Monastery News

The Monastery Guesthouse will be closed during the month January of 2026, with guests being received again beginning February 1, 2026. However, all of the available Guesthouse slots have been fully booked as of now, up to April 12, 2026.

Beginning April 12, 2026, the Monastery will begin a full remodeling of our commercial kitchen and a substantial upgrade for accessibility to the Guesthouse. The work is projected to last into the Summer of 2026. And so, from April 12 until mid-Summer we will not be receiving overnight guests

Additionally, before the Guesthouse reopens next Summer, there will be changes to the way guests make reservations for their self-registered retreats. With this in mind, for now, we are not accepting reservations.

As soon as construction work is finished and the planned changes to our reservation system are completed, the possibility of making reservations will resume. Thank you for your understanding.

Day visitors are still welcome during these months.

Abbot Christian and the monks.

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On January 1st we celebrate the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God, the beginning of a new civil year 2026 and the World Day of Peace.

Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to all of good will!

A Blessed and Happy New Year 2026!

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you!

Abbot Christian and the monks

The Monastery Guesthouse will be closed during the month of January 2026, for a time of solitude for the monks, with guests on retreat being received again beginning February 1, 2026. However, all of the available Guesthouse slots have been fully booked up to April 12, 2026.

Beginning April 12, 2026, the Monastery will begin a full remodeling of our commercial kitchen and a substantial upgrade for accessibility to the Guesthouse. The work is projected to last into the Summer of 2026. From April 12 until mid-Summer we will not be receiving overnight guests.

Additionally, before the Guesthouse reopens next Summer, there will be changes to the way guests make reservations for their self-registered retreats. With this in mind, for now, we are not accepting reservations.

When changes to our reservation system are completed, the possibility of making reservations will resume. Please keep an eye on this News Page for updates.

This is all being announced with some sadness, since our apostolate is Benedictine hospitality, but in order to upgrade our facilities and to better receive guests, we appreciate your understanding and patience.

During the month of January, while the Guesthouse is closed, day visitors are welcome. Our church will be open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The Giftshop will be open on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, and on Sundays from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm.

A Blessed and Merry Christmas to all!

Abbot Christian and the monks

Advent is almost over, with Christmas just a week away, but throughout these past three weeks, since the First Sunday of Advent on November 30th, our refectory has been graced with the traditional Advent wreath with its three purple candles, for the first, second and fourth weeks of Advent. The rose-colored candle is for the third week of Advent–this week in fact–days associated more with rejoicing, as the days of the Lord’s coming draw near.

Each day during Advent we light the appropriate candles at the beginning of our prayer for the midday meal and call to mind the “reason for the season,” as we await the celebration of the Birth of the Lord on December 25th.

The background of today’s photo is a portion of the mural on our refectory’s east wall, depicting the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Juan Diego, Saint Francis and Saint Benedict. May they intercede for us all!

These past weeks have been unseasonably warm, but with no rain or snowfall. This has been pleasant enough, but of concern for the continuation of drought-like conditions in the great Southwest. We await and pray for moisture in this part of the world.

To all our families, friends and benefactors and oblates, we wish a peaceful Christmas preparation and assure you of our prayers. Please keep us in yours. Thank you.

Abbot Christian and the monks

We have been enjoying some beautiful sunsets these days, reminiscent of William Turner skyscapes. In this case, it’s the Master Artist providing the celestial paint.

Advent has begun and the present shortening of days reminds us of the soon-to-occur lengthening of days later this month, fitting as we celebrate the coming of the “Unconquered Sun,” Christ the Lord.

Noteworthy saints being commemorated the first two weeks of December include: Saint Francis Xavier, Saint John of Damascus, Saint Juan Diego, Our Lady of Loreto, Pope Saint Damasus, Our Lady of Guadalupe and Saint Lucy. Saints of God, intercede for us all as we prepare for Christmas!

With assurance of our prayers in this Advent Season. Please keep us in your prayers. Thank you,

Abbot Christian and the monks

We have now completed our annual monastic retreat, which began on November 16th and ended on November 22nd, under the guidance of Abbot Elijah of Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas.

Abbot Elijah’s ten conferences and daily homilies at Mass were encouraging, enlightening, challenging and helpful in our monastic journey at this time and in this place. We are very grateful for Abbot Elijah’s insights, humor and seriousness(!) when it comes to living the Benedictine life. His emphasis was on “Seeing Christ,” “Being like Christ” and “Sharing Christ” with all we meet.

During the retreats days we were blessed with some rain and today’s photo shows it falling in our cloister garden on the “very last rose” of Summer. It’s hard to believe it is almost Thanksgiving Day and we have still been able to enjoy one final rose. The rosebud in the background of the photo never made it to full bloom, due to colder morning temperatures after the photo was taken.

On his Thanksgiving break lasting over a week, one of our student-monks, Brother Savio, is home from studies at Saint Joseph Abbey Seminary College in Louisiana, and will be here until after Thanksgiving.

We are deeply grateful to all who have responded to our annual appeal for purchase of propane for the Winter months, for heating buildings, especially the Guesthouse, and supplying fuel for cooking.

Our sincere thanks to all, and we’re almost, but not quite completely, caught up with sending personal thanks to each donor. Your patience is appreciated if you haven’t heard from us yet.

Be assured of our prayers and we are grateful for yours. May all have a peaceful preparation for Thanksgiving Day and a joyful celebration.

Abbot Christian and the monks

Even monks “go on retreat,” an annual week of greater silence, solitude, prayer and rest. We do it at the monastery, not somewhere else, and it becomes a pleasant and even enjoyable time for the monastic community.

This year we are greatly blessed to have Abbot Elijah Owens, monk and leader of Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas, as our retreat-giver. He is a dynamic speaker and no one comes late to his conferences, which occur twice a day, each lasting about half an hour. His picture below was taken today in our chapter room.

Abbot Elijah’s theme for the retreat conferences he is giving flows from a saying of the famous 11th century Abbot Hugh of Cluny Abbey in France: “For it is the light of Christ we seek, the likeness of Christ we become, and the peace of Christ we share,” which Abbot Elijah abbreviates as: Seek, Be and Share.

In his introduction to the retreat, even before he got here last Saturday, Abbot Elijah let us know that, “We will enter these days of retreat not to escape the monastic life that God has given us, but to look at it anew in the light of Christ.”

When all is said in done, Abbot Elijah wants us to be ever more ready to say with Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Letter to the Galatians, chapter 2, verse 20).

Outside of the conferences, we carry on the monastic horarium (schedule), praying the Divine Office, celebrating the Conventual Mass, and engage in some amount of work, to keep the house running, especially cooking, some office work, care of our animals (sheep, donkey and chickens) and tending the Giftshop in the mornings.

Abbot Elijah is also giving a homily each day at Mass, based on the Gospel of the day and applying it to our monastic journey in the desert.

We are deeply grateful to Abbot Elijah for his inspiring conferences and edifying presence in our lives this week.

Please keep us in your prayers during these days of retreat, which will end this coming Saturday, November 22nd. We keep you in our prayers as well.

Abbot Christian and the monks.

Though it may be rare, sacred art can in fact be whimsical. Look at today’s photo below, of a 13th century Byzantine icon recounting the biblical passage of the famous “Wedding Feast at Cana,” found in the Gospel According to Saint John, chapter 2, verses 1 to 12.

Starting from left to right, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is drawing attention to her son that the wine has run out at the wedding feast. Jesus turns to listen to his mother. Next to Jesus is presumably the groom, who is observing Jesus and his mother. Next to the groom is the bride, then perhaps the mother and father of the bride. The latter raises a cup indicating a need for more wine. It is a lovely scene, and in its own way almost humorous, of a near disaster that is ultimately averted by Jesus turning water into wine.

At the conclusion of the passage about the miracle, Saint John indicates: “Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him” (John 2, verse 11).

Whimsical, or perhaps simply joyful, the Wedding Feast at Cana should be a reminder to us that “God provides,” and our lives are in his providential care.

In the Old Testament, Psalm 104:15 makes reference to God providing “wine to cheer man’s heart.” The reference uses wine to symbolize joy, blessing and the bounty provided by God, the source of our happiness and well-being.

Be assured of our prayers and please keep us in yours. Thank you.

Abbot Christian and the monks

We are still having above average temperatures for November, though the leaves of the deciduous trees have pretty much turned and fallen. The photo of the tree in front of our church was taken some days ago, and the view is now changed to “late Autumn” mode, with the tree absent of leaves.

No one is complaining about the nice weather at present, but we do need rain. None has fallen for many weeks, which is an going concern in the great Southwest and in many other parts of the country. On the other hand, an abundance rain, typhoons and destructive weather has plagued parts of the United States, the Caribbean, the Philippines and Vietnam in recent weeks. We extend our sympathy and assurance of prayers for those who have died, those who have lost loved ones or property.

We have welcomed as guests a number of consecrated religious in recent weeks, coming here for some days of retreat and sharing our monastic life, including Franciscans, Brothers of Saint John of God, other Benedictines and Cistercians. We are always encouraged by their good zeal and attendance at the Divine Office, even at early morning Vigils! And of course, they are always present for daily Conventual Mass at 7:00 am on weekdays and 9:15 am on Sunday and Solemnities.

We are very grateful to all who have responded to our annual appeal for the purchase of propane for heating and cooking during the Winter months. Thank you from the heart!

Be assured of prayers and please keep us in yours.

Abbot Christian and the monks

Autumn has arrived, and while roses have been blooming and abundant in our cloister garden for the past many months, they have now come to an end.

Today’s photo shows the last of this year’s roses, used to decorate our church on October 28th, the Feast day of the Apostle-martyrs Saints Simon and Jude. It will not be until Summer of 2026 that we’ll be enjoying “home grown” roses once again.

Harvest from our greenhouse is still going on, especially with tomatoes, zucchini, carrots and herbs for our daily meals. As previously mentioned, we are optimistic about growing produce right through the Winter.

With no recent rains, nor any forecast, Forest Service Road 151 leading to the Monastery remains dry and in good condition. We always remind those coming and going across the road to be vigilant for other vehicles that might be traversing the road as well. In the 1960s we were told to drive “defensively,” which might almost sound like “offensively,” but the point was always to be on the watch, attentive, and avoiding accidents.

We look forward to celebrating the Solemnity of All Saints on November 1st, and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departs (All Souls Day) on November 2nd.

Be assured of our prayers and please keep us in yours. Thank you.

Abbot Christian and monks

Our very own “Connecticut Yankee,” Brother Andre, now celebrating over forty years as a monk of Christ in the Desert, is pictured today receiving the blessing from the abbot as the “Weekly Table Reader.”

Saint Benedict indicates in his “Rule for Monks” that the brethren are to listen to “holy reading” each day during meals.

It is our custom to eat breakfast and the evening meal in silence, but at the midday or “main meal,” after praying grace, we listen to some verses from the Bible, then hear from an edifying or at least interesting book (at present one on the life of Pope Leo XIV), and at the end of the meal we hear a section from the Rule of Saint Benedict and then the lives of some of the saints who are commemorated on the following day.

We conclude the meal with sung prayers of thanksgiving for the gifts of food and drink just received.

Brother Andre is a fine reader, always “loud and clear” in his interpretation of all that he reads for us. He is also a serious “craftsman,” producing many items for sale in our Giftshop. He also tends the Giftshop regularly and “fills in” for the Guestmaster, as needed.

Thank you for your prayers for all of us who “seek God” in this Monastery, in the midst of desert beauty. We keep you in our prayers as well.

Abbot Christian and the monks

We continue to enjoy very pleasant weather these days, with an abundance of cosmos blooming in our greenhouse. Today’s photo bears witness to the beauty of these Autumn flowers.

At present our early morning temperatures are in the low 40s, with afternoons hovering at around 70 degrees. No one is complaining, but of course moisture is welcome any time of the year. Still no hard frost in the mornings.

Our flock of a dozen Navajo-Churro sheep are now being sheared by Brother David and volunteers. The wool will eventually be processed at a mill, prepared for weaving and sale in the Giftshop.

Abundant produce continues to come from our greenhouse almost every day and enhances our home-cooked meals by our four main monk-cooks. A fifth monk-cook is away at studies, but when home he also takes his turn at cooking for us.

Brother David has built and continues to improve an organ for our monastery church. His creative interludes at the organ enhance our Masses and Divine Office and are much appreciated by monks, guests and visitors alike.

We extend to all our greetings and prayers.

Abbot Christian and the monks

We are enjoying spectacular golden displays with the changing of the leaves of the alamo (cottonwood) trees on our property. Today’s photo attests to that fact. God’s paintbrush never ceases to amaze!

The daily rising and the setting of the sun provides direct rays of light on the trees along the Gallina River, which flows into the Chama River, and is a reminder that Fall is in full swing. While we don’t enjoy a lot of red, orange or variegated leaves, what we have is lovely to behold nonetheless. We have yet to have a hard frost in the canyon before sunrise, thus the prolongation of the changing leaves.

In recent days, Brother Isaiah has formally transferred his solemn vows to us, having come here a year ago from Mount Saviour Monastery in New York state. He is a very welcome addition to our monastery, faithful to daily Mass and the Divine Office and a tremendous help in daily meal preparation and innumerable other kitchen chores. Every cook should be so lucky to have Brother Isaiah’s assistance. Ad multos annos, Brother Isaiah!

Vocation visits have begun and we ask your prayers for the men discerning their possible vocations to our monastery. We are always edified by the presence, sincerity and good zeal of these men.

An abundant harvest from our greenhouse continues unabated, providing tomatoes, carrots, greens, squash of various kinds, especially zucchini, and eggplant, as well as herbs, to mention the most prominent. Some flowers are blooming too. Daily cooks are finding creative ways to serve the labor of our hands. Many thanks to Brother David and the volunteers who cultivate and harvest the produce.

Be assured of our prayers and please keep us in yours. Thank you.

Abbot Christian and the monks

On October 8th we were honored to welcome a group of Cistercian-Benedictine monks (today’s photo), from the Abbey of the Assumption of Mary in Ava, Missouri.

The monks came on pilgrimage specifically to see our monastic life and to share their adventures of coming from a large abbey in Vietnam to re-found Assumption Abbey, a monastery of formally belonging to the Trappist-Cistercian Order.

The main income-producing work of the monks of Ava is the production and online-sales of high quality fruitcakes, which keeps them busy all year round. They even brought us some of their fruitcake to enjoy!

Besides their work, they chant the Divine Office in choir each day, celebrate Mass, and welcome guests to come for private retreats. In that we share a common monastic vision.

As some has described it, the “function” of monasticism today is the “apostolate of the supernatural.” By what we monks do, say, wear, produce, hopefully expresses to others that Christ is in our midst and guides our lives to a “deeper union, a fuller communion,” in the words of the 20th century poet T.S. Eliot.

Abbot Christian and the monks

Autumn has definitely arrived, as is evident in today’s photo, taken just outside our cloister building where the monks live. The changing of the many cottonwood trees along the Gallina River, across from the Chama River which runs through our property, is making for a very striking picture just now as well.

We have yet to get freezing temperatures at night, but that is likely to occur within the next few weeks or sooner. Snow can sometimes fall as early as mid or late October. We shall see what this year holds in store.

At this time too the two dozen outdoor potted plants in the cloister garden are now being brought in, as a precautionary measure. They are kept during the Winter along a corridor leading to church and can be enjoyed coming to or from communal activities.

We are staying well, thanks be to God, enjoying the pleasant weather, which includes intermittent rain, always a welcome sight in this part of the world.

We send greetings, prayers and thanks for all our families, friends, benefactors and oblates.

Happy Autumn and enjoy the many feasts in the coming days and weeks: the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael; Saint Jerome, Saint Therese of Lisieux, the Guardian Angels, Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Bruno, Our Lady of the Rosary, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Saint Luke the Evangelist, Saints Simon and Jude.

Abbot Christian and the monks

Days are getting shorter and are not as hot as in recent weeks, but Summer weather is still in place, and we are getting intermittent rain as well, so we can’t complain.

Brothers are staying well, thanks be to God, and we continue to enjoy an abundant harvest from the greenhouse, especially lettuce, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots and potatoes. The latter two come from our outdoor garden next to the greenhouse.

Our cooks (a different monk each day) are being creative and consumers (monks and guests on retreat here) are enjoying the fresh produce prepared in a variety of ways.

In the cloister garden, roses are thriving still, as can been seen in today’s photo. We may not know the names of all the roses growing in the garden, but as Juliet attests: “That which we call a rose by any[other] name would smell as sweet” (from William Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet,” Act II, Scene II).

As school is now in session for myriads of students and teachers around the globe, we pray for the success of their endeavors and for their protection and good health.

Be assured of our prayers and please keep us in yours. Thank you from the heart!

Abbot Christian and the monks

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