Oblates of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, Ill., blog about Benedictine values, prayer and life.
Posted in Uncategorized on Apr 4th, 2009
For some reason the donkey who carries Jesus into Jerusalem never gets much press on Palm Sunday—or any other time, for that matter. This Psalm Sunday, however, I am recognizing something in the donkey that I’ve not noticed before. It started a couple of weeks ago and has been percolating ever since.
Posted in Benedictine values on Oct 14th, 2008
I mow my lawn as obsessively/compulsively as I do a number of things. One time I’ll mow in rows running north-south, the next time east-west, then diagonally one way, then diagonally the other way. Back when I lived down south and had lush St. Augustine grass, my yard would rival a major league baseball diamond. [...]
Posted in Benedictine Oblates, Benedictine prayer on Sep 18th, 2008
I cut my finger last Tuesday. No, I mean, I really cut my finger. Four stitches worth. I had sharpened the little knife I like to use for cutting vegetables and I was really proud of its new razor’s edge. It just floated through all those fresh tomatoes I put into the tava, a wonderful [...]
Posted in Benedictine Oblates on Aug 31st, 2008
A few weeks ago I was in a bar to hear some musician friends. Shortly after our arrival–Cynthia and daughter Emma were with me–I met an acquaintance who, without the usual chit-chatty preamble, abruptly said, “I heard you became a Catholic. Is that true?” When I responded in the affirmative he quickly asked, “Why would [...]