Clear Creek Monks

At the close of our lenten journey, we are now at the threshold of Holy Week, in which the Church’s liturgy prepares the attentive faithful for participation in the Paschal mysteries.

Consecrated to our Lady, the monks of Clear Creek Abbey recall her role at the Cross, described well by Dom Prosper Guéranger (1805-1875), who founded the congregation of Solesmes, in this passage from his celebrated Liturgical Year:

The whole of next week is fully taken up with the celebration of the mysteries of Jesus’ Passion; and although the remembrance of Mary’s share in those sufferings is often brought before the faithful during Holy Week, yet, the thought of what her Son, our divine Redeemer, goes through for our salvation, so absorbs our attention and love, that […]

The Blessing of Candles at Candlemas

by Dom Prosper Guéranger, founding Abbot of the Congregation of Solesmes, taken from his treatment of February 2: The Purification of the Blessed Virgin in Volume 3 of his Liturgical Year.

The mystery of to-day’s ceremony of the blessing of candles has frequently been explained by liturgists, dating from the 7th century.

According to St. Ivo of Chartres, the wax which is formed from the juice of flowers by the bee, (which has always been considered as the emblem of virginity,) signifies the virginal flesh of the Divine Infant, who diminished not, either by his conception or his birth, the spotless purity of his Blessed Mother. The same holy Bishop would […]