November 1st: Last Leaves

As the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1st and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed on November 2nd are being celebrated these day, we bid adieu to the glory of Autumn’s colors and begin to prepare for winter. For us monks, the daily routine does...

October 22nd: Autumn Splendor

With Autumn now in full swing, we are being treated to a very splendid display of color in the Chama Canyon wilderness. Today’s photo was taken by one of our monks  traversing Forest Service Road 151 that leads to the Monastery. The thirteen mile...

October 20th: Ceaseless Amazement

As days grow shorter and temperatures cooler, we are being treated to some stunning night skies. Every season in the Chama Canyon wilderness has its beauty, and especially so during the months of Autumn. Abbot Christian has completed his days abroad, after the...

October 18: Tre Fontane Abbey

A very austere but beautiful monastic church on the outskirts of Rome is the Cistercian Trappist Abbey of “Tre Fontane,” two words which mean “three fountains.” Tradition holds that this was the place where Saint Paul was beheaded in the First...

October 14th: Subiaco Abbey

This past week Abbot Christian and seventeen other abbots, Priors and delegates of the monasteries of the English Province of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation, to which Christ in the Desert belongs, met at the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Scholastica, Subiaco, Italy,...

October 5th: Morning Light

We continue to enjoy mild temperatures and even some rain. The many cottonwood trees in the Chama canyon are slowly turning, always to a golden color, and shimmering in the sun with the occasional breeze. This week we were happy to welcome five Cistercian Benedictine...

September 19th: Welcome Rain

Of late we are getting rainfall, much needed and much appreciated. The threat of forest fires is greatly reduced now and the Chama Canyon is once again “turning green,” as it usually does in July and August. These days we are getting various landscaping...

September 15th: Bighorn Sheep

Not seen every day here, but more frequently than fifty years ago, Bighorn Sheep are another natural wonder in the high desert of New Mexico. Today’s photo was taken by one of our monks while on a trip to town on September 13th. The majestic ram in the photo was...

September 8th: Summer Subsiding

We are already feeling a definite “cooling down” in the mornings, with temperatures in the mid to low 50s. By afternoon, the mercury climbs to the low 80s. To everything, there is a season. We continue our daily round of prayer and work and welcoming...

September 3rd: Our Blue Moon

The psalmist, writing thousands of years ago, had this to say, presumably while pondering the wonders of God’s creation: “The heaven’s proclaim the glory of God and the firmament shows forth the work of God’s hands. Day unto day takes up the...

September 1st: Monks and Roses

The German Benedictine nun, Gertrude of Helfta, now known as Saint Gertrude the Great, who lived from 1256 to 1302, once made a very insightful observation about Benedictines. One day in contemplation, Gertrude considered Saint Benedict and his followers under the...

August 31st: Summer Sky

The days fly by, at least for us in the Chama Canyon wilderness. Summer skies hold their own beauty at this time of year, most especially at sunset. The days are now visibly growing shorter and daytime temperatures are “only” in the mid-80s. That’s...

August 26th: Awaiting Rain

After a very fine downpour a week ago, we’ve seen very little rain since. Some days appear promising with regard to moisture, as in today’s photo, but then nothing comes of it. In any case, we keep praying for more rain. We continue indoor and outdoor...

August 20th: Fruits of Rain

We are finally getting some rain and are very grateful for the gift. Roses are blooming in the cloister garden and Easter lilies are lining up nicely for a third flowering. The first was at Eastertime, the second was in late Spring, and now the third in mid-Summer....

August 18th: Community Recreation

Each Tuesday and Thursday evenings the monks gather for about 20 minutes for a period of “recreation,” as it is called in monastic culture. The time consists of simply relaxing and speaking, enjoying one another’s company in what is usually lively...