Solemnity of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Memorare of St. Bernard 

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,

that never was it known 

that any one who fled to thy protection,

implored thy help,

or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.

Inspired with this confidence, I fly unto thee, 

O Virgin of virgins, my Mother, 

to thee I come,

before thee I stand sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate! 

despise not my petitions,

but, in thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

*Today, two young men, who were ordained to the deaconate last year, will be ordained as Cistercian priests along with three more Cistercians ordained to the deaconate. We have had the pleasure of getting to know one of these young men as well as his family in town.

(BigBoy still has hopes to one day ride in the Abbey's elevator with Br. Augustine, when they are both Cistercians. : )

This is Br. Fr. Augustine! I think we're going to need to put a name tag on him to remind us that he is now Father Augustine or Padre Augustine (OW-goose-teen) as he joked. His specialty is languages!

Please join us in offering a prayer of thanksgiving for these humble servants. 

A Prayer for Priests

by the late John J. Cardinal Carberry

Keep them; I pray Thee, dearest Lord.

Keep them, for they are Thine

The priests whose lives burn out before

Thy consecrated shrine.

Keep them, for they are in the world,

Though from the world apart.

When earthly pleasures tempt, allure--

Shelter them in Thy heart.

Keep them and comfort them in hours

Of loneliness and pain,

When all their life of sacrifice

For souls seems but in vain.

Keep them and remember, Lord,

they have no one but Thee.

Yet, they have only human hearts,

With human frailty.

Keep them as spotless as the Host,

That daily they caress;

Their every thought and word and deed,

Deign, dearest Lord, to bless.

* The feast of St. Bernard is celebrated as a Solemnity for the Cistercians since he is considered one of their founders.