Abbey
Great bunch of guys for a monastic Plunge!
Just completed another Plunge! for six students from Saint John’s University. Had a great time hosting them for prayer, a video of Saint John’s at 150, meals and a tour of the abbey and the grounds. Of course our Benedictine motto is Ora et Labora (worship and work) so the below picture was taken in front [...]
Hill-Murray Catholic School’s Week Visit…
This morning two other monks and I traveled to Hill-Murray School in Saint Paul to do some presentations in conjunction with the school’s celebration of Catholic School’s Week. From what I could tell we were featured along with about 20 other speakers. I presented on the Rule of Saint Benedict and pictured below are the great group of student’s [...]
Great FYS Tour Group!
As in the past on this blog, I have posted pictures of various tour groups and this is another group which was made up of first year students here at Saint Benedict’s College and Saint John’s University. We began our tour in the Great Hall as it was the second formal place of worship used by [...]
A Monastic Baptism?
Well, not really of course! However, as with any monastery that has been around for over a century and a half, Saint John’s Abbey is no exception in having local families become very close to the monastic community. In fact some have been living “next door” to us for over three generations! Though Matt and [...]
Unseasonably comfortable weather – well, wait just a moment!
Now typically, the above picture of the front of Saint John’s Prep looks like it would have been taken in the late fall or early spring…NOT last weekend! Though the sunny warm weather with almost no precipitation (snow or rain!) has been delightful it does have me, and a lot of others, a bit concerned about [...]
YTM January Retreat
Just finished a great YTM (Youth in Theology and Ministry which comes out of the School of Theology here) retreat this past weekend. This is a program that I have written about before that I believe is an excellent way to share with young Catholics the tradition that is the Catholic Church. In short over [...]
Happy Feast of the Epiphany!
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea…
Behold, magi for the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.” (Matt 2:1-2)
“In encountering the Christ, the magi behold the love of God in their midst.” – Jay [...]
Solemnity of Mary Mother of God
This new icon appeared at evening prayer yesterday. I am pretty sure it was written by a member of our community but don’t have verification at the moment. It was hard – as it is always! – to take a picture of an icon because of the gold leaf background, but wanted to share it [...]
A Blessed Christmas to All!
We had almost a full church last evening…which for us means almost 2,000 people. It was a wonderful concert and mass of the Nativity of our Lord!
We will celebrate mass today at 10 am with the Collegeville parish which is a new tradition – or maybe one that was renewed! – just last year. Nice [...]
…some Christmas Eve preparations…
Whew! Christmas Eve at the Abbey is anything but quiet! Here are some pictures I just took of some of the Juniors hanging banners and baldachin lights for tonight’s celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord.
peace and love, bpv
