Suburban Hermit
“In Every Man There is a Monk and an Explorer” Ben Stauffer
Quarr Abbey and the Isle of Wight
I was a curate (parochial vicar) in the Church of England in the late 80s when an older priest introduced me to the Isle of Wight. The island is a beautiful, little known corner [...]
St Bernard of Clairvaux on the Coming of the Lord
I am reading up on the history of the Benedictine movement in preparation for a new class I will be teaching at the Avila Institute starting in January. It is How St Benedict Changed the [...]
The Lakskhi Option
After a week in the priest's cabin at the Norbertine Monastery of Canonesses in California I can be excused for wishing to hunker down even more than usual. I'm one of those introverts who, [...]
Lockdown Diary – Day Four
As I wrote yesterday, I seem to be busier in lockdown than when life was normal. This morning I celebrated Mass in our Lower Church with one of the men who normally come to [...]
Lockdown Diary Day One
Yesterday the Bishop of Charleston closed down our parish and school because of the coronavirus, so like many people I'm "working from home." I must admit yesterday I was rather despondent. As a Catholic [...]
Flagging and Flabby? Get to the Spiritual Gym!
After the holiday feasting I’m ready to sign up at the gym. Crammed with Christmas cake and candy, and stuffed like the turkey, I am also, like my waistband, overflowing with good intentions and [...]