Posts by Conception Abbey
Des Moines
For the past two weeks, I have been filling in for the pastor, Fr. Aquinas, at the Basilica of St. John in Des Moines, Iowa. Fr. Aquinas has been taking these days away for vacation. I was able to help out at this beautiful parish last summer as well. It is one of the highlights…
Read MoreIn Flight
A few evenings ago, I took to the skies with the aerial drone to capture some beautiful pictures of campus. The generous rains have kept everything nice and green. Br. Etienne used the camera to take pictures of the drone in the air. It’s a pretty awesome invention. Enjoy the pictures!
Read MoreMonastic Recreation
During these beautiful summer months the monks go outside after supper as a community. Many times we simply sit outside or walk around the sidewalk and enjoy one another’s company. It is a time to relax, let the food digest, before we return to the Basilica for Compline, our final prayer of the evening. Here…
Read MorePicturesque II
The past few weeks have been very busy. I helped out with the Companion Camp Reunion, then departed for Wichita and Oklahoma City to visit a monastic vocation guest and attend the priesthood ordination as the seminary representative for alumnus John Paul Lewis. The monks have 14 days of vacation each year, so I spent…
Read MoreSummer Flowers
Recently, I made a quick loop around campus with the goal of capturing some nice summer pictures. I wanted to see what kinds of colors were around and see what else I could find. Below: A picture from Br. Etienne.
Read MoreGlass Work
I was back in the stained glass shop last week working on a couple of projects. I paused from the windows that I am working on in the monastery in order to work on a personal project. I made a design for the half circle window opening in my monastery room. The top of most…
Read MoreCompanion Camp Reunion
A Benedictine monastery and a seminary college is an important place for high school boys to visit. A positive experience at such an impressionable age, even if only for the weekend, lends the opportunity to strengthen a young person’s faith and help cultivate and sustain their relationship with God. I know this because I have…
Read MoreContinuing Education
Br. Jonathan, R.N., Br. Maximilian, C.N.A. and staff members from our Infirmary & Our Lady Rickenbach (Benedictine Sisters of Clyde) took part in a workshop on “Dealing With Difficult Personalities in the Health Care Setting.” The session took place in the conference room of St. Gabriel Guest House on the north campus this afternoon. The…
Read MorePicturesque
These past 10 days or so have been absolutely beautiful. It has been sunny and in the 70’s and 80’s. It is certainly a good start for the summer. By the end of the week, it will be into the 90’s. The seminarians have been away for a few weeks. Three of them returned this…
Read MoreStained Glass Window Installed
I learned how to make stained glass windows while I was studying theology in preparation for the priesthood in St. Vincent’s in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. It was an interest and a hobby that I did on the side between studying for classes. I made a few windows, but nothing spectacular, mainly gifts for family and friends.…
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