For two days in January, we were without electricity and water. 
However, thanks to Frank Florez and his family
we have gas heaters in the Refectory and in the 8-Cell modular.

Dear Family and Friends,

The words of our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, January 1, 2010, “If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation.” are a challenge to us as we build the monastery on our 40 acres of mesa property surrounded by a vast expanse of mesas, pinon and juniper trees, elk, rattle snakes (hibernating  until summer!), sage, the list goes on. How can we a little monastery in northern New Mexico protect creation to cultivate peace?  

Little known to them, the forest rangers from the Chama Station are helping us answer this challenge of Pope Benedict.  The forest rangers paid us a visit a few weeks ago to help us plan our landscaping which will include pinon trees for natural beauty, poplars for wind barriers and lavender bushes along the edge of the upper level with natural grasses for rain runoff control…  Sister Mary will have more on this exciting project come spring! 

As we begin this New Year Mother Nature is also offering us an opportunity to cultivate peace to protect creation. A blanket of pure white soft snow surrounds us along with a clear blue sky, mother nature inviting us to join her in this still silence and solitude to contemplate her beauty, the beauty of creation so lovingly given to us by the great creator, a sign of his love for us.

Wherever you are in our beautiful world please join us in taking a moment to experience the beauty of creation that surrounds us, however modest or majestic.

May the Lord bless you and keep you!

May the lord let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you!

May the Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!

And, while you contemplate the beauty around you, join us in praying this blessing from the Book of Numbers 6:22-27, for our world. 

May the peace of Christ reign in our hearts and in our world!

 

Mother Benedicta Serna, OSB