Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
From the Archives: How does the human brain wrap itself around the eternal and infinite love of God for His creation? How can can we even begin to comprehend the depth of love in Christ’s wounded heart as he pours Himself out for us sinners at Calvary? The truth is, we can’t. The saints and the mystics may catch glimpses, […]
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On this day in 1431, one of the most truly remarkable women who ever lived was burned at the stake. She was 19 years old. She was known as Jehanne la Pucelle (Joan the Maiden), but today we name her Saint Joan of Arc. In 1429 at the tender age of 17, she led the French army to a string […]
» Read moreOn 24 March 1980, Archbishop Óscar Romero of San Salvador was gunned down while celebrating Mass. While it is generally recognized (and admitted by the government) that the assassins were members of a death squad sent by the government of El Salvador, to this day no one has been prosecuted for the crime. And what had the archbishop done to […]
» Read moreThis week we’re visiting family in the midwest. On today’s Feast of Our Lady of Fátima, we visited the church of Saint Vincent (now, apparently, part of Saint Jude the Apostle parish) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It’s a beautiful 20th century church with a Romanesque flair. Now, when I attended Mass there yesterday, not one person spoke to me. Today, I […]
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Last year on this day, I was one frustrated oblate. Today is the (combined) feast of four great Abbots of the Benedictine Order: Saints Odo, Majolus, Odilo, and Hugh. They were all good and holy men, and during the course of their reigns over the Abbey of Cluny and its associated priories, they reformed western monasticism – indeed, it could […]
» Read moreRequiem æternam dona eis, Domine: et lux perpetua luceat eis. In memoria æterna erit iustus, ab auditione mala non timebit. Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord: and let perpetual light shine upon her. She shall be justified in everlasting memory, and shall not fear evil reports. Absolve, Domine, animas omnium fidelium defunctorum ab omni vinculo delictorum et gratia tua […]
» Read moreJohn Mark was one of the original seventy disciples (Luke 10:1 ff). Tradition holds that he was one of those who left Christ when he preached on the Bread of Life (John 6:44-6:66). Saint Peter brought him back to the faith. He traveled with Paul and Barnabas, who thought him unreliable (Acts 15:37-41). Again he left, again he came back […]
» Read more“Fairy Tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” (G.K. Chesterton) Today’s feast is of the martyr Saint George. Pious legends of dragon slaying notwithstanding, George was a soldier of the Roman army who was killed during the persecutions of Diocletian in the early fourth […]
» Read moreToday, the Second Sunday in the Octave of Easter, is also known as Divine Mercy Sunday. Pope John Paul II proclaimed the Sunday after Easter as the Sunday of the Divine Mercy (Dominica II Paschæ seu de divina misericordia) in accord with the visions of the Divine Mercy received by
» Read moreAs I was praying Prime this morning, I was suddenly reminded of this, one of my favourite stories from the Desert Fathers. I’ve been ruminating on it most of the day. Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, ‘Abba, as far as I can I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and […]
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The Season of Lent comes to its end this evening, as we celebrate the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. This celebration commemorates the institution of the Eucharist, the source and summit of Church life. Unlike most Protestants, the Catholic and Orthodox (and others of the Apostolic Tradition) believe that God is really there, wholly present in the consecrated bread and […]
» Read moreA week ago we celebrated Lætare Sunday, a burst of joy in the midst of Lent. This was, coincidentally, the third anniversary of our first Mass at our parish of Holy Rosary. This week, the week before Holy Week, we double-down on Lent. Traditionally, this past Fifth Sunday of Lent marks the beginning of Passiontide, when we walk with Christ […]
» Read moreIf you haven’t yet discovered Sister Vassa’s videos, you owe it to yourself to take a look. She’s an Orthodox nun and teaches Liturgical Studies at the University of Vienna. And she’s fantastic. Her YouTube channel. Her web site.
» Read moreFor the first time since the last of the Benedictines left our parish, possibly longer, we celebrated chanted Vespers in the church last night. So that’s the first time in twenty years at least. Probably closer to forty. It was glorious. I really wish somebody had thought to take photos. We had originally printed thirty booklets for the congregation, but […]
» Read moreFaith and reason are like the two shoes you wear on your journey. You get a lot farther with both than just one. (J. Michael Straczynski) Today is the Feast of the Universal Doctor of the Church and one of my name Saints, Thomas Aquinas. When (certain) people, told of my conversion, said to me “oh, you’re Catholic – you […]
» Read moreHappy Saint Agnes Day! Saint Agnes was a young Roman lady of 13 or 14 who suffered martyrdom in the persecutions of Diocletian in about the year 304. She was one of the youngest of the early martyrs and one of the most moving and articulate. Agnes] hastened to the place of torture as a bride to her wedding feast. […]
» Read moreToday is the feast* of the man many consider to be the founder of Christian monasticism, Saint Anthony the Great of Egypt, the “Father of Monks”. He was born in the middle of the third century in decidedly Pagan Middle Egypt to a well-to-do, comfortable family. He spent much of his life avoiding the sorts of comforts available to him […]
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