Christmas to all! The celebrations have just begun, and continue in earnest for nearly two weeks, for what are traditionally called the “Twelve Days...

Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year B

Second Book of Samuel 7:1-5, 8-11, 11:16; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38 We could think of this Fourth Sunday of Advent as the “final lap” in the Advent journey of 2023. In fact, we’ve reached the final day of Advent, as this Sunday evening at First Vespers we begin...

December 14th: Not Snowed In

We were happy to receive a dusting of snow over the night of December 13th. Moisture in any form is always welcome here, especially in these recent years of drought conditions. Often we’re asked if we get “snowed in” when it snows, but the answer is,...

Third Sunday of Advent, Year B

Scripture Readings: Prophet Isaiah 61:1-2, 10-11; First Letter to the Thessalonians 5:16-24; Gospel According to Saint John 1:6-8, 19-28 The Church’s Old Testament “prophet of choice” for the Advent season is Isaiah, from the eigth century before Christ. And the...

Second Sunday of Advent, Year B

Readings: Isaiah 40:1-5, 9-11; Second Letter of Peter 3:8-14; Mark 8:1-8 Every year on the second Sunday of Advent, the Church has us ponder the words and deeds of Saint John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the coming of the Lord. Our own monastery church is...

December 1st: More Moisture

We are now receiving more moisture in the form of snow in our canyon. We are grateful beyond words for this, and while it’s an inconvenience for those traversing Forest Road 151 leading to the Monastery, with the recommendation that only four-wheel or all-wheel...

First Sunday of Advent, Year B

Scripture Readings: Isaiah 63:16-17,19; 64:2-7; First Corinthians 1:3-9; Gospel According to Mark 13:33-37 The season of Advent always calls us to a sense of hope, that God loves us, has sent his Son to redeem us, and that no one is excluded from God’s loving care and...

November 16th: Nearing Completion

Construction of the new greenhouse in our lower pasture is nearly completed. It will provide a spacious place to grow produce and flowers throughout the year. A generous grant from the Catholic Foundation of New Mexico greatly assisted us in realizing the project. For...

November 6th: Monastic Retreat

This week our community will be taking its annual retreat, days of greater solitude and prayer here, as well as listening to two conferences each day, one in the morning and one in the evening. Our retreat-giver this year is Brother Ernest Miller, FSC, a member of the...