Life’s journey can be full of distractions and diversions. Come to a day of recollection to find the meaning of Lenten observance and restore your vision of Christ for Easter.

Sister Maria Josepha, OSB

The Abbey of St. Walburga will be hosting two Lenten retreat days:
March 10 and March 29 from 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Two conferences will be given by one of the nuns on the topic of “Returning to Christ”.

Participants are welcome to join the nuns for midday prayers (the Divine Office).

A light lunch will be provided, or you are welcome to bring your own food (refrigerators and microwaves will be available).

The cost is $35 per person.

Registration is required. Please email our Guest Mistress at aswretreats@gmail.com
or call (970) 472-0612 to make a reservation.

In 1 Corinthians 2:10, St. Paul says, “Brothers and sisters: The Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God.”  You know what he doesn’t say?  He doesn’t say that the Spirit criticizes; he doesn’t say that the Spirit murmurs.  He just says that the Spirit scrutinizes.

What’s the difference?  To scrutinize means to examine or inspect closely.  You really, really look hard at it.  To criticize actually means to indicate the faults of someone or something in a disapproving way.  That’s criticizing, and a murmur is a soft, indistinct sound by a person or a group speaking quietly at a distance.

When there’s something in you that starts criticizing everything about yourself, I think you need to turn it off and not listen to it.  There’s a time when we can critique ourselves, which means to look and be able to see a balance of good and bad.  But criticizing yourself – to speak so negatively – I don’t think that’s what God wants for us.

We need to pay attention to these things because usually what you do to yourself, you will do to others.  When you’re really hard on yourself, guess what?  You won’t notice when you’re hard on someone else.  And you don’t even mean it, but it’s just your way of thinking that’s come out.  

Then, in 1 Corinthians 4:5 St. Paul says, “He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness, and will manifest the motives of our hearts.”  But the more wonderful thing is that he goes on to add, “And then everyone will receive praise from God.”  He’s actually anticipating praise!  What a way to live!  Do you live like that?  When we have that way of living, anticipating good, it changes how we hear and see things.  Instead of seeing black, we see that the dawn is coming; instead of seeing just the negative, we give the positive the first place.

In your desire to achieve great holiness, it’s in making those little changes.  It’s the little things that make a lifetime.  Think of that today: the little voice with which you speak to yourself.  How is it?  Know, however you’re speaking to yourself, everyone else will become aware of it.  So don’t judge yourself or others too harshly.  You too must know that you have a good intent.  You too must know that, deep within you, you really mean well, and so does your neighbor.

Be kind to yourself, and you’ll be kind to others.

Photos from our chapel this Christmas season

This year’s calendar features photos of our Sisters performing daily monastic duties.  The calendar also gives the days of the Church’s liturgical days and seasons, together with days commemorated by the Order of St. Benedict, as they are observed at our Abbey. 

***We are now sold out of 2023 Calendars; thank you to everyone who purchased one!