Author: WalburgaBenedictines

The Way God Looks at You

August 29, 2025

A reflection by our Abbess, Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB

The reading from Zephaniah we have in the Office of Readings on the 21st Monday in Ordinary Time is such a delight. It reminds me of the spirit of Advent, that Christ has come and given us everything, and given us the ability to stand before God as beloved children. He comes to say, “You are loved…” It is a reality that can’t be denied. You should know how greatly you are loved.

Mosaic: Source Unknown

The Lord spoke through Zephaniah saying, “Shout for joy, daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has removed the judgment against you, he has turned away your enemies; The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst, you have no further misfortune to fear. On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem: Do not fear, Zion, do not be discouraged! The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior, Who will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, Who will sing joyfully because of you, as on festival days. I will remove disaster from among you, so that no one may recount your disgrace” (Zep. 3:14-18).

When you walk into the Chapel, I hope you think of that. He’s singing for joy when you walk in. He’s the one rejoicing over you, and renewing you in His love. That should make you smile. Believe in His love—It should make us run with all our hearts to God, who really does delight in us. He looks on us with so much love.

If you’ve ever wanted somebody to look at you as if they had stopped with their mouth open…That’s God looking at you. That’s how He sees you. He stops and just stares with love. That’s how we should see God. Do we return that love? Do we look with love? Do we sing with joy for Him? That’s what we’re here to do. Who could want more?

Oh that the angels and saints in heaven would be able to say to the Lord of us,
“You should see they way they look at You…”

The Feast of St. James

July 26, 2025

A reflection by our Abbess, Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB

Photo taken along the Camino de Santiago by one of our Sisters,
who did the pilgrimage before entering our community

Commemorating the Camino de Santiago

In 2 Corinthians (for the first reading at Mass on the feast of St. James, celebrated on July 25) we hear, “Brothers and sisters: We hold this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us” (2 Cor. 4:7).  St. James had very little time to even be an Apostle—Just as he was beginning, his head was taken off (cf. Acts 12:2).  And yet, who is the incredibly popular Saint today, whose “Camino” everybody talks about?  Everyone seems to know about that pilgrimage to St. James (the Camino de Santiago), which has so much to do with people seeking the answers to the questions, “What is my vocation?” and “What am I supposed to do at this point in my life?”  People spend up to a month on this walk, asking God to show them the way.  It’s a long trek, and their feet hurt at the end, but it often does reveal to people what they need.  It often does give them the time and the prayer along the way to know God’s will.

In heaven as on earth

So we see how after St. James’ death, he is so powerful an Apostle.  God alone can do that.  I truly believe that how we live our lives will make a difference in how we are able to help people after we die.  When you spend your life giving everything (even if it is short, like St. James), then perhaps you will get to spend your heaven getting to help others on earth give their everything. 

Leaving our nets and following our servant leader

How different are the ways of heaven from the ways of earth!  Even after Christ’s resurrection, He is found cooking breakfast for everybody.  But in some professions today, the mentality is that if you’re in charge, you don’t help anybody under you.  And yet Christ is so different—He is God, but He calls Himself a servant, and He instructs His Apostles to be servants as well (Matt. 20:26-28).  It is such a different attitude than the attitude of man.  God became an earthen vessel, and changed it into gold.  And He will do the same with us, but we have to let Him.  We have to be willing, like St. James, to give up our nets (cf. Matt. 4:18-22).  Sometimes we hang on to our nets and everything in them, and they are really hard to get rid of.  But we should strive to let them go, and especially those petty little grievances which we all tend to carry around. 

So in the spirit of the Camino, I encourage you take a walk with St. James today.  May he help to guide you along the way to Jesus.

Rogation Procession Photos

June 10, 2025

Each year, on the three days leading up to the Solemnity of the Lord’s Ascension, our community takes part in the long-standing tradition of the Church to hold Minor Litanies, or “Rogation Processions,” to invoke the mercy of God, the prayers of the saints, deliverance from evil, and protection of our land. Rogation Procession litanies consist of four main parts. First, we invoke the three Divine Persons, with the response, “Miserere nobis” (Have mercy on us). Second, we invoke the intercession of Mary, the Apostles, and groups of saints, with the response, “Ora pro nobis” (Pray for us). Third, we pray for protection from evils of body and soul, through the merits of Christ, with the response, “Libera nos, Domine” (Deliver us, O Lord). Fourth, we pray for particular blessings for the Church and the world, with the response, “Te rogamus, audi nos” (We beseech Thee, hear us).

Upcoming Vocation Retreat

June 10, 2025

Be Transformed…

Retreat weekend at the Abbey of St. Walburga
for women discerning their religious vocation

Ages 18-35

July 18-20, 2025

contact: walburgavocations@gmail.com

970-472-0612

“Do not be conformed to this world, but by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans  12:1-2

He is Risen! Alleluia!

April 19, 2025

This year our paschal candle department, consisting of six sisters, offered various parishes and monasteries two design options, both centered on Eucharistic symbolism. Created by two of our solemnly professed Sisters, one design was centered on the theme of Christ the Vine (cf. John 15), and the other, inspired by the Azulejos tiles of Portugal, included symbols for Christ, Mary, and the Jubilee Year of Hope. These designs were painted on candles large and small by the artists in our community.

Paschal candles are used during the Easter Vigil Mass to carry the flame from the Easter fire into the church, and from which every other candle in the church is lit, as a symbol of Christ the true Light enlightening the world and dispelling the darkness of evil.  

 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower.

By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.

John 15: 1, 8-12

In the News/Media

March 11, 2025

Featured in the Augustine Institute’s “How to Lent” Video Series

The video crew from the Augustine Institute visited the Abbey of St. Walburga for the day and had an interview with Mother Maria-Michael about the importance of prayer for Episode 2 of their “How to Lent” series:

From Denver Catholic Online

In Other News

The Abbey of St. Walburga was one of the monasteries chosen to be included in Bishop Robert Barron’s film series “Catholicism: The Pivotal Players” in the episode on St. Benedict:

Winter at Walburga

March 4, 2025

Below is a slideshow of an assortment of photos from this winter, including the blessing of snow, the investiture of our new Novice, Sister Rosemary, our liturgy, some of our farm animals, and the creation of a cake to help raise money for St. Joseph Catholic School in Fort Collins.

2025 Calendars for Sale

February 22, 2025

Photos from the 2025 calendar

This year’s wall calendar features photos of our Abbey over the course of the past 90 years.  It notes the days of the Church’s liturgical seasons, together with days commemorated by the Order of St. Benedict, as they are observed by our community.  The cost is $13.00 (plus shipping) per calendar. 

To place an order, please send an email to aswgiftshop@gmail.com or call (970) 472-0612.

The Completion of Christmas

January 13, 2025

A reflection by our Abbess, Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB, on the conclusion of the Christmas Season

The Outdoor Nativity Scene at the Abbey of St. Walburga

In the gospel reading at Mass on Saturday in Epiphanytide, we hear that “No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven” (John 3:27).  So all of those heavenly gifts that have come upon us this Christmas, we should really think of today.  We should especially give thanks for the gift of Christ, the Bridegroom.  Further on in the gospel reading from John it says, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom” (John 3:29).  That should stop us.  That says absolutely everything.  If we just had this one sentence for the rest of our life, it would be enough—Because He has us.  Nobody can take us from Him.  Relish the fact that we belong to Him. 

On Christmas, the Bridegroom came to earth, “leaping across the hills” as the Song of Songs says, running to meet us, and peering through the lattices to make sure we’re here.  The whole imagery of the Bridegroom coming is scattered throughout the scriptures, and it makes me think that Jesus must have loved weddings so much (His first miracle was performed at a wedding in Cana!) because it reminded Him of the joy of His role as the Bridegroom for His people.  Seeing the love of a groom for his bride reminds Him of His love for His brides, and for His Bride, the Church.  No matter what, Christ never stops loving His Church as a Bride.  And we should take great joy and comfort in that.  What everybody else thinks really is so small compared to what the Bridegroom thinks and feels.  May we never despair of thinking that He loves us any less than His beloved bride.  Keep this in mind, and you can’t have a bad day: The bride has the Bridegroom.

Advent: Putting Your House in Order

December 6, 2024

A reflection by our Abbess, Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB

I love reading the great prophets during Advent.  In Isaiah, we hear the story of Hezekiah and how his time to die has come, so he turns and faces the wall and prays.  It reminds me of children when they are in trouble, how they go stand in the corner, and I’m sure in one way their hearts are praying, too, “Oh God let this be over!”  But upon hearing Hezekiah’s prayer, God adds fifteen more years to his life.  The part that stands out to me in this reading, though, is when God says to him, “Put your house in order, for you are about to die” (Isaiah 38:1).

Advent is about putting your house in order, which is why the monastic life is considered a perpetual Advent – we are continually preparing ourselves to see Christ, awaiting His coming with eager expectation.  All the more so during this season of Advent.  It’s about living a life that has everything directed toward heaven.  Focus on the things which will last for all eternity.  Don’t waste your time thinking about things that don’t really matter.

When preparing our hearts for Christmas this year, and pondering what gift we are to bring the Lord, let us remember that He says in scripture, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Matt. 9:13).  Mercy is to go beyond ourselves, to go beyond our judgments, to give room for what we don’t know.  You may have heard the saying, “Chaste as angels, proud as devils.”  Don’t justify yourself by saying that you fasted all day and so you’re fine, and then go and judge everyone all the way down the hall.  Then what have you really done?  Nothing, you’re just hungry and it hasn’t helped you a bit.  No, we should stand humbly before God.  We need to acknowledge our faults and sins.  We can’t just point fingers and say to God, “Well look at them!”, because God does, and He is looking at you, too.  If you choose to be merciful you will receive mercy (cf. Luke 6:37).  

Remember the power of blessing as one of the greatest gifts.  Sister Angelika, when she was working outside, would see a plane fly over and automatically pray for all the people in it, and ask for God to bless them.  Now that’s a big heart.  That’s how we should choose to live – thinking for the good of others.  Pray for people.  Do your part to change yourself.  Others will follow suit, and you’ll notice it.  It’s the nicest thing to have someone say, “Boy, you’re different” in a good way.  In a house where we live so close in community, it’s far more powerful to live mercifully than to fast all day.  If you can do both, well blessed are you.  But mercy is more powerful. 

Arise, all ye nobles and peasants; Mary invites all, rich and poor, just and sinners, to enter the cave of Bethlehem, to adore and to kiss the feet of her new-born Son. Go in, then, all ye devout souls; go and see the Creator of heaven and earth on a little hay, under the form of a little Infant; but so beautiful that he sheds all around rays of light. Now that he is born and is lying on the straw, the cave is no longer horrible, but is become a paradise. Let us enter; let us not be afraid.

From “The Discourse for Christmas Night,” by St. Alphonsus Liguori