Ruminations of an Amateur Monastic
Today is celebrated in the western Church as the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Exaltatio Sanctæ Crucis). In the eastern Church, it is known as “the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-creating Cross”. The feast commemorates a number of events: the finding of the True Cross in 326 in Jerusalem by Saint Helena, the later dedication […]
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This morning, on September 10, 2016, Abbot Gregory Polan, O.S.B., of Conception Abbey, Conception, Mo., was elected Abbot Primate of the 1500-year-old Benedictine Order at the Congress of Abbots meeting in Rome, Italy held every four years. As head of the Benedictine Confederation, Abbot Gregory will be the unifying head of the worlds 7,000 Benedictine monks and become the abbot […]
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This weekend, me and a couple of guys are taking a road trip and heading over to Mount Angel Abbey for the 2016 Sacred Liturgy Conference. I realize that this is not what most folks do on their Labor Day Weekend, but I’m pretty comfortable in my eccentricities. Here’s the intro from the press release: The Oregon Sacred Liturgy Conference […]
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Today is one of the more interesting feasts on the liturgical calendar, for today is the feast of the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. OK, nowadays they’ve slightly sanitized the name; it’s now officially called the “Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist”, but for the sheer Catholic joy of calling a spade a spade, I’m sticking […]
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In this very volatile election in the United States, where so much anger rises to the surface so quickly, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on the meaning of our times. This anger and factionalism and the accompanying doom-saying is hardly unique to our age. Charles Dickens’ great classic, A Tale of Two Cities, begins with words that could […]
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Dear Saint Monica, troubled wife and mother, many sorrows pierced your heart during your lifetime. Yet, you never despaired or lost faith. With confidence, persistence, and profound faith, you prayed daily for the conversion of your beloved husband, Patricius, and your beloved son, Augustine; your prayers were answered. Grant me that same fortitude, patience, and trust in the Lord. Intercede […]
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The Monks of Norcia have started keeping a blog about events following the earthquake. You can find it here: https://en.nursia.org/earthquake/. It makes fascinating reading. Most of the monks have (temporarily) relocated to Rome, though a hardy pair remain behind. We monks who remained, staying in tents, have returned to the days of our youth, and are camping out in the […]
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The epicenter of yesterday’s earthquake in Italy was very near to the town of Norcia, where Saints Benedict and Scholastica were born. The first earthquake struck around 3:30 a.m. local time near Norcia, a small town roughly 105 miles from Rome, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. No victims were reported there, but the quakes damaged buildings, according to RaiNews24. […]
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On the old calendar, today is the feast of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was moved in the calendar reform to the Saturday following the Second Sunday after Pentecost. For what reason, I’ve no idea. On the new calendar, today is also a Marian feast, that of Our Lady Queen of Heaven. Whatever changes there might […]
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Who is she that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in array? (Benedictus antiphon, Monastic Office of Lauds for the Assumption) Today’s great Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which in the East is known as the Dormition of the Theotokos, is one that […]
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Regardless of which political team you’re on in this country, Sauron or Cersei, can we at least agree that our nation is in serious need of prayer?
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Today is the feast of the deacon martyr, Saint Lawrence. There are so many stories about him, that it’s hard to sum him up briefly. In the confused days after the martyrdom of Pope Sixtus, the administration of the Roman churches fell to the Deacon, Lawrence. He was captured by the Imperial authorities, but he bargained for his release. The […]
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Today we celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, one of the more important (if overlooked) feasts of the liturgical year. How overlooked? As far as I can tell, only two local parishes even have a Mass for the Feast today. Jesus took Peter, John, and James and went up a mountain to pray. While he was praying […]
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Today is the Memorial of the dedication of one of my favourite church buildings in the world, the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, also known in English as Saint Mary Major. It is occasionally known by the title of Our Lady of the Snows. When we were in Rome back in 2005, our apartment was just a few […]
» Read moreRest in the peace of the Lord, Tom Jordan. You wouldn’t want any maudlin words or ceremony, but you can’t stop me now. You could be the most irritating son of a bitch, but you could make me laugh even at that. You never did anything in half-measures. You never let the impossible get in the way of whatever you […]
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Today in both the Extraordinary Form and the Benedictine Ordo is the Memorial of the Seven Holy Maccabees. Their story may be found in the Bible – provided you’ve got a Catholic or an Orthodox one. Martin Luther removed these books from his Bible – so if you don’t know their story, go read it! At the Parish BBQ Yesterday(Photo […]
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Chanted from the version given in the Codex Calixtinus, so neither Ordinary nor Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, but predating both. I believe it may be from the Mozarabic Rite.
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