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.
Could Fr. Lukas Etlin be the Missouri “Mystery Priest”?
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.
Prayers Please: Going Back to the Abbey
“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.
The Smells and Bells of the Domestic Monastery
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.
Quick Takes – We Got Problems at Das Schmidt Haus Edition
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.
Is This Jar Full?
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?
7 Quick Takes: My Attempt at Humor
Another round of 7 Quick Takes. This time, Lisa tries her hat at a little stand-up comedy, blog-style.
Praying for More Angels in Habits
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.
Should I Write More About Deacon Formation?
Joel reflects on the process of discerning deacon formation with the Diocese of Des Moines, Iowa, especially in light of the demands that the formation process puts on his young family.
Silent Monks perform Hallelujah Chorus
I enjoyed this take on Mendel’s Hallelujah Chorus by some creative ‘silent monks.’ Hmmm, I wonder what it would take to get the Conception Abbey monks to perform this in a similar fashion? Continued Advent blessings to you all! (H/T The Faithful Traveler)