Abbey of Our Lady of New Clairvaux

FACEBOOK FRIDAY: Dear Facebook Friends, Br. Christopher shares on a great saint: On October 22 we celebrated the memorial of St. John Paul II, also known as John Paul the Great. St. John Paul was the pope during my formative years and a great influence on me. This year is also the 25th anniversary of his prophetic encyclical Evangelium Vitae (The Gospel of Life). I wanted to share a bit of this with you all, it is a great reminder. It is not just about abortion, it is a...bout creating an ethos and culture of life in which all life is valued, a culture of caring for one another. St. John Paul taught: Not only must human life not be taken, but it must be protected with loving concern. Each of us is made in the image and likeness of God, and we reflect His Glory in the world. Society as a whole must respect, defend and promote the dignity of every human person, at every moment and in every condition of that person’s life. In every person who lives or dies, we see the image of God’s glory. We celebrate this glory in every human being, a sign of the living God, an icon of Jesus Christ. When we come to know and treasure the Divine Presence within ourselves at the core of our being, we come to recognize it in others also, and then to execute, leave behind, exploit, harm, or abort becomes unthinkable. Instead, we throw our efforts into networks of supporting and helping and building up that person to become the person they can be. #JohnPaulII #EvangeliumVitae #RespectLife #Trappist #monks

A Day in a Trappist Monastery continues: Chapter - Each monastery has a chapter room where the monks and nuns meet regularly for work assignments, important in...formation and spiritual growth. The time varies- Mepkin monks meet after Terce, Santa Rita Nuns meet at 8:00 am and Genesee monks meet at 7:20 pm. They also meet on Sundays. In the Rule of Saint Benedict you find many references to the abbot's/abbesses' responsibility to teach and guide the brothers and nuns, individually and as a community. They do this by example as well as by words. In a chapter talk the abbot/abbess breaks open their heart to the monks/nuns and speaks from their own prayer, study, and experience as members continue to progress in their monastic journey together. The underlying truths, however, pertaining to individuals and communities living gospel values as members of the Body of Christ apply to all. Many of the monastery websites post their chapter talks so we too can be enriched. New Clairvaux monastery has audio chapter talks, so we can hear Father Paul Mark Schwan, the abbot, talk to the monks. Visit https://www.trappists.org/monasteries-in-the-united-states/ for a list of monasteries and the links to their web sites, where you can find chapter talks. #chapter #learn #spirituality #growth #Trappist See more

http://ow.ly/ME9650ByhOj Words with Wine - October 29, 2020 at 7:30 EST. Follow the link to register.

FACEBOOK FRIDAY: Dear Facebook Friends, Br. Peter Damian shares on the monks’ annual after-harvest picnic: What does the picnic table of monks look like? It is not the same as the Abbot’s table from which you can find the spiritual values. Our picnic day is a relaxing day outdoors after the grape harvest. Yet spending time together is something important for us. It is a chance for the junior monks and the senior monks to talk and to mutually understand each other and to deep...en our human relationship with companionship on the way to heaven. It was also a chance for them to smile at each other at the picnic table, since they could not smile while harvesting in the vineyard this year because of the requirement to wear a face mask. This picnic was hosted by two monks: 'Maurus' and Placid. Both of them are relatively active, obedient and humble disciples. They served the brothers with enthusiasm as far as they received the command from the Abbot. The good they claimed from God; the wrong they claim for themselves (Rule of Benedict, Chap. 4). After the mealtime, we also spent time to enjoy the beauty of nature at the picnic site at Eagle Pass Recreation Area, Orland, CA, about 30 miles away from our monastery. Here some brothers liked hiking along the trails; some liked playing games; the others liked to take a walk to see the beautiful view from the Black Butte Lake. Still others went swimming at the lake. In the late afternoon before returning home, we prayed together with Vespers around the picnic table and concluded with chanting of the Salve Regina hymn to honor our Blessed Virgin Mary. It was simply a relaxing day after working hard in the vineyard and the winery. Thanks to our Creator that mother nature provided the beauty for us. "

Seated wine tastings at New Clairvaux Vineyard daily starting at 11 AM. #newclairvauxvineyard #newclairvauxwines #winetasting #weekendplans #tastingflight #se...atedwinetastings #vina #cawine #tehamacounty #buttecounty #swirlandsip #cheesepairings #visitnorcal #americasfirsttrappistwinery #trappistmade #winecountry #norcalwinecountry #stjamesblock #poorsoulsblock #wineglass #vinetotable #albarino #tempranillo #syrah #viognier #trebbiano #petitesirah #awardwinningwines See more

THE MONASTERY BOOK AND GIFT SHOP IS OPEN BY RESERVATION FRIDAY - SUNDAY. PLEASE CALL BROTHER WILLIAM AT 530-736-3292 TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS.

Step 6 in the process: Solemn Procession of Vows: After prayerful and reflective period of temporary profession, having gained a deep understanding of the sign...ificance of the action you are about to take, you may freely petition the abbot or abbess to make a solemn profession of vows. With permission, you may give yourself to Christ in the spirit of faith and commit yourself perpetually to live, with the love and support of the whole community, a life in accord with the Rule of St. Benedict The monk/nun writes out the formula of profession in their own hand and reads it aloud: I, (name) promise my stability, my fidelity to the monastic way of life, and obedience until death, in accordance with the Rule of Saint Benedict. From that moment they are received as a permanent member of this monastic community, Then the abbot/abbess solemnly invokes a blessing over them as they lie prostrate on the floor. Finally, the abbot/abbess clothes them with the white cowl signaling their consecration as a Cistercian monk/nun. They now have full rights and responsibilities as a member of this community from now until death, and become a source of monastic inspiration and an example of monastic practice for those who will enter after him. To read and learn more go to https://www.trappists.org/becoming-tr/steps-in-the-journey/ Photos are of solemn professions at Mt. St. Marys, New Clairvaux, Our Lady of the Angels, and St. Joseph, Spencer, See more

On this Memorial of Saint Bruno, hermit and founder of the Carthusian Order, Father Guerric shares a brief reflection on today Mass readings and the life of Saint Bruno: "Saint Bruno, whose feast we celebrate today, is remembered as a lover of solitude and of the desert, a contemplative who sought Christ in silence. Around the year 1000, he felt called like Mary in the gospel story to sit at Christ’s feet and seek the one thing necessary. What lesson can we learn from Sai...nt Bruno? What can he teach us Cistercian monks whose vocation is lived in communal prayer, communal silence and manual work? Saint Bruno challenges us, all of us, to realize that there is a part of us, what we might call our deeper self which requires silent listening to the deeper voice of God within us to value just being alone with the Lord in prayer and in quiet. The words of the psalmist in our responsorial psalm sum up perfectly the goal of Bruno’s life: 'Truly you have formed my inmost being guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.' In our world of constant change and uncertainty caused by a global pandemic and social disease of our day, there is value in silence and reflection where the human person can encounter the Son of God. Like Mary in our gospel today and like St Bruno called to serve God in solitude, we too seek to know Christ at his feet, we too need to choose only one thing, the better part." Photo - courtesy of Frank Geiser

WORDS WITH WINE OCTOBER 29, 2020 Saint Bernard's School of Theology and Ministry invite you for another Words with Wine virtual event! This month's virtual discussion will be on Graham Green's classic "The End of the Affair" led by Mrs. Heather Hughes Huff on Thursday, 10/29, from 7:30 - 9 pm EST. A glass of our New Clairvaux wine is encouraged! ... For more information or to register, visit stbernards.regfox.com/ww We look forward to seeing you there!

FACEBOOK FRIDAY- Dear Facebook Friends, Fr. Thomas comments on Who is My Neighbor? Various commands are given us in the Gospel, such as love one another, love your enemies, love God with all one’s heart, soul, strength and mind, and love one’s neighbor as one’s self. We understand what it means to love one another, we know who our enemies are, and we grasp something about God. But the Gospel question, ‘Who is my neighbor?’ opens up for us an insight on love, for Jesus, nor t...he Gospels for that matter, never really define who a neighbor is. Jesus tells us how to respond to persons in various situations. The response is with love, compassion and understanding. Authentic love it seems, following the spirit of the Gospels, does not define its object. If it did, there is a possibility that persons would tend not to love. Defining an object, is to place conditions, and charity that is God, the selfless love of the Gospels, places No conditions. Charity, to be authentic love, has to be unconditional. God loves us unconditionally, Jesus asks us to love God unconditionally, and to love others persons as we love God, and as we love and care for ourselves. #God #neighbor #love #gospel #jesus #Trappist #monks *photo by Frank Gieser

Step 5 in the process:- Junior Professed: After two years in the Novitiate, if it is clear that you truly seek God with zeal and obedience and are well suited t...o Trappist life, you may profess vows as a Junior Professed. These are temporary vows in which you commit to monastic life for a period of three years or three periods of one year. You are entrusted with greater responsibilities, become more deeply integrated in community life and continue your studies and formation. You also retain personal ownership of any of your goods until final vows are professed. The newly professed is clothed in the black scapular of the professed monk and changes the cloth cincture of the novice for the leather belt of the professed. Making vows, the monk performs an ecclesial act, that is, his vows are recognized by the Church and have canonical as well as theological significance. To read more go to https://www.trappists.org/becoming-tr/steps-in-the-journey/ Photos are of the Junior Professed Seminar at Mt. St. Mary's, Brother Lazarus at Gethsemani, Sr Harriet at Our Lady of the Mississippi and Sr. Ashwini at Mt. St. Mary's #vocation #juniorprofessed #Trappist #vows See more

Step 4 in the Process: Novitiate. With sufficient desire and capacity to live as a Trappist, you may officially become a member of the order as a Novice, clothe...d with the religious habit, and receive formal instruction on monastic observances with support from sisters or brothers over the course of two years.The Novice receives the white tunic, scapular, and cloth cincture. They are considered a member of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, though still without any binding commitment. During this time the Novice continues to explore the meaning of the monastic practices and to integrate them into their search for God.To learn more go to https://www.trappists.org/becoming-tr/steps-in-the-journey/ Photos of novices at Gethsemani, Santa Rita, Genesee and Mt St. Mary's Trappist Monasteries #novice #trappist #vocation #God See more

FACEBOOK FRIDAY- Dear Facebook Friends, Abbot Paul Mark comments on our hope in these turbulent times: The year is leaving us nearly breathless; the largest wildfires in California’s history raging on both sides of our Sacramento Valley, spewing smoke and ash all over us, making it hazardous to walk and breathe out of doors; political turmoil and fear as the country approaches a presidential election; social unrest shaking the foundations of law and order, at least as we p...erceive these; a pandemic that continues to run unleashed resulting in thousands of serious health issues and deaths, disrupting businesses and causing school closures. What more can I add? Well, I have good news to share with you, today, September 25, is the feast of Our Lady of Mercy. How appropriate that this feast occurs in the month of September, the month we commemorate the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. God’s Son came into our world not to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through him. The Gospel is nothing less than a celebration of this mercy of salvation. Hence our Blessed Mother, as model and image of the church, reflects the beauty and truth of God’s salvific mercy and compassion. It is this mercy of God that gives me reason to hope in these seemingly dark and confusing days of epochal change for our world, society, and nature. Mercy and compassion are possible for me to practice because God first shows merciful compassion towards me and all women and men. I hope September and the season of autumn afford the opportunity for me to celebrate and practice the gift of merciful compassion to others and even to myself, even though so little of compassion is seemingly apparent in the world we find ourselves in today.

Step 3 in the process: Postulancy: If it is discerned that God is calling you to continue on this path, you may become a Postulant and be further initiated into... the disciplines of our order over the course of about six months. Though at this stage he is not bound by any sort of commitment and is free to terminate his postulancy at any time, the Postulant is considered a member of the community. With the guidance of the Novice Director, the Postulant is progressively initiated into Cistercian monastic life. To read more go to www.trappists.org/becoming-trappist/steps-in-the-journey/and also Photos are of new postulants at Mepkin Abbey, Holy Cross Abbey and Mt. St. Mary's Abbey. #vocation #postulant #trappist #journey See more