Notes, Homilies, and News

Each Summer we are invited by the Church to commemorate in a special way a goodly number of saints. On June 24th, just as Summer dawns, we celebrate the Nativity (birth) of Saint John the Baptist, "the last of the prophets," as he is often called. That day is also the...

Vocations A talented UK-based band, called “Sadie and the Hotheads,” comprised of not so-young musicians, released the single, “Everybody’s Got a Song (To Sing)” in 2014. The song’s fairly simple tune and message is that everyone has a story, analogous to a song, to...

Matty the donkey, Gloria and the sheep, as well as our four dozen chickens, continue their tranquil lives in the midst of desert beauty. Matty, who turns four this November, guards the sheep against marauding predators. The sheep provide us with wool for weaving and...

With umbrella and walking stick in hands, our Prior Bonaventure is shown on his recent hike to the top of the cliffs above our monastery. This sort of hike is not for the faint of heart. It takes some hours to reach the crosses on the top of the cliffs, then a little...

Our free range flock of chickens are often found roosting on the fence around their field, where they seem to be taking a "break" from their foraging in the course of the day. Perhaps it's a small reminder to find moments in our day for a "pause that refreshes," a...

Today's stunning photo was taken by Prior Bonaventure on Trinity Sunday (June 5th) during an afternoon hike far above the Monastery, on the cliffs behind and above our monastic church. The photo is a view to the west of our property, showing the confluence of the...

Flowers are beginning to "take off" in our cloister garden, but we have some indoor flora as well. In some parts of the world morning glories are almost on a par with weeds, but in our high desert setting, they are welcome additions. Some years ago Brother David...

The Easter season is now finished and we return to what the Church refers to as "Ordinary Time," primarily meaning, we are not at present in the Church's privileged seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent or Easter. Of course, no time is completely "ordinary," and in fact...

We have now arrived at the final day of Eastertide of 2023, with the Solemnity of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out after the Ascension into Heaven of Christ our Redeemer. Today is considered the "Birthday of the Church." For a fuller explanation of...

The title of this posting, borrowed from Psalm 95(96), expresses well what we in the Northern Hemisphere are experiencing now with Spring in full swing. Our cloister garden is at present bright with the blooming of various colored irises, and not far behind are the...

Our fine flock of some forty hens (and one rooster) are doing fine. They are currently producing around three dozen eggs per day, which monks and guests can enjoy on a daily basis if they so choose. The flock is completely free range and spends the daylight hours each...

We continue to be treated to delightful landscapes in the Chama Canyon wilderness . Current modest rainfall is producing some memorable views. Today's photo includes a rainbow over the cliffs above us. For the attentive eye, there is never a dull moment in God's...

Our weather of late is more like July or August than late May. We've had thunder and lightening with intermittent rain over the past week or so. The moisture is most welcome and our fields are currently quite green, with no irrigation going on. Today's photo was taken...

Forty days after Easter the Church celebrates the Ascension of the Lord, when Christ returned in glory to the heavenly realm, when he lives and reigns with the Father and Holy Spirit forever. In modern times, this Solemnity is usually transferred to the Sunday...

In the midst of desert beauty, we never tire of the sights of Spring, nor of the other three seasons for that matter. Spring certainly carries a distinctive face and scent, which we always welcome in late April or early May. Today's photo is from our cloister garden,...