By Stuart~John A benediction from the late, beloved John O’Donohue, for the consoling embrace of steadiness and clarity in our most difficult moments For Josie, my mother On the day whenthe weight deadenson your shouldersand you stumble,may the clay danceto balance you. And when your eyesfreeze behindthe grey windowand the ghost of lossgets into you,may a … More Beannacht / Blessing Feast of St Patrick
Resurrected For the first time in many years, I watched the Easter sunrise from my window instead of through the chapel windows at Mount Saviour. Sigh… Still, it was beautiful and felt like a promise of better days to come. Every year as Lenten season begins, I work with the idea of growth. The … More Happy Easter!
by Fr Michael Perry Hello Everyone and Happy Feast Day It is a glorious day here at the monastery and it is the first day of Spring. The robins are pecking for grubs and worms on the chapel lawn, little blue flowers are blooming next to the snow drops just outside the Portery and everything … More Checking In, Staying Informed
[A snippet from my personal journal that I thought I’d share. I hope it is appropriate to do so. + In Nomine Domini +] Yesterday, I had a doctor’s appointment in a large city an hour train ride from my home. I mistakenly thought the appointment was for 11:30 am, only to find upon arrival … More St. Benedict’s Transitus (His “Passing Over”) March 21, 2019
Saint Frances of Rome (b. 1384) was the daughter of wealthy aristocratic parents. Although she would have preferred to become a nun as a youth, she accepted her parent’s wishes and married. She was a wife for forty years and birthed three children. Tragically, Frances’ two daughters were killed in the chaos of Rome at … More Reflections on Saint Frances of Rome, Patroness of Oblates – March 9th Feast Day (2019)
Penning my morning meditation—on the Anniversary of my Oblation—a chill Autumn wind whistles outside my window, while the teakettle on the stove offers competition to the Fall gale…a fitting juxtaposition for the day! In Zen Buddhism the imagery of “wind in the pines” is a metaphor for a steaming teakettle (often expressed in haiku poetry), … More The Anniversary of My Oblation; the 2018 Oblate Retreat; & the Feast of St. Luke – Journal Reflection for October 18, 2018
Use any cliche you want about time passing quickly and you’ll find that it is true, even truer than you thought. I came to Paris what seems like yesterday and what was, in fact, a month ago. What I have been doing is what I want to share. Paris, like any large city, has a … More Notes From the Field #5
Today’s reading in chapel on this feast of St. Joseph, reminded me of something from a few years ago. I originally wrote this after a retreat where we talked about women gathering together and women teaching their daughters in order to help them lead more meaningful lives. As a participant, I felt … More … To be like Joseph
Feast of St. Nicholas by Br. Nicholas Ob. OSB (Bob Hill) on December 6, 2017 When I made my monastic promises in October 2016, I was received by the community under my choice of names, Brother Nicholas–and today is the feast of St. Nicholas (yes, that very same person for whom Santa Clause is modeled). … More Feast of St. Nicholas
The Oblates of Mount Saviour Monastery 