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When we celebrate Solemnities, feast days which commemorate the most important mysteries of our Faith or of the Benedictine Order, Mother Abbess writes and offers the Prayer of the Faithful at Mass. It is a gift to us and those attending our Mass to hear the message of the Holy Spirit spoken through Mother Abbess Lucia. In response to the celebrant's homily and integrating the Scripture readings for the Mass, she eloquently expresses the mystery of the day as it relates to the events of our monastic life and world. We share her prayers with you who cannot be with us for your contemplation.FEAST OF ALL SAINTS 2024 
In gratitude for the Communion of Saints, the almost overwhelming throng made up of every nation and people on earth and from every age since time began, but men and women, nevertheless, just like us, no two alike, pictured in Revelation as singing and exulting in the presence of the Lord they served while here on earth, may we experience some small share of their joy today in knowing that we too are in the presence of the Lord and that in realizing this truth lies our hope of one day being worthy to be counted in their number for eternity.
Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for Christ’s patient, compassionate teaching of the Beatitudes which gives us a human way to understand the impossible call to be a saint. May we never give up or turn back from that call to be to be united with Christ as fully as we can in our own imperfect but unique way, believing we too are called to that fulness of Communion when we will see Him as He is. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the return of our newly restored sculpture of St. Anne, mother of Our Lady and grandmother of our Lord, to our entryway. May she welcome all our guests, especially families in whatever moment of joy or sorrow they may be and remind us all that sanctity finds its truest expression in the very human face of love. For all artists, theologians and spiritual writers of our day, that they may be given the inspiration and grace to represent eternal life in new ways that will speak to the heart of contemporary people and draw them past the time of current distress to the life of the beatitudes now and in the glory of the life to come. Let us pray to the Lord. Blessed are those who mourn. For all those who are suffering the cruelty of ever-present war across the globe, and the onslaught of destruction caused by natural disasters, that they may know some comfort and hope this day through the mercy of God and the generosity of their fellowman. Let us pray to the Lord. And for all those peace makers who have preceded us in the Kingdom of God watch over our country in the coming days, keeping all safe from the ever-present threat of violence we are all capable of and ensuring the possibility that peaceful just government may endure. Let us pray to the Lord. For Sharon and Joseph Giampietro for whom this Mass is offered on their 49th wedding anniversary, and for their family, and their intentions for Holy Child School. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION 2024  by Mother Telchilde Let us pray to the Lord. May we find the ways to help people today regain hope by drawing on the power of Mary’s advocacy for all Humanity through her bodily presence in heaven, so that in the words of Father Gerald Vann: More and more people will be able to achieve their own lives–¬full, rich, deep, unified, free–not by escaping from the flesh and material things, but by the healing and sanctifying of the flesh and material things. May we have to grace to partake of this healing that is Mary’s special privilege. Let us pray to the Lord. May all the works of harvest–in gardens, buildings, and so many creative collaborations going on at this time–be put under the watchful care of Our Lady. May she bring us fresh hands and new energy for the tasks before us, giving us strength to do more than we thought we could, making it possible for the fruits of creation to be gathered up and offered up in gratitude to the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord. May the song of Mary’s Magnificat be taken up in the present moment by each woman and man called to relate to Regina Laudis, in whatever way that may be, so that together we may grow in the freedom to praise God in whatever circumstances we find ourselves and that together we fill the mandate of this Foundation: Let Praise Never Cease. Let us pray to the Lord. That Mary, Virgin of Virgins and Mother of the Living God, be intimately and helpfully present to our Mothers preparing for the Blessing of Consecration, and may she help us all enter corporately into the joy of participation in whatever small ways are opened to us. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the many prayers answered and graces given at this time. Let us pray to the Lord. And for all who are working and praying for peace in the Middle East. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Judith for blessings on her feastday and in gratitude for all she has assumed for life of this community. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered in gratitude for the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist and their Centers throughout the world. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF SAINT BENEDICT 2024  Let us pray to the Lord. As St. Benedict was named the Father of Europe for fostering unity, peace, and culture at a time of great darkness and an unknown future for mankind, may we, his daughters and sons across the world, uphold his legacy in whatever small ways we are uniquely called to do, employing the tools of the cross, the book and the plow, believing that our joint efforts to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, may offer the world a stable alternative to the prevailing social chaos. Let us pray to the Lord. As we celebrate so many Consecrations and Vows anniversaries today, may we renew our dedication to keeping the flame of Consecration alive, knowing it is an incomparable spiritual force when fueled by the love of Christ and yet, like the clay lamp that supports the flame, is as the frail as the humanity as each person who tries to embody it. May we pray for the grace of charity and patience to better understand and support each person who comes to us seeking to follow St. Benedict, knowing God may be asking us, as inadequate as we may feel, to help light the path of another. Let us pray to the Lord. "Blessed are the poor in spirit." May St. Benedict who exhorted his monks to receive each person who comes to the monastery as Christ join forces with St. Frances Cabrini to help alleviate the plight of immigrants today. Let us pray to the Lord. Blessed are all those seeking to make peace in the midst of war especially in Ukraine and in Gaza, and those trying to prevent war everywhere. Let us pray to the Lord. "Blessed on the merciful." May all our efforts to care for the sick be guided by Christ’s merciful heart and may He show us the way to comfort those mourn for a life they feel they have lost, either for some aspect of their own life, or that of someone dear to them, so that while still on this earth they may taste the consolation of Christ’s infinite love. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for all the men and women throughout the world striving to live the Rule of St. Benedict. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL 2024 (Clothing of Sister Maryam Hamdi)  Schwarzach, Photograph by Ralph Hammann Let us pray to the Lord. Let us pray in appreciation of Mariah’s nearly boundless exuberance in praising God and may her joyous gratitude become a contagious force, drawing others into a celebration of life in even our smallest encounters with each other. May throughout her monastic life, her natural love of preparing and sharing food with others grow into a true medium of communion between people and cultures, sustaining her in her call even as she seeks to sustain others. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all those who supported, sometimes questioned, and even challenged Mariah on her winding path from Tehran, to Los Angeles, to Bethlehem, especially her family, living and deceased, may they know today the blessing of Abraham, our common Father in Faith, who was also called to leave his homeland, and in faith may we all trust he will continue to smile favorably on Mariah who is his daughter still and on each member of her beloved family and her many friends, those able to gather with us today and those with us in spirit from afar. Let us pray to the Lord. May all our prayers today be offered in intercession to the great founders of our Church, Saints Peter and Paul, complementary witnesses to the hope of communion through differences, and in a particular way may they assist the people of Iran and all the people of the Middle East, seeking peace, but caught in age old conflicts. We pray that in some small way Mariah’s risk to enter Regina Laudis in the loving embrace with which she has been met, may be a sign of hope for the future reconciliation of all peoples, Muslim and Christian, Jew and Gentile, East and West. Let us pray to the Lord. For Archbishop Christopher Coyne who receives the Pallium from the Holy Father today in Rome and for the Archdiocese of Hartford. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mariah Hamdi for whom this Mass is offered as she receives the monastic habit and enters the Novitiate today. Let us pray to the Lord. CORPUS CHRISTI 2024 
Behold the Lamb of God. May we pray for an increase in humility to accept our total dependence on this Lamb of God, knowing that like the Israelites in the time of Moses, no matter how many times we boldly pledge to do everything the Lord has asked of us, we will fall again and again, yet, the everlasting covenantal love of God for His creation and His creatures will never fail, having been sealed eternally in the sacrifice of His Son, the Lamb of God, who gave His Body and Blood for us. In awe and humble gratitude that almighty God would enter into a Covenant with us and keep it no matter how we fall short in our humanity.
Let us pray to the Lord. At a loss for words before the magnitude of the gift of the Eucharist which makes it possible for us to be in communion with God and our fellow man, may we be penetrated by the words of the mysterious hymn of the Lauda Sion, and even though we will not be able to process this year in the customary way, may we bring the Eucharistic presence of the Lord out into the world in our actions and the love we hold for one another in His Mystical Body. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all the moments of small daily sacrifice, when someone puts his or her body at the service of another in order to care for the Body of Christ in all His members, and especially for all the sick of this community at this time, we thank them for making Christ visible to us in His suffering Body and give us and give us the opportunity to become more deeply united through His Eucharistic love. Let us pray to the Lord. For all the corporate labors taking place on our land today, as we begin the hay season and move toward the restoration of the preserving room. May the many who participate in these efforts do so in a true spirit of body givenness, so that all that is undertaken both safely and joyfully, no matter what obstacles are encountered. Let us pray to the Lord. For all who on this very day will give themselves in the ultimate sacrifice of their life’s blood, poured out through war or other catastrophe, may they have the gift of knowing their sacrifice is not in vain, but is blessed by God and honored by Man. Let us pray to the Lord. For aid to reach the people of Gaza and all the starving throughout the world. Let us pray to the Lord. TRINITY SUNDAY 2024  Ask from one end of the sky to the other. Did anything so great ever happen before? Did a People ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire as you did and live? May we continue to ask this question of one another, cutting through the prevailing culture of indifference to the presence of God the Father and fixing in our hearts the truth that the Lord is God in the heavens above and on the earth below and that there is no other. For the grace to know with surety and proclaim with joy the greatness of what we have been given through the love of the Trinity poured out upon us, Let us pray to the Lord. And in the second reading we hear from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans: You did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received a spirit of adoption through whom we cry: Abba Father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. May we help each other not fall back into fear which is so destructive of freedom in God, but rather, when we see someone growing fainthearted on the way, reach out to them with whatever love we have to give, knowing the Spirit will then take even our smallest offering and multiply it until all the children of God who have suffered with Christ, will also be glorified with Him. Let us pray to the Lord. And finally, from the Gospel, Christ’s own words to the timid, still frightened disciples after the Resurrection: All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The mandate could not be more clear. May we not hesitate to move out in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit in whatever mission we have been asked to assume for the life of all and grow constantly in our trust that the Lord will always be with us, even to the end of the Age. May our human attempts at synergy and synodality always mirror the Trinitarian model of relationship encompassing differences in oneness which is the fundamental principle all life depends on. Let us pray to the Lord. For Christ’s peace to find receptive hearts on earth. Let us pray to the Lord. For the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, especially Sister Mary Mercy and Sister Amaris who make their Final Profession today, and for all those Franciscans gathered on Shaw Island today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Shaw Store. Let us pray to the Lord. PENTECOST 2023 
In the words of the Sequence of today’s Mass, the great prayer we sing preceding the Gospel:Come, Holy Spirit, send forth the heavenly radiance of your light, Come, Father of the poor, come, Giver of Gifts, come Light of the Heart, Praised Comforter, Sweet Guest of the Soul, Sweet Consolation, Bend that which is inflexible, Fire that which is chilled, Correct that which goes astray, Give to Your Faithful, those who trust in You, the seven-fold gifts. May these words ever be in our hearts and come to our aid in the days ahead. Let us pray to the Lord. And what are the seven-fold gifts of which Father has just reminded us? Fear of the Lord, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Wisdom. May we humbly ask with receptive hearts for an infusion of these seven-fold gifts, poured out at the first Pentecost, and poured out constantly even to this day. May they not be ignored or forgotten in our times of trial, but rather to the fire of the Spirit who is Love, may we overcome our fear and be enabled to renew the face of the earth. Let us pray to the Lord. For an increased devotion to the Holy Spirit in the hearts of people everywhere, but especially for those in any position of leadership, whether it be in the family or community, Church, nation, indeed in the whole world; for the Spirit fills the whole world, and only through the Spirit can we bring about unity and the peace we all seek. Let us pray to the Lord. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit. In wonder and gratitude that, although there is only one Spirit, He has many ways to manifest Himself according to the capacities of the people and the circumstances we face. So whether it be in the dramatic rush of a mighty wind and tongues of fire or in the quietness of Christ’s slipping through locked doors in the Upper Room and breathing the spirit of His peace upon the apostles, may we be open and ready to receive the Spirit however He comes to us and not miss Him because we were looking for something else. And may we learn to support the different gifts of the Spirit in one another that we may always find hope, love, and peace. This Mass if offered for a renewal of true leadership at every level of society. Let us pray to the Lord.  PENTECOST 2024Who is not moved as we heard the names of the different nations of the known world at the time of Christ? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, and so on, all understanding each other in their own language. How can this be? Perhaps because when we speak of the mighty works of God as they were doing, we are using a universal language recognized by all men that transcends the limits of our narrow partisan perspectives, or more importantly, because the Spirit brings the capacity to forgive. May we take this truth to heart in speaking to one another, finding our common ground in the wonders God has given to all of us, and celebrate them, sharing them, rather than fighting to possess them. And may we not give up on the hope that one day Palestinians and Israelis, Russians and Ukrainians, me and my neighbor, whoever that might be, may be able to hear each other and understand in our own language. Let us pray to the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord. May we pray to become true people of the Spirit, imploring Him to enter into the humble circumstances of our ordinary daily lives and infuse them with his seven-fold consoling gifts: Fear of the Lord, Counsel, Knowledge, Understanding, Fortitude, Piety, Wisdom. May we grow in our belief that it is only through the fire of the Spirit’s love that our flawed humanity will be released to love one another as we were meant to from the beginning of creation, and that through that love we may renew the face of the Earth. Let us pray to the Lord. Peace be with you. Christ says twice to the frightened disciples gathered in the upper room, and in memory of these very words the priest says at Mass each day, Peace be with you. And we reply: And with your spirit. One Spirit flows from the Eucharistic gift of Christ’s consecrated Body and Blood and is transmitted to each of us in turn. May we treasure this sacred mystery of the imparting of Christ’s peace which allows us to participate in the unity of the Trinity by being made One Body in the Spirit through the bond of peace. In gratitude for this miracle, Let us pray to the Lord. Whether as a loud voice of driving wind, or a gentle quiet breath, or tongues of fire, or in the form of a hovering dove and a voice from heaven, may we believe the Holy Spirit will come to each of us in just the way we most need to receive Him and be alert to His unpredictable manifestations, so that we in turn may serve God and each other through our unique and various gifts, each necessary to complete the whole Body of Christ. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for our students, Mother Maria Evangelista and Sister Gregory graduating this week, that the Spirit may continue to bless them and the whole community with all His gifts as they return to us with new knowledge to share for the building up and benefit of all. Let us pray to the Lord. For all who have lost beloved friends and community members in these days, that the Spirit, the most excellent Consoler, may bring them healing and comfort. Let us pray to the Lord. For an end to war across the globe, that the work of building peace might begin, Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the Holy Child School in Jerusalem. Let us pray to the Lord. ASCENSION THURSDAY 2024 
Ascendit Deus in Jubilatione! Alleluia!.May we be mindful, tempting as it is on a day like this to stay looking up to heaven, may we remember that in these days of Ascension there is a dual movement of endings and beginnings, remembering that as Christ ascends up and in to take His place with the Father, He also commands the Apostles to move out into the world to extend the Gospel He has given them to every creature, and to do so with joy, dispelling any reason for sadness at His departure, by reminding them He will be more present to them now, He will be in them, part of them, as He is part of us now Eucharistically, though He remains eternally one with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit. In awe before this great mystery, Let us pray to the Lord. In awe at Christ’s opening the gates of heaven to Mankind so that the human person, body and soul, could be for the first time in the presence of God, reversing the effects of the Fall of Adam and Eve from Paradise and releasing from captivity all the hosts of holy people who have been waiting for Him to free them since the beginning of the world. In gratitude, Let us pray to the Lord. If everything that rises must converge, may we also believe that to converge we must rise, we must get above our individual isolated perspectives and break open the locked human emotions that keep us in continual conflict without resolution. May we take to heart Pope Francis’ message to nations now at war and work for a negotiated peace whenever possible, rather than pursue unending war. May we have the grace to apply this hard truth to our own daily conflicts. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those in their final ascent to the Father at this time, may their fears be stilled by the knowledge that Christ has gone before them and prepare a place for them. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those taking steps of ascent in their own personal process at this time, whether graduating or retiring. Taking on new commitments, or exploring the next phase of vocation, may the call to keep ascending remain strong and bring them much joy as God continues the process of His self-revelation to them in ever new ways. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those in the Midwest suffering the ravages of the storms that have been assaulting them. May the rest of the country not lose sight of them in their hour of need. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for all those working to negotiate peace. Let us pray to the Lord. EASTER 2024 
Easter VigilAlleluia! In joy and wonder, that as Christ rises from the dead on this most sacred night, all of us and all of creation itself rise with Him, reborn through Him, like the new fire, blazing until it is completely consumed, just to light that single bright fragile flame of the Paschal candle. And like the water, in turn, blessed by that candle to become Baptismal water, may we pray that the life-giving Spirit of this fire and water accompany us throughout the days and nights to come, no matter what challenges are sure to be waiting for us as we bring the light of Christ out into the world. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the experience of hearing tonight one lone voice raised in exultation, singing out into the darkness, the miracle of resurrected life, making the darkness light, and like the single flame of the paschal candle, setting the whole church ablaze. May the words of the Exsultet reach the hearts of all threatened by the darkness of world without Christ and keep hope alive for everyone, even in the most troubled places in our world. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for new voices boldly proclaiming the Word of God, the magnificent prophetic stories foretelling how from the very beginning God prepared fallen Humanity for this night. May we be on the alert now to listen for the stories that will be told over and over again about the events and happenings of this extraordinary Easter 2024, as we gradually start to understand it, by seeing it through another’s eyes. Let us pray to the Lord. For the health and intentions for Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. Easter Morning Easter Morning, the first day of the week, the Lord’s Day. He is Risen! In our own perhaps sleepy and shocked understanding of the events of last night, may we not fail to take note of the new dawning, the Son. This is the day the Lord has made, let it not slip by us. Let us rejoice and be glad therein, Buona Pasqua! Alleluia! However it comes to us to say it, may we let the new hope that has been given, shine within us and radiate out to all in need. Let us pray to the Lord. As we sing today and throughout the Octave the beautiful Sequence: Tell us Mary, what did you see on the way? Acknowledging that the Resurrection is a great mystery, impossible for us to understand apart from a community of Faith, may we pray in gratitude for the outpouring of so many hearts and hands given to help celebrate the Resurrection with us, may the grace of this experience continue to lift us up and keep us united as we go forth from this day, changed by what we have witnessed, and bearing the Light of Christ out into the world. Let us pray to the Lord. In our rejoicing may we not forget those who cannot be with us for many reasons, in those deeply suffering places of our world, and may we search for ways of peace as intensely as Mary Magdalen searched for the body of the Risen Christ, and Pater and John both ran as fast as each of them could in order to proceed on a new mission, that everyone might enter the tomb, and see, and believe. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Prioress Noella and the Community of Our Lady of the Rock for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. EPIPHANY 2024 
Nations shall walk by your light and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about.Pope Francis has recently reminded us of the words of St. John Chrysostom that the Magi didn’t start out on their journey because they saw the star, They saw the star because they had already started out on a journey, looking for a new horizon, and the star answered them, the star came to meet them. May our restless, ever seeking hearts not be afraid to set out on our search for Christ while still in the dark, believing that the light of the star will lead us, and lead us forward. Let us pray to the Lord. Or as another Eastern Father of the Church, St. Basil, says: Stars cross the sky, Wise Men journey from pagan lands, earth receives its Savior in a cave. Let there be no one without a gift to offer, no one without gratitude as we celebrate the salvation of the world. For the gift of gratitude. Let us pray to the Lord. No matter what is going on around us: from daily assaults of sickness, or invasive animals, or storms and natural disasters, or human conflicts of every kind, may we keep raising our eyes to search for the star for the sing the Father will send us to direct us to His Son, the sign that is our true hope for peace, because it belongs to all the nations of the earth. Let us pray to the Lord. For the gift of peace in Ukraine and among all the nations of the Mideast, where human civilization reached such a peak at an early age. May the interrelatedness and interdependence of these cultures, now at war or on the verge of war, become a source of world unity and strength, rather than rivalry and division, and may they open their rich coffers of ancient knowledge, wisdom, and exquisite art, to lay their treasures once again before the transforming power of Christ for the sake of elevating all mankind. Let us pray to the Lord. On this Epiphany, the twelfth day of Christmas, the day celebrating so many traditions that underlie the revelry of Mardi Gras, may we not be thrown by the destructive or chaotic energies that must arise before we settle into a new pattern of order and relationship, based on the central reality of Christ’s coming, as surely as the Movable Feasts take their place in relation to the defining date of Easter. Let us pray to the Lord. The Gospel tells us that “...having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, the Magi departed for their country by another way,” may we not underestimate the rage of the Herods within us and around us, but pray for the grace to always find “another way” in order to circumvent the power of Evil that lies in wait to destroy the newness of innocent life it so fears. Let us pray to the Lord. For the return to health of all in our community and all who are caring for them. Let us pray to the Lord. CHRISTMAS 2023 
MORNING MASSIn the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. In gratitude that the Church’s liturgy places before us this morning the beginning of St. John’s Gospel, reminding us year after year that when it comes to the Incarnation, we are immersed in a mystery we will never grasp or possess. May we, like St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist in their profoundly different ways, be given the grace to witness to the light we will never fully comprehend, because it is always ahead of us, beyond us, bigger than we can contain, always calling us to love more than we think we can. Let us pray to the Lord. May we have the humility and the strength to grow in our desire to keep desiring, rather than to seek to master or possess the gift of Christmas peace, content to draw a little nearer to the presence of the divine life God bestows on our world through the love of His Son, knowing for us, it will come, some small incarnation by incarnation. Let us pray to the Lord. May the impact of this Christmas, with all its joys and challenges, not be over in a day, but unfold within us, taking us deeper even as we strive to make visible to others, especially those who are alone, the wonder of Christ’s birth in every new expression for new generations. Let us pray to the Lord. For all who have experiences separation from loved ones for whatever reason this Christmas Season, may we rejoice all the more in the sweetness of reunion. Let us pray to the Lord. May we prayer especially for the homeless, immigrants and refugees, that the celebration of Christmas not lock their plight, but rather, with the grace of this day change hearts and minds until our Common Home can be a home for everyone. Let us pray to the Lord. And in gratitude for the extraordinary outpouring of love and support shown our community in these Christmas days. Let us pray to the Lord. MIDNIGHT MASS The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Acknowledging that all who live on this earth will at some point know the experience of walking in darkness, may we stop for a minute this night to pray especially for those who may be struggling in the dark even at this very moment. May we offer unending gratitude for the gift that is the light of the newborn Christ and pray for the grace to recognize the light when He appears, turning away from the all too familiar darkness and not being afraid to claim the newness of the life that the light will reveal. Let us pray to the Lord. May we never forget that this light that we have been given in Christ has the power to forgive, to heal, and to restore, and that if we will let Him be born in us Christ will turn all our doubts and sadness to joy, for He alone is capable of ending war and trampling underfoot all the death and destruction that war leaves in its path, He alone is capable of liberating all who are oppressed; for without the Prince of Peace there will be no lasing peace, May the world remember this simple truth and turn to welcome Him into every dark corner that awaits His saving presence. Let us pray to the Lord. May we in one small way open wide our hearts to make room for the Lord of the Universe and for all those who attend him, be strange as St. Joseph, or rough as those first shepherds, and may we not tire of saying to one another over and over again: Do not be afraid. "Come let us go together to adore Him." Let us pray to the Lord. For all the peoples of Israel and Gaza, for the people of Ukraine and Russia, and for people throughout the world suffering the cruelties of war. Let us pray to the Lord. For all who have asked our prayers during this difficult Advent, that they will experience some new light this night. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the intentions of the Holy Father, especially for peace. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION 2023 by Mother Telchilde A great sign appeared in the heavens, a woman clothed with the sun with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars. As we try to draw a little nearer to the mystery of Our Lady’s Assumption this year, may we remember that the dazzling woman depicted in Revelation, Mary, the Queen of the Heavens, is the very same earthly Mary of the Magnificat, a young pregnant mother who traveled on foot through her native hill country in haste to help her older pregnant cousin. And let us not forget that this is how we too must follow her son to victory in the ongoing battle with the dragon, fighting with the weapons of love for one another, humility in service, and our voices constantly lifted in praise for all the gifts the Creator has bestowed upon us. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude to Rev. Mother Benedict Duss, our Lady Abbess, for her courage in deciding to leave France in 1946 in the aftermath of the destruction of World War II, in order to found in this country a new expression of contemplative Benedictine life for women. On this feast day of Mary’s Assumption, we give thanks for the embodiment of Lady Abbess’ vision in this monastery of Regina Laudis and for her taking as her guiding principles the sacredness of the human body and Woman’s particular role in the plan of redemption. May we ponder ever more deeply the fact that the doctrine of Mary’s Assumption, establishing that she was taken, body and soul into heaven was proclaimed by the Church in 1950. Almost simultaneously with the birth of this Foundation. Let us pray to the Lord. In whatever kind of darkness, great or small, we may be finding ourselves in these days and especially when we feel we do not have sufficient strength, or resources, or knowledge to fulfill the mission we are called to carry out, instead of despairing, may we let ourselves be taken up with Mary into the love that magnifies whatever we have, that is stronger than whatever opposition faces us, and that is more trustworthy even than our own hearts, remembering that we will not change the world or overcome the dragon’s sting through human effort alone, but by the grace of the Lord working in us, and with the help of Mary from generation to generation. Let us pray to the Lord. As our threatened earth, our Common Home, suffers every elemental extreme of water, fire, earth and air, may we turn to Our Lady for help, asking for her intercession and following her as a model of submission to the Creator, that we may also realign ourselves with Him as she did and thereby restore order to a fallen Creation. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass if offered for those suffering from the devastation of the fire in Hawaii and for all those trying to assist them and for all who have lost their lives in this catastrophe. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF SAINT BENEDICT 2023 (First Vows of Sister Christopher McLarin) Let us pray to the Lord. May Sister Christopher’s gift for hospitality be a beacon of light and hope to all who come to Regina Laudis, inspiring the Community to follow with joy St. Benedict’s seemingly impossible mandate to welcome each person as we would welcome Christ, and may we ask special blessings on all the benefactors, oblates, and workers who have collaborated with Sister Christopher to insure the continuity of St. Martin’s Guest House; or have contributed to her culinary magic in the daily Five Star monastic kitchen where she feeds the multitudes with joy we can actually taste. Let us pray to the Lord. "Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God."" In gratitude for Sister Christopher’s great gift to see the humor in a situation and reflecting it back to us creatively in song or skit. Releasing the pure child-like response latent in all of us, and may she know from this day forward that she truly belongs to this body Regina Laudis through the vows she pronounces in our midst, as together we partake of the one Body and one Spirit of Christ in the bond of peace. Let us pray to the Lord. May we remember with joy and gratitude Mother Hildegard George who has lived the vows she made at Regina Laudis 50 years ago with boundless vitality and creativity, both her and at Our Lady of the Rock, may the celebration of her Golden Jubilee be truly golden, filled with hope and new life for that foundation to which she has faithfully given her life through all the vicissitudes of these many years. We wish her love and, as she would often say, much heart. Let us pray to the Lord. That through the intercession of St. Benedict, Father of Europe, world leaders today may turn form the path of war to the path of peace. Let us pray to the Lord. For Sister Christopher McLarin on the occasion of her First Vows and her family for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL 2023 Schwarzach, Photograph by Ralph Hammann Let us pray to the Lord. Through the intercession of Sts. Peter and Paul, may we come to know in any given situation who is holding the position of the immovable rock that others need for stability and support and like Paul, who is being poured out like a libation, expending all their strength to go out to the as yet unknown or untouched places waiting for the light of Christ to find them. May these two differing charisms that informed the pillars of the early Church manifest themselves in our small daily efforts to sort out the chaos that surrounds us, so that we may truly learn how much we need each other and let each other shine in his or her own call for the building up of the Body of Christ in our troubled times. Let us pray to the Lord. May there be more relationships in our world today modeling on the love between St. Peter and St. Paul, who in spite of their differences and not being together in one place on their earth very long, were mystically united as brothers through their all-powerful love of Christ, so that the Church regards them as inseparable in life and in death. In gratitude that this reverence for relationship is built into the very structure of our Faith. Let us pray to the Lord. For blessings on Archbishop Blair and Archbishop Coadjutor Bishop Coyne, that through their leadership the Archdiocese of Hartford might be reinvigorated and the struggling People of God may find hope and renewal for the hard-hit reality of parish life that many are experiencing at this time. Let us pray to the Lord. For Nancy and David Stein for blessings on their 35th wedding anniversary and in gratitude for all the life that been born from their faithfulness to their vowed life and their dedication to serving the Body of Christ, especially as Oblates of Regina Laudis. Let us pray to the Lord. For the safety and success of all those working on our trees today. Let us pray to the Lord. For our Holy Father Pope Francis for his health and intentions and for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. SACRED HEART 2023 
May we take the time to feast on the richness of the Word of God this morning. In the words of Deuteronomy: “You are a people sacred to the Lord, God set His heart on you and chose you.” From St. John: “For in this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, for God is Love.” And in Christ’s own words: “Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light.” For the grace to remember these words.
Let us pray to the Lord. For the humility to recognize the poverty of our human efforts to love compared to the ocean of suffering that surrounds us, and with the help of Christ’s mercy, may we not be discouraged but be filled with gratitude for the chance to try again yet another day, so that by following His example and hearkening to the vision of Saint Margaret Mary, we may put love into action, lightening our burden by helping someone else to bear theirs. Let us pray to the Lord. For blessings on Mary White who enters Our Lady of the Rock Priory today as the first postulant under the tenure of Mother Prioress Noëlla, in gratitude for her fidelity and courage in responding to the call to Consecrated Life that she felt from such an early age. May God bless her now with the abundant gifts of His compassionate love so that the yoke of community life she embraces may always be lightened by His reassuring faithful presence. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Prioress Noella and each member of the Community of Our Lady of the Rock that as they unite to welcome Mary into their midst, each will be renewed in her own dedication to being called and chosen, knowing that all the sacrifices made in love to sustain that Foundation and to support one another will be taken up and remembered in the inexhaustible love of the Heart of Jesus. Let us pray to the Lord. For our Regina Laudis postulants that they may know in some special tangible way today the love of God for each of them and be sustained in their own efforts to learn the exacting ways of love in the School of the Lord’s Service. Let us pray to the Lord. For all the refugees and homeless of our world, may we unite ourselves with our prayers in the one Heart of Christ to their struggle and find a home in our heart for one person in need this day. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mary White on her entrance day and for the Community of Our Lady of the rock for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. CORPUS CHRISTI 2023
How can this man give us His flesh to eat?
As this question still arises in the hearts of men and women today and indeed, in our own hearts, may we not lose sight of the truth that Christ is not just a man, but true God and true Man. As God he can and does give us His flesh to eat in the form He has chosen to be most perfect for that gift, the form of bread and wine through which we united with Him in a wholly physical and wholly spiritual way. In awe and gratitude for this mystery which Thomas Aquinas calls the "Greatest of all Christ’s miracles".
Let us pray to the Lord. As we heard from St. Augustine at Matins last night: “It is the Sacrament of ourselves that is placed on the Lord’s altar, for we are the Body of Christ.” For an increase of devotion to the gift of the Eucharist which has the power to unite us as one body, helping us to embrace the suffering of one another, to understand one another like the burden they are carrying for us. May all those struggling to restore their bodies to health and all those who are dedicated to caring for them be strengthened today by our loving prayers in union with them. Let us pray to the Lord. Let us pray for all those in the world today who do not have enough food to sustain them. That the miracle of the manna in the desert and the springs of water gushing from the rock may be brought about here and now through all the members of Christ’s Mystical Body working together as one and giving of themselves in likeness to Christ for the building up of one another in love. Let us pray to the Lord. In union with Mary our Mother and all the Corpus Christi processions across the world today where the Eucharist is brought out into open spaces of the land or into city streets, into the midst wherever people live, and may the presence of that Living Bread raise the whole world and all that are in it: humans, animals, plants, water, earth, and air as a total offering of the Body of Christ to the Father of our Common Home. Let us pray to the Lord. As we experience the effects of fires burning thousands of miles away in Canada, may we be mindful of how much we truly are all connected and ask the Lord’s assistance for all those suffering directly and indirectly from these fires. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the students and faculty of the Naugatuck Valley School of Nursing. Let us pray to the Lord. TRINITY SUNDAY 2023
May these words of St. Paul be the constant greeting in our hearts and found on our lips as we approach one another in times of hardship and times of rejoicing, acknowledging that all unity and peace on earth is derived from our Triune God, the model and source of the unity and love among diverse persons for which we long. Let us pray to the Lord. In our humble attempts at contemplating the sublime mystery of the Holy Trinity today may we not forget the power of the sign of the cross to bring us back to a greater reverence for each Divine Person: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, letting gratitude and love make up for our lack of understanding is powerless to grasp. Let us pray to the Lord. May we have the courage and purity of heart that Moses had when he encountered the Lord whom he knew to be the awesome God of all creation, Father of all people, Giver of all life, and like Moses, mat we not be afraid to talk to God unceasingly, even risking to ask Him to dwell in our company and never leave us. May we never tire of giving thanks and praise to the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, the only Son of the Father, who was sent, not to condemn the world but to save it through the outpouring of His merciful love in the sacrifice of His own sacred very human Body and Blood. In gratitude for the unfathomable and unmerited gifts of the Incarnation and Redemption of Our Lord Jesus Christ, may we pray for the grace to follow the way of salvation He opened to us. Let us pray to the Lord. May the third Person of the Trinity, the Spirit of love, flowing ceaselessly between the Father and the Son, be ever present in our hearts as we extend the sign of peace from our shared Eucharist out into the world and to every encounter we have with each other this day, striving to mend our ways, encourage one another, and submit to one another in the bonds of peace. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those struggling in the darkness of aloneness this day, may they know they are not forgotten. This Mass is offered for all those engaged in dialogue between Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Let us pray to the Lord. PENTECOST 2023
In the words of the Sequence of today’s Mass, the great prayer we sing preceding the Gospel:Come, Holy Spirit, send forth the heavenly radiance of your light, Come, Father of the poor, come, Giver of Gifts, come Light of the Heart, Praised Comforter, Sweet Guest of the Soul, Sweet Consolation, Bend that which is inflexible, Fire that which is chilled, Correct that which goes astray, Give to Your Faithful, those who trust in You, the seven-fold gifts. May these words ever be in our hearts and come to our aid in the days ahead. Let us pray to the Lord. And what are the seven-fold gifts of which Father has just reminded us? Fear of the Lord, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, Piety, Fortitude, Wisdom. May we humbly ask with receptive hearts for an infusion of these seven-fold gifts, poured out at the first Pentecost, and poured out constantly even to this day. May they not be ignored or forgotten in our times of trial, but rather to the fire of the Spirit who is Love, may we overcome our fear and be enabled to renew the face of the earth. Let us pray to the Lord. For an increased devotion to the Holy Spirit in the hearts of people everywhere, but especially for those in any position of leadership, whether it be in the family or community, Church, nation, indeed in the whole world; for the Spirit fills the whole world, and only through the Spirit can we bring about unity and the peace we all seek. Let us pray to the Lord. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit. In wonder and gratitude that, although there is only one Spirit, He has many ways to manifest Himself according to the capacities of the people and the circumstances we face. So whether it be in the dramatic rush of a mighty wind and tongues of fire or in the quietness of Christ’s slipping through locked doors in the Upper Room and breathing the spirit of His peace upon the apostles, may we be open and ready to receive the Spirit however He comes to us and not miss Him because we were looking for something else. And may we learn to support the different gifts of the Spirit in one another that we may always find hope, love, and peace. This Mass if offered for a renewal of true leadership at every level of society. Let us pray to the Lord. ASCENSION THURSDAY 2023 
Ascendit Deus in jubilatione.In gratitude for the gift of Christ’s Ascension which reminds us, amidst all our complex emotions of sadness and joy, that Christ is never really gone from our lives, but only moves ahead to prepare a place for us with the Father, cutting through the limitations of life in the body and releasing all the shackles of sin and death that afflict humanity in one magnificent act of liberation, leaving "captivity captive" as we pray in the liturgy of the day and restoring man’s place in the kingdom of the Father. For the grace to believe in this ever present movement of ascension and the renewal of hope in our conflicted world. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all the appearances of the Risen Lord over the past forty days, knowing that wherever He entered into our human circumstances, no matter how dire or destructive they may be, the seeds of new life were given and planted in our hearts. And now may we ask for the grace to stay together, united in a single prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and bring those seeds of Christ’s ongoing presence to the fullness of life we long for and were indeed, made for. Let us pray to the Lord. May we not stand idle looking up with unseeing eyes for answers to fall on us, but rather look around us with the enlightened eyes of faith to observe all that has been given and taking heart from what we see, gather our strength for the mission Christ emphatically calls us to this day, to be His witnesses and to bring the good news of His Gospel to the ends of the earth in whatever way is uniquely given to us. Let us pray to the Lord. For all the sick and suffering who have asked for our prayers and for all those who are feeling trapped in whatever way, especially the victims of war. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the end of the war in Ukraine. Let us pray to the Lord. 
Easter VigilOn this most holy night may we pray for an increase in hope, life and love. Let us pray to the Lord. May we follow our Lord’s example and not stay in the tomb any longer than we have to, but leaving behind all the shadows of doubt that will hold us back, rise up and look around us at the transformed world we live in. In gratitude for all the expressions of new life we have seen and heard tonight, offered in love and praise of the Risen Lord, especially for the heartfelt singing of the ancient prayer of the Exsultet and the inspiring Scripture readings expressed in each unique voice, unfolding for us the mystery of our salvation history. In gratitude for the astounding gift of the regenerating power of Baptismal water and for the spark of the new fire lighting not only the Paschal candle but every candle in this church, no matter how reluctant they might be, and in gratitude for all these incarnational blessings, too many to name. May we respond with a resounding Alleluia as we take the light of Christ out into the world tonight. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the health and intentions of our Holy Father Pope Francis. Let us pray to the Lord. Easter Morning Mary, tell us what you saw on the way. May we welcome the Gospel variations in the recounting of the first Easter morning, enjoying the fact that what seemed clear in the middle of the night already seems different at dawn, and as we ponder John’s account of what happened to three of the people closest to Jesus that first earth-shattering morning, may we accept that it doesn’t really matter who was the first to see the empty tomb, but rather focus with child-like wonder on how generously and quickly each one, whether in the position of Mary Magdalen, or John, or Peter, shares the gift of the Good News with the others and eventually with us, leaving room for another to have his or her own unique experience in their own time. Let us pray to the Lord. May Easter this year celebrated against such a dark backdrop of the world’s chaos and crisis, bring light and hope to all hearts ready to change, ready for a new way to approach the old problems which we all know are still here—but the weight of transformation of what might be still possible is seen with resurrected eyes. Let us pray to the Lord. As we renew our Baptismal promises, may we renew our belief that in Christ the miracle of peace is possible. For the gift of the peace of Christ in our hearts, in our nation, and between the ever-warring nations of the world. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. SCHOLASTICA 2023 
BACKGROUND TO THE FEASTFebruary 10th is the Feast of St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict. Mother Abbess Lucia took as her abbatial motto: Plus potuit quia plus amavit, which is translated: She was able to do more because she loved more. The text is taken from the Office of St. Scholastica, and is based on a story in the SECOND BOOK OF THE DIALOGUES OF ST. GREGORY THE GREAT, CONTAINING THE LIFE AND MIRACLES OF ST. BENEDICT OF NURSIA. In chapter thirty-three, Of a Miracle Wrought by His Sister Scholastica, St. Gregory recounts that one night St. Scholastica prevailed upon her brother to disobey his Rule and instead of returning to his Abbey with his monks, to stay with her talking and praying through the night. Though she did not tell him why, she knew her death was near. With his strong sense of justice, St. Benedict refused her, but her tears of supplication to God caused a sudden storm that prevented him from leaving. When St. Gregory's disciple Peter, who knew the power of St. Benedict through his miracles, wondered why in this instance St. Benedict did not get his way, Pope St. Gregory explains that St. Scholastica was "...able to do more because she loved more." PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL In thanksgiving for the life of St. Scholastica, sister of St. Benedict, whose feast we keep today, who was not afraid to follow the voice of Christ tenderly calling her into the desert, into the solitude of consecrated spousal life with Him; and from whom she gained the courage to act fearlessly in love, trusting that Christ in turn will hear her voice when she poured out her prayers to Him with all her heart. Let us pray to the Lord. Plus potuit quia plus amavit. She could do more because she loved more. May St. Scholastica intercede for all her sons and daughters striving to answer the voice of God, especially when He calls them into a way of life for which there is not yet a clear form, only the certainty of a call. May she inspire us to emulate her example in praying with the intensity of absolute conviction, so that our prayers too may reach the ears of the Lord her spouse and effect a change even when circumstances seem impossible and all human pathways appear to be blocked. Let us pray to the Lord. May St. Scholastica like Mary in today’s Gospel help teach us to love, accepting that the Lord in His wisdom may direct us first of all to love the sister or brother we live with, who is hard for us to see and understand because their way of loving is so different from our own. May we come to appreciate how it is often through the challenges of fraternal love in community and family that we are prepared and purified to find our place at the wedding feast of the Lamb. Let us pray to the Lord. For blessings on all those Benedictine women and men working together in the Church, especially St. Scholastica’s Priory and St. Mary’s Monastery in Petersham, Massachusetts, for Father Ezekiel Lotz starting his chaplaincy at Our Lady of the Rock next week, for our many dedicated Oblates who truly make our life possible by sharing their life with us and in special gratitude for the presence of Monsignor Tucker in residence at St. Scholastica’s on our land. May St. Scholastica strengthen all with her indomitable love. Let us pray to the Lord. For our own Mother Scholastica that her patron saint may intercede for her during this time of recovery, renewing her in body and soul by allowing her to give full reign to her contemplative gifts that she might return to her active presence among us as soon as possible and stronger than ever. Let us pray to the Lord. For the safety and protection of all those working on the trees and buildings on our land today. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for a special intention granted through the intercession of St. Scholastica. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the health intentions of the community. Let us pray to the Lord. PRESENTATION OF THE LORD—JUBILEE of MOTHER JADWIGA and MOTHER LIOBA 2023 
On this feast of the Presentation, feast of the Meeting, Candlemas Day, feast of the Purification of Christ and of Mary, may this day that the Church has dedicated to those called to the Consecrated Life, on this day may we pray in special gratitude for the witness of Mother Jadwiga Makarewicz and Mother Lioba Postel who today celebrate 25 years of Vowed life at the Abbey of Regina Laudis. We ask that the fullness of the Lord’s blessing be poured out upon them, that they might persevere in the strength and beauty of the call unique to each of them and following the example of Simeon, the Christ-bearer, and Anna, the prophetess, faithfully bring all that they are, all that they do, and all they love, to be presented daily in the temple of the Lord to be consecrated.
Let us pray to the Lord. And the sword shall pierce your own soul too, that the thoughts of many hearts may be made known. In gratitude for all the ways Mother Jadwiga has allowed her heart to be pierced for the life of this community, for her family, and for the many too numerous to name who have known the healing touch of her many gifts, may she know our love and support ever more deeply as the Lord call her into both the tension and the joy of the cross patterns he has  woven into the very fabric of our life, freeing her to serve with the versatility borne of love: now as weaver, now as shepherd, now infirmarian, or seamstress, wherever the need of the body arises in any given moment.
Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude to Mother Lioba for the sacramental gift of the candles we share today, reminding us of the candles that illuminated our Christmas liturgies just a short time ago and point us to the ever-beckoning light of the Paschal candle. For all the ways that she has allowed her heart to be pierced as she has embraced the suffering of Christ in countless persons, whether in the community, her family, our interns, guests and correspondence across the world, may she always be sustained by our love and support for her in her mission as a contemplative social worker, able to light the candle of another’s pain. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Prioress Noella on her feast day and for Mother Scholastica as we anticipate her feast day next week may we pray for continued blessings on all the ways they live their mission to Consecrated Life and for their health and well-being. Let us pray to the Lord. In supplication that our renewed commitment to Consecrated Life may in union with the prayers of all Religious throughout the world help to bring about peace in Ukraine. Let us pray to the Lord. For our Holy Father on pilgrimage to the Congo and Sudan. Let us pray to the Lord. SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD 2023 
O admirabile commercium! O wondrous exchange!As we sing this antiphon throughout the day may we pray in gratitude for this feast as Mary Mother of God, that impels us to paused for a moment between the Nativity and Epiphany to let the mystery of what has been given sink into our resistant hearts and tiredness, that Jesus, being fully God and fully Man was born of Mary, the first of God’s creatures to bless Him with her freely given “yes” in the total self-gift of her humanity. Let us pray to the Lord. May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord let His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace! May these ancient words of blessing help give us the courage that can only come from faith as we stand on the threshold of the unknown of a new year, May our awareness of the blessings already given overcome the fears of where we are going and the anxieties of all that we carry with us, all that we know that is still waiting on our daily “yes”, the daily “yes” of each of us to be brought to completion. Let us pray to the Lord. We hear in the Gospel that all marveled at what the angels told the shepherds regarding the birth of this child, but only Mary held all these things in her heart, pondering what they meant, May we pray to be more like Mary in the year ahead, asking her help to contain what we do not understand, and give the word of truth that God is speaking to us the time and place to grow to fruition. Let us pray to the Lord. May we never forget that through the birth of Christ we have been adopted into sonship with Him, united in the one human family of man. May this realization help us to bear the pain of our sisters and brothers in all its myriad forms, recognizing there is no one suffering that doesn’t affect us all, and may we resolve that in the year ahead we will extend ourselves in some new complement way to foster the life that has been entrusted to us. Let us pray to the Lord. For the blessing of peace in our families, in our countries, and in our world. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Alma on her feastday in gratitude for her gift of making Mary visible to us and for continued blessings on her work of restoration at Sheepfold. Let us pray to the Lord. For Our Holy Father Pope Francis on this World Day of Peace. Let us pray to the Lord. CHRISTMAS 2022 
Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord comforts His people.May we let the words of the prophet Isaiah reverberate in our hearts this morning that we might find comfort whether in the midst of delight and rejoicing, or tiredness and confusion, or in the gift of relationships, old and new. May we in turn bear the good news to others, telling of what happened one night in Bethlehem and is happening still if we are open to losing control long enough to rest in a love that is bigger than ourselves. Let us pray to the Lord. The light has come to the world and the darkness could not overcome it. As we come out of our brief experience of having no heat and lights, knowing how hard that has been and how many remain in that stress still or are laboring to remedy it, may we pray with renewed awareness and compassion for those throughout the world suffering such deprivations with no end in sight, and may we grow in our capacity to show the mercy of God to one another, to those close at hand and those who are far away but can be touched through our prayers. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING 2022  Catalonia, Spain Let us pray to the Lord. "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." May this plea be on our lips always, praying it over and over again, that it might become a deep continuous intention in our hearts, making us always mindful of Christ, so that, undeserving criminals as we are, we might be remembered, recognized and claimed by Him as participants in His kingdom, in His universe, where we pray we may be blessed to see His face. Let us pray to the Lord. May we brought together as a people by our fidelity to Christ the King, who alone can reconcile our differences, unafraid to stand with one another, for one another, each in his or her own unique call so that there may be no reason to despair of seeing the peace which the King of Peace came to bring on earth. And may we help each other to emulate Christ’s kingship in our own right, establishing in our unique domains some aspect of the kingdom that depends on us to be realized in its fullness. Let us pray to the Lord. May Blessed Miguel Pro and all those martyrs who have died invoking Christ the King intercede for all those suffering persecution and the violence of war in our time. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for peace in Ukraine. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ALL SAINTS 2022
I had a vision of a great multitude which no one could count. And a voice asked: Who are these people? Where do they come from?In a world where crowds have greatly proved dangerous and destructive, and humanity seems so apt to turn on itself in violence, may the images of the Apocalypse remind us that the opposite can also be true. May we see without fear an ocean of humanity larger than one can grasp, wondrously diverse and joyful, ordered, and all centered by the love of God, singing with one voice, all just all just ordinary people. May this image help us to remember amidst all the challenges we face daily that we too are the raw material of which saints can be made and persevere in the hope that we may be welcomed into the limitless number one day. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the counterpoint to the image of the crowd that is also offered by St. John, calling us to remember we are Children of God and that if we can attain purity of heart, no matter our circumstances or how hard we have fallen, we will see God as He is. May we never forget that this personal, relational dimension of intimate union with Christ is the true measure of sainthood and the bleeding heart of that great multitude. Let us pray to the Lord. May the power to unlock the mysteries to the Kingdom of God latent within the Beatitudes attract the people of today who seek to be happy without knowing where to look or do not yet know that happiness is not a commodity to be possessed or an end in itself, but lies in giving ourselves as fully as we can to one another in the most ordinary humble of ways. For blessings on Sharon and Joseph Giampietro as they celebrate 47 years of marriage today, in gratitude for all the ways they have given themselves to fidelity to their call, witnessing through innumerable joys and sorrows of ordinary life to the reality of lasing covenantal love, expressed in their dedication to their family, their unstinting gifts of professional service, and their bonded commitment to the Life of Christ through the Closed Community in union with Regina Laudis. May they know now as never before the fruit and blessing of their faithful spousal love and be strengthened to receive whatever new life lies ahead. Let us pray to the Lord. For all buried in our cemetery and all who will join the Communion of Saints this day and for all the Faithful Departed. Let us pray to the Lord. ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY 2022—FEAST DAY OF THE ABBEY OF REGINA LAUDIS by Mother Telchilde Let us pray to the Lord. As we ponder this ancient celebration and tradition of Mary’s assumption, may we ask ourselves: "How could God NOT take her to Himself, body and soul at the end of her life, she who was created without sin and chosen among women to conceived His only begotten Son by the Holy Spirit, Mary, the Mother of God, whose body was made imperishable by the body of the divine child she bore?" May we rejoice in knowing we too are her children and have the hope that we too will one day be reunited body and soul with her and her divine Son. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all that has come to fruition this year, so abundantly obvious in the beauty of our vegetable and flower gardens, orchard and hay fields, our animals, and in our new buildings, may we offer for blessing these first fruits of the harvest and the work of our hands in the spirit of Mary’s Magnificat, knowing that it is not through our efforts but through God’s grace that these gifts have been given. May we emulate the purity of heart expressed in the sung dialogue Elizabeth and Mary, knowing it is our best means of disarming the dragons that wait for us everywhere, subtle and relentless though they might be; may we too lift our voices in a continual Magnificat of praise to the Author of life. Let us pray to the Lord. In wonder that in proportion to the richness of the harvest comes the blessing of new life in so many unexpected ways, as the seasons begin to change and new cycles of school, work, and life transitions of every kind present themselves, may Mary help us to say "yes" to what we only dimly realize is now conceived in the Holy Spirit and will always demand more than what we can imagine. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those killed in the attack on the Coptic Church in Egypt yesterday, many of whom are children, for them and their families. Let us pray to the Lord. For Sister Judith on her feastday, for all in the community who celebrate various anniversaries today on this patronal feast of Regina Laudis. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the Infirmary and the good health of the Abbey and Our Lady of the Rock Communities and for our Oblates. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. BENEDICT 2022 Let us pray to the Lord. May we grow into the way of the Beatitudes, not picking and choosing, but taking them as a whole package until they are second nature to us, an attitude of being that arises in the innermost depths of our hearts and pervades everything we do. Let us pray to the Lord. For the gift of humility. Let us pray for all the men and woman working together for the renewal of Benedictine life in our day, that they may be inspired and informed by the spirit of St. Benedict and his love for St. Scholastica, never to withdraw or give up, no matter how hard the mission, or fierce the opposition to it. Let us pray to the Lord. May the Benedictines of the world live up to their call to be peacemakers in whatever sphere or conflict they find themselves, directing the power of prayer that has been entrusted to them, to be a force for reconciliation between peoples, in particular we pray for the Benedictines still in Ukraine and those now in exile in Poland. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the blessing of so many young people with us this summer and at Our Lady of the Rock. May their time spent getting to know St. Benedict always be a source of strength and light for them as they go forward into their own missions. Let us pray to the Lord. SACRED HEART 2022 
With the aid of the superabundant graces flowing from Christ’s wounded side, may we find a place in the line of the great Benedictine women of the Middle Ages who were among the first to discover access to Christ’s humanity through a devotion to the Sacred Heart, may we strive to comprehend ever more deeply the mysteries of the human heart, how many contradictory passions it contains, how easily it is broken and how miraculously it is revived by love in order to help prepare ourselves and others to be more open to receive the compassionate love of Christ.
Let us pray to the Lord. For all those who might be feeling like the lost sheep, exhausted, confused, not sure anyone even notices they are gone, may they not despair of being found or stop asking the Lord to search them out in every byway where they may have strayed, and may the joy and wonder of being lifted up by Christ Himself and placed upon His shoulders, never leave that sheep, so as St. Ambrose says: "He gives no further thought to wandering," but finds his place content and at peace within the flock. Let us pray to the Lord. For all shepherds who witness to this primal mystery of shepherding sheep, that Christ labors so hard to communicate to us as an analogy of His love, and in particular for the shepherdesses of the Abbey flock, may they know that all they do to maintain the sheep on this land, all the hard work it entails, and the self-sacrifice it demands, may they know as generative of new life and constitutive to the mission f Regina Laudis, in gratitude, For blessings on the restoration of Sheepfold which holds a special place in the heart of our Foundation, and may its many wounds be taken up and healed within the mystery of the Sacred Heart of the Good Shepherd. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for peace in Ukraine. Let us pray to the Lord. JOHN THE BAPTIST 2022 
May St. John the Baptist who labored his whole life, even before he was born, to prepare the world to receive Christ’s message, and in a special way this year, opens us to the Feast of the Sacred Heart, may he teach us the way of humility that looks to those who will come after us with wonder and admiration, keeping faith in the continuity of God’s promise from generation to generation, always asking: "Who will this child be, how can we better prepare for those who are to come?"
Let us pray to the Lord. May St. John the Baptist who was so clearly called, named, and blessed from his mother’s womb intercede for all children in our country today, especially the unborn, that in these troubles times, so antithetical to fostering the fullness of human life, their parents may find the way to love and protect them from their earliest moments of conception, and may those in all ranges of government remember who they are and that they too have been called to fulfill a mission beyond the immediate interest that press on them from every side. Let us pray to the Lord. In this time of the summer solstice when so many rhythms of creation and liturgical celebrations come to a crescendo of convergence, demanding our attentions in every direction, may we trust that all will be accomplished in God’s time, asking that John the Baptist help direct us in the path of radical simplicity that leads to a spirit of freedom from anxiety about all that is not essential. That the charism of desert spirituality, so needed in our oversaturated world, may help bring relief for the people of New Mexico devastated by the terrible forest fires which caused the loss of so many homes and ancestral lands and who are now facing equally damaging crisis of drought, may the presence of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert be an outpost of continual prayer and a beacon of hope for suffering people in a suffering land. Let us pray to the Lord. And in gratitude for the safe return of those in the community who were quarantined and those recovering still, that we may soon rejoice in seeing their faces and be at full strength once again. Let us pray to the Lord. For the intentions of Abbot Christian and the monks of Christ in the Desert Monastery for whom this Mass is offered on their patronal feast. CORPUS CHRISTI 2022 
May our stark experience of the traditional festival of Corpus Christi this year with no singing of the beautiful antiphons, no singing of the Lauda Sion, no procession, no wine with the Eucharistic celebration—help us to make the praise in our hearts all the more joyful, allowing us to focus more intently on how the experience of having Covid-19 within the community has brought us more deeply into the reality of being One Body, becoming more alive to the knowledge that all our actions have the potential to affect every other person in the body of the Eucharist.
Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the outpouring of love animated in so many complementary works during these days: taking care of the sick, holding the Horarium, bringing in the hay, tending the vegetable garden, planning the gardens at Our Lady of Peace, and all the while miraculously feeding the hungry laborers. May all those involved in these disparate activities which are really too many to name, experience a true synergy, acknowledging in gratitude that the energy of the whole body working together will be greater than the sum of the parts and that the source of this incomparable gift lies always in the Eucharistic presence, the one eternal source of all life. Let us pray to the Lord. That we might never say: “There’s nothing left to feed the hungry,” but help each other to find that small remaining portion, that tiny offering of matter, that can be taken up, blessed, and multiplied to feed all those hungering for the Body of Christ on whatever level, even those who do not know yet what they are seeking. For the recovery of those in the community who are ill with Covid-19 and for the stamina of their caregivers, may we unite our small sufferings with those people across the world who are suffering in much more difficult circumstances and need the healing touch of someone in the Body of Christ today. Let us pray to the Lord. For Father John Cooney, survivor of Covid, in gratitude for his presence with us and his intentions. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Prioress and all those who work in the kitchen. Let us pray to the Lord. For all priests who have faithfully served this community. Let us pray to the Lord. TRINITY SUNDAY 2022 Let us pray to the Lord. May the mystery of the three Persons in one God which we will never grasp intellectually, pervade and inform our life together in the body, as a fundamental value and principle, so that we might say with .St. Hilary whose words we heard at Matins last night: By my generation that is my baptism I have received the faith but I am still ignorant and yet I have a firm hold on something which I do not understand. I’m born again, capable of rebirth, but without conscious perception of it. I beg you therefore, Father, to preserve in me that pure and reverent faith to grant that to my last breath I may testify to my conviction. Let us pray to the Lord. May God. the Father of us all. and the Spirit of Wisdom that was playing before Him at the creation of the world protect the earth from files, floods and all natural and man-made disasters. May God the Son relieve the suffering of those caught in the midst of the war and bring His peace to a divided humanity. Let us pray to the Lord. May the Holy Spirit protect the innocence of all who are in harm’s way, especially the children, and those threatened by violence of any kind. Let us pray to the Lord. And may we continue to be vigilant in our protection of the health and well-being of the community and our guests and may our patient endurance and temporary affliction lead to hope that does not disappoint. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for all those discerning vocations at this time. Let us pray to the Lord. PENTECOST 2022
Just call my name and I’ll be there, wherever you are. In awe that through the gift of the Holy Spirit it is possible for one person to understand another; not just the words said but the depth of the heart behind those words. In our daily encounters when we implore the Holy Spirit to be present in our communications and exchanges, especially in those situations where we feel we are at an impasse or cannot see our way forward, that where we would erect a Tower of Babel, the Holy Spiro might, in the words of St. Leo, renew the face of the earth with the energy to lighten the ability to create understanding and the power to burn away sin. Let us pray to the Lord. In awe at the gentleness of Christ’s encounter with the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, how He slips silently through locked doors, offers them His peace, shows His wounds to them, again offers them His peace, then He breathes on them with the words: Receive the Holy Spirit, transmitting to them the power to forgive sins. As we go forward now, witnessing to the events of this momentous Paschaltide, missioned to bring the Holy Spirit out into a noisy, often violent and unbelieving world, may we remember this gentleness with which Christ approaches those troubled and afraid and may we be ready to receive and transmit in our own imperfect human way the gifts of the Spirit which He is constantly pouring out upon the world. Let us pray to the Lord. Christ said to the Apostles: "I will not leave you orphans." In gratitude for Christ’s ongoing care for us and His abiding presence in even the darkest, most incomprehensible situations. May we pray with utmost urgency and sincerity of heart for the children, growing up amid war, senseless violence, neglect, and abuses of all kinds; that we may come together to protect them and rekindle the hope of mankind for a better world. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all the ways the Holy Spirit has blessed this land in the past year with so many expressions of His ever abundant life-giving gifts. May the fruits of the Holy Spirit and His presence with us: patience, kindness, goodness, chastity, peace, joy, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control, modesty, and love be ever more visible and accessible to all who come here and work with us to care for what we have been given. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the health and well-being of the children of this country. Let us pray to the Lord. ASCENSION THURSDAY 2022 
As we hear the keynote of Jubilate or In Jubilatione over and over again in the Ascension liturgy may we remember that Christ’s return to the Father is not sad but jubilant and rejoice with Him that He has completed His redemptive mission making it possible for the human body, the living flesh and blood of Mankind to enter into the heavenly tabernacle for the first time and thereby opening the gates of heaven for us to follow behind Him restoring what had been closed to us since the fall of Adam and Eve.
Let us pray to the Lord. May we have the grace to see by analogy that all the tumultuous events we have experienced in the past forty days since Easter, whether in the horror of the war and violence on the world’s stage or personal illness, the death of a loved one, the need to pack up and move, the need to change an appointment, or a brush with Covid and the cancellation of cherished plans, whatever the specific challenges given to us this year, may we see them as a call to ascend, to go higher and deeper than our darkest impulses, to find a new perspective and a new freedom making room in ourselves for the promised Holy Spirit to descend into our hearts. May He find it open and ready to receive. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for those people who are gifted to help others through the disorientation and uncertainty of crossing the threshold, of moving from one space to another or one cycle of life to another, knowing the human fear and resistance to ascensions of any kind. May we remember that none of us can do it alone and all of us can do it with the help of another. May we rejoice in those sent to us for this mission. Let us pray to the Lord. In particular we ask for blessings on the work of Professor Anna Moreland and the success of her mission to help college students acquire the skills to shape their adult life, may she and her students experience the joy of ascending, not just repeating a prior cycle in a more intense register but actually entering a new and fuller experience of the life we were all created to enjoy. Let us pray to the Lord. For an end to the war in Ukraine. Let us pray to the Lord. For Father Cooney in thanksgiving for his 60th anniversary of Ordination which he will celebrate on May 31st and in special gratitude for his generosity in sharing the blessings of his priesthood with us so faithfully. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the families of all those who were killed in the shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Let us pray to the Lord. EASTER 2022 
with colors of Ukraine Let us pray to the Lord. In the newness of this Easter morning as we slowly adjust to a world in which the possibility of Resurrection is just beginning to dawn, may we give ourselves time to take in the emptiness of the tomb, not rushing to think we understand it, or frustrated because we can’t, but just letting the truth sink into us. Nothing is as we thought it was. Christ is so much bigger than we imagined. This is just the beginning, the first day of a new creation, the dawn of a new way of seeing the world. May we have the courage and the freedom of spirit to stay on this path where the Risen Christ in His mercy will find us once again and make Himself personally known to us. Let us pray to the Lord. And as we see the men and women who followed Christ getting stronger by sharing their stories over and over again: What did you see? What did you see? Coming to realize how much they need each other to find the Lord, may we follow their example, coming together as a "We", moving forward, not in circles, as Christians going out to evangelize the world. Let us pray to the Lord. For the intentions of Mother Prioress Noella and the Community of Our Lady of the Rock for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. SCHOLASTICA 2022
BACKGROUND TO THE FEASTFebruary 10th is the Feast of St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict. Mother Abbess Lucia took as her abbatial motto: Plus potuit quia plus amavit, which is translated: She was able to do more because she loved more. The text is taken from the Office of St. Scholastica, and is based on a story in the SECOND BOOK OF THE DIALOGUES OF ST. GREGORY THE GREAT, CONTAINING THE LIFE AND MIRACLES OF ST. BENEDICT OF NURSIA. In chapter thirty-three, Of a Miracle Wrought by His Sister Scholastica, St. Gregory recounts that one night St. Scholastica prevailed upon her brother to disobey his Rule and instead of returning to his Abbey with his monks, to stay with her talking and praying through the night. Though she did not tell him why, she knew her death was near. With his strong sense of justice, St. Benedict refused her, but her tears of supplication to God caused a sudden storm that prevented him from leaving. When St. Gregory's disciple Peter, who knew the power of St. Benedict through his miracles, wondered why in this instance St. Benedict did not get his way, Pope St. Gregory explains that St. Scholastica was "...able to do more because she loved more." This year Mother Jadwiga and Mother Lioba celebrated 25th years of vowed life on the feast. PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL May we not soon forget the beautiful words of Hosea we heard this morning: I will espouse you to me forever. May the Lord’s spousal call to each one of us sustain us through whatever desert roads we must travel until we are ready to participate in the wedding feast He has prepared for us, and may we pray in gratitude for all those sisters and brothers in our families and communities and work places who have been Scholastica to our Benedict, or Martha to our Mary, purifying us in self-knowledge, enlarging our hearts through the struggles of daily life, and preparing us to be ready to be fully alive, fully and uniquely ourselves, when our time comes to meet the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord. May more people come to know the goodness and power of St. Scholastica. May she who was not to be deterred from asking for the union she desired with her brother, with the Lord, teach us the art of spiritual conversation: how to listen, how to know what we want, and not be afraid to ask for it with a pure heart; and how to put our bodies into our prayer with a conviction that will pierce the clouds and reach the ears of God. Let us pray to the Lord. Through the intercession of St. Scholastica may our dedication to the call of consecrated life grow ever more intense, more joyful, and more fully actualized so that we might in turn support the Lay Faithful and the Ministerial Priesthood in their many challenges which they face in bringing the truth of Christ out into today’s uncomprehending world. Let us pray to the Lord. For Father Columba and Father Seraphim who renewed at Christ in the Desert who renewed their Vows last night, for blessings upon them, that they might be given the strength of St. Benedict and the merciful heart of St. Scholastica. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Scholastica in gratitude for her abundant generosity expressed in her domain of the preserving room where she daily embodies what was said of St. Scholastica: She could do more because she loved more. Let us pray to the Lord. EPIPHANY 2022 
Raise your eyes and look about! They all gather and come to you. Then you shall be radiant at what you see.May we take to heart the words of the prophet Isaiah who has been our companion in Lectio this Advent and Christmas Season, and who never tires of proclaiming that the light will come, even in the thickest darkness, and when it does the radiance of the light will draw all peoples to itself. In these dark days of mid-winter and pandemic gloom, may we remember in gratitude this assurance given to us in faith, that the light is always there even if the clouds of our fear and pain obscure it for a time. Let is raise our eyes to see the people who come to us from afar and be ready to receive the gifts they bring; however new and unfamiliar they may seem. And may we be ready to give our best in return, even the subtle movements of our hearts and the sorrows that are the inevitable part of every human life. Let us pray to the Lord. May the Announcement of the Movable Feasts traditionally sung on this day to make known to Christians spread across the world, the date of Easter. May hearing it remind us that the light of faith we share revolves around the central reality of Christ life, from Incarnation to Resurrection, as surely as the earth revolves around the sun, and without that centering point, we have no orientation for all that the year ahead will ask of us. Let us pray to the Lord. May the splendor of the East represented by the gifts of the Magi, the treasures they brought with them, their wisdom and learning, and their sensitive attention to the voice of dreams inspire all people today in every walk of life who are struggling with impasses and delays, uncertainty, and unresolvable questions, help them find the patience and focus needed to keep their eyes on the light, however fragile and wavering it might seem to be. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the conviction with which St. Paul held for the inclusion of the gentiles as co-heirs and co-partners in the promise made to the Jewish people, willing to give his life for the truth that we are in fact meant to be One Body in Christ. Let us pray to the Lord. That the Covid virus and all its variants be contained and its spread brought to an end, so that we as a nation and world may begin to heal from the catastrophic effects it has had on our daily lives and may we indeed learn to work as one body, heirs of the same promise in order to bring this healing about. Let us pray to the Lord. SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD 2022 
In gratitude that the Church places before us at the beginning of the year Our Lady, Mother of God, the one who gave of her body and blood in order that God might assume human flesh, and that by that wondrous exchange of Divinity and Humanity we might all be saved. With our eyes fixed firmly on Mary may we be free from the illusion that by our own efforts and New Year’s resolutions we will become the better people we wish to be, but instead try to follow the model Mary gave us and enter this New Year with a “yes” on our lips and let the Holy Spirit lead us to the Child who is waiting for us.
Let us pray to the Lord. Mary pondered all these things in her heart. In wonder at the largeness in Mary’s heart, to hold the vastness of the mystery she was asked to contain and the suffering that it cost her, may our small hearts stretch just a little more this year to embrace the contradictions facing us, and with the faith of Abraham, passed down from generation to generation to Joseph and Mary, may we bring forth the life of Christ in our day, no matter how chaotic and dark the world around us may appear to be, knowing that the darkness cannot overcome the light of Christ. Let us pray to the Lord. May the Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord let His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May these words of blessing set the tone for our exchanges with one another in the year ahead and may no one be left outside that blessing, so that anyone who is alone this New Year’s Day, or fearful, or feeling without hope, may be touched by the prayers of the Church across the world and given the hope for a brighter year to come and the courage for another day. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Alma on her feastday, in gratitude for all she has done as environmental artist to prepare this place for the life of Christ, and may Our Lady continue to be with her as she brings to completion the stained glass window in honor of Mary, Mother of the Church. Let us pray to the Lord. CHRISTMAS 2021 
CHRISTMAS EVE MASSThe people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. That this prophecy of Isiah may not be in vain. Let us, who may have been walking in great darkness throughout the hardships of this past year not refuse the light when it comes, but recognize it. and rejoice in it, and lead others to it, that humankind’s perpetual responses of jealousy and conflict in the face of new life may be transformed by the Divine Child, the Prince of Peace, into the genuine humility Pope Francis is exhorting us to embrace this unique Christmas—this Christmas given to us with all its contradictions and paradoxes in the hope of making it the best one yet. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the faithful witness of the shepherds who were in their fields keeping watch when the angels appeared. May Christ always find such as these, ready to receive the news of His miraculous birth, and may we in turn join our voices with theirs and the singing of the angels, never tiring of proclaiming again another year: Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men of goodwill. Let us pray to the Lord. For the protection of all who are traveling tonight, who may be suffering from cold or threatened by Covid outbreaks, shut out from safe shelter for one reason or another, may we as a community pray the Lord will hasten the day when we can open our doors to guests once again and ask for the grace to renew our dedication to the mission of hospitality needed more than ever in the darkness of our fearful world. Let us pray to the Lord. For the intentions of our Holy Father Pope Francis for whom this Mass if offered. Let us pray to the Lord. 
CHRISTMAS MORNING MASSIn the beginning was the Word. In awe and gratitude for the chance to be momentarily brought back by St. John’s Gospel—to the beginning, to the origins in God of all that is, and has been, and will be. May we not feel the need to understand, so much as to simply be in the presence of the mystery, and may we experience the extravagance of the Christmas liturgies as simply proportionate to the unfathomable depths and height and breadth of the gift that has been given and our limited human capacity to comprehend it. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the joy of sacramental expressions that adorn churches, chapels, and homes today throughout the world—lights and green trees, and crèches, all placed with love to herald the news of the days of Advent longing and desire have been fulfilled. May the symbols of the ‘O’ Antiphons that have prepared us to receive the fullness of Christ’s birth not be forgotten and relegated to something we take out and dust off for one week of the year, but may they retain for us their mysterious power to point the way forward whenever we are seeking Christ’s incarnate presence, whether in His creation, His people, or in our own complicated hearts, never hesitating to pray at any time at any time of year: Come, O come Emmanuel, God with us. Let us pray to the Lord. May we allow each other the time to grow into Christmas as it unfolds in the weeks ahead, accepting each small expression of love, of service, or need, or shared joy, grace upon grace, grace by grace, as we meet Christ in the flesh in those with whom we live, asking ourselves: What more can I do for Christ today? Let us pray to the Lord. For families and communities who are coming together at this time or are struggling to come together, feeling the pain of separations from within and without, may they be especially blessed by the nearness of the Holy Family who knows their hearts from the inside and can be counted on to give them the faith and hope needed to come together and stay together. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 2021 
As we try to contemplate the sublime mystery of the Immaculate Conception, may we not fall into the temptation to focus on the exact opposite which we sometimes are prone to do—seeing only what is wrong with us or our fellow creatures, how much we fall short, how many things are not right or less then they should be—rather, let us remember Gabriel’s words that “Nothing is impossible with God,” and pray for an increase in receptivity to whatever life is given to us to carry, believing the commensurate gift of His grace will also be given so that we may be surprised by love.Let us pray to the Lord. As we consider the contrast of the dialogues presented to us in our readings today, the one from Genesis that marks the beginnings of Humanity’s life on earth and the second from the Gospel of Luke that announces a new creation, transforming the guilt and blame of our origins into the blessing, may we choose to stay in the spirit of Mary’s “yes” to a life beyond her understanding, opening our hearts to all life as given by God, no matter what its challenges and sorrows, and may we rejoice in the freedom that only that “yes” has the power to give. Let us pray to the Lord. May we implore the intercession of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the United States, to be with us at every step of our life’s journey, from conception to the hour of our death, knowing that she who was completely full of grace is the one who can best help us as individuals and as a nation to become newly aware of the sanctity of human life at every stage of its existence and of our obligations to protect and cherish the life of another in the countless ways open to us all every day.” Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all those acts of extravagant self-gift that have sustained this monastery from its conception and which we are privileged to experience today in the renovation of Sheepfold and the raising up of Our Lady of Peace, the transformation of almost every corner of our land, and the restoration of St. Martin’s, in gratitude for these abundant blessings. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING 2021 Catalonia, Spain Let us pray to the Lord. May we be inspired and encouraged by the creativity of Father Pro to be able to proclaim with full conviction: Hail Christ the King! Let us pray to the Lord. For displaced people all over the world, congregating on the borders to which they have been driven in search of refuge, especially along the United States border with Mexico, and the borders of Poland and Belarus; through an outpouring of Grace may they be met with the best of the human heart instead of the fearful rejection and cruel indifference that too often rule in the absence of Christ’s saving love. Let us pray to the Lord. May we be given the Grace in our own circumstances to welcome the refuges who come to us each day, that is anyone who feels outside the circles of safety or peace or belonging, that we artificially draw around ourselves, and that as we have the privilege and joy of restoring the physical structures of our kingdom for community and guests, animals and plants, and the common land we inhabit, may we grow one step closer to embodying the vision of the peaceable kingdom for all. Let us pray to the Lord. May the rulers of the nations take note of Christ’s consummate handling of Pilate’s question: “Are you then a king?”—not threatened or threatening, not combative, not insulting, or loud and triumphalist, rather quietly asserting His purpose and mission: “I came into the world to testify to the truth.” May we find ourselves worthy to be members of Christ’s Kingdom by following His example, testifying to the truth in our own sphere of mission and domain, being willing to suffer for that truth and growing in the inner authority to be witnesses of the Gospel of peace. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for immigrants all over the world. For them let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ALL SAINTS 2021
In the words of St. Augustine that we heard last night at Matins, “We want to see God, we strive to see Him, we long to see Him, who does not? But notice what scripture says: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.’ Provide yourself with that by which you may see Him.”May we implore the intercession of the saints, that they might help us abide in the deceptive simplicity of the Beatitudes, which give us not absolute rules or clear definitions, black and white judgments—only the attitudes of the heart that we need to cultivate as a way of life, as a state of being, until they live within us or we live within them, pure in heart, knowing that no matter how much we struggle or fall short on a given day, we can find our way back to the source of all blessedness, both in this earthly life and if we persevere, in the life to come, when at least we will see God face to face and can rest in the object of all our desire. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the presence with us in the sanctuary today of the relics of eighteen early martyrs of Rome, given to us for safe-keeping by Francoise Wiseman, and lovingly rescued from obscurity by her father after the Spanish Civil War. May these saints intercede for all those today who are suffering persecution for their Faith on whatever level, physically, mentally, socially, that they might survive the time of their great distress by becoming so closely united with Christ, that they are blessed to be in His presence now and for all eternity. Let us pray to the Lord. Knowing that there are an infinite number of paths to holiness, may we encourage and love one another, that no one be excused from becoming a saint because he or she couldn’t find their way in to what they perceived as an exclusive society. Rather, may the Communion of Saints, drawn from every race, nation , people and time on earth and in heaven be our model for true diversity and lasting unity among all peoples and the creation we were given to care for and enjoy together. For the world leaders gathering in Glasgow at this time to consider the global and environmental crisis, may the spirit of the Beatitudes pervade their interactions and guide their policies, so that in the words of Pope Francis, …the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth may be heard. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all those everyday saints who have helped others through the pandemic and in particular for those who have sustained this monastery on its way to completion over the past year. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for Christians everywhere in the world undergoing persecution at this time. Let us pray to the Lord. ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY 2021—FEAST DAY OF THE ABBEY OF REGINA LAUDIS by Mother Telchilde May we join ourselves ever more fully to Mary in the labor of bringing forth the life of Christ on this earth, no matter what the costs, or how long it takes, or how much opposition confronts us, believing in faith that the devouring dragon that rules over the kingdom of death will not and cannot ultimately prevail wherever the life of Christ is genuinely manifest, no matter how small or humble our efforts might seem. And may Regina Laudis, on this, her patronal feast, ask and hope for the grace to become an ever stronger and fearless witness to the truth that Mary’s Assumption holds the key to overcoming so many of the troubles, large and small, that assail our world. Let us pray to the Lord. As we sang at Lauds this morning: Blessed are you, O daughter of the Lord, for through you we have come into communion with the fruit of life. In this harvest season amidst the abundance of the earth’s fertility, may we ask for the grace to see in the fruitfulness of the land, especially the places we will process through this day, another expression of Mary–Queen of Praise, Queen of Heaven, Ark of the New Covenant–appearing not in the sky, but on the earth. May we see her this day still clothed with the sun as it works in unison with the soil and water and loving earthly hands to bring forth the fresh new green of the ferns that now cover the once neglected silt and in the neighboring orchards display the splendor of every shade of crimson, purple, blushing peach, and yellow gold fruit, stirring our collective memory of the original paradise to which we long to return. In gratitude for this sign of Mary’s ongoing presence with us. Let us pray to the Lord. Who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? May we ask ourselves Elizabeth’s question, acknowledging all those times when Mary does come to us, making herself available when we call on her in our need, may we rejoice in the way Mary lived among the People of God throughout her life, always extending herself in relationship—first to the Holy Spirit, to Elizabeth, to the neighboring shepherds and kings from afar, to Anna and Simeon in the Temple, the wedding guests at Cana, the women at the foot of the Cross and at the empty tomb, the Apostles in the Upper Room at Pentecost—in wonder and gratitude that because she is never not in relationship to her Son and to other people, when she is assumed bodily into Heaven, she becomes the guarantor, making it possible for us, imperfect creatures that we are, to participate in the covenantal love she shares with Christ her Lord and ours. With the simplicity of a child may we never hesitate to ask for Mary’s help knowing that she has Jesus’ ear and will surely intercede for us, may she intercede now for all those suffering from Covid-19, from natural disasters, and from political unrest at home and abroad, especially for the people of Afghanistan. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the well-being of families everywhere. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. BENEDICT 2021 Again we hear the emphatic message in the Book of Proverbs this morning exhorting us to incline our ears to wisdom and our heart toward understanding. May we recall and not forget the first words of St. Benedict’s Rule, appreciating his genius for building on the ancient tradition of the Wisdom Literature while making something altogether new of it, giving us the timeless image of inclining not just the heart or the ear, but the ear of the heart, may the promised gifts of the Holy Spirit that flow from this crucial attitude of humility in the face of our Master and Father, draw us ever more deeply into his love and into an ongoing celebration of a rooted and living liberty. Let us pray to the Lord. Blessed are the peacemakers. May we ask the intercession of St. Benedict, Patron of Europe, to help us to bear with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, so that no matter what darkness threatens our world, whether from Man’s own ignorance and violence or from natural catastrophes of every kind, we will not turn on each other, but witness to the enduring possibility of life in community, nos pariter, dedicated all together in a culture built on love. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the way St. Benedict responded to the call of the Beatitudes, giving us a way to incarnate them and put them into action in relation to those we live with every day, may we be his faithful followers, clinging to the wisdom of his Rule whenever we are faced with adversity so that our hearts may indeed become large enough to embrace all divisions and sufferings, inspiring us not just to walk, but to run in the ways of forgiveness and reconciliation. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the explosion of new life that surrounds us at this time through the goodness of so many people seeking to build up this monastery as a center of prayer and peace for the future, may the blessings of St. Benedict flow to all who have given themselves so generously, and may we live so as to be worthy of the gift. Let us pray to the Lord. For all in this community and throughout the monastic world who are celebrating their anniversaries today. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL 2021 Schwarzach, Photograph by Ralph Hammann Let us pray to the Lord. Amidst the complexity, cacophony of so many voices in our present culture and in the Church itself, may we implore the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul to keep us steadfast in the gift of Faith that has been entrusted to each of us, not sacrificing either truth or unity, but believing in the transcendent power of Christ’s cross to reconcile what is humanly beyond us, so that we may be ready to answer unhesitatingly when He asks: But who do you say that am? Let us pray to the Lord. For the People of China and those called to serve the Church there, that the combined gifts of Saints Peter and Paul may help them find the creative and lasting ways to open the rich heritage of that ancient and diverse civilization to the love of Christ. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those suffering from the extreme weather patterns across the globe, especially the Pacific Northwest, unprepared for such intense heat, may these occurrences spur us to heed the cautionary words of Pope Francis and attempt with greater urgency to the needs of our Common Home, the suffering earth. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION 2021  French Book of Hours Let us pray to the Lord. May the celebration of the Feast of the Annunciation this year, marking as it does our entrance into Holy Week, help us to see the mysteries of Christ’s incarnation and redemption as one eternal, ever present reality, and Mary’s Fiat as the indispensable beginning of humanity’s longed-for reconciliation with the Father. Let us pray to the Lord. May we be blessed with the grace to say “yes” to the small ways we are asked to participate in this ongoing movement of reconciliation between God and Man, with our fellow men, and with creation, recognizing the signs that have already been given to us and allowing them to change our choices and our lives. Let us pray to the Lord. May we rededicate ourselves to the daily prayer of the Angelus so that our bells may continue to announce the message of the Angel, offering hope and consolation to a world so in need. Let us pray to the Lord. In union with Our Lady may stand in trust and faith and love against the terrible spiral of accelerating violence that threatens to engulf our country, and by the witness of our prayer console those suffering the unspeakable loss of their loved ones. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all those angels in our lives who offer us a life-saving word and in gratitude for all the Marys, specifically Sister John Mary on her feast day, in gratitude for all the ways she makes the Annunciation an incarnate reality in our lives through the Word, through presentation, through fragrance, and her signature key lime pie. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST JOSEPH 2021  Let us pray to the Lord. May St. Joseph who was not afraid to take Mary into his home and with her whatever judgment might come to them both, help restore a culture that has become so quick to judge, condemn, and shame in retaliation rather than true justice based in love. Let us pray to the Lord. May St. Joseph come to the aid of families everywhere who are suffering separation, dislocation, and loss on so many levels at this time, and may we trust that he who faced all these trials with constancy and faith will help us to attune our hearts to hear the Holy Spirit even in our dreams, directing us how to make the next step on what may seem a bewildering path. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all men of faith who have in some way responded to the call to take the Child and His Mother and sacrificed themselves to be fathers of the lives God has sometimes unexpectedly put in their hands, to protect, watch over, care for, and love—we pray in a special way for those who have been Joseph to this community over the course of many years. Let us pray to the Lord. And lest we ever forget that a building is to serve the people who dwell there, may we implore St. Joseph, son of David, heir of the promise made to Abraham, and earthly father of the One who was to fulfill that promise, that he may watch over our new monastery and all those who come to it seeking Christ, that we may always contribute to the building up of the Kingdom of God on earth and be made worthy to be members of His household. Let us pray to the Lord. For the health and intentions of our Holy Father Pope Francis for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. SCHOLASTICA 2021 
BACKGROUND TO THE FEASTFebruary 10th is the Feast of St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict. Mother Abbess Lucia took as her abbatial motto: Plus potuit quia plus amavit, which is translated: She was able to do more because she loved more. The text is taken from the Office of St. Scholastica, and is based on a story in the SECOND BOOK OF THE DIALOGUES OF ST. GREGORY THE GREAT, CONTAINING THE LIFE AND MIRACLES OF ST. BENEDICT OF NURSIA. In chapter thirty-three, Of a Miracle Wrought by His Sister Scholastica, St. Gregory recounts that one night St. Scholastica prevailed upon her brother to disobey his Rule and instead of returning to his Abbey with his monks, to stay with her talking and praying through the night. Though she did not tell him why, she knew her death was near. With his strong sense of justice, St. Benedict refused her, but her tears of supplication to God caused a sudden storm that prevented him from leaving. When St. Gregory's disciple Peter, who knew the power of St. Benedict through his miracles, wondered why in this instance St. Benedict did not get his way, Pope St. Gregory explains that St. Scholastica was "...able to do more because she loved more." PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL I will espouse you to me in faithfulness and you shall come to know the Lord. Though it may take different expressions and we may come to it by different routes at different times in our lives, may each of us come at last to the liberating truth that the one necessary thing is for us to draw closer to Christ. And though it may cost us a lot to hold onto it once we find it, may we risk everything to stay in conversation with Christ, even for a brief moment, as both Mary and Martha did in their different ways, and as St. Scholastica and St. Benedict did on that fateful night she insisted he stay and speak with her of the mysteries of the life to come. Let us pray to the Lord. May we have the grace to help each other in the search, not standing in the way of a sister or brother in their moment of coming to know the Lord, but making space and time for them as our own way of drawing closer to the inexhaustible and inclusive love He holds for each of us, for though we do not know what Christ is saying to Mary, we know the tenderness He held for her sister as He spoke to her heart, “Martha, Martha.” Let us pray to the Lord. That St. Scholastica’s womanly strength and certitude in the power of prayer inform all those who follow the Benedictine way of life, men and woman alike, that together we might witness to the possibility of a life in community, not ignoring the inexorable fraternal conflicts of a daily life in which there is always more to do than is humanly possible, but assuming the struggle into a higher order of relationship whereas Hosea says: “Mercy and justice are one”, and it becomes possible to give precedence to one another, rather than canceling each other out. Plus potuit quia plus amavit. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those in this community and monasteries throughout the world who celebrate anniversaries on this feast or who bear the name of Scholastica, may we pray in gratitude for all the blessings we have received through her intercession and for the grace to stay faithful to her challenge to: Love more. Let us pray to the Lord. May St. Scholastica intercede for all those who are waiting for the vaccine at this time. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Scholastica on her feastday and for her family, that she may be for them a source of strength and consolation. Let us pray to the Lord.
In the prophetic words of Isaiah in today’s first reading we heard: “Your heart shall throb and overflow.” In wonder that the journey Isaiah invited us to undertake at the beginning of Advent has come to this climatic moment when the star that has been drawing the Magi, the shepherds, and the animals and the angels finally comes to rest over the place where the Christ Child lies in the manger, that stillpoint around which all the energies in heaven and on earth have been gathering to receive the manifestation of the truth of Christ’s divinity—let us follow the Magi in the only fitting response to the gift given to us, opening our overflowing hearts as they opened their treasures, so the Love Incarnate may be received by our love and He may teach us how to open our gifts to one another.
Let us pray to the Lord. May the graces of this feast help us to accept that the glorious moment of revelation and universal joy is necessarily brief, for it must be seen in the context of the whole Paschal Mystery, as the light rises it draws the darkness of Herod’s jealousy, fear, and ambition, causing the Magi to have to leave quickly, the Holy Family to go into exile, the innocent children of Bethlehem to be slaughtered. May we not be surprised then that the forces of light and darkness continue to battle in our own day as they have always done, but like Joseph and the Magi, may we stay close to the guiding light that will help us find another way to circumvent the dangers that will threaten innocent life. Let us pray to the Lord. May our country rediscover the truth that the only way to ensure peace and unity among men is for us all to come together in the service of a transcendent good and may there be leaders raised up among us who will resolutely follow that star of truth to whatever darkness must be faced. Let us pray to the Lord. That the generous spirit of the Magi inspire nations of the world to cooperate in sharing the treasure of the vaccine with as many people as possible, as quickly as possible that we may together see the dawning light of end of the Covid-19 virus. Let us pray to the Lord.  Illustrated by Mother Placid Dempsey The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you! The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace! May Mary, Blessed among women, help us to grow in our life of prayer, reawakening in us a sense of the need to bless and be blessed, so that as we hear over and over again during these days of the pandemic the words: “Stay well,” or “Be Safe,” we might acknowledge in these humble phrases a deep prayer in the heart of mankind and a plea to the only one who can really keep us safe, God our common Father and source of all blessing. Let us pray to the Lord. O Admirabile Commercium! As we heard in the lessons of Matins last night the early Church Fathers pondering the unfathomable reality of a Savior who is both completely Man and completely God, and therefore, Mary, though human, must be deserving of the ultimate title: Mother of God. May we not give up or withdraw in the face of our limited understanding of this mystery of the perfect co-mingling of the human and divine, but like Mary, ponder all these things in our hearts along with all the unsolvable small problems and seeming contradictions of our daily lives, trusting that God will hold all things in perfect balance, will give us what we need to know in His chosen time. Let us pray to the Lord. For blessings in Mother Alma on her feastday, in gratitude for her maternal labor in bringing forth the body of our new chapel and monastery, may she be given every gift of the Holy Spirit to work with the other members of New Horizons and the whole community to bring the work peacefully to completion, so that it might shine back to her and to all who see it the love and joy of the Creator Himself. Let us pray to the Lord. As we stand on the threshold of the New Year may we not be lulled into expecting 2021 to be magically different or better than the past difficult year, but rather, cultivate within ourselves a new heart and a new spirit that will make out of whatever the Lord sends us something new, something better than we have known before and may the year ahead by characterized by people taking the risk to reach out to one another, to share what they have, to assist another in need, or open a door to reconciliation. Let us pray to the Lord. CHRISTMAS 2020  Illustrated by Mother Placid Dempsey On this Christmas Night, may we take Joseph and Mary as our models and no matter what confusion or fear or even heart break we face as we are called to bring forth new life, may we courageously embrace whatever God’s sends us, not demanding to understand but trusting in his love and infinite mercy. Let us pray to the Lord. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. As people the world over have had their lives disrupted in countless ways by the corona virus, may we turn our gaze now to the even more powerful light of Christ, the very source of all life and healing, the source of love itself. May he be reborn in people’s hearts, dispelling the darkness of what seems impossible, and making way for what Pope Francis calls an “overflow” moment, “when the ocean of God’s love bursts the dam of our self sufficiency and so allows for a new imagination of what is possible.” Let us pray to the Lord. That the birth of our Savior foretold by Isaiah may not remain only a symbol to be dreamed about or a distant past event, but rather an ongoing and transformative power that we invite into our hearts to bring about our conversion and lasting change. May we call evermore urgently upon the Incarnate Lord to help us in our daily struggles when we need the wisdom and understanding of a Wonder -Counselor, the strength and fortitude of a God-Hero, the loving firmness of an Eternal Father and the reconciling power of the Prince of Peace. Let us pray to the Lord. Let us not forget that Christ chose to be born in Bethlehem in a very humble place, a stable or a cave, amidst sheep and cattle and donkeys, so that right from the beginning he was teaching us that the way to find him was through the world he had made, his Creation. May our new chapel, evocative of a stable, centered by the stained-glass window of Mary and the Child in her womb, and encircled by images from the Psalms of Praise, inspire us to renew our commitment to care for the riches of creation entrusted to us, and may we do so with ever greater joy. Let us pray to the Lord.  CHRISTMAS MORNING MASS In the beginning was the. Word. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. In joy and wonder that our faith stretches us in the space of just 24 hours from the birth of a very particular child in a stable in Bethlehem of Palestine to the sublime reality of Christ’s union with the Father as he existed before all time , the only begotten Son of the Father, from forever to forever. In these days of Christmas let us be free to experience this Mystery, not as a contradiction but a contraposition of two eternal truths, patient with the confusion and fatigue of one another as we struggle with the tension between longing for Incarnation and acceptance of the limits of the human realty. Let us pray to the Lord. “Shepherds whom have you seen? Tell us.” May we all take the time in the days ahead to ask each other what each one has seen, how Christ was uniquely manifested this year. And let us treasure the exchanges given to us in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, knowing they are not accidental, but part of a bigger purpose and plan of God. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those who are suffering separation from loved ones this Christmas. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those working to care for those stricken with the Covid virus and those working to distribute the vaccine. Let us pray to the Lord. That we may call on the angels to help guide our decisions and choices in the days ahead, , that all may use discretion and caution to bring the ravages of this pandemic under control. Let us pray to the Lord. For all priests pouring themselves out in these days to bring Mass to the People of God in multiple places and parishes throughout the Christmas season. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 2020 
As this feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary challenges us to confront the unquenchable longing in the human soul for perfection, for wholeness, for pure innocence, a longing that did not perish when creation fell to the serpent’s deceit, but grew all the stronger in the face of what had been lost, may we not be distracted by the myriad substitutes and facsimiles the world still offers as paths to happiness, but strive to unite ourselves to Mary’s eternal “yes” to God which will open for us again a path to a new heaven and a new earth.
Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the new stained glass windows in our chapel which so playfully, prayerfully evoke the wonders of God’s creation as expressed in the psalms, may they be in some small way a reminder for us of Mary through whose immaculate transparency God revealed the fullness of His presence in the incarnate being of His Son. Let us pray to the Lord. Mary was just a girl, a young girl when the Angel Gabriel appeared to her in Nazareth and yet, in spite of her questioning and her troubled spirit she responded with the strength and dignity and decisiveness of a woman. May we ask her now to help us see in the ordinary events of our days that God is in fact still fulfilling His great purposes but depends on our “yes” in each moment given to us, that no matter how flawed or confused or imperfect we may feel, His presence is still everywhere and always will be accessible to us if we would but say with her “Thy will be done.” Let us pray to the Lord. Recognizing that each child is in some way exceptional may we ask Mary and Joseph, Saints Ann and Joachim, Saints Elizabeth and Zechariah to come to the aid of all parents with exceptional children, giving them the strength to stand by them in their suffering beyond what seems humanly possible. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Maria Immaculata on her feast day and in gratitude for all the ways she says “yes” to what’s humanly impossible every day. Let us pray to the Lord. For the health and the well-being of the Regina Laudis Community for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING 2020 
On this last Sunday of the year when the chants of the Mass recapitulate the music of all the great Feasts of the whole year and the Church focuses our attention on the Last Judgment, may we make the most of this opportunity to prepare for the last things, finding hope in the promise of Christ’s final victory over death in the Resurrection.
Let us pray to the Lord. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered When it was cloudy and dark. I myself will pasture my sheep. I myself will give them rest, says the Lord God. In an age when all authority is contested and power often abused, may we continue to learn from our sheep, whom we have the privilege to care for, how to lead through physical presence and self-gift, through humble attentiveness to all who need healing or are in danger of being lost. And in special supplication for this spirit of the Good Shepherd to inform all who have responsibility for governing our country at this time. Let us pray to the Lord. As we heard in our Matins reading last night from St. Hippolytus: Come my Father’s blessed ones, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Come, you lovers of poor people and strangers. Come, you who fostered my love, for I am love. Come, you who shared peace, for I am peace. In profound gratitude for the discovery of vaccines that can prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Let us pray that they be safely and justly distributed to everyone, from the least to the greatest, to those most in need first, in this country and across the globe, so that Christ’s Kingdom of peace and mercy may begin here on this earth and that he may recognize us as his children in the kingdom to come. Let us pray to the Lord. For the guidance and renewing presence of the Holy Spirit for all Religious communities seeking to live the Apostolic values of love and brotherhood handed down to us from the earliest days of the Church, that we may be a strong force for good, helping to build Christ’s Kingdom amidst a people battle-worn and hungry for truth. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ALL SAINTS 2020 
May we find in the beatitudes the courageous and passionate response we need to whatever distress the world has to offer us: from the pandemic, to politics, to pain of every kind–that we might come to treasure this central teaching of Christ, not as an unattainable ideal, but as a gradual course in how to be a saint, a practical way to examine our lives from the perspective of the Church Triumphant, of those in heaven who have been perfected in love.
Let us pray to the Lord. If we hunger and thirst, is it for righteousness or some end of our own making? If we seek peace, what kind of peace is it? And how committed are we to creating it? Are we so absorbed in our own pain that we cannot comfort another? Do we need to ask ourselves if we might be unknowingly accusing sister or brother falsely? For the courage to ask ourselves if we are doing our best to live in communion with each other now in hope that through the gift of Christ’s redemptive love, we might one day live in communion with Him and His saints eternally. Let us pray to the Lord. Of all the great host of intercessors in heaven, especially our own personal patrons, let us appeal to one saint or saint in the making today, for the intercession of Blessed Father McGivney, beloved native son of Connecticut, that he might come to the aid of all priests struggling in these uncertain times and help galvanize the Lay Faithful to find new ways to work together, looking beyond present differences to act as one body in Christ for the building up of His Church and the world. Let us pray to the Lord. May all the community take the time to contemplate the beauty of our new basement floor as an image of pristine receptivity. May it inspire us to care for our Common Home with reverence ad with gratitude for all who worked to provide it for us. Let us pray to the Lord. With gratitude to Tim and George for the generous gifts they bring to us, giving us the foretaste of the joy of the heavenly banquet to come, for blessings on them, their families, and all their intentions. Let us pray to the Lord. That all may be safe from violence in the coming days and that the right and privilege of a free democratic election for all the nation’s citizens may prevail. Let us pray to the Lord. ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY 2020—FEAST DAY OF THE ABBEY OF REGINA LAUDIS by Mother Telchilde Let us pray to the Lord. May we pray to participate in our own limited way in the total freedom of Mary’s “yes” to God which she gave from the moment of her Immaculate Conception to the final moments of her life on earth, always with a completer “yes”, body and soul, undivided—may we ask her help to shed all the resistances we have to be assumed, taken into the unknown of God’s love which is always so much bigger and more wonderful than we feel we can handle. Let us pray to the Lord. As we labor to assume each new aspect of the new monastery into its incarnational operative being, may we allow ourselves to be assumed into the plan of God, held from forever to forever for Regina Laudis, wherever it leads, so that we may continue to grow in the strength of the covenantal love of which the monastery is meant to be a sign, and may Our Lady, Queen of Praise, find here a worthy dwelling to bless with her abiding presence on earth. For Sister Judith on her feast day and in gratitude for all she has assumed for the continuity of Regina Laudis and for her family. Let us pray to the Lord. For the Community of Our Lady of the Rock—Mother Prioress Therese, Mother Noella, Mother Dilecta, Mother Hildegard, Mother Catarina and Mother Felicitas—for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. BENEDICT 2020 
Blessed are peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.
St. Pope Paul VI writes that St. Benedict was given the title of Father of Europe because at the darkest time of their history, he inspired the diverse peoples of that continent with “the love of order upon which their social life depended.” He did this with the Cross, the Book and the Plow. May we implore St. Benedict’s intercession at this dark time, that he might inspire the people of this country to reorder our lives and priorities, and rediscover the centrality of ora et labora in the work of building unity in diversity, the only true foundation for lasting peace. As his very name means “blessed”, happy in the Lord, may St. Benedict call us daily to live in the spirit of the Beatitudes, thus opening the smallest tasks and exchanges of everyday life to the loving touch of God’s presence here on earth. And may the grace of his abundant blessings permeate all we do with meaning, allowing the most humble expressions of love to be transformed, elevated and multiplied through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray to the Lord. May the women in the community celebrating their anniversaries today, and there are many of them, know a renewal of the fervor of their original call to follow St. Benedict’s Rule, and may all those men and women in whatever phase of the process they are in—just starting out on the path, or seasoned veterans who have known many cycles of monastic possession and dispossession—may all be blessed with a glimpse today of that dilatato corde, the expansion of heart and sweetness of love promised by St. Benedict to all those who persevere in the call to follow him. Let us pray to the Lord. May St. Benedict, the tireless builder, speed the completion of our monastery and protect all those who are laboring to finish it. Let us pray to the Lord. Blessed are those who mourn. For all those suffering from the corona virus, or who have lost a loved one to it, or have experienced the end of their livelihood because of it, may their cries bring about an end to this terrible disease and may we all lift our voices in supplication for St. Benedict’s intercession. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for PEACE in our communities and in our country. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL 2020  in the new Atrium May we continue to reflect deeply in Lectio on the Acts of the Apostles and in particular the story of Sts. Peter and Paul, as we strive to grow in our ability to live in a constant tension between disorder and harmony, trusting in the creative tension provoked by the Holy Spirit as he stirs up the precise complementary charisms needed to bring the Church forward on every level, both universal and local. Let us pray to the Lord. The voice of St. Peter: Now I know for certain….You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. The words of St. Paul: I am already being poured out like a libation. I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. In gratitude for the lives of the men Christ chose to found his Church, Peter and Paul, imperfect, headstrong, resistant to God in so many ways, and yet capable of making a complete gift of self through countless trials and purification in love, witnessing to the truth that human beings can change, and leaving us the legacy of a Church based in the principles of human relationship that are so endangered in our present culture: an understanding of process, the necessity of conversion of heart, the value of suffering and sacrifice, the conviction that the grace of redemption and forgiveness is available to all. In profound gratitude, let us pray to the Lord. May we grow ever stronger in our capacity to acknowledge and revere those among us who are willing to sustain the tension of complementary perspectives and roles, thereby transforming the futility of polarization into the life-giving complementarity that we all desire. Let us pray to the Lord. For the gift of Fortitude for all people as we face the long, long work ahead not just to restore society, but to raise it up even a little bit from where we were before the pandemic. And with urgent supplication that we not be provoked by frustration and fear into scapegoating others or lashing out in random acts of violence, but hold fast to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF JOHN THE BAPTIST 2020 
When the townspeople in today’s Gospel protest, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name,” Zachariah stands with his wife Elizabeth and confirms the announcement: “John is his name.”
As we celebrate today the singular call of St. John the Baptist who inaugurated the gospel by dancing before Christ in his mother’s womb, the greatest of all the prophets and the closest to Christ by blood and by mission, may we ask that through his intercession many new prophetic voices be raised up from this desert time we have been given to face, that the suffering, injustices and losses of all kinds may not be an end, but a preparation for something new and life-giving, drawing us closer to Christ as individuals and as a people. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for Mother Dolores and all assisting her in the Education Deanery, on their feast day, that we may continue to provide each woman in the community with the way to face the wilderness within her own being, coming through all the phases of personal becoming: instinctual freedom, the discipline of fraternal justice, and the capacity to dedicate oneself in love, all on the way to forming a strong union of monastic persons for the life of the Church. As the cosmos itself now begins to register the turn toward a decrease of the light, may all people take to heart St. John’s words: “I must decrease that he may increase,” realizing that nothing of lasting value will be accomplished apart from this attitude of humility and the greatest problem of today is not the tearing down of statues from the past, but rather what leaders will we all be able to accept as representatives of a more just and inclusive order. Let us pray to the Lord. As St. John the Baptist was known for his simplicity of life and disciplined use of creative resources, may he help guide us in our own journey toward implementing in our own circumstances the mandate of Laudato Sí. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those researchers working to find a safe vaccine for the Covid virus as soon as possible. Let us pray to the Lord. SACRED HEART 2020 
On this feast of the Sacred Heart may we plumb the depths of the revelation of Christ’s desire for us in his Sacred Heart, may we read the Book of Nature, the Book of Scripture, and the teachings of the Church, appreciating the beautiful order of creation designed for us in every detail from the smallest pine cone to the harmonics of the simple note, to the astounding wonder that man and woman were created to be complimentary participants in the Covenant of Love, even designed to sing together.Let us pray to the Lord. Come to me all you who labor and are burdened and I will give you rest. For all those who are feeling the yoke they have been asked to carry is beyond their strength, that through the abundance of mercy flowing from the loving heart of Jesus, they, we, all of us may be lifted up and given the grace to face all the impossible tasks that confront humanity at every turn today, beginning right here in our School of the Lord’s Service where we have the opportunity to face again and again the simplest most challenging commandment: Love one another. Let us pray to the Lord. As we heard in the words of St. Bonaventure last night at Matins: “The flowing stream that issued from the side of Christ as he slept on the Cross became the blood and water of the rebirth of the Church, the renewed stream flowing from the middle of Paradise, a stream eternal and inaccessible flowing sweet and clear, the fountain of life itself…” may this living water flow into hearts everywhere making it possible to renew the waters of the earth that have been desecrated by Man’s hardness of heart and blindness to the gift of creation that belongs to us all. Let us pray to the Lord. That the inexhaustible love of the Sacred Heart for all humanity may be made known in some small tangible way to all those suffering from the Covid-19 virus, from racial injustice, and from the environmental abuses of all kinds, that this Divine Love may lead us to new inclusive non-violent ways to remedy these intractable and interrelated global afflictions which affect us all and for which we are all responsible. Let us pray to the Lord. For a renewal of contemplative monastic life for men and women in this country and in the world. Let us pray to the Lord. For continued blessings on the work of New Horizons. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for all those suffering from the effects of environmental degradation and those working to change it. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF CORPUS CHRISTI 2020 GOLDEN JUBILEE OF MOTHER SCHOLASTICA AND MOTHER DILECTA 
Lauda, Zion Salvatorem! Zion praise your Savior and let our praise be full of delight
and beauty, for this is the festival day to commemorate the first institution of this table.May we become ever more assimilated to the Eucharistic bread and wine that we share with all who come to his table throughout the world, believing that we, though many, imperfect and disparate as we are, become one loaf, one body in him, and therefore witnesses to his limitless goodness and love, the only power strong enough to give lasting solutions, in little ways, to the great social injustices and abuses of our time. May our joy and conviction in the nuptial gift we have been given draw more and more people to his table to receive the sacrament of unity in the bond of peace. Let us pray to the Lord. In particular we rejoice that within this festival of praise and thanksgiving, this wedding feast of the lamb, we are blessed to celebrate with Mother Scholastica Lenkner and Mother Dilecta Planansky 50 years of vowed monastic life, 50 years of marriage to Christ, their bridegroom, for whom they both have given of their very selves, body and blood, since they vowed themselves to God at Regina Laudis on the same day in 1970. Though Mother Dilecta eventually felt the call to go back to her beloved West to join the community of Our Lady of the Rock and Mother Scholastica stayed at Regina Laudis, we give gratitude for their perseverance and the fruitfulness of their Consecration, especially through certain shared loves: for the earth itself, for food fresh from the garden, for cows and all good things that come from them, and for the written word, especially poetry, though that might be a comic ballad for one and a haiku for the other. Let us pray to the Lord. As we continue to pray for the Pandemic to end and to be able to celebrate these Golden Jubilees with family and friends and Mother Dilecta herself before the year is out, may we pause to reflect for a minute on who these women in our midst are to us and invoke in this day’s celebration the spirit of an occasional dance. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude to Mother Scholastica for the countless ways she has shared the gifts of her Slovakian and German genealogy, transforming and preserving the harvest of all the fruits of the earth into a constant stream of delicious food that has literally fed multitudes, extending the Eucharistic reality we strive to embody through every gift bag full of bread and jam generously prepared and happily received, making visible the truth that the whole community is contained in the fragment that goes out. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude to Mother Dilecta, true Polish daughter of the Church who brought St. Pope John Paul II and his writings to us, with such devotion. May we thank her today for her faithful care as sacristan and liturgist at Our Lady of the Rock, for getting in the hay and seeing to both the dairy cows and the beef herd there, for stewarding the vegetable garden and greenhouse and for countless services too many to name. May the Lord grant both Mother Scholastica and Mother Dilecta good health for many years to come and the deep joy of seeing their labors taken forward by a new generation. Let us pray to the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord. TRINITY SUNDAY 2020 
Where understanding fails, praise begins. In gratitude to God the Father, slow to anger and rich in kindness, who in His limitless love made man and woman in His image from the beginning and entrusted the world He had created to our care. In gratitude to God the Son, who came to redeem us by assuming flesh and blood like ours with all attendant joys and sufferings that that brings, to belonging to a particular place and genealogy, a unique human body with its own eye color and voice and skin color. In gratitude to God the Holy Spirit, who in His limitless love sustains the ongoing work of creation and redemption each day by the outpouring of His gifts into our hearts making it possible for us to be relational people with each other and with God.
Let us pray to the Lord. Brothers and Sisters, mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace. No matter how far we fall from this ideal in our communities and neighborhoods and institutions, may we never give up hope, believing that no matter how stiff-necked a people we are, Christ did not come to condemn us but to save us, and in His love all nations can be reconciled. Let us pray to the Lord. Black lives matter. As our community takes this day of prayer to meditate on the events surrounding the death of George Floyd, may we truly take to heart our own responsibility for the racism that’s embedded in our nation and in each one of us if we are honest with ourselves, so that we might with the help of the Trinity make a more just and merciful society, based in the brotherhood Christ died to give us. Let us pray to the Lord. For blessing on our first hay harvest. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for George Floyd and all victims of police brutality. For Breonna Taylor and all the countless black men and women who have died as a result of racial hatred and oppression. Let us pray to the Lord. PENTECOST 2020 
Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? Recognizing that each person in a sense speaks his own native language and that’s it’s always a miracle of the Spirit’s presence when one person truly understands another at depth, we pray in profound gratitude for the sending of the Holy Spirit as the climatic fulfillment of Christ’s redemptive mission. May we never forget His words to us, that he did not leave us orphans, but rather, He abides with us today and always in the midst of whatever chaos and tribulation we face in this world.
Let us pray to the Lord. As our country, still devastated and vulnerable with the ongoing demands of fighting the Pandemic, now erupts in protest at the long-festering wounds of unchecked racism, and there is a fear we will spiral into darkness, may the hope presented by St. Paul of mankind acting as one body in the same Spirit, exercising the manifold gifts of service entrusted uniquely to each, may this vision not be a forgotten dream or dismissed in cynicism, rather, may we renew our commitments to work and pray in whatever circumstances we are in for this unity in Spirit. Let us pray to the Lord. Peace be with you. And again Christ says to the Apostles: Peace be with you, before breathing upon them His Holy Spirit, remembering that right order is not something that can be imposed from the outside, peace is an inner gift of the Holy Spirit that we must choose to receive, and as we pray with our most urgent prayers that order be restored to our cities in turmoil, may we never stop praying for the peace given through the Spirit which is our best hope of lasting freedom and unity among all. Let us pray to the Lord. To this end may we continue to pray for the seven-fold gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, fortitude, knowledge, understanding, counsel, piety, and fear of the Lord, asking for them to be poured out for those in the battle to contain the Covid-19 virus and for all those working to bring about social justice united in one common cause for the good of all. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the beauties of Spring, seeing the return of Spring as one of the most wonderful mighty works of God. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered in supplication to the Holy Spirit that he may visit every situation of violence currently gripping our nation and bring consolation to all those crying out for justice, mercy and healing. Let us pray to the Lord. ASCENSION THURSDAY 2020 
And behold I am with you always even unto the end of the Age. May the presence of these exquisite flowers, the elevation of the beautiful paschal candle which we have had so little time to enjoy this mysterious Paschaltide, and the joyous return of Monsignor Tucker remind us of the inestimable gift of Christ’s ongoing presence in the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Mass in which we are privileged to share, in profound gratitude.
Let us pray to the Lord. Don’t depart from Jerusalem, wait for the promise of my Father to be fulfilled. In these critical days of transition when the country is waking from its long confinement and the human spirit is restless to be on the move, may Christ’s strong message to the Apostles to stay together in Jerusalem and pray for the coming of the Spirit resound in the hearts of people everywhere, that we may stay vigilant and mindful of what is best for the common good of all, even as we take our first steps forward. Let us pray to the Lord. Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven? May the eyes of our hearts be truly enlightened through the grace of Christ’s ascension, allowing us to turn our gaze away from our confused expectations, doubts, and disappointments about the way we imaged things would turn out, and instead, with new eyes taking heart by finding the joy in what is and in the belief that by going ahead to take His place with the Father, Christ has prepared a place for us, bridging once and for all the chasm between heaven and earth, filling all things in every way with His life and grace and goodness if we but open ourselves to the Spirit moving among us every day, and just do our best. Let us pray to the Lord. For an end to the Pandemic. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and protection as the world reopens after these days of intense quarantine. Let us pray to the Lord. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Mass was not celebrated during the Sacred Triduum 2020. FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION 2020  Let us pray to the Lord. May we not miss the signs of new life being born all around us at this time, as creation awakens with the everlasting and perennial presence of the Holy Spirit and may these signs of new life help us to witness to hope for all those looking to us for reassurance, that Christ may be born in us this day. Let us pray to the Lord. That Our Lady may hear the cries of her children across the world asking for an end to this virus. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF SAINT JOSEPH 2020 
That St. Joseph who protected Mary and the Child Jesus from the moment of His conception in the midst of every kind of earthly trial, come to the aid of families everywhere suffering from the virus, or enduring quarantine, separated from loved ones, or in danger of losing their livelihood and means of support—that in this crisis, with St. Joseph as a model, humanity may awaken to a new awareness of our complete dependence on God and on the charity of one another with whom we are inextricably connected and for whom we are responsible.
Let us pray to the Lord. May we implore the intercession of St. Joseph, Son of David, courageous man of faith, to show us the ways to keep vigilant and resilient as we experience in some small way our time of exile in Egypt, a time of prolonged fasting and uncertainty—may we, like Joseph, stay alert to our angels, asking St. Michael to defend us in the battle, St. Raphael to heal and console the suffering, St. Gabriel to keep us listening for the word of God whenever a discernment must be made, and asking for the united force of our guardian angels to life up our drooping spirits and show us the way to take the next step. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. SCHOLASTICA 2020 
BACKGROUND TO THE FEASTFebruary 10th is the Feast of St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict. Mother Abbess Lucia took as her abbatial motto: Plus potuit quia plus amavit, which is translated: She was able to do more because she loved more. The text is taken from the Office of St. Scholastica, and is based on a story in the SECOND BOOK OF THE DIALOGUES OF ST. GREGORY THE GREAT, CONTAINING THE LIFE AND MIRACLES OF ST. BENEDICT OF NURSIA. In chapter thirty-three, Of a Miracle Wrought by His Sister Scholastica, St. Gregory recounts that one night St. Scholastica prevailed upon her brother to disobey his Rule and instead of returning to his Abbey with his monks, to stay with her talking and praying through the night. Though she did not tell him why, she knew her death was near. With his strong sense of justice, St. Benedict refused her, but her tears of supplication to God caused a sudden storm that prevented him from leaving. When St. Gregory's disciple Peter, who knew the power of St. Benedict through his miracles, wondered why in this instance St. Benedict did not get his way, Pope St. Gregory explains that St. Scholastica was "...able to do more because she loved more." PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL “I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.” I will allure into the desert and speak tenderly to her. In gratitude for the paradigm of genuine fraternal love set before us today in the lives of St. Scholastica and St. Benedict and in the story of Martha and Mary, dramatizing for us the daily struggle we all have to know what is the one necessary thing and showing us that for each of us it will take a different form or emphasis, the sequence and balance of our Ora et Labora will always be uniquely our own. But for each it is necessary to hear the Word of God and put it into action as totally as we can, without counting the cost, without comparison or judgment of the other, without murmuring; but rather with gratitude for all those accompanying us on the way, persevering with us until our desire to be with the Lord is transformed into love in His presence, no matter what we are doing and which is its own reward. Let us pray to the Lord. "Blessed are those who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb." For Father Columba, Father Seraphim, Brother Faith, and Brother Efren who will profess their simple vows at Christ in the Desert Monastery today. May they be infused by the strength of St. Benedict and the tenderness of St. Scholastica to live their Benedictine vows freely and fully, becoming a model of true brotherhood among men who come from the four corners of the world: India, Mexico, Ghana, and Canada, and as each hears the voice of the Lord in his own language, may he be given the grace to speak that Word of the Gospel as only he can do, while working together to build up the corporate witness of monastic life in the desert where it first began and from whence it must be renewed. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the blessings of our time of retreat, may we each take the gift of insight and understanding forward now into the incarnate experience of our life in Christ that is always life in community. Let us pray to the Lord. May our patroness St. Scholastica, represented by the dove, intercede for all those who are in danger especially where innocence is threatened by either physical assault or by misunderstanding and slander. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for Brothers Seraphim, Faith, Efren, and Columba on the day of their First Profession and for Christ in the Desert Monastery. Let us pray to the Lord. EPIPHANY 2020 
"And your heart shall throb and overflow." Following these words of Isiah we have heard this morning, may we keep our gaze on the guiding light of the stars sent to us, so that we ourselves reflect the radiance of what we see and let ourselves be taken into the joyful mystery set before us this day, when the Magi, the most learned men of their day, rich and powerful though they were, sought unceasingly through risk and hardship, to find the King who had been foretold and may we continue to marvel that that very same King, the King of the Universe, came as a small child lying in the straw, and used that act of their homage to manifest Himself as the Savior of all peoples and all time.
Let us pray to the Lord. May the shadow of Herod’s jealousy, fear, and greed that found its way to Bethlehem through the goodness of the Kings, and as the shadows are always with us, may we, like the Kings, place our trust in the Lord who showed them another way to return to their homes, escaping Herod’s reach and bringing the Good News to the people of the East. Let us pray to the Lord. May all the devout peoples of East and West, who still revere the Magi, whether in their famous reliquary or in the simplest child’s Christmas crèche, may we come together now to implore the Lord for peace. Let us pray to the Lord On this feast, so beloved by our Foundress, may we ask for the grace to keep faithfully following the truth of her vision as build for the future. Let us pray to the Lord SOLEMNITY OF MARY MOTHER OF GOD 2020 
Amidst all the anticipation and hopeful anxiety about the coming year, may we make some space in our crowded minds to remember that just one week ago we celebrated the most ineffable, unfathomable mystery of the birth of Christ, and take the time to go back to revisit the scene of the manger, this time with the spotlight on Mary, Mother of God, through whom life itself, newness itself, was born into this imperfect world; and may we ask Mary for help to discern in our own lives in this New Year of 2020 what is the incarnational life urging to be brought forth that truly participates in the life of her Son, and may we implore her intercession to bring it to birth.
Let us pray to the Lord. We see in the Gospel the once mystified silent shepherds alive with the message first reported to them by the angels and now witnessed with their own eyes, so that they go out to tell everyone they meet what has happened, unable to contain the wonder and the joy–even as we hope to emulate them and share that joy, let us appreciate Mary’s response in complement as she simply holds all these things in her heart, pondering, praying, gestating another dimension of the truth she has already borne in her body, may we give one another the space to enclose the Word we have received in order to continually find a deeper dimension of the truth of our own experience of the newborn Christ. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Alma on her feastday, that the life-giving Mother of the Redeemer, Alma Redemptoris Mater, may inspire and sustain her work in New Horizons and for the whole community to bring our new home into the fullness of life for which it was conceived and beyond what was conceived, that it may be a true expression of the ongoing presence of Mary, the praying heart within the Church, so badly in need of the restoration of faith, hope, and love. Let us pray to the Lord CHRISTMAS EVE AND MORNING 2019 
CHRISTMAS EVEThe people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. In gratitude to all those who have brought light to us this Christmas in whatever form, light for our eyes, for our clouded minds, for our heavy hearts; in those moments when we experience liberation from the dark, may we recognize Christ Himself making Himself know to us, and may we not be afraid to shine the light given to us out into the darkness to help someone else who might be making their way towards Bethlehem. Let us pray to the Lord. "Do not be afraid," the Angel says to the shepherd. Heaven speaks to earth and says: "Do not be afraid, this will be a sign for you, you will find an infant wrapped on swaddling clothes and laying in a manger." May we help one another find the Child without whom we cannot enter into the mystery of Christmas, for the infallible reality of the Incarnation always presents itself to us in humility, in vulnerability, in simplicity, and innocence. For the gift to help one another rekindle the wonder of the shepherds and the joy of the angels. Let us pray to the Lord. For the intentions of our Holy Father Pope Francis for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord. CHRISTMAS MORNING In the beginning was the Word. In the quiet of this Christmas morning, the stillpoint upon which the world and indeed the whole universe depends, may we take a moment to reflect and ask ourselves out of all the multifarious words and happenings of these last weeks in preparation: what is the word of Christ we must hold on to, the word spoken to us that we need to guard and allow to grow so that the life of Christ may truly be born among men in this present time, even as we stand in awe of the mystery of His eternal union with the Father and the Spirit, that was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Let us pray to the Lord. May we not forget that the darkness, though it may seem to be rife at the time, has not overcome and can never overcome; may we stand together, sure in what we know, and bring that Word out to all who are still suffering in the dark, announcing that God will restore the ruins, He will comfort His people, the Word has been made flesh and is come to redeem us and no power on earth can overcome the power of God. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING 2019 
Remembering that Jesus Christ, King of the Jews and of every human heart, has already transferred us from darkness to light, making peace through the blood of His cross, may we not let His sacrifice be in vain, but follow the example of our Shepherd King, leading by serving, bringing others together through self-sacrifice rather than domination, working to restore peace among all people in the only way possible, through a deeper universal love of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us pray to the Lord. As we hear in St. Paul’s words today that "...the glory of the entire universe and everything in it was made through Jesus Christ and only in Him do all things continue to hold together," may we do our part to cooperate with Him in sustaining the incomparable gift of His Creation, believing that no matter how fragmented our world may seem, the center, Jesus Christ, will hold. Let us pray to the Lord. Taking to heart the exchange between Christ and the Good Thief on the Cross, may we remember it is never too late to ask to be received into the Kingdom, nor has anyone fallen so far that the Lord cannot open the gates of Paradise to a contrite heart. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those suffering at this time who have asked for our prayers, that they may hear the consoling words of Christ being spoken directly to them, that they are not forgotten and never will be forgotten by the Lord who created them and who assumes their suffering within the embrace of His redemptive love. Let us pray to the Lord. For all those who labor to relieve the suffering of humanity, whether for one beloved person, and for the many millions in need, that they may be sustained in their service to the one Body of Christ. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for a rededication to the care of our common home: the earth, locally and globally. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ALL SAINTS 2019 
In gratitude for the tremendous multitude and variety of God’s saints who have all made the beatitudes their blueprint for life in some way, daring to believe that the road to sainthood is open to all no matter what our current distress or our personal gifts and failings. May we strive to be counted in their number, hoping one day to see God as He is, face to face, by opening ourselves here and now to see Him in the world around us with the eyes of wonder, rather than doubt.
Let us pray to the Lord. In the words of Bishop Robert Barron in relation to the current crisis of the Church: "Something new must come forth, something specifically fitted to our time, and designed to respond to the particular corruption that currently besets us. Above all we need saints marked by holiness of course, but also by intelligence and understanding of the culture and the willingness to try something fresh. Somewhere in the Church right now is a new Benedict, a new Francis, a new Ignatius, a new Teresa of Calcutta, a new Dorothy Day–this is your time." For the grace to respond to the call, Let us pray to the Lord. As the heavenly host is so often portrayed as singing, may we follow their example and lift our voices in praise no matter what is happening around us or how many false starts we have to make, always going deeper into the wellspring of joy that is the creative Spirit of God, always present and sustaining us on our pilgrimage. In gratitude for the new day dawning after the storm and for the gift of perseverance, Let us pray to the Lord. ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY 2019—FEAST DAY OF THE ABBEY OF REGINA LAUDIS 
On this great Feast of the Assumption of Our Blessed Mother body and soul into heaven, and the patronal feast of Regina Laudis, may we take a moment to ponder the marvelous titles of her litany: Arc of the Covenant, House of Gold, Tower of David, Gate of Heaven, Morning Star–we pray in gratitude for the many blessings that have come to us through her intercession this year, as we have seen the new monastery and chapel dedicated to her take shape before our eyes, so much beyond our human efforts to build it, May she continue to be with us as we bring this sacred space to completion and work to restore the land of its enclosure so that it may truly be a sign of the gate of paradise to all those who come seeking to find her Son.
Let us pray to the Lord. "O death, where is your sting?" May the song of hope in the resurrection shared between Mary and Elizabeth inform our love together in our families, communities, in the work place, wherever we are, so that praise and gratitude for the life of God shining through the other may become our habitual response, helping to turn the tide of negativity that pervades our culture today. Let us pray to the Lord. As Mary assumes her place as Queen of Heaven beside Christ her Son whom she formed in His humanity to be the Redeemer of all mankind, may we implore her intercession for the renewal and revitalization of the Priesthood so needed in our time and ask for help to show us what we can do in support of the formation of men called to give their lives in likeness to Christ her Son. May we never lose touch with Mary’s power to crush the head of the serpent and call on her to help us in all situations where the protection of innocent life is at stake. Let us pray to the Lord. For Sister Judith in deep gratitude for fierce and careful protection of the patrimony of Regina Laudis and for blessings on her and her family on her feastday. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for Our Lady’s help and guidance in the formation of priests for the rebuilding of the Church. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. BENEDICT 2019 In gratitude for the Holy Rule which serves us as a compendium and a guide to the Beatitudes, showing us the steps we need to take in order to cultivate humanly what belongs to the Kingdom of God: purity of heart, mercy, meekness, poverty of spirit, the hunger and thirst for righteousness, the mourning for life’s unanswerable sorrows, the gift to withstand injustice, and the gift of making peace. May we realize that each of us may be called to perfect a different aspect of this blessedness but all are needed in the kingdom, and all are dependent on the others if we are to glimpse the happiness of heaven here on earth. Let us pray to the Lord. For Benedictine communities throughout the world, that they once again embrace the Cross, the Book, and the Plow, in ways attuned to the needs of our day, that with enlarged hearts they and we may be ready to assist each other in the daunting task of renewal. Let us pray to the Lord. For the peoples of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast once again in peril from the weather, that the levees may hold. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for all those working for the renewal of Benedictine life. Let us pray to the Lord. SACRED HEART 2019 
In the goodness of the Good Shepherd, always more fully, more deeply, remembering that He is always there, it is we who have strayed by trying to hide our hearts from Him. He is always looking for us and is an expert in finding what He is looking for. For the grace to stop resisting being found and enter into the heart-to-heart conversation with our Lord that will never fail us. "Who among you won’t leave the ninety sheep and go in search of the one who has been lost?" Acknowledging how few of us and how seldom we are able to adopt this diving logic of love, leaving what is certain and safe, rewarding and plentiful, to give our lives for the one who is at risk, the one who needs us, may we unite ourselves to the river of living mercy that flows from the pierced side of Christ and through His grace be enabled to carry more than we thought we could, and for the time He is with us not feel the burden on our shoulders. Let us pray to the Lord. In the words of St. John of the Cross whom our Foundress quoted so often: "Where there is no love, let me put love, and there will be love." May we apply this truth in our everyday circumstances, in prayerful support of the worn-torn and poverty-stricken places of extreme suffering in our world today. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for peace in the countries of the Middle East, especially Iran. Let us pray to the Lord. Feast of Corpus Christi 2019
In gratitude for the mercy of God who did not leave us helpless in the face of the immensity of the Trinity, but Himself became man, that we might have a way to become God, not leaving us in a deserted place, but giving us His very Body and Blood as food, the only food that can satisfy man’s restless voracious soul and charging us never to let His sacramental presence depart from our midst. "Do this in memory of me."Let us pray to the Lord. For an increase to devotion for the Sacrifice of the Mass, the sacrament of universal unity, that the celebration of the Body and Blood of Christ may become the radiating center from which our whole lives derive their meaning, that we might truly be called a Eucharistic People imbued with the love that says over and over again: "This is my Body given for you." Let us pray to the Lord. "You give them something to eat." For blessings on all our efforts to particularize and incarnate the particle of Eucharistic life entrusted to us, through genealogy, domain, and mission, trusting that God can multiply that small fragment to embrace multitudes. Let us pray to the Lord. For blessings on Nancy and David Stein and Paul and Susan Murray as they risk to move forward into a new and deeper expression of covenantal love and body givenness in their corporate dedication as Oblates of Regina Laudis, with joy, gratitude, and ongoing prayers of support. Let us pray to the Lord. TRINITY SUNDAY 2019—Final Profession Day of Mother Maria Evangelista Fernandez 
In gratitude for the life and monastic vocation of Mother Maria Evangelista Fernandez, who endured many afflictions and challenges on the winding path that brought her to this joyous day of her Solemn Profession of Vows. She stands before us now, proven in character and full of the hope speranza, the hope that does not disappoint. As she perseveres in monastic life, may she never be confounded in her expectations, but drawn ever more deeply in her love and desire for Trinitarian relationship with God, with the earth, with her community, and all those people God sends to her, finding herself as she gives herself more and more in the likeness of the love between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.Let us pray to the Lord. May Wisdom, who was present to God the Father at the creation of the world and played over the surface of the earth as his craftsman, be with Mother Maria Evangelista as she cultivates the Abbey vegetable gardens in relationship to Mother Subprioress. May Wisdom, who orders all things well from beginning to end, and who became incarnate in the Person of Jesus Christ, assist Mother Maria Evangelista in her growing obligation as the Regina Laudis cellarer. May Wisdom, that is the consummate gift of the Holy Spirit, guide Mother Maria Evangelista in her study of Theology, centered in the truth of Christ and grounded in the love of her monastic vocation. Let us pray to the Lord. For blessings on Mr. and Mrs. Fernandez and each member of their family, in gratitude for all the ways they have formed and fostered the vocation of Mother Maria Evangelista. Let us pray to the Lord. In special gratitude for the many gifts of the Fernandez genealogy, stretching back to the beloved patriarch Elpidio, and beyond him to the ancient indigenous people of the Dominican Republic, may Mother Maria Evangelista never forget Elpidio’s words: “Work your land, love God and your neighbor, continue how you are going,” that she may strive day by day to be a bridge for many to cross from their country of origin to a new land, and from one generation to the next, and perhaps most difficult of all, to cross from the radical secular world of America today to a deeply rooted faith in the Triune God embodied in the Benedictine Monastic Tradition. Let us pray to the Lord. For all our fathers living and deceased. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Maria Evangelista for whom this Mass is offered on her day of Perpetual Profession. Let us pray to the Lord. PENTECOST 2019 
On this Feast of Pentecost celebrating the day the Church was born, may we pray for a reawakening in the hearts of men and women everywhere to the dramatic power of the Holy Spirit who in the words of St. Leo that we heard last night at Matins, “…is charged with the energy to enlighten, the ability to create understanding, and the power to burn away sin and destroy it.” May our awareness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whether manifested in fire or water or the breath of life itself, flood our hearts today and remain with us always.
Let us pray to the Lord.“Are not all these people Galileans? Yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty works of God.” When we find we cannot understand those around us or make ourselves understood even though we think we are speaking the same language, may we call upon the Holy Spirit to loosen our tongues and enlighten our minds, recentering our conversations in the mighty works of God which are given to all, and may be recognized by all, therefore, holding the key to a universal language that alone can create true unity in love. Let us pray to the Lord. As the house where the Apostles were gathered was filled with the sound of a mighty wind at the coming of the Spirit, today may we implore the Spirit to fill our renovated kitchen, the first small step towards the completion of our new monastic building which we know would have been impossible without the guiding presence of the Spirit at every moment, may all those who work in this kitchen and all those who are fed by it, find rest in their labor, coolness in heat, and the sweet consolation of the giver of all good gifts. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all the new voices in our midst and for all those who participated with such good spirit in hay harvest yesterday. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for all our New Horizons benefactors, workers, and collaborators in thanksgiving. Let us pray to the Lord. ASCENSION 2019 
"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up to heaven?" In this world of relentless horizontal quid pro quo thinking, may we not be afraid to spend some time looking up to heaven today, pondering and rejoicing in the mystery of Christ’s entry into heaven, the first human being to do so, returning to the Father who sent Him and bringing with Him all the just of the ages past, breaking the bonds of sin and the power of death, leading “captivity captive”, so that there would be henceforth a path for humankind to enter into the presence of God. May we help one another to keep our eyes on that one true path,
Let us pray to the Lord. “Wait for the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak. Stay in Jerusalem.” May we be given the grace to wait, to wait together, to wait in the holy places where we have known Passion, Death and Resurrection, not giving in to the temptation to flee in the face of transcendence, but stay open to receive the Spirit, the promise of the Father, sent by the Son, the One who has the power to allow us limited human beings to participate in the joy of union with the Triune God, Let us pray to the Lord. That in all situations of impasse, great and small, the grace may be given to someone to rise above the perpetual fray of fraternal conflict, and may we not hold someone back from their mission, but allow them to move out and up and forward, rejoicing in their ascent for the good of all, Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for all the blessings of Ascension given in these days and for the grace to sustain them, Let us pray to the Lord. EASTER 2019 
Speak Mary, what have you seen on the way? I saw the tomb of Christ who is alive and the glory of His Resurrection. May we like Mary see with new eyes as we slowly awake into this new Easter world, beholding the glory of Christ’s resurrection in all the ordinary events and circumstances of our lives, competing with one another only to find Him more quickly, believe more fully, spread the good news more joyfully, and to the ends of the earth in every tongue: Alleluia!Let us pray to the Lord. For the grace not to be afraid of coming back to life from whatever hurt or darkness may have oppressed us, remembering that just a little yeast can leaven a whole lump of dough, and what is impossible for us alone is made possible through Christ who overcame even death for our sake, for the grace of perseverance on the way to Resurrection. Let us pray to the Lord. For those who died in the terrorist attacks in Sri Lanka and Northern Ireland, that peace may prevail over a return to violence. Let us pray to the Lord. For blessings on all of those who are celebrating the Jewish Passover this week, for their safety and for the strengthening of the covenantal bonds that unite us. Let us pray to the Lord. For Moriah who begins her internship at this peak of Easter intensity, may the blessings of this day pervade her year with us, and in gratitude to Megan and Lana for their gracious daily presence with us and for their constant gift of self especially in this last week. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for all our New Horizons benefactors which includes all here present, may the new building you have all helped to build show back to you in some small measure the glory of Resurrected Life. Let us pray to the Lord. HOLY SATURDAY 2019 
O Truly Blessed Night, when things of heaven are wed to those of earth, may we hold fast to the joy of these words sung with such exultant freedom on this night of night, and may each one here be a true guardian of the newly kindled light of Christ as it goes out into the world, passing the flame from one person to another as we did just now, that no one may be left in the darkness of a world without faith or hope. Let us pray to the Lord. In gratitude for the gift we have in our liturgy of recounting the history of Salvation brought alive by so many diverse voices, reminding us that since the very beginning when He created the world, God has been with us every step of the way: leading, liberating, teaching, feeding, saving and purifying, preparing His people to be able to receive His Son, and may we not forget that He is with us still, in our Church, in our country, in our world, if we would but turn towards the voice that never stops calling to us and showing us the way. Let us pray to the Lord. Like the women who came to the tomb for one reason, bearing spices to anoint Christ’s body, only to find Him risen and their sorrow turned to joy, may we always be willing to offer what we have to give—fire, candles, water, flowers and moss, clean church windows, prayers from the heart, voices lifted in praise—so that we too might come seeking Christ for one reason only to be surprised by encountering His Resurrected Life which exceeds all our expectations. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the intentions of Our Holy Father Pope Francis. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. SCHOLASTICA 2019 
BACKGROUND TO THE FEASTFebruary 10th is the Feast of St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict. Mother Abbess Lucia took as her abbatial motto: Plus potuit quia plus amavit, which is translated: She was able to do more because she loved more. The text is taken from the Office of St. Scholastica, and is based on a story in the SECOND BOOK OF THE DIALOGUES OF ST. GREGORY THE GREAT, CONTAINING THE LIFE AND MIRACLES OF ST. BENEDICT OF NURSIA. In chapter thirty-three, Of a Miracle Wrought by His Sister Scholastica, St. Gregory recounts that one night St. Scholastica prevailed upon her brother to disobey his Rule and instead of returning to his Abbey with his monks, to stay with her talking and praying through the night. Though she did not tell him why, she knew her death was near. With his strong sense of justice, St. Benedict refused her, but her tears of supplication to God caused a sudden storm that prevented him from leaving. When St. Gregory's disciple Peter, who knew the power of St. Benedict through his miracles, wondered why in this instance St. Benedict did not get his way, Pope St. Gregory explains that St. Scholastica was "...able to do more because she loved more." PRAYERS OF THE FAITHFUL “I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.” In gratitude for the choreography of God who arranged for the confluence of the feast of our great Benedictine patron, Saint Scholastica, and the death and burial of her great disciple, Mother Perpetua. May we ask Saint Scholastica to welcome Mother Perpetua to her place at the heavenly marriage feast which we know she has been seeking since the Lord lead her to this monastic desert and spoke to her heart. May Saint Scholastica help rekindle in us all an understanding of death as a spousal encounter with Christ. Let us pray to the Lord. May we ask Mother Perpetua from her new expanded perspective on the fraternal fray here below to remind us that at any given moment we may be Martha, over-busy and resentful, or Mary, perhaps feeling we are not needed and have no role to play like our more useful sister; or we may feel like Saint Scholastica at her last meeting with her brother, filled with the urgent certitude of love, or like Saint Benedict, simply trying to do what her thinks is right. For the gift to enjoy the fact that we will constantly be reversing roles and changing places until ultimately all that remains when we face the moment of death together is the enduring love between us. In gratitude for the love of sisters. Let us pray to the Lord. Through the intercession of all those newly-arrived beloved friends in the Communion of Saints, may we be renewed and fortified to live under the demanding banner of Saint Scholastica of whom it was said: “Plus potuit quia plus amavit./She could do more because she loved more.” May we help each other to keep finding ways to love more. Let us pray to the Lord. As Saint Benedict was consoled by the sight of the dove which he took to be his sister’s soul ascending to heaven, may we be alert to the signs of Mother Perpetua’s ongoing presence with us. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Scholastica on her feast day and in gratitude for all the daily ways that she puts the urgency of love above justice. Let us pray to the Lord. EPIPHANY 2019
Before the Christmas Season ends, may we make room in our hearts for the child-like wonder to marvel once again at the eternal mystery of the Magi who had the humility to put all their learning and wealth at the service of God, who had the perseverance and faith to follow the radiance of a star across the desert, and the chaste generosity to offer their gift and disappear by another way, different from the one by which they came, outwitting the evil intent of Herod’s jealousy and the raging opposition which is always part of the story of Christ life on earth.Gold to serve a King, frankincense to worship the new-found God, myrrh to anoint a body for burial—as we have seen birth and death dramatically and inextricably intertwined throughout this Christmas Season, and as we know indeed they are inseparable in the life of Christ, as we will be reminded at the end of Mass when we sing the Announcement of the Movable Feasts, may we take time today to pray in gratitude for all those births which we have witnessed during these holy days, whether birth into this precious life on earth or birth into the yet unknown happiness of eternal life, and may we pray in a special way for our friend of so many years, Father Robert Blyman, doctor, pastor, counselor, teacher and fierce advocate for the protection of all human life. For his eternal rest and for his continued advocacy in heaven. Let us pray to the Lord. As St. Leo reminded us last night in our Matins readings that when the Holy Family fled to Egypt “Truth itself was received as a guest in a land that did not yet know Christ existed…” no matter what chaos surrounds us in these days, may truth always find hospitality in our hearts. Let us pray to the Lord. For the people of Syria and peace in the Middle East. Let us pray to the Lord. For the health and intentions of Asako Lucia and Nobuko Stella Maria for whom this Mass is offered and for their people. Let us pray to the Lord. SOLEMNITY OF MARY MOTHER OF GOD, January 1st 2019 
As we see in Luke’s Gospel how the angels tell the shepherds about the birth of Christ and they in turn go to spread the news across the countryside, as indeed they were meant to do, but Mary remains at the stillpoint of the center pondering everything in her heart; as the calendar New Year begins with all its pressing commercial demands and social activity, may we not be afraid to imitate Mary, staying still but full of interior activity, pondering in love all that we cannot understand.
Let us pray to the Lord. Knowing that there is nothing new under the sun unless we make it so, may we so identify with Our Lady’s faith and purity of heart, that we see everything around us as it was meant to be from the beginning, newly shining from within, and so enter this New Year in some small way that makes it possible to be truly new. Let us pray to the Lord. For Mother Alma on her feastday in gratitude for her givenness to the building process and her drive to see the community praying once more in our chapel, may Our Lady, great patron of artists and lover of carpenters, continue to strengthen and inspire her as she labors with others in New Horizons and in collaboration with many to build a place where others may encounter the consoling presence of Our Lady, Alma Redemptoris Mater and Queen of Praise. Let us pray to the Lord. On this World Day of Peace may we pray that the desire for peace may stay alive in our hearts and when we are tempted to violence, as we all are, may we turn to one another with the words of blessing on our lips, “May the Lord bless you and keep you, be gracious to you, and grant you peace.” Let us pray to the Lord. IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 2018 
In gratitude for the person of Mary, the Immaculate Conception, Christ-bearer, the one who held Paradise within, the only entirely innocent human creature ever conceived, may she help us who deal only with partial truths and traces of the original goodness, to find the innocence in ourselves and recognize it in one another and when we do, to protect and celebrate it as the source from which springs our “yes” to love and our path to restore wholeness in God.
Let us pray to the Lord. As we behold the sad spectacle of Adam and Eve after the Fall, ashamed, full of blame, divided, defensive in their nakedness, may we contrast this all too familiar scene with the miraculous event of the Annunciation to Mary, who said “yes” without needing to fully understand , who immediately goes to help someone else, her cousin Elizabeth, who stays with Joseph and he with her, not letting the gossip and slander of the world come between them, may Mary continue to show us the way to crush the head of the ever-present serpent through union with her and the Christ Child she bears. Let us pray to the Lord. May Mary who knew nothing was impossible with God, intercede for all mothers in whatever dimension of motherhood they are called to and whatever circumstances they find themselves in, that they may have the Grace to bear the life uniquely entrusted to them. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the health and well-being of the Community especially as they face the arduous next phase of the building project. Let us pray to the Lord. ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY 2018—FEAST DAY OF THE ABBEY OF REGINA LAUDIS 
On this feast of the Assumption, culminating and summing up of all mysteries of Our Lady, and the feast of Regina Laudis, may we all pray for the courage and simplicity to press more deeply into living the mystery of the Assumption, seeing in Mary’s unbreakable union with Christ our own hope of reconciling the tensions that entered the world with our first parents, the ever-present divisions of body and soul, mortality and immortality, for an increase of hope in the new heaven and new earth.
Let us pray to the Lord. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my savior,” as Mary sang her hymn of praise to God when she was a young pregnant woman, not yet knowing what lay ahead, except with the certainty of prophetic inspiration, we may imagine she sang the very same song in her heart at the end of her pilgrimage on earth, still fully and joyously united with her savior—my we join her in the song of the Magnificat, however imperfectly, that we too may persevere in union with the love of Christ and with those He has given us to know and love on this earth in preparation for eternity. Let us pray to the Lord. Acknowledging that Mary is present in both the dazzling cosmic power of the woman of Revelation clothed with the sun and in the familiar humble Gospel scene—two pregnant women in the hill country of Judea, comforting each other, we pray that she may be a source of hope for all those children threatened by the many dragons let loose in our world who would oppose and destroy the innocence of human life, may she hear their cries, come to their aid and guide all those who are trying to help them. For Sister Maria Evangelista for blessings on her as she renews her vows today and that she may persevere in her monastic pilgrimage from Assumption to Assumption with joy. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the mothers, fathers and children separated at our borders, that they be reunited and healed through Our Lady Queen of Peace. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. BENEDICT 2018  and Mother Abbess at Renovation Site Let us pray to the Lord. May St. Benedict watch over the raising of the cupula of our new chapel today, that all may go safely and smoothly, and may this chapel stand in simplicity and truth—poor in spirit, pure of heart, overflowing with the love that has gone into it—so that all who come there to pray may be enabled to truly hear with the Ear of the Heart and see God with new eyes. Let us pray to the Lord. Remembering how St. Benedict once sent St. Maurice to rescue the drowning boy Placid “…on the wings of selfless obedience”, may the world not forget too quickly the miraculous rescue of the boys in the flooded cave in Thailand. May we have the meekness and humility to recognize God working in every aspect of synergy, heroism, and international cooperation, giving us a true light of hope in the chaos of these times and reminding us what mankind is capable of when considering the good of all. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist for blessings on their Month of Prayer and on their Centers throughout the world. Let us pray to the Lord. PENTECOST 2018 
As we implore the Spirit to come and dwell within our hearts this day and always, may we remember the words of today’s Sequence sung just a few minutes ago and summarized so eloquently by Father in homily, acknowledging that there is …nothing in us apart from Him, nothing that is not counsel, but with Him, even the most humanly impossible conflicts can be reconciled, for He is the Spirit of truth, forgiveness, of unity, of comfort, of peace, loosening our tongues that we might all together praise the Magnalia Dei, the wonderful works of God which surround us. Let us pray to the Lord. For an increase in the fruits of the Spirit, especially the joy of knowing that we are One Body, animated by One Spirit, using the particular gift that the Spirit has uniquely bestowed on us for the benefit of all, that we might embody on earth the miracle of unity in diversity. Let us pray to the Lord. For the young people of this country, that the Holy Spirit may protect them and enflame their hearts with courage and wisdom to work for change, seeking to end the cycle of despair and violence that has invaded our schools. For all those who have lost their lives and for all those are working for a way forward in the Spirit. Let us pray to the Lord. ASCENSION 2018 
"Men of Galilee, why do you stare looking up to heaven?" Remembering the message of the angels at the empty tomb which was precisely to go to Galilee to tell the brethren of the Resurrection, may we hear in today’s readings the further directive to wait for the Spirit and then get busy and go out to the whole world, not just to Galilee, but to every creature, spreading the Good News to the ends of the earth. And may we assist one another as we enter ourselves into the very same movement of constant descent and ascent to the Father whom Christ tells us very firmly is His Father and ours, His God and ours, making us One Body in Him.
Let us pray to the Lord. “It is hard to say goodbye.” Acknowledging that our human nature experiences most change as loss, and loss as grief, may we be strengthened by the grace of the Ascension mystery to truly believe in the abiding presence of Christ in us, in one another and in the world, that He has not left or abandoned but which He elevates with Him. May facing this truth allow us to rejoice with one another at each new step of ascent, knowing that separation does not lead to the end of love, but rather opens to an intensification of presence. Let us pray to the Lord. In profound gratitude for the blessings the community has received in relation especially to the New Horizons Building Project and to the restoration of our home, may we pray for the health and well-being of each member of the community and all those in relation to us who have given themselves so generously to build and sustain Regina Laudis as a witness to the ongoing presence of Christ in the world. Let us pray to the Lord. ASSUMPTION OF OUR LADY 2017—FEAST DAY OF THE ABBEY OF REGINA LAUDIS 
May each of us draw closer in some small way to the grace and joy of this ineffable mystery of Our Lady’s Assumption, remembering that she who is clothed with the sun and moon and stars, was first clothed in the splendor of a human body like ours, save without sin, and as the mother of the Son of God, has now, right now and forever, taken her place beside Him in heaven, where as we heard last night at Matins: “She remains a voice to affirm and defend the dignity and the ultimate glory of material things, of human flesh and blood, of the lovely mystery of human love, of the beauty which is the work of man’s hands.”Let us pray to the Lord. On this feast day of Regina Laudis, may we place this work of the final phase of the New Horizons renovation under the guidance and protection of Our Lady, Queen of Praise, Queen of Heaven, and living embodiment of the Ark of the Covenant, so that as we do our human best to honor the body of the past, God will work through us and beyond us to assume what has been loved and sacrificed into a new creation, where He will continue to dwell amongst us. Let us pray to the Lord. May Our Lady who fulfilled the promise made to Eve, that she crush the serpent’s head, intercede for the not yet redeemed places in every human heart, that we may together overcome the forces of hatred, violence and division. Let us pray to the Lord. For Sister Maria Evangelista in gratitude for her Renewal of Vows today as she takes her place in the long procession of members of this community who made their vows or celebrated a monastic ceremony on this day, and may Our Lady intercede for her with special blessings, that she may maintain her resolve as she undertakes the great work that she has been entrusted with at this time. Let us pray to the Lord. FEAST OF ST. BENEDICT 2017 Let us pray to the Lord. That in some small way we might continue St. Benedict’s legacy as Messenger of Peace and Maker of Unity, witnessing to the life of the Beatitudes in this world, striving to put humility, the truth of who we are, at the center of all our actions and encounters with one another, thereby creating the climate and culture in which the blessing of true happiness can take root, no matter what darkness encroaches from within and without. Let us pray to the Lord. This Mass is offered for lasting peace in Syria and the newly-liberated city of Mosul. Let us pray to the Lord. SACRED HEART 2017
“I love Jesus because He first loved me.” As a people peculiarly God’s own, may we cherish every experience through which the transcendent God speaks to us, whether that “small piece of cheese” makes us violently ill or tastes delicious, knowing that in either case it can open a whole world of Eucharistic life for us. May each one here and all those who have asked for our prayers experience today some consolation from the heart of Jesus where there is always “…another word of love,” and may we in turn bring that word into whatever situation we encounter this day, to lighten the burden of another or ease the burden of the yoke that they have been asked to carry for all of us. Let us pray to the Lord. “Come to me all you who labor and I will give you rest for your souls.” In gratitude for all those who have come to labor with us on this land, to name just a few: for Ron Schuman for his extravagant generosity in building a new house for our expanding chicken flock, for Mother Dolores, Tomie dePaola and all the children preparing to offer The Magical World of Tomie dePaola this weekend at our theater—may it refresh many hearts, for Joseph Heldrich and all those in collaboration with the Blacksmith Shop who donated time, resources and skill to fabricate our cemetery crosses, and for the Closed Community who planted those crosses securely in the ground, making visible once again the binding power of covenantal love between our communities. Let us pray to the Lord. “Heart of Jesus, Desire of the Eternal Hills, have mercy on us.” In gratitude for the gift of being able to know the mystery of the Sacred Heart expressed in the medium of our land, as we are reminded constantly through the environmental signs that mark the entrance to the enclosure and in the peacefulness of the Sacred Heart Cemetery that is embraced in the very heart of this hill. Let us pray to the Lord. CORPUS CHRISTI 2017 
As we have all been led through the desert, or the grave from some form of slavery often of our own making, may we always remember those times when we were fed unexpectedly and undeservedly by God’s manna, even as now Christ miraculously gives us His own Body and Blood to eat and drink. May we process towards an ever greater communion with Christ and in turn allow ourselves to become food for others on the way.
Let us pray to the Lord. For an increase in faith and understanding, that we might grasp in some small way the mystery of what we mean by the Body of Christ, and to add one more reference to the rich reflections that Father Cooney has already offered, may we ponder the words of St. Augustine from last night’s Matins Reading: “Now you are the Body of Christ and individually you are members of it. If that is so, it is the sacrament of yourselves that is placed on the Lord’s altar and it is the sacrament of yourselves that you receive. You reply: ‘Amen’ to what you are and thereby agree to such you are. You hear the words: ‘The Body of Christ’ and you reply: ‘Amen.’ Be then a member of Christ’s Body so that your ‘Amen’ may accord with the truth." Let us pray to the Lord. May this transformative sacrament of unity, charity, and peace permeate all our actions, whether in the kitchen, or hay field, shop, or choir, or any other place of work or human encounter to which we are called this day, so that we might extend the Eucharist from this altar out into the world and back again to the center of love from which all love flows. Let us pray to the Lord. May we awaken in our time an awareness of the Eucharist as ultimately the only reality powerful enough to stop the accelerating tide of senseless violence that afflicts our nation and our world. Let us pray to the Lord. TRINITY SUNDAY 2017 (Offered at Mass at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rock, Our Foundation on Shaw Island, Washington) 
As we stand in awe at the incomprehensible and perfect dynamism of love that is the Trinity, vaster than any ocean, may we not turn aside from facing that mystery in awareness of our own loneliness and incapacity, but rather strive to participate in that love in the simple ways open to us, as St. Paul says: “By mending our ways, encouraging one another, agreeing with one another, and living in the peace of Christ." Let us pray to the Lord. “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that we might be saved.” May we take the consolation of these words to heart and not fruitlessly condemn ourselves or others, but seek how we might all be saved by being made perfect in the ways of Trinitarian love, giving precedence to one another, relinquishing our demands on how others should be, and allowing ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit into the true and lasting communion we all seek. Let us pray to the Lord. For the gift of love that casts out fear. Let us pray to the Lord. |
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