Feast of St. Francis and the Holy Fool ~ A love note from your online abbess
St. Francis at the Corner Pub Approaching the door, you can already hear his generous laughter. He stands on the bar upside down for a moment to get a new perspective on things, a flash of polka-dotted boxers as his brown robe cascades over his head, sandaled toes wiggling in the air in time with […]
The Unraveling Toward Love ~ A love note from your online abbess
Dearest monks and artists, We live in an era of unraveling: wars, financial breakdown, gun violence, unemployment, mass migration, racial discrimination, gender inequality, poverty rising, and the poisoning of our ecosystems. Even as I write this litany, I am sure I have forgotten others, and certainly there are the smaller issues of daily life wherever […]
Mystical Hope and the New Thing ~ A love note from your online abbess
Dearest monks and artists, Our website issues have all been fully resolved and security strengthened. We also welcomed a new group of pilgrims to Galway and are journeying together this week. Like many of you, global events lately feel quite overwhelming at times and I ponder and pray about my response. One thing I keep […]
Welcoming in All of the Selves as Beloved ~ A love note from your online abbess
Dearest monks and artists, One of my favorite lines from the Rule of Benedict is “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (RB 53:1). The heart of hospitality is to welcome in that which is most unknown, most strange, most discomfiting, as the very face […]
Finding the Mystic Within ~ A love note from your online abbess
Dearest monks and artists, Welcome to all of our new subscribers who signed on during our sabbatical time! I have thoroughly enjoyed taking this time to step back from email and social media and allowing more time for silence and reflection. Summer lends itself to a holy pause and a time to look ahead to […]
Summer Sabbath Time at the Abbey until August 6th ~ A love note from your online abbess
Dearest monks and artists, We like to take some Sabbath time each summer to step back from the work at hand and have time for play and free flow of ideas. Usually this happens in August, but because we will be traveling back to the States for a family visit in July, we decided to […]
Celebrating the Summer Solstice + Self-Study Sale ends tomorrow ~ A love note from your online abbess
Dearest monks and artists, In the northern hemisphere we approach the celebration of the summer solstice, the longest day. The seasons are connected to the different cardinal directions, as well as the four elements. Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century Benedictine Abbess, allied the direction of the south and the season of summer with the element […]