Dear Friend of Clear Creek Abbey,
As this mysterious thing we call “time” inexorably devours people and things, it carries all before it like a river moving toward the sea of eternity. But this mystery also fulfills the providential plan of God, one that includes all of us, pulling us toward that Kingdom where God’s glory and beauty crown the efforts of our hard-fought battles on earth. If only we can get there…
At Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey things continue to grow and develop. Our most recent construction project came to completion in May, leaving us with a beautiful sanctuary. In its exterior aspect this part of the church is referred to as the chevet.
We now have a much better space inside for liturgical ceremonies. The new acoustics favor the chant to a higher degree than before.
On Trinity Sunday, to our great joy, Bishop James Conley of the Lincoln diocese celebrated a solemn pontifical mass in our church. He was here on his annual pilgrimage along with several of his seminarians. His Excellency also gave a conference entitled The Silent Revolution—on the need for less noise in our lives—at the second annual Idea of a Village Conference held near the abbey on June 10th.
Another of the speakers at the Conference was Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera, the Spanish author of an international bestseller about a Catholic village situated near a Benedictine abbey. Her talk was entitled, The Awakening of Miss Prim, Fire, Faith, and Fairy Tales. Senorita Fenollera also gave a more informal talk to the monastic community gathered in the guesthouse cloister on Trinity Sunday.
By the grace of God our monastic community continues to thrive and grow. For some time now our total number has been above 50. We still lack adequate living quarters, but are getting by for the moment. On the feast of Saint John the Baptist (which was also the day of the Commemoration of the Immaculate Heart on the current Roman calendar) a young man was clothed with the habit of a postulant.
We are currently pursuing the project of a possible monastic foundation in New Mexico, where we have already acquired property on a very beautiful spot in the Zuni Mountains. A first building (of what may eventually be a priory) is currently under construction by the monks, with the generous help of stalwart friends out that way. A story to be continued…
As you can see, the hive is still quite active, as we endeavor to answer the call to promote the contemplative monastic life in its Benedictine form. You, our friends, are part of that long-term effort. God alone knows what spiritual fruits will emerge. We thank you for your most kind support of every kind.
+ br. Philip Anderson, abbot
