Br. William, a proud son of Singapore, shares the history of the Catholic church in his native land: "When the Apostolic Vicar St. Laurent Imbert arrived in Singapore in 1820, there was a already a small group of Catholics on the island, mainly from China and India. The first chapel was built in 1833 after the arrival of members from the French Missionaries of Paris (MEP). Christian Brothers of De La Salle and Sisters from the Holy Infant Jesus were the pioneers for education, health care and social services. As the Catholic population increased more churches were built.
Br. Christopher shares on the steps for repentance. “Dear friends, we are in the season of Lent, a wonderful time of Grace gifted us by God for beginning anew. Another name for starting anew is repentance. Since repentance is something I have quite a bit of experience with, I would like to share a method that has been what has been helpful for me:
Steps for repentance
As we begin again our Lenten journey of prayer and fasting, I would like to share a passage from the opening of the Catechism of the Catholic Church as a reminder of what I feel this Holy Season it is all about:
Father Placid comments on the requirements of fraternal charity for monks: “Chapter 72 of the Rule of St. Benedict contains the interesting verse: "The brothers should…most patiently endure one another's infirmities, whether of body or of character" (RB 72:6). The Latin of this verse is even more emphatic when translated literally: The brothers are to carry most patiently one another's sicknesses of body and behavior. Good zeal, from this perspective, then, is sharing in the foibles, behavioral dysfunctions, and troubles of the other person.
As we approach the end of the year and our thoughts turn to New Year Resolutions, we present the penultimate Chapter of the Rule of St. Benedict as material for consideration…
CHAPTER 72. THE GOOD ZEAL OF MONKS
Br. Luis presents on one of our best teachers: “One of my best teachers in the monastery as of late has been one of our venerable seniors, Father Lawrence, who suffers from a severely aged body and rapidly progressing dementia. Fr.
At this Advent time Br. Christopher speaks on blessings: “I’m big on blessing. I learned this from our dear Fr. Anthony Bellesorte, of happy memory. Anyone who knew him knows that his speech was punctuated with the phrase “God bless you!” It would be present along with a big warm smile at the greeting, find its way into the course of the conversation, and return as the goodbye at the end.
Br. Christopher reflects on last things: “November is the month the Church traditionally dedicates to the remembrance and reflection on the Four Last Things pertaining to our eternal destiny: Death, Judgement, Heaven and Hell. So here goes!
We share a little advice from Blessed Oglerio of Locedio, (c. 1136-1214) a medieval Italian abbot of our Order: “O bride of Christ, and you, monk of the Mother of the Most High, you who have come to partake in the Order of Our Lady and consecrated yourself as a Cistercian religious- say, together with every people and tribe and tongue, with the angel Gabriel and with Elizabeth the mother of the Prophet of the Most High:
Br. William speaks on our Saint: "In August 2022, I was honored with the assignment to provide a blurb for the back cover of “TO LIVE FOR GOD ALONE- The Life and Spirit of St. Rafael Arnaiz y Baron” by Mark OKeefe and Maria Gonzalo-Garcia, a new book on the life of St. Rafael. Here is my contribution: An inspiring work, full of insights on the life of a beloved of God.