General
Advent + 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…
Reflect 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…
Beginning 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…
Celebrating 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…
You 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,…
Father René Guesnier, OSB, enters eternal rest
On Wednesday, November 6, 2024, our beloved confrere, Father René Guesnier, OSB laid down the burden of earthly travail and entered the undying light of God’s glory. He had been a resident in our St. Stephen’s Infirmary since 2018 and, at the time of his death, was a Golden Jubilarian of both profession and…
Young men discern monastic life at Conception Abbey
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 who made solemn vows to the community this summer. For a religious community, receiving new members is…
Meet 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…
Leading 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…
Meaningful 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…