Happy New Year!

We wish you peace, serenity and good health for 2026.

We started the year with our Long Retreat from January 3 to 11. During that time, the guesthouse is closed though our worship remains open to the public. And we observe round-the-clock silence to facilitate contemplation and rest. The liturgical schedule is similar to our contemplative weeks throughout the year: matins, mass at midday and vespers.  On the last evening of our retreat we had adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Holy Spirit chapel (a.k.a. the chapter room). Most of us delight in those 9 precious days.

But it is a joy to come out of silence at the end and check in with our Brothers how the retreat treated them.

The guesthouse reopened this past Tuesday (January 13). We are hosting an aspirant for two weeks. Aspirants have had a lengthy process of discernment with our Vocations Minister, Br. Josép. At some point they agree it is time for an aspirant visit. Those visits are usually 2 weeks or more. The aspirant lives with us in the enclosure and partakes in all of the community's activities to get an experiential sense of what monastic life here is really like.

Brothers helping Brothers. From top left, clockwise: Br. David Bryan, one of our Sacristans blows off the altar candles at the end of the feast of the Epiphany (notice the three Kings visiting the Holy Family); Br. Jacob replenishing vittles in the enclosure's atrium; Br. Daniel teaching Brothers a new boardgame; the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance in the chapel of the Holy Spirit; Br. Raphael cleaning the enclosure's atrium (2 pictures).

We have had a lot of snow and very cold weather so far this year. It makes for good winter wonderland pictures. Thank God for central heating!

This Saturday, we received the Rev. Denny Nilolopoulos, from Carmel, NY, as our latest Associate. He is a frequent visitor.

Winter wonderland, West Park. Pictures of the monastery and the meadow. Center picture: the Rev. Denny Nikolopoulos being received as an Associate (with Br. Bernard).

If you are in the northern hemisphere, we wish you a cozy and warm shelter. We pray for those who lack a warm place to call home.