Posts by Nicole Dietzenbach
Have it your way
Several years ago, a well-known restaurant adopted the slogan, “Have it your way,” letting customers know they could create a meal in any way that fit their fancy. One-size-fits-all was not on the menu. As 2024 comes to a close, we at Conception Abbey and Seminary College want our friends to know that when it…
Read More3 Questions for the Junior Monks
1. Where are you from? 2. What are some of your hobbies? 3. What is one thing you have learned or learned about yourself since entering the monastery? Br. Gabriel Chinn, OSB Clarence, Missouri I enjoy reading and maybe just anything I can take outdoors or do outdoors. Recently it’s been taking my schoolwork…
Read MoreAdvent + Christmas
From our altar to your home. That is the vision. It sounds simple, sure, but it is unbelievably rich in spirituality and wisdom. Benedictine monasticism has carried peace through spiritual battles for 1500 years with many characteristics that are surely worth embodying in our own lives of faith. Our new “Lectio Divina Rosary Guides,” the…
Read MoreReflect on Professing Simple Vows
Br. Francis When in the novitiate were you sure that you wanted to continue this path and make simple vows? The surety of wanting to continue with this path of life came with continual growth, but in the end, I had to make a leap of faith and petition to make vows. And…
Read MoreBeginning the Journey
The monastic community at Conception Abbey has received a true blessing from God that all such communities dream of: an increase in young men discerning monastic life. Ten men are currently in various stages of formation, following one monk who professed solemn vows to the community this summer. For a religious community, receiving new members…
Read MoreCelebrating Our Jubilarians
Fr. Kenneth Reichert, OSB – 70 Years Professed In my conversations with Fr. Kenneth, I am struck by his strong identity as a Benedictine monk and priest. It is truly remarkable that after 70 years of monastic life and 66 years of priestly ministry, his dedication to this calling remains unwavering. His journey, from being…
Read MoreYou Need a Retreat
I am becoming more and more convinced of the need for every Catholic to take an annual retreat. It is curious that as a society, we are convinced of the importance of a regular visit to the doctor or dentist for the sake of our physical health, but when it comes to our spiritual life,…
Read MoreMeet Altar + Home by Conception
The Printery House has been in business in some capacity for more than 90 years, beginning with the publication of the periodical Altar and Home, then operating as Conception Abbey Press before becoming The Printery House. Even before that, the monks of Conception Abbey arrived in northwest Missouri in 1873 with the mission of daily…
Read MoreLeading Men and Women in Encounter Christ
The Abbey Guest Center introduced its new Encountering Christ silent retreats in January 2024. We had our vision and knew we wanted to lead retreatants into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. We desired to unpack and present the richness of Benedictine spirituality and the Benedictine tradition. We knew it was key to direct retreatants…
Read MoreMeaningful Friendship provides beauty in art
Many wonderful friends contributed to the construction of Good Shepherd Hall, which has been a great blessing for Conception Seminary College. The building was designed to feel less like a dormitory and more like a home in which a supportive community lives together in pursuit of a common goal. We determined the space needed artistic…
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