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The Practicing Catholic

Intentionally, joyfully living the faith ... we hope.

Conception Abbey

Thoughts on Listening, Silence and “Floating the Tongue”

July 31, 2018 by Lisa Schmidt 2 Comments

Do you have a favorite place where your heart just sings while there? I have a couple — Napa Valley, California and Conception Abbey in Missouri. A strange combination, yes. But oh, how I love both! Joel and I recently participated in a spiritual retreat for deacons and their wives at one of those locations … [Read more…]

Posted in: Deacon's Wife, Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: Conception Abbey, Deacon's Wife, Listening

Come away and rest a while

July 22, 2018 by Lisa Schmidt 3 Comments

It’s been almost two years since Joel or I have shared any new content on this site. Wow, two years? I really didn’t think it had been that long. It’s not like we set about to intentionally take a break. It just organically happened. In hindsight, necessarily happened. As Jesus says in the Gospel of Mark 6:31: Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.

Posted in: Being Deacon, Family, Pregnancy and Infant Loss, Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: Conception Abbey, Das Schmidt Haus, Deacon Joel, Home Improvements, John Kolbe, Lisa Schmidt, Not Homeschooling, St. Pius X, The Water Jar, The Well

A Taste of Benedictine Hospitality

March 30, 2014 by Deacon Joel Schmidt 2 Comments

As the youngest of 11 children, five brothers and five sisters, in a devoutly Catholic farm family, Fr. Guerric Letter learned early on to cook for a crowd and pass rigorous sanitary inspections. On the occasions when his mother and sisters would take a day off, the men still needed to eat. The one instruction he received from him mother and sisters? Don’t leave the kitchen a mess.

Posted in: Schmidt, Joel, Soup & Stories Tagged: Conception Abbey, Diaconate, Lent, Recipes, Soup & Stories

Could Fr. Lukas Etlin be the Missouri “Mystery Priest”?

August 11, 2013 by Deacon Joel and Lisa Schmidt 47 Comments
Father Lukas Etlin, OSB

By now, you’ve most likely heard the story of the “Mystery Priest” from the car accident scene in Eastern Missouri. Interestingly, we were at Conception Abbey in Missouri last week for deacon formation. As you might imagine, this was a hot topic of discussion with both the deacon candidates and the monks. One of our professors indicated he might have a clue about the identity of the mystery priest. He believes it may be Servant of God, Father Lukas Etlin, O.S.B., a monk of Conception Abbey, who died in a car accident in 1927.

Posted in: Schmidt, Joel, Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: Conception Abbey, Deacon Formation, Diaconate

Prayers Please: Going Back to the Abbey

August 4, 2013 by Deacon Joel and Lisa Schmidt 3 Comments

“Lord, please send me Mary Poppins! I can’t get through this without her.”

It’s time once again for Joel’s deacon formation summer school at Conception Abbey in Missouri when we pack up all of Das Schmidt Haus, kids too, and live with the Benedictine monks for the week.

Posted in: Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: Conception Abbey, Das Schmidt Haus, Deacon Formation, Diaconate

The Smells and Bells of the Domestic Monastery

April 4, 2013 by Lisa Schmidt 8 Comments

The phrase “smells and bells” is a colloquial expression used within the Church that refers to various sensory experiences occurring during the liturgy — incense and bells, oil and water, bread and wine. The domestic church, at least my domestic church, has its share of smells and bells, too. Not quite the same as the Benedictine monastery, but there is a parallel.

Posted in: Faith, Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: Blogging from A to Z, Conception Abbey, Das Schmidt Haus, Deacon Formation, Diaconate, Domestic Church

Quick Takes – We Got Problems at Das Schmidt Haus Edition

December 14, 2012 by Lisa Schmidt 6 Comments

Highlights of today’s Quick Takes: Mind games with St. Benedict and those happy monks from Conception Abbey, Advent by Candlelight, a wreath on fire, praying for miscarried babies, BIG candles on St. Lucy Day, and the need for self-control when it comes to salted nut rolls. As stated in the title, we got problems at Das Schmidt Haus.

Posted in: Fun, Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: 7 Quick Takes, Advent, Conception Abbey, Das Schmidt Haus, Happy Monks, Lucy, Miscarriage Memorial Mass, Pregnancy and Infant Loss, Recipes, St. Benedict, St. Josemaría Escrivá, St. Lucy, St. Lucy Day

Is This Jar Full?

November 6, 2012 by Deacon Joel Schmidt 1 Comment
Blessed Pope John Paul II

A wise, old Benedictine nun teaches a bunch of grumbling first-year seminarians about the necessity of keeping first things first. What can faithful Catholics take away from her lesson to fulfill the responsibilities of faithful citizenship on Election Day 2012?

Posted in: Schmidt, Joel Tagged: abortion, Blessed Pope John Paul II, Conception Abbey, Divine Will, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, Evangelium Vitae, Faithful Citizenship, First Things, Five Non-Negotiables, Holy Spirit, Human Cloining, Intrinsic Evil, Moral Law, Prayer, Same-Sex Marriage, Vote, Wisdom

7 Quick Takes: My Attempt at Humor

November 2, 2012 by Lisa Schmidt 5 Comments

Another round of 7 Quick Takes. This time, Lisa tries her hat at a little stand-up comedy, blog-style.

Posted in: Family, Fun, Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: 7 Quick Takes, Conception Abbey, Das Schmidt Haus, Deacon Formation, Diaconate, Family, Lucy

Praying for More Angels in Habits

September 22, 2012 by Lisa Schmidt 3 Comments

In nine days, the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux. We are praying a novena for increased vocations to the sisterhood in honor of a beautiful nun we recently met.

Posted in: Faith, Schmidt, Joel, Schmidt, Lisa Tagged: Conception Abbey, Deacon Formation, Diaconate, novena, Nun, PrayMoreNovenas, Silent Retreat, Sisterhood, Sisters, St. Clare of Assisi, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Vocation
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