Notes, Homilies, and News

Traditionally, the Twelfth Day of Christmas is dedicated to the Epiphany of the Lord. Epiphany can also be translated as "Manifestation," when the Christ Child was made known to the nations with the visit of the Magi, wise men from the east, who came to adore the...

Predictably, our Christmas cactus are blooming again. We have several large pots of them, safely kept indoors all winter and in the full light of sun most of the day. The Christmas cactus and about twenty other potted plants and flowers are in the cloister corridor...

Every day at the Conventual Mass, the reading of the Gospel is preceded by a solemn Gregorian chant Alleluia, in order to raise our minds and hearts to better hear the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ, which the Gospel always proclaims. On Sundays and...

An Old Testament passage that was a favorite of our monastery's founder, Father Aelred Wall (1917 - 1984), was this one, from the Book of the Wisdom of Solomon: "For while gentle silence enveloped all things, and night in its swift course was half spent, your...

"She ain't heavy, she's my sister." Our barnyard managerie, composed of sixteen sheep, one donkey and fifty hens, gets along very well. Even the three cats on the sidelines are part of the mix and don't threaten the chickens at all. And certainly not the donkey! The...

On the Octave (Eighth) Day of Christmas, we commemorate in a special way the the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Throughout the ages Christians have depicted our Lady in various and sundry sacred images, which include paintings on...

The last day of the calendar year is also the Seventh Day of Christmas. On the Eighth Day of Christmas, January 1st, we celebrate the beginning of a new civil year. The Church asks us on January 1st to focus on the remembrance of Mary the Mother of Jesus, declared at...

We awoke on December 29th to a fresh blanket of snow. In the desert Southwest moisture in either form, as rain or snow, is always welcome. Winter snow and occasional rain are of course good for the earth and a deterant to dreaded forest fires in the spring, summer and...

On Holy Family Sunday, December 27th, two of our young monks renewed their simple vows for one year, in the presence of Abbot Christian and the monastic community. Brother Pio was born Malawi and is in charge of our cars, keeping them in working order. He is also a...

A trek to Bethlehem would have taken the wise men from the east some days of travel. Maybe they traveled by camel, or could they have made the journey by horseback? Here we like to think it was by horseback and can imagine the necessary preparation. Precious gifts of...

Our celebration of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ carries on in prayerful rejoicing. We carry out the daily round of chanting of the Divine Office, in praise of our Creator and for the needs and intentions of all of our families, friends, benefactors...

Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the new-born King; Peace on earth, and mercy mild; God and sinners reconciled." Joyful all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies; With angelic hosts proclaim, "Christ in born in Bethlehem!"

Winter has officially begun and we are enjoying spectacular sunsets. The O Antiphon at Vespers for December 22nd (see explantion of O Antiphons for December 20th entry on this page) proclaims: "O King of all nations and keystone of the Church; come and save those whom...

Our senior monk, Brother Leander Hogg, turned 94 on December 20th. Ad multos annos! Brother Leander faithfully lives our life day in and day out and attends without fail the Divine Office and Conventual Mass. He works also in the formation of new Brothers, teaches...

Our Lady of Bethlehem monastery barn is moving closer to completion. Brother-carpenters are braving the cold, albeit sunny, weather, to complete the project by Christmas.