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Home Sweet Home
Sunday evening we pulled into the drive at Conception just before 10:30pm. It was a long and arduous journey from Mundelein, Illinois, particularly due to the duration of the drive (close to 8 hours) and the unpleasant weather. I led the group, driving in the car, followed by two vans and a suburban full of…
The Day in the Windy City
I celebrated Mass on my secondary feast day (Conversion of St. Paul) for the group who traveled along with the Conception Seminary team and served as “Fans” or “Cheerleaders.” We had planned to leave St. Benedict’s Abbey and catch a 10:45am train from Fox Lake to Chicago, but missed it by minutes. So, instead, we…
Monastic Road Trip
On Thursday afternoon, two seminarians and I traveled to Ames, Iowa, on the campus of Iowa State University, to have Mass at the St. Thomas Aquinas Student Center. I celebrated and preached at their Thursday Night Liturgy. It was nice to see a good turnout even in the midst of the bitterly cold weather. The…
Meet Fr. Victor
Date of profession (simple vows): August 15, 2005 Ordination Date: May 16, 2013 Place of Birth: Kinsley, KS High School: Kinsley HS, Arkansas City HS (Arkansas City, KS) College & Degree: Conception Seminary College – liberal arts Post-graduate work/Theology: Catholic University of America (Washington, DC) – M.A. Biblical Studies; St. Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology…
Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
Today marks the 41st anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision on January 22, 1973, which legalized abortion nationwide. This day has had tragic consequences for our nation and perpetuating a “culture of death.” In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 is observed as a particular day of prayer…
Tuesday Evening Haustus
The schedule in the monastery for Tuesdays after Vespers changes a bit from the typical day. After prayer, the monks occasionally have a community conference, which is usually given by the Abbot. Then we have what we call, “Haustus.” Haustus comes from the Latin verb (Haurio, Haurire, Hausi, Haustus) meaning “to draw up” or “drink.”…
Seminary Sports
It was in the mid to upper 40’s today, which in January seems warm. The freshmen and sophomores in the college play team sports twice a week, on Monday and Wednesday afternoon. When I was a junior monk, I facilitated Team Sports for three years. Now, Br. Justin is in charge of organizing games for…
Question & Answer
We had about 15 kids here on retreat from Kansas City for the weekend. This morning before Mass, I, along with two seminarians, facilitated a question and answer panel for the group. The kids were pretty tired and a bit quiet during the session (as young people usually are before noon), but they listened attentively…
Sr. Maria Victoria Professes Final Vows
This morning I attended the Final Monastic Profession of Sister Maria Victoria Cutaia, O.S.B. at Clyde, Missouri. Abbot Gregory presided at the Eucharistic celebration where Sr. Maria Victoria committed herself forever to stability, conversatio, and obedience. It was a joyful day for the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and all who assembled to celebrate this…
The Movement of the Spirit
Yesterday I made my way to Independence, MO for the Kairos retreat. I arrived at the Franciscan Retreat Center around 3:00pm, only about a 1 hr 45 min drive from the Abbey. One of the sisters showed me around the grounds and to the room where I was staying. We found the rest of the…