Monastery of Christ in the Desert

Four pilgrims on their way to the Monastery: Sr. Marci from California, Sr. Madeleine from Uganda, Fr. Richard from Pittsburgh, and Fr. Roland from Hawaii

Right photo: Majestic mountains on the way to the Monastery of Christ in the Desert

The peak of Pedernal where Georgia OKeeffe made famous through her paintings.

A benedictine brother at the Monastery chapel meditating after the celebration of Eucharist

This Sunday morning on Mother's day several of us went to visit the Monastery of Christ in the Desert for Mass. We traveled through the town of Abiquiu, the home of the famous artist, Georgia OKeeffe, where she painted many scenes of the mountains and vistas while living at Ghost Ranch. One of her famous landmarks was the peak of Cerro Pedernal. She once said that if I painted that mountain many times, God would give it to me. The monastery is located in the Chama Canyon where the Benedictine monks established this unique monastery in 1964. There are a community of 35 monks including priests and brothers. There is also a community of Benedictine women near the monastery. Many of the brothers and sisters are from all over the world.