How do the monks of Saint Martin's Abbey celebrate Christmas?
A few days before Christmas, a few monks will go out and receive a donated tree to set up in our community room (our living room, as it were). On the evening of December 23rd, we gather as a community to decorate the tree, while we also share some of the cookies and baked goods that have been gifted us by friends of the abbey.
The next evening, December 24th, we gather to bless the Christmas tree and sing "O Tannenbaum", a longtime tradition of our abbey.
Much like the rest of the Western world, we exchange Christmas gifts on the night of Christmas, following any advice or hints that each monk left on their "Kris Kringle" form, which were randomly distributed shortly after Thanksgiving. (The "Kris Kringle" format of gift exchange may be more familiar to you as "Secret Santa.") That way, every monk receives one gift, and is given an opportunity to express generosity and charity towards another monk during the days leading up to Christmas.
In previous years, we would also share music, poetry, or short stories related to Christmas. This year, some brothers have gathered together to read through Charles Dickens' unabridged A Christmas Carol through the Christmas season.
The pictures above show our Christmas night festivities as a community this year.
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The monks of Saint Martin's Abbey wish you all a very merry Christmas season, a happy new year, on this most joyful celebration of Mary, Mother of God! May you all be filled with the light of Christ and welcome Him in the humble posture of Mary, His gentle mother.
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Christmas is coming this week! Please join us for our celebrations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as we welcome Christ our Salvation and God-With-Us into our midst.
Weekday Masses not listed below will be at 8:00 a.m., and Sunday Masses (as usual) will be at 11:00 a.m.
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The vigil service for Brother Aelred Woodard, OSB, will be tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the abbey church, with the funeral Mass of Christian burial to take place tomorrow (Friday) at 10:30 a.m. in the abbey church. Please join us in remembering our brother as we join together in prayer and fellowship.
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Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. AmenWith faith in the Resurrection and gratitude for a life well-lived in service to God, we share that our beloved Brother Aelred Woodard, O.S.B., monk of Saint Martin’s Abbey, has entered into eternal life.
Br. Aelred joined the Benedictine community at Saint Martin’s Abbey in 1973 and faithfully lived his monastic vows for more than five decades. A gifted musician, he served as choirmaster for the Abbey and taught both in the high school and at the college. Before teaching Religious Studies, he taught voice at Saint Martin’s University and also directed the university choir, sharing his love for faith, learning and music with generations of students and friends.
Br. Aelred’s musical journey began in his youth as a member of the New York City Paulist Boys’ Choir, where his talent first took shape. His life included time as a seminary student, a U.S. Army veteran, and an acclaimed vocalist who won multiple Army music competitions and later became a district winner of the Western Metropolitan Opera auditions in Seattle. He earned his M.A. in Theology with honors from St. John’s University. His performances reached audiences around the world—from Washington and California to England, Belgium, Spain and Austria—yet it was here, in our Abbey and on our campus, that his voice most profoundly lifted hearts toward God.
Br. Aelred will be remembered for his warmth, his humor and the beauty of his voice raised in praise. He brought the Benedictine spirit to life through his dedication to prayer, scholarship and the arts where he helped others encounter the divine through music and faith.
We entrust Br. Aelred to God’s loving care, grateful for his life of service and song.
Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed,
through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
Details for the monastic community’s public celebration of Br. Aelred’s life will be shared as they become available. Please keep him, and all who mourn his passing, in your prayers.
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