Featured – Abbey of St. Walburga

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

Our Chapel’s 25th Anniversary

November 23, 2024

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

The Dedication of our Abbey Church, November 7, 1999

Twenty-five years have slipped by since our Chapel was completed. The most important parts of our lives take place in this sacred place. It is here we begin by knocking on the door at our entrance, and here we say our final “good-bye” to our beloved Sisters.

Chapter 19 of the Rule of St. Benedict talks about how we should say the Divine Office: “We must always remember, therefore, what the Prophet says: Serve the Lord with fear (Ps 2:11), and again, Sing praise wisely (Ps 46[47]:8); and, In the presence of the angels I will sing to you (Ps 137[138]:1). Let us consider, then, how we ought to behave in the presence of God and his angels, and let us stand to sing the psalms in such a way that our minds are in harmony with our voices” (RB 19:3-5). I love that. We are assisting the angels! And we have to work that our mind might be in harmony with our voices. We know what a work of love that is. There is no work to be preferred to this, and we should celebrate the Divine Office with joy and solemnity.

“I rejoiced when I heard them say, ‘let us go to the house of the Lord’” (Ps 122:1). We have access at all times to the Chapel. So we have a reason to rejoice! In this place, our souls come to rest in the very Presence of Jesus Christ Our Lord…And the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with the conversations…What a gift.

It is in this Chapel that we give the best of ourselves. In Psalm 37 we hear, “Once I was young, and now I am old…” (Ps 37:25). Our Chapel watches the passage of time. Our bodies age, but our souls only get richer. You can feel that. There is a certain dignity that starts growing in you. There is no fear in ageing, because there is something beautiful happening within us.

Our Chapel is dedicated to the Mother of God. The tapestries, which hang along the walls, tell the story of the Blessed Mother’s life. Her most important moments are in the Chapel as well, and are united with ours. We have her motherly intercession and her powerful intercession. Nothing goes unnoticed by her. And the wonderful thing is that she cares.

So let us celebrate with heartfelt gratitude and joy this day. Every day, we receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ in this Chapel. Who could want more? Twenty-five years ago this Abbey Church was dedicated (and believe me, that altar received a ton of oil; I remember the Archbishop spreading the oil all over with great delight…all of the corners, Monsignor Newman and Deacon Bud, they went around to all of the crosses in the Church and put oil on them while we prayed). May it bear our hearts and souls to the heights of the heavens. Let us sing with our minds and hearts in harmony, that this day of great blessings will see a showering of graces that we pray shall never end. This is God’s dwelling place, and He has made it holy. We call on His name, for scripture says: There, you will find Him.

As you sing, sing very purposefully. The measure you put in to it is the measure you are going to get out. There is something special in the liturgy for each person, and it is a jewel ready to be found—Find it and take care of it, because it will be given to no one else but you. May this bring us all to holiness.

Archbishop Chaput anointing the altar with oil

Living Lighter: Progressing in Virtue

October 7, 2024

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

Photo by André Escaleira, Jr. / Denver Catholic

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).

You see the progression of good. Virtue is a progression. Throughout our lives, we strive to develop virtue, we develop to be faithful, we develop love. That’s why we take time every day to make an examination of conscience. “Where am I going? What am I doing? How am I treating things? Am I being faithful? Am I being obedient? Am I steadfast in the community?” Otherwise, we might progress in the opposite direction: downhill. “Well, I don’t want to do that today. Maybe not tomorrow either.” And then it becomes, “I am just not going to do that.” We can grow in an acceptance of doing less.

In the back of my copy of St. Benedict’s Holy Rule, it has the whole rule in a nutshell. I always go back to this and read it. It’s a great aid to making a good examination of conscience.

1. My son, willingly receive the admonitions of a loving father and put them into efficacious practice.

2. When you begin anything good, ask God by importune prayer to perfect it for you.

3. So live so that your actions profit you eternally.

4. By a life of patient self-denial we participate in the passion of Christ, hence also in his eternal kingdom.

5. We are all one in Christ.

6. Love the works of charity.

7. Obey for the following motives: because Christ is in your lawfully appointed superiors, because you belong to the service of Christ, because punishment awaits the self-willed, because a great reward is promised to the obedient.

8. Obey in the following manner: not for servile motives, not heartily, not negligently, not with dislike, not with unbecoming words.

9. An unguarded tongue leads to sin.

10. Humility consists in avoiding sin, not loving one’s own will, obeying one’s lawful superiors for the love of God, patiently bearing hardships, acknowledging one’s faults, being content with circumstances, not esteeming oneself more than others, avoiding singularity, curbing boisterousness, being aware of forwardness in conversation, speaking well, modestly, and humbly, shaping our exterior according to the exterior of Christ.

11. Prayer to be efficacious need not be long or wordy; it should however be contrite and fervent.

12. Be ready to pray when it is time.

13. If you care not to amend your evil ways, you are not worthy to remain with Christ’s disciples.

14. Be neither sordid nor negligent.

15. Be not inordinately attached to your possessions.

16: Never murmur against authority.

17. See Christ in the sick and act accordingly; and if you are sick yourself do not grow peevish.

18. Be aware of excess in food and drink.

19. Place God’s things always first.

20: Do everything at its proper time.

21. Idleness is the enemy of the soul.

22. Spend Sunday with profit for the soul.

23. Never do anything unbecoming in Church.

24. Do not be a slave to clothing.

25. Do your work carefully, always intending the honor and glory of God.

26. Beware of ever cheating others.

27. The greater the dignity, the greater the obligation of virtue.

28. Always aim for some spiritual progress.

29. Be polite to others.

30. Read this rule frequently.

31. Confide in God for help in your occupations.

32. Gladly do favors for others and take correction in the right spirit.

33. Let your zeal always be such as leads to a good and profitable end.

34. Read diligently the Holy Scriptures, the lives of the saints, and other spiritual books.

So, this gives us something to work on every day. There’s always something we can do a little better. And if we start heading in the wrong direction, we can count on God to send us warnings. God sends us encouragement. He knows we need a touch of encouragement. He knows what will make us laugh a little. You can see those who can laugh at themselves, and there’s such a tenderness—There’s a tenderness of heart even towards themselves. There’s not that harshness. If we can laugh a little bit at ourselves, all of a sudden there’s a lightness and we aren’t so hard on others, either. As we grow holier, we should become lighter of heart, because we forget ourselves. The heaviest person to carry is ourselves, and so try to remember that God wills for us to grow in holiness with a smile. We will become lighter if we let Him carry us.

Called Forth by God + Video

August 14, 2024

A reflection by Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB, during the week leading up to the Solemn Monastic Profession of Sister Maria-Placida, OSB on July 11, 2024, the Solemnity of St. Benedict

What a glory it is to be called forth by God, and not merely by man. Our vocations are God-given, truly given by God, and that’s what makes them so great. It’s not something we can do without His call. During Sister Maria-Placida’s Solemn Profession, she will be called forth (literally, from the back of the chapel to the front, carrying her lighted profession candle!) by the bishop—and how beautiful that she responds to this call with a song. She will come forth singing with joy for being called by God to this vocation. So we look forward to this moment with rejoicing in our hearts, because it is such a great glory to be called by God.

Jesus has waited from all eternity for his particular relationship with you, and that place cannot be filled by any other. No one else’s relationship with Christ is the same as yours. Sit with that. Nothing can give you joy like belonging to Jesus fully.
Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB

All photos courtesy of André Escaleira, Jr. / Denver Catholic

St. Walburga’s Oil

October 21, 2021

Every year on October 12 the holy oil from Saint Walburga’s tomb in Germany begins to flow, and it continues until her Feast Day on February 25. Due to the testimonies of many people who have experienced God’s healing power after anointing themselves with the oil and asking Saint Walburga to pray for them, it seems that this quote from Saint Thérèse of Lisieux may also be applied to our patroness:

“I wish to spend my heaven in doing good upon the earth.”

Photo of Saint Walburga’s crypt at the Abtei St. Walburg in Eichstätt, taken by one of our Sisters who travelled to Germany for the Abbatial Blessing of Mother Hildegard, OSB. The images on the walls are memorial plaques depicting miracles attributed to Saint Walburga, donated by patrons in gratitude for her intercession.

The Glorious Assumption of Mary

August 29, 2019

A reflection by Mother Maria-Michael Newe, OSB, on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, celebrated every year on August 15

The meaning of the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary is that of culmination and a new beginning. With Our Lady’s assumption into heaven, the promises of the Lord were fulfilled for her and as always, beyond all expectation. I would have loved to have seen Mary’s face at her arrival into heaven. She saw her Son under the horror of the Cross; and I’m sure that never left her heart. But now she gets to see the glory of her Son and she shares in that. Remember that as she came to heaven, she was body and soul—she had an expression on her face. And that expression has never left her. The beauty of her Son seated on His throne…

The word “assumption” comes from the Latin word “assumere,” meaning, “to take to oneself.” Our Lord Jesus Christ took Mary home to Himself where He is. Now, on Mary’s part, it was the work of a lifetime of being watchful and ready to preserve the deifying light in her soul. In the Prologue of the Rule of St. Benedict, we hear, “Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God.” Mary never took her eyes off of the light that comes from God, her Son. Further on in the Rule it says, “Run while you have the light of life, that the darkness of death may not overtake you.” Well we could say that Mary ran the marathon of life and outran sin! She never stood around long enough for sin to “attach” itself to her. There was no selfishness in Mary for sin to cling to. And isn’t most sin about selfishness? And while we also remember that Mary is the sorrowful Mother, her sorrow was never about herself. Mary’s sorrows have only to do with anything that separates us from the love and life of Christ. It would be good for us to imitate Mary in knowing true sorrow instead of selfish sorrow.

There is a story, that perhaps you have heard, of a very holy woman who would serve God’s people during the day without ceasing to pray. She would go to bed late at night but would get up early every morning to continue to serve. And when she would get up in the morning, as soon as her feet hit the floor, hell shook and said, “Oh no, she’s up!” I pray that could be said for every one of us. But for that to happen, we have to live like Mary—attentive to the body of Christ, attentive to one another, attentive to everything that separates anybody from the love of Christ and His life.

Mary’s assumption did not mark the end of her service. On the contrary, her service could now assume its universal work. We read in Lumen Gentium that “taken up to heaven, she did not lay aside this saving role, but by her manifold acts of intercession continues to win for us gifts of eternal salvation. By her maternal charity, Mary cares for the brethren of her Son who still journey on…” And Mary cares for us. Let us do nothing that would grieve the immaculate heart of Mary. Let us live in her presence.

As we celebrate the Assumption let us make our house a place where Mary wants to dwell. That takes work and it takes love. Mary suffered, but she loved more than she suffered. Like Mary, we too have to pay more attention to what we love than to what we suffer.

“Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.”
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18

Embracing the Cross

May 3, 2019

A reflection on the triumph of Love by Mother Maria Michael Newe, OSB

I was thinking about the incredible words we sing during the Divine Office on the Feast of St. Andrew: “Seeing the cross [of his own martyrdom], Andrew cried out with joy, ‘O precious cross! Truly I have always loved you, and I have desired to embrace you.’”

This is a disciple who ran away in the garden of Gethsemane—he didn’t stand by Jesus on the cross—so the greatest gift that could be given to him was another chance to stand by the cross. What did he do with it? He embraced it. He longed for that moment to tell Christ, “I love you, and I want to be with you, wherever that leads.” This is the power of the triumph of the cross. Love is the triumph of the cross. When we love enough that we no longer fear the crosses in our lives but we embrace them and we long for them because they unite us with him who has loved us beyond all love, that is the triumph of the cross. So today we celebrate that we no longer fear the cross; it is truly the exaltation. Of course we cannot do this of ourselves. St. Andrew, St. Peter, none of them, could have embraced the cross on their own, but with divine strength they could embrace and kiss it. And their suffering turned into gratitude. Yes, when we can thank God for the crosses in our life, God has triumphed. When we can see that it is Love that has given us once again the chance to prove our love, we will rejoice and say, “Amen!” and run toward it, because we have a chance to prove our love. Let us pray today that the cross may triumph in our own lives, because it will not happen on our own. It is completely divine strength.

May this Easter season bring you much joy in the resurrection of Our Lord, who suffered his cross for the love of us, that we might have a sense of the depths of his love and desire to return our love for his.

Artwork by Sr. Ancilla Armijo, OSB