spiritual father
Seminary Completes First Propaedeutic Stage
“It has been one of the best years of my life.” This statement from a seminarian completing the propaedeutic stage encapsulates the joy experienced by many at Conception this past year. We have worked hard to create a program that addresses the Church’s needs while also remaining attuned to each seminarian’s journey. By blending the…
Conception Seminary College Stable, Growing, Responding
Stable, Growing… The Benedictine charism of stability has carried our monastic community through challenges by providing a reliable foundation of trust in God’s providential care. A testament to this stability is last year’s celebration of 150 years that many of you joined us for, praising God for sustaining us, helping make many significant contributions…
You Need a Retreat
I am becoming more and more convinced of the need for every Catholic to take an annual retreat. It is curious that as a society, we are convinced of the importance of a regular visit to the doctor or dentist for the sake of our physical health, but when it comes to our spiritual life,…
Father René Guesnier, OSB, enters eternal rest
On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, our beloved confrere, Father René Guesnier, OSB laid down the burden of earthly travail and entered the undying light of God’s glory. He had been a resident in our St. Stephen’s Infirmary since 2018 and, at the time of his death, was a Golden Jubilarian of both profession and…
Young men discern monastic life at Conception Abbey
The monastic community at Conception Abbey has received a true blessing from God that all such communities dream of: an increase in young men discerning monastic life. Ten men are currently in various stages of formation, following one who made solemn vows to the community this summer. For a religious community, receiving new members is…
Meet Altar + Home by Conception
The Printery House has been in business in some capacity for more than 90 years, beginning with the publication of the periodical Altar and Home, then operating as Conception Abbey Press before becoming The Printery House. Even before that, the monks of Conception Abbey arrived in northwest Missouri in 1873 with the mission of daily…
Leading Men and Women in Encounter Christ
The Abbey Guest Center introduced its new Encountering Christ silent retreats in January 2024. We had our vision and knew we wanted to lead retreatants into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. We desired to unpack and present the richness of Benedictine spirituality and the Benedictine tradition. We knew it was key to direct retreatants…
Meaningful Friendship provides beauty in art
Many wonderful friends contributed to the construction of Good Shepherd Hall, which has been a great blessing for Conception Seminary College. The building was designed to feel less like a dormitory and more like a home in which a supportive community lives together in pursuit of a common goal. We determined the space needed artistic…
Vocations Flourish at Conception Abbey
As our world becomes more secular and materialistic, many people have stopped regularly attending church and are falling away from faith in God. Though this reality is disheartening, there is a counter-movement of many young people seeking to live out the fullness of their Catholic faith more intentionally, I see the transformation happening on college…
Seek God, Seek His Wisdom
Afriend of mine who visited Conception once remarked at the end of his visit: “The giant windmills are a symbol. The monks are running around doing many things, but they go in circles.” A first-time visitor might be forgiven for concluding that the monastic life is circular. Perhaps the phrase Ora et Labora, “prayer and…