News
Monastic Rite Of Profession
Four novices of the community made simple vows this fall—three of whom professed on September 14, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and one on October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. On September 14, Nov. Logan Kroeze received the name Br. Augustine. Nov. Daniel Martin received the name…
Altar Dedicated, Church Renewed
On August 9th, Bishop James Johnston celebrated the dedication of the new altar at St. Columba Catholic Church in nearby Conception Junction. This celebration was the first liturgy celebrated in the renewed church. The renovation project began in early January and was completed by the end of July. The project was guided by the Church…
The Great Adventure of Following Christ
A few years ago, I led my Bible Study group through the story of salvation history using the Great Adventure Bible Study. Many Catholics find that the Bible can be initially intimidating and parts of it can be difficult to understand, but that is why following the story of salvation in chronological order was so…
Celebrating Our 2025 Jubilarians
Fr. Karl Barmann – 60 Years Ordained It’s an old monastic saying: “Become a monk, and see the world.” The saying contrasts our vow of stability (to a community and a place) with the opportunity afforded monks to travel as they study or engage in pastoral activities. Many of us do have opportunities to see…
Preserving Today, Ensuring Tomorrow
Over the last 25 years, we have carried out many projects to shape our campus and community for our work today and to handle the ever-changing road ahead. Through these years, you have journeyed alongside us, supporting us in ministering to the needs of the Church and her people. You worked with us to renovate…
Faithful Response To A Divine Call
When one asks the question, “What is a Sacrament?” the traditional response, often drawn from the Baltimore Catechism, is that a sacrament is “an outward sign instituted by Christ to give grace.” While a Solemn Profession is not counted among the seven sacraments of the Church, it is nonetheless replete with external signs that point…
Camp Savio & Childlike Joy
If I were to give someone advice before coming to Camp Savio, I would say this: embrace the unexpected. The saying goes that God is a God of surprises, so if you don’t like surprises, well… I never had the opportunity to experience Camp Savio as a middle schooler, but it has been a great…
Made for Relationship
Monastic Family Weekend 2025 Recently, the monks hosted our families for our Monastic Family Weekend—a time to reconnect with our loved ones through a weekend of prayer and leisure. And how fitting that the weekend ended with the celebration of the Most Holy Trinity. Why? Because of relationship. From all eternity, God exists in a…
A Benedictine Pilgrimage Across Time and Terrain
Benedictine monasteries are autonomous houses, and while we may share with all monks a similar way of life and adherence to the Rule of St. Benedict, it does not necessarily mean we have much regular interaction with individuals from other monasteries. It’s possible to form closer relationships with monks from other monasteries, but most of…
Br. Joachim, OSB, professes solemn vows
On Friday, May 16, 2025, Br. Joachim Conti, OSB, professed solemn vows as a monk of Conception Abbey in the presence of his family, friends, seminarians, and monastic confreres. In the ceremony, Br. Joachim made the perpetual commitment to live as a monk of Conception’s monastery, vowing obedience, stability, and conversion of life. After the…