Morning Eucharist

Brother Robert, Father Kizito and Brother Jonah facing East toward the sanctuary of the Abbey church during the celebration of the morning Eucharist.

...a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us.

from the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy

Paradise

We have in our possession a much better paradise than that of our first parents, and that paradise is Christ our Lord.

A text from Saint Bernard with a photograph by Brother Daniel.

Three New Novices

On Sunday, 5 December 2010 three postulants began their two year novitiate. The community gathered in prayer in the Abbey Chapterhouse as they were clothed in the novice's habit by our Abbot Fr. Damian.

Fr. Luke our Novicemaster poses in the Abbey garth after the ceremony with our new novices: Br. John Kim of Korea, Fr. Paulinus O'Brien of the Diocese of Worcester and Br. Timothy Mulvey from Hyde Park. May God grant them the grace of perseverance

Blessings of 2010

As we reflect on the year that it is past, we remember with gratitude the Solemn Profession of our Br. Jonah Pociadlo in October. It was a day of great joy and celebration for the entire community as well as for Br. Jonah's family and many friends. The following prayer of St. Simeon the New Theologian which Br. Jonah included in the Mass program gives us a sense of his response.

What is this awesome mystery that is taking place within me? I can find no words to express it; my poor hand is unable to capture it, in describing the praise and glory that belong to the One who is above all praise and who transcends every word. My intellect sees what has happened but cannot explain it.

Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Fr. Bernard in the sacristy after Mass

On the Feast of St. Bernard this August 20th, the community Mass was celebrated by Fr. Bernard Do, one of our long-term guests from the Cistercian monastery of Our Lady of Grace in Vietnam. Fr. Bernard was ordained on June 26, 2010, in the abbey church of his monastery in Vietnam by Bishop Thomas, along with several of his brothers.

Fr. Bernard incensing the altar

Since this was his first Mass in our abbey church, Fr. Bernard blessed each of the brothers following Mass.

At the Opening Prayer used by Cistercians for the Feast of St. Bernard we pray:

Almighty and everliving God, 

Our Father St. Bernard was 

on fire with zeal for your 

house, enlightening and 

warming your Church.

By his prayers,

may we, too, be aglow with 

that spirit and ever walk 

as children of light. 

Let us pray for our new priest, Fr. Bernard, and for all of us, that we may ever be aglow with the fire of grace in the service of Christ and his Church.

Feast of the Assumption

Our Lady and child surrounded by a wreath made by one of the monks

The Feast of the Assumption is especially dear to the hearts of Cistercians because it is the patronal feast of our Order. Every community of the Order is dedicated to Mary under the title of her Assumption into heaven. At the beginning of Mass, before the community began its procession through the cloisters singing a litany of Mary in honor of her Assumption, Fr. Damian, our abbot, shared some reflections on the meaning of today's feast:

Today's feast celebrates the ultimate fulfillment of Mary's journey as God's faithful and humble servant. As we reflect on this joyful feast, we hopefully realize that she is inviting us and teaching us to sing the Magnificat [the text for today's Gospel] along with her as we continue along our own journeys, however near or far the fulfillment of our journey remains. We too are invited to proclaim in joy and humble service the compassion and justice of our God. Today's feast assures us that like Mary, in serving the reign of God, we too will one day share in her destiny.

At the reading for the second nocturn at Vigils this morning, St. Bernard, in a sermon of his for today's feast, also counseled us to rejoice:

Dearest brethren, this is a time when all flesh should shout for joy, because the Mother of the Word made flesh is assumed into heaven; nor should human mortality desist from singing songs of praise on this glorious festival, when the nature of man is elevated in the Virgin to solitary eminence, high above all the orders of immortal spirits.

Exhibition of Art Works of the Monks

From November 15- December 12, 2009, art works by the monks of the abbey are on display at the Miriam Hall Art Gallery at Anna Maria College in Paxton, MA. The gallery is open at the following times:

Miriam Hall Art Gallery Hours: November 15-December 12, 2009
Monday-Friday: 10:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. -4:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday: 2:00 p.m. -4:00 p.m.
(Gallery will be closed Wednesday, November 25 through Sunday, November 29)
Saturday, December 11: 10:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 12: 2:00 p.m. -6:00 p.m. (final day)


Items on display include watercolor, tempera, gouache, collage, pottery, photography, and hand-painted icons. A catalog of the works can be found here. Thumbnails of the works begin on p. 6 of the catalog. The gallery is located at 50 Sunset Lane, Paxton, MA. For directions click here.