Here at Santa Rita Abbey we celebrate a Sister’s feast day, that is, the feast of her patron saint, more than we do her birthday. In August we have two feast days: Sr. Clare’s on August 11 (the feast of St. Clare of Assisi), and Sr. Esther’s on August 15 (the feast of the Assumption of Mary.) The feast day
REFLECTION ON EXODUS 34:29-35 Radiance! We are just swimming in radiance. It fills us, and all we can look upon, and all that is. The Scriptures tell us, “His radiance fills all things.” Presence could be another word for it. His presence fills all things. How could it be otherwise? Only the veil of creation obscures it, but don’t we experience
Summertime at Santa Rita Abbey What a lovely summertime we are having, overflowing with life! Two chaplains, newborn fawns, young ravens, fresh tomatoes, rain and more rain, visits from friends of the monastery, and two new volunteer helpers just arrived … Fr. Francis Michael, a monk of Holy Spirit Monastery in Conyers, Georgia, has been with us for seven weeks as chaplain.
CHAPTER TALK FOR THE FEAST OF ST. BENEDICT Here we are, on the Feast of the glorious Benedict. A giant of a saint in so many ways, and whose Rule we follow. And for whom does he write this Rule? Plain, ordinary human beings – you and me and all who follow it and have followed it over the centuries.
Our new Volunteer Helpers program is off to a great start! Our visit first volunteer was here for the month of June. She stayed at the retreat house, joined the community for Mass and the Divine Office, and lent a capable hand wherever she was asked–retreat house, altar bread bakery, monastery kitchen (she’s a great cook!) and house cleaning. We
Rachel Tucci from the University of Arizona’s Hydrology Dept. is doing a study of the ground water in the Sonoita Valley. She took samples from our well on May 14th. By evaluating isotopes and other things in the water, it is possible to theorize the water’s source; that is, did it come from rain falling on the Santa Rita Mountains or from an underground
LIVING FROM THE HEART–reflection on Luke 2:41-51 Today is the second of the great “heart” feast days: yesterday was the Sacred Heart, today, the Immaculate Heart of Mary. There are many different ways to look at what “heart” means in the context of the scriptures. It is most often seen as the place where love resides, the seat of our
ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD: a reflection on Mark 10:17-27 Today’s young man in the Gospel was quite the person, wasn’t he?! Something tugged at his heart to go beyond, to go deeper. And so he approached this holy man that he had been hearing so much about and inquired of him what he should do now. Jesus certainly
GLORY: Reflection on John 17:1 “Give glory to your Son that your Son may glorify you.” Glory. Who doesn’t want glory? But, as we all know, there’s glory and there’s Glory. Two very different paths to travel in this world, and choosing the true path will determine our happiness. There’s the idea of glory that we humans have that is