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Featured Poet: Br. Paul Quenon

Last spring we launched a series with poets whose work we love and want to feature and will continue it moving forward. Our next poet is Paul Quenon whose work is inspired by his monastic community, the natural environment, and most recently, personal experiences in meditation.Read his poetry and discover more about the connections he makes between poetry and the sacred. This rather recent poem is based on my meditation practice which is mainly a matter of being present to the moment. God is in the actual and much else too. Seashell of Time This moment, cast up on your

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October 9, 2019

Monk in the World: Hospitality 5 ~ Suggestions for Practice ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, During this Jubilee year of sabbatical we are revisiting our Monk Manifesto by moving slowly through the Monk in the World retreat materials together every Sunday. Each week will offer new reflections on the theme and every six weeks will introduce a new principle. Principle Two: I commit to radical acts of hospitality by welcoming the stranger both without and within. I recognize that when I make space inside my heart for the unclaimed parts of myself, I cultivate compassion and the ability to accept those places in others. Today I offer a suggestion for practicing hospitality in your life. Begin

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October 6, 2019

Monk in the World Guest Post: Elaine Breckenridge

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Elaine Breckenridge’s reflection “Chickens and Kinship.” A few years ago, I signed the Monk Manifesto and pledged myself to “The Holy Disorder of Dancing Monks.” I took the commitment seriously and adopted the Manifesto as my new Rule of Life. Most recently, the Spirit has given me an opportunity to go more deeply into practicing point four: “I commit to cultivating an awareness of my kinship with creation and a healthy asceticism by discerning my use of

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October 2, 2019

Monk in the World: Hospitality 4 ~ Guided Meditation from Christine (with AUDIO MP3)~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, During this Jubilee year of sabbatical we are revisiting our Monk Manifesto by moving slowly through the Monk in the World retreat materials together every Sunday. Each week will offer new reflections on the theme and every six weeks will introduce a new principle. Principle Two: I commit to radical acts of hospitality by welcoming the stranger both without and within. I recognize that when I make space inside my heart for the unclaimed parts of myself, I cultivate compassion and the ability to accept those places in others.   This practice of Welcoming Prayer was

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September 28, 2019

Featured Poet: Susan Miller

Last spring we launched a series with poets whose work we love and want to feature and will continue it moving forward. Our next poet is Susan Miller, whose work is inspired by the sacred in relationship. Read her poetry and discover more about the connections she makes between poetry and the sacred. Et In Arcadia Ego For Anya Krugovoy Silver Yesterday a new Tom Waits song was released, and I thought of you. In a different world we would have met up this October, our heads together over a cafe table, and we could have sung it like schoolgirls singing the

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September 25, 2019

Monk in the World: Hospitality 3 – Reflection by Christine + AUDIO ~ A Love Note from Your Online Abbess

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, During this Jubilee year of sabbatical we are revisiting our Monk Manifesto by moving slowly through the Monk in the World retreat materials together every Sunday. Each week will offer new reflections on the theme and every six weeks will introduce a new principle. Principle Two: I commit to radical acts of hospitality by welcoming the stranger both without and within. I recognize that when I make space inside my heart for the unclaimed parts of myself, I cultivate compassion and the ability to accept those places in others. St. Benedict in chapter 53 of his Rule writes: All guests

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September 21, 2019

Monk in the World Guest Post: Celeste Boudreaux

I am delighted to share another beautiful submission to the Monk in the World guest post series from the community. Read on for Celeste Boudreaux’s reflection “Healing Art.” For Celeste I see you, though you try to hide Blending into the wall Daughter of a defective mother (Whose empty eyes betray her lipstick toothed smile) You lurk in the corner, timid and sad and skinny Child of a deceptive poverty Cinderella’s colorless little sister Dwelling in the big house, eating ashes Bearing in silence your public shame and private anguish Called to be the strong one, the good one Who

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September 18, 2019

Monk in the World: Hospitality 2 – Scriptural Reflection by John – A Note from Your Online Prior

Dearest monks, artists, and pilgrims, During this Jubilee year of sabbatical we are revisiting our Monk Manifesto by moving slowly through the Monk in the World retreat materials together every Sunday. Each week will offer new reflections on the theme and every six weeks will introduce a new principle. Principle Two: I commit to radical acts of hospitality by welcoming the stranger both without and within. I recognize that when I make space inside my heart for the unclaimed parts of myself, I cultivate compassion and the ability to accept those places in others. Genesis 18:1-15 A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah The LORD

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September 14, 2019

Poetry News from Christine

Christine Valters Paintner’s poem “St. Gall and the Bear” has been published in the most recent issue of Crossways which can be read online at this link. This artwork to the right is by the wonderful UK artist David Hollington who we are commissioning to put several of Christine’s poems in a series about saints and animals into visual form. This painting accompanies the published poem above. Christine has also officially signed a contract with Paraclete Press for her next poetry collection titled The Wisdom of Wild Grace and it includes a section of about 35 of these saint and

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September 14, 2019

Featured Poet: Bonnie Thurston

Last spring we launched a series with poets whose work we love and want to feature and will continue it moving forward. Our next poet is Bonnie Thurston, whose work facilitates “seeing through” the particular to universals  Read her poetry and discover more about the connections she makes between poetry and the sacred. Compassion in a Cold Climate After mild December, sudden cold scalpeled in sharply, dropped snow, a bandage covering wounds. We are all wounded, rent asunder by our intransigent opinions, by our palavering politicians interested in positions of power but not good, ordinary folk who keep the engine of state

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September 11, 2019

Upcoming Programs

Brother Lawrence, Friar of Love, and His Transforming Presence Practice
Brother Lawrence, Friar of Love, and His Transforming Presence Practice
13 Jun 25
Journey to Joy
Journey to Joy
20 Jun 25
Loving into Justice: Pilgrimage through the Body
Loving into Justice: Pilgrimage through the Body
15 Aug 25

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