For most of us, war is something we hear about on the news or read about in history books. Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who spent a couple days with us in Norcia for the July 11 feast of St. Benedict, has lived with war as part of his daily life for the past three years. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem became known throughout the world after offering himself in exchange for the children held hostage following the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. In doing so, he reminded both the world and the Church that the red worn by cardinals still signifies a willingness to shed one's blood for Christ. Click here to continue reading. 

May brings with it the feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost, when Christ returns to dwell with the Father so that the Holy Spirit might come and dwell with us. From a theological perspective, these are great mysteries more easily pondered than explained. Yet, they also coincide with our human experience of wanting to go home and, more importantly, wanting not to feel alone, which home often signifies. Click here to continue reading.

The Lenten Ember Days mark a moment of intensified recollection within the great fast of Lent. The temptation -- especially for monks -- is to try to quantify that “focus,” as though Lent were another Olympic contest and perhaps, with sufficient effort, we might advance from bronze to gold. St. Benedict’s quiet reminder that a monk’s whole life is meant to be a continuous Lent steadies us. It tempers the competitive instinct. After all, a man would quickly collapse if he imagined himself running a lifelong spiritual marathon. The essence of the spiritual life is always Quaerere Deum -- to seek God. The Ember Days, and Lent as a whole, invite us to seek Him more intentionally, which is to say: to let Him seek us.

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Amid the bright autumn colors that light up Norcia’s valley each October, monks and townspeople alike return to the annual ritual of stocking wood and preparing the furnace and stoves. Click here to continue reading.

In the thick of the summer heat, I send our warmest greetings—and with them, news of many good things that have taken place in Norcia in recent months. Click here to continue reading.

On today’s often-forgotten feast, the disciples are gently asked, “Why are you looking up? Christ will return in the same manner that He came.” He leaves them waiting and in wonder: When will He come? Yet as Chesterton once said, "The world will never starve for want of wonders, but only for want of wonder.” Wonder can bring us to God.  Click here to continue reading.

A few months ago, I shared some photos of our new monastic infirmary. This season, full of colds and flu, has quickly given us the opportunity to make great use of this space! I imagine that winter has also brought some difficult moments for many of you. Click here to keep reading.

November brought the usual fall colors to the monastery—along with fall colds! We like to joke that in the monastery we are very generous when it comes to sharing our health—since we sleep in a dormitory, a cold spreads quickly! With the new monastery complete, we’ve been able to transform part of the old structure into a proper infirmary, equipped with a hospital bed and an examination table. We are deeply grateful to the benefactors from Texas who made this room possible. Click here to continue reading the newsletter.