Notes, Homilies, and News
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Impressions of Italy: Rivotorto
Officially known as the “Santuario Francescano di Rivotorto,” the Franciscan Shrine of Rivotorto is very close to the city of Assisi and like Assisi, is another important place in Franciscan history. The Rivotorto shrine lies in the plane beneath Monte Subasio on...
read more11th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle B-2018
11th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING Ezekiel 17:22-24 Thus says the Lord GOD: I, too, will take from the crest of the cedar, from its topmost branches tear off a tender shoot, and plant it on a high and lofty mountain; on the mountain...
read moreThe Abbot’s Notebook for June 13, 2018
The Abbot’s Notebook for June 13, 2018 My sisters and brothers in Christ, Blessings to you! It has been a quiet week in the community. In the past couple of weeks we have received a 21 year old postulant from Malawi, bring the number of Malawians in the community to...
read moreImpressions of Rome: The Rose Garden
One of Rome’s most beautiful and fragrant natural sites, which comes into full bloom in early May, is the Rose Garden, called in Italian “il Roseto Comunale di Roma,” comprised of two and a half acres of land, between the Circus Maximus (Circo Massimo) and the eastern...
read more10th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle B-2018
10th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING Genesis 3:9-15 After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the Lord God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was...
read moreThe Abbot’s Notebook for June 6, 2018
The Abbot’s Notebook for June 6, 2018 My sisters and brothers in Christ, Blessings to you! Last Wednesday Prior Benedict and I went to Costa Rica and returned on Saturday. It was a very quick visit, too short, but very important. We help a small community of monks...
read moreImpressions of Rome: Saint Philip Neri
Undoubtedly, one of Rome’s most popular saints is Philip Neri. Like Saint Frances of Rome and Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, Philip Neri seems to be near and dear to the hearts of many Romans and Italians in general. In fact, Philip Neri is called the “Third Apostle of...
read more9th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle B-2009
9th Sunday of Ordinary Time-Cycle B-2009 FIRST READING Deuteronomy 5:12-15 Thus says the Lord: “Take care to keep holy the sabbath day as the Lord, your God, commanded you. Six days you may labor and do all your work; but the seventh day is the sabbath of...
read moreThe Abbot’s Notebook for May 30, 2018
The Abbot’s Notebook for May 30, 2018 My sisters and brothers in Christ, Blessings to you! Father Thomas-Benedict is now out of the hospital and at home, feeling much better. Father Andrew continue to struggle with his recovery from open heart surgery to repair the...
read moreCorpus Christi-Cycle B-2018
Corpus Christi-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING Exodus 24:3-8 When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice, "We will do everything that the LORD has told us." Moses then wrote down all the...
read moreImpression of Rome: Weather, You Like It or Not
It seems like only yesterday I was slipping and sliding on the icy streets of Rome to make my way on foot to the Vatican, just for fun, when we had our rather freakish snowstorm at the end of February. It was a very cold and unpleasant day, though watching snowball...
read moreTrinity Sunday-Cycle B-2018
Trinity Sunday-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40 Moses said to the people: "Ask now of the days of old, before your time, ever since God created man upon the earth; ask from one end of the sky to the other: Did anything so great ever...
read moreThe Abbot’s Notebook for May 23, 2018
The Abbot’s Notebook for May 23, 2018 My sisters and brothers in Christ, Blessings to you! This week I have been challenged to write because my mind seems caught up with other things. That does not happen often to me. Usually I can just sit down and write a letter...
read moreImpressions of Rome: Public Transportation
For all its drawbacks and faults, which I have mostly avoided discussing in these essays, Rome does have an elaborate and fine public transportation system. I grew up in Oregon in the United States and for the past forty years have lived in New Mexico. In both states...
read moreEaster-Pentecost-Cycle B-2018
Easter-Pentecost-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING Acts of the Apostles 2:1-11 When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house...
read moreThe Abbot’s Notebook for May 16, 2018
The Abbot’s Notebook for May 16, 2018 My sisters and brothers in Christ, Blessings to you! Christ is risen! Alleluia! I am still in Mexico as this letter goes out but tonight I will be back at Christ in the Desert. The time here has been joyful as well as...
read moreImpressions of Rome: Saint John Leonardi
Looking back over nearly seventy essays written for my weekly postings over the past sixteen months, many saints have been discussed, including Ambrose, Benedict, Augustine of Canterbury, Frances of Rome, Charles Borromeo, Joseph Moscatti, Januarius, Francis and Clare...
read more7th Sunday of Easter-Cycle B-2018
7th Sunday of Easter-Cycle B-2018 FIRST READING Acts of the Apostles 1:15-17, 20a, 20c-26 Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers—there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place--He said, “My brothers, the Scripture had to be...
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"Let everyone that comes be received as Christ."
— The Rule of St. Benedict
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