The First Sunday of Advent 2024 sees new Scripture readings at Mass. Although the Bible verses used haven’t changed, some of the words have. Some people will think, ‘About time, too,’ while others will complain that there was nothing wrong with the old readings. The reasons for the change go to the nature of the …
The Annunciation celebrates Christ’s Incarnation. Every year we celebrate The Annunciation on 25th March. This year (2024), however, we don’t; instead we celebrate The Annunciation on 8th April. We also postponed The Annunciation in 2013, 2016, and 2018, and shall do so again in 2027, 2029, 2032, and 2035. In each of these years, March …
The O Antiphons refers to the Magnificat antiphons at Vespers during the last week of Advent. This is the culmination of the Advent time of preparation for Christmas. Advent is divided into two unequal parts. The first part looks forward to the second coming of Christ at the end of time, whereas the second part …
How many days are there in Lent? We all know that – it’s 40. Or is it? Lent starts on Ash Wednesday. There are four days before the First Sunday of Lent, then six weeks of Lent. That gives 46 days, not 40. But Sundays don’t count, so if we take off the six Sundays, …
Towards the end of September I put a message on this website saying it would be offline for a few days. It is now Christmas and the website is only just back online. In Psalm 89 we pray, ‘To your eyes a thousand years are like yesterday, come and gone, no more than a watch …
22nd-27th August 2022 Why do monks need to go on retreat? Surely their whole life is one of prayer? The purpose of the monastic life is to search for God. When a Novice or Junior monk applies to make temporary or solemn profession, the letter to the Abbot states, ‘I … desiring to seek God …
Feasts this Week
All are memoria unless otherwise stated.
Sunday Cycle: Year A
Weekday Cycle: Year 2
Week beginning 13th September 2026
Sunday
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Monday
The Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Feast)
Tuesday
Our Lady of Sorrows
Wednesday
Ss Cornelius, pope, and Cyprian, bishop, martyrs
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Daily Reading from the Rule of St Benedict
CHAPTER 4: WHAT ARE THE TOOLS OF GOOD WORKS concluded
TO carry out God’s commands fully in deed every day.
To love chastity.
To hate nobody.
Not to be jealous.
Not to act out of envy.
Not to be fond of contention.
To fly from vainglory.
To reverence the elders.
To love the juniors.
In the love of Christ to pray for our enemies.
When there has been a quarrel, to make peace again before sunset.
And never to lose hope in the mercy of God.
Here then are the tools of the spiritual craft. When they have been used by us steadily day and night, and have been handed in on the day of judgment, then the reward will be paid over to us by the Lord, which he himself has promised: ‘No eye has seen nor ear heard what God has prepared for those who love him’ (1 Cor. 2).
Now the workshop, where we are to work diligently at all these tasks, is the enclosure of the monastery and stability in the community.
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The First Sunday of Advent 2024 sees new Scripture readings at Mass. Although the Bible verses used haven’t changed, some of the words have. Some people will think, ‘About time, too,’ while others will complain that there was nothing wrong with the old readings. The reasons for the change go to the nature of the …
The Annunciation celebrates Christ’s Incarnation. Every year we celebrate The Annunciation on 25th March. This year (2024), however, we don’t; instead we celebrate The Annunciation on 8th April. We also postponed The Annunciation in 2013, 2016, and 2018, and shall do so again in 2027, 2029, 2032, and 2035. In each of these years, March …
The O Antiphons refers to the Magnificat antiphons at Vespers during the last week of Advent. This is the culmination of the Advent time of preparation for Christmas. Advent is divided into two unequal parts. The first part looks forward to the second coming of Christ at the end of time, whereas the second part …
How many days are there in Lent? We all know that – it’s 40. Or is it? Lent starts on Ash Wednesday. There are four days before the First Sunday of Lent, then six weeks of Lent. That gives 46 days, not 40. But Sundays don’t count, so if we take off the six Sundays, …
Towards the end of September I put a message on this website saying it would be offline for a few days. It is now Christmas and the website is only just back online. In Psalm 89 we pray, ‘To your eyes a thousand years are like yesterday, come and gone, no more than a watch …
22nd-27th August 2022 Why do monks need to go on retreat? Surely their whole life is one of prayer? The purpose of the monastic life is to search for God. When a Novice or Junior monk applies to make temporary or solemn profession, the letter to the Abbot states, ‘I … desiring to seek God …