Monastery News

Batter-up! Annual Priests Softball Game is a Winner

The roaring of the crowd filled Community America Ballpark (T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, KS) on Monday night for the 2nd Annual Pitching for Priests Softball Game sponsored by Catholic Radio.  The priests of the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph sought to defend their title from last year’s slugfest against the priests of the Archdiocese of…

Moving Day Approaches

Moving Day, also known as “Monday”, is quickly approaching.  The monks are eager to settle into the newly renovated monastery. There are four “moving teams” assigned and each team will have ½ hour to move the effects of each monk from St. Joseph Hall to the monastery.  Monks are asked to have their belongings boxed and…

Model A Fords, oh my!

We cleared the west parking lot in front of the Basilica for the Northwest Missouri Model A Ford Club.  The parking lot is filled with these beautiful, antique cars.  The 200 guests are here for a tour of the Basilica and are staying for lunch. In the spirit of St. Benedict:  Welcome to Conception Abbey!

Work Around the House

Workers have been tearing up and replacing the sidewalks around the monastery and in various parts of campus.  However, all the rain these past weeks has left things quite the muddy mess.  We trust that the beauty of our campus will be restored in due time.  In the meantime, at least everything is nice and…

Pick-up Game 

I made a few phone calls on Monday and talked to a few of the monks about playing some softball on Tuesday evening.  We ended up playing at the ball field in Conception Junction.  We ended up having three priests, two monks, and eleven local youth.  So, we were able to play 8 on 8.…

Come Holy Spirit 

Below: The Holy Spirit painting that is on the ceiling of the chapter room in the newly renovated monastery.  Pentecost is a very special feast for me personally.  Two years ago, when I was ordained a priest, the first Sunday Mass I celebrated at my home parish in Stillwater, Oklahoma was on Pentecost Sunday. Two…

New Foundations

It is community retreat week.  That means that all of the ‘monks on mission’ return and we have two spiritual conferences a day led by the retreat director.  This year’s director has been Abbot Peter Eberle.  Abbot Peter is the retired abbot of Mount Angel in Oregon.  He has been leading the monastic community through…

Graduation Weekend

Conception Seminary College Commencement & Honors Assembly was held Saturday afternoon.  Seminarians, monks, family, friends, and even some recent alumni were on hand for the joyful occasion.  Dr. Bill Brownsberger, Academic Dean, announced the student awards and academic scholarships for each class, including the recipients of the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and…

May Day

It is a long Conception Seminary College tradition to have a day dedicated to athletic activities for the seminarians to compete–the blue team vs. the white team.  Even the oldest alumni have their memories of May Day- the sports, the fun, and the shenanigans the night before. This year was no different.  While rainy weather…

History of the Abbey Basilica

I put together a video of the history of the Abbey Basilica for the feast of its Dedication.  I uploaded it on our Facebook page yesterday, but put it up on YouTube today.  Br. Cyprian, our Guestmaster, shares the history of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception.  Enjoy this brief history of our beautiful church.