“Beautiful, Christ-centered, Kingdom-shaped” –
July 16, 2026 – Here in the Midwest, it’s not uncommon at this time of year to hear the hum of tractors and balers, cutting, harvesting, and baling hay. But if you’ve been in our neck of the woods lately, you’ve not only heard the sounds of farm equipment, for the rumblings of bulldozers and backhoes are in the air, too – We recently broke ground on the site of our new Gift Shop and Visitors’ Center!
For years, we’ve been discerning how to move forward with our long-held vision, and finally Divine Providence has given the greenlight. Please pray for us and all involved in the project! (And stay tuned – We’ll be excited for you to eventually come visit!)
“Building” seems to be the theme this month…
Just last week, our friend, Archbishop Zinkula, made his annual visit to our monastery, generously sharing both Mass and a meal with us. He centered his homily on the day’s reading from the Letter to the Romans –We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now (Romans 8:22) – exhorting us to bring to birth God’s new creation, “beautiful, Christ-centered, and Kingdom-shaped.” Then over brunch, he shared about his current experience of Journey in Faith, a major, diocesan-wide effort toward renewal and evangelization. To be sure, Archbishop is an encouraging witness of the necessary, even joyful groaning that Gospel growth entails.
Then on July 16, we celebrated the anniversary of the Dedication of New Melleray Abbey’s Church with our beloved brothers. Highlights this year were seeing the sunflowers in their garth, perusing old photos of their church’s long history, and enjoying ice cream together! Their hospitality to us and their fidelity to the Lord never ceases to inspire us.
Finally, we must mention our recent – relevant! – Refectory reading, Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas. Throughout the letter, Pope Leo poses a vital question: Is humankind today working to build another Tower of Babel, or are we working together “to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together” (p.1)?
Of course, it can be hard to tell sometimes if we’re on the right track. Blueprints aren’t ever perfect, and change is always hard. But our dear Pope Leo insists that holy growth is good growth, that the common good is for everyone’s good, and that we are created to create in the image and likeness of God. So, with grace (…and a little ice cream) to help us along the way, let’s “[w]ith the same faith as Mary,…become ‘weavers of hope’ in our world, sharing who we are and what we have, so that the presence of Jesus may grow among us and his Kingdom take shape” (p. 245).