



-Christine Valters Paintner@ Abbey of the Arts
(doors from top to bottom: Rock of Cashel, Strokestown Museum Gardens, “Out of the Blue” in Dingle, Cottage in Dingle, Church on Dingle Peninsula)




-Christine Valters Paintner@ Abbey of the Arts
(doors from top to bottom: Rock of Cashel, Strokestown Museum Gardens, “Out of the Blue” in Dingle, Cottage in Dingle, Church on Dingle Peninsula)

On Imbolc and the Feast of St. Brigid* Spirit of Rebirth,your new life pulses below the rumbling ground.Attune our earsto the renewal taking formbeneath the winter earth,snowdrops and crocusesin white and purple-petaled wonder,hedgehogs and bearsbeginning to stir from sleep. Let Brigid be our guideas we

May 22–29, 2026 and September 4–11, 2026A few places remain Our good friends Nóirín Ní Riain and Owen and Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin are once again offering in-person pilgrimages to Ireland. Rooted in music, poetry, story, and sacred landscape, these journeys invite participants into a slower, more attentive
I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for JoRene Byers’ reflection and poem Bravely Done. I bow to the natural world in gratitude every day, my heart is continually humbled
14 Responses
Welcome Paula and thanks for your comment. I am delighted you found your way here.
I love these open doors . . . both the visual images and the metaphoric imagery. The church family I am part of is called Open Door Fellowship, as an expression of welcoming grace, so I think open doors particularly catch my eye, although I have always loved doors in photographs, even taken a few of my own. Finding yours today was a beckoning delight.
I went away for the last couple of days to Mount Rainier and left a couple of posts for you all. How fun to come back and read the enthusiastic responses! I hesitated at putting up just images, but thought it would be lovely to see what they evoked. I like Pam’s idea of using them for a writing exercise.
Blessings to you all, Christine