by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Oct 31, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Oct 26, 2023 | Homily
Scripture Readings: Book of Exodus 22:20-26; First Thessalonians 1:5-10; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 22:34-40 In today’s Gospel, a Scribe, who would be considered a teacher of God’s Law and a moral guide of the people, wants to hear what Jesus believes to be the...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Oct 21, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Oct 19, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Oct 18, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Oct 14, 2023 | News
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,...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Oct 4, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 29, 2023 | News
On this day fifty-five years ago, our Monastery church, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, was formally blessed as the place of worship for the monks of Christ in the Desert and its guests. We keep the day as a Sunday, with more solemn celebration of the Conventual...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 25, 2023 | Homily
Scripture Readings: Book of the Prophet Ezekiel 18:25-28; Letter to the Philippians 2:1-11; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 21:28-32 Here at the Monastery Autumn is definitely “in the air.” Such is the case as well in many other parts of the Northern Hemisphere. The...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 20, 2023 | News
Throughout the Summer months we have been enjoying roses blooming in our cloister garden. Occasionally the flowers are used to decorate in church and at other times left to be viewed “in situ,” right where they blossom. We are staying well and keeping busy...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 19, 2023 | Homily
Scripture readings: Book of the Prophet Isaiah 55:6-9; Letter to the Philippians 1:20-24, 27; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 20:1-16 This Sunday’s Gospel passage is taken from a section in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew where Jesus spells out some of the...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 19, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 14, 2023 | Homily
Scripture Readings: Book of Sirach 27:30-28:7; Romans 14:7-8; Gospel According to Matthew 18:2121-35 This Sunday’s Scripture readings are focused on the topic of forgiveness. It is something we probably regularly think about and actually do, when we forgive family or...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 14, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 11, 2023 | News
Today our dear confrere, Father Bernard Cranor, died peacefully at the Monastery . He was ninety-two years old and lived a very long and fruitful life, first for a short time as a Trappist monk in Utah, then as a Dominican friar for many years, then as a monk of...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 7, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 5, 2023 | Homily
Scripture Readings: Ezekiel 33:7-9; Romans 13:8-10; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 18:15-20 This Sunday’s first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel and the Gospel passage both consider the difficult topic of “fraternal correction,” as it is often called; that is,...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Sep 2, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Aug 31, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Aug 30, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Aug 30, 2023 | Homily
Scripture Readings: Prophet Jeremiah 20:7-9; Letter to the Romans 12:1-2; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 16:21-27 Today’s Gospel passage gives us more insight into who Jesus truly is and what he had to undergo for the salvation of all people. Important to keep in...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Aug 25, 2023 | News
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...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Aug 22, 2023 | Homily
Scripture Readings: Prophet Isaiah 22:15,19-23; Letter to the Romans 11:33-36; Gospel According to Saint Matthew 16:13-20 In the Gospel passage for this Sunday, Jesus poses a crucial question to his disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” The question implies that...
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Aug 20, 2023 | News
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....
by Monastery of Christ in the Desert | Aug 18, 2023 | News
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...