Homily Library

The homily is part of the Liturgy of the Word at Mass. It is a living commentary of the Word of God just proclaimed. Pope Francis says that the homily is like a mother teaching her children. There is a long tradition of monastic homilies. The homily in a monastery is usually a kind of oral and public lectio divina on the part of the monk who is delivering it. Every day the brother who presides at Mass gives a brief homily that is at once personal and also sheds evangelical light on the realities the brothers and guests are living through at the moment. We are happy to offer some of our monastic homilies here.

Below are links to a number of homilies preached at New Melleray and Our Lady of the Mississippi by members of our community.

March
Fr. Brendan FreemanMarch 27, 2023Funeral Mass for Br. Thomas Imhoff
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 26, 2023Fifth Sunday in Lent
Fr. Brendan FreemanMarch 25, 2023Solemnity of the Annunciation
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 22, 2023Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Brendan FreemanMarch 22, 2023Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Lent
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 21, 2023Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Lent
Fr. David BockMarch 20, 2023Solemnity of St. Joseph
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 19, 2023Fourth Sunday in Lent at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 16, 2023Thursday in the Third Week of Lent
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 15, 2023Wednesday in the Third Week of Lent at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Brendan FreemanMarch 15, 2023Wednesday in the Third Week of Lent
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 13, 2023Monday in the Third Week of Lent
Fr. David BockMarch 12, 2023Sunday in the Third Week of Lent
Fr. Brendan FreemanMarch 12, 2023Third Sunday in Lent at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 11, 2023Saturday in the Second Week of Lent
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 8, 2023Wednesday in the Second Week of Lent at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 7, 2023Tuesday in the Second Week of Lent
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 5, 2023Second Sunday of Lent
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 2, 2023Thursday in the First Week of Lent
Fr. Stephen VerbestMarch 1, 2023Wednesday in the First Week of Lent at Mississippi Abbey
February
Fr. Brendan FreemanFebruary 27, 2023Monday in the First Week of Lent at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 26, 2023First Sunday of Lent
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 24, 2023Friday after Ash Wednesday
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 22, 2023Ash Wednesday at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 19, 2023Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. David BockFebruary 19, 2023Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 16, 2023Votive Mass for the Deceased
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 11, 2023Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 8, 2023Wednesday in the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 7, 2023Tuesday in the Fifth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 3, 2023Friday in the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestFebruary 1, 2023Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time at Mississippi Abbey
January
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 30, 2023Monday in the Fourth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. David BockJanuary 29, 2023Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 26, 2023Solemnity of the Founders of Citeaux
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 25, 2023Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 22, 2023Third Sunday of Ordinary Time at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 20, 2023Memorial of Blessed Cyprian Tansi
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 18, 2023Votive Mass for Christian Unity at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 15, 2023Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 14, 2023Votive Mass of Mary, Seat of Wisdom
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 11, 2023Wednesday in the 1st Week of Ordinary Time at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestJanuary 4, 2023Memorial of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Fr. David BockJanuary 1, 2023Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God
December
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 31, 2022Seventh Day of the Christmas Octave
Fr. Brendan FreemanDecember 30, 2022Funeral Mass for Fr. Jonah Wharff
Fr. David BockDecember 27, 2022Feast of St. John the Apostle
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 25, 2022Christmas Day Mass
Fr. Brendan FreemanDecember 25, 2022Christmas Midnight Mass
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 20, 2022Tuesday in the Fourth Week of Advent, Dec. 20
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 12, 2022Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 11, 2022Third Sunday of Advent at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. David BockDecember 11, 2022Third Sunday of Advent
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 10, 2022Saturday in the Second Week of Advent
Fr. David BockDecember 8, 2022Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 6, 2022Tuesday in the Second Week of Advent
Fr. Jonah WharffDecember 6, 2022Tuesday in the Second Week of Advent at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestDecember 3, 2022Memorial of St. Francis Xavier
Fr. Jonah WharffDecember 2, 2022Friday in the First Week of Advent
November
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 27, 2022First Sunday of Advent
Fr. Jonah WharffNovember 23, 2022Wednesday in the Thirty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 23, 2022Wednesday in the Thirty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. Jonah WharffNovember 22, 2022Memorial of St. Cecelia, Virgin and Martyr
Fr. Jonah WharffNovember 20, 2022Solemnity of Christ the King
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 19, 2022Votive Mass of Mary, Temple of the Lord
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 14, 2022Votive Mass for the Dead
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 9, 2022Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 6, 2022Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time at Mississippi Abbey
Fr. David BockNovember 6, 2022Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestNovember 3, 2022Thursday in the Thirty-First Week of Ordinary Time
Fr. David BockNovember 1, 2022Solemnity of All Saints
October
Fr. Stephen VerbestOctober 30, 2022Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time
Fr. Stephen VerbestOctober 29, 2022Saturday in the Thirtieth Week of Ordinary Time