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Taking the Polar Bear Plunge

It was 30 degrees outside and partly cloudy. What would possess otherwise rational and clear thinking men to break ice with an axe and plunge into freezing cold water? I’m not exactly sure why, but the Conception Seminary Polar Bear Club tradition lives on. As a seminarian, I recall participating in the event two out…

The Strange Weather Continues

The strange weather continues, varying from rather pleasant with a hint of spring, to rain, thunder, snow, sleet, and hail.  I do not think the weather can make up its mind.  However, like many things in life, it is something we certainly cannot control, so we make the best with what are given. The following…

Archbishop Rino Fisichella Visits Conception Abbey

Today Archbishop Fisichella, the President of the Pontifical Council on the New Evangelization visited Conception Abbey and presided at Eucharist.  In his homily, Archbishop focused on Christ’s question from the Gospel reading:  “But who do you say that I am?”  He spoke of the importance of our total and complete proclamation that Jesus is “the…

Building Bonds through Teamwork and Faith

As mentioned about one week ago, KQ2 News did a three part segment on Conception Seminary’s basketball team.  I enjoyed making videos and thought they did a very fine job putting it all together. You can view the third installment here, or see the previous blog post with the first two parts here.

Melting the Snow

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day– a great day to take pictures. Today will be the same, and maybe even a little warmer. I am hoping that I might be able to get outside on the bike this afternoon for the first time this year. Today the weather is looking promising.  It is 46 just…

Weekend Mission

A great part of being a monk and a priest is being sent out “on mission” to minister to a variety of parishes on the weekend.  Sunday morning I departed the Abbey at 6:30am to drive to Hamilton (70 miles), then on to Gallatin (15 more miles) (see map below). The parishioners at Sacred Heart…

St. Valentine’s Day in a Monastery

Today I e-mailed a little humorous greeting to some of my friends, saying, “Happy Valentine’s Day, or as we call it in the monastery, ‘Friday.’” Actually, today the Church celebrates the memorial of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, two 9th century brothers born in Thessalonica. Both were ordained priests and lived in a monastery, but were…

All Winter Long

Snow fell briefly before noon yesterday. The sun broke through long enough to melt the little that had accumulated on the sidewalks. And, a few pictures taken from the highway (don’t worry, I wasn’t the one driving).

Conception Seminary Basketball Featured on KQ2 News

A few weeks ago a reporter from KQ2 News in St. Joseph, Missouri came to Conception Abbey and Seminary College to film Conception Seminary College’s basketball team.  The footage was edited to become a 3-part series focusing on Skip Shear (Director of Wellness at Conception Seminary) and his role with CSC athletics. The Documentary is…

The Monks Visit their Neighbors

Every year on the Feast of St. Scholastica, the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration invite the monks over to their monastery for Evening Prayer and supper.  St. Scholastica is the sister of St. Benedict.  It is an event that we always look forward to. The monks arrived around 5:00pm on another cold winter day. Below:…