Dear Friends,

During this season of Christmas the monks and sisters of our abbey have been praying for you and your needs.  We celebrated three Masses on Christmas and remembered in a special way all our friends and benefactors who make possible our life and ministries.  I think we have an exciting array of retreats lined up for 2009, and it is my hope that you will take advantage of what is being offered for your spiritual growth and nourishment.  Many retreat directors are new to Pecos, but some will be familiar faces.  Included in our roster of directors new to Pecos this year are:  Paula Huston; Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam; Robert Joerger, CP;  Willy Hernandez, Pat Cleary-Burns, and Alexander Shaia to name a few.

Our School for Spiritual Direction has been re-formatted and two-week sessions will be offered every other month.   Phase I of the School focuses on basic Spiritual Formation; Phase II focuses on Introduction to the Art of Spiritual Direction; while Phase III concludes with the Practice of Spiritual Direction.  We will also hold our popular School of Iconography this summer under the direction of Brother John Davies.

A new offering this year is our Pecos Sabbatical Renewal Program which lasts for 3 months and will be offered fall and spring.  During this time participants will experience courses on spiritual growth and development, time for solitude and personal reflection, participation in monastic liturgy, with fieldtrips to nearby areas of natural beauty and the culture of the Southwest.

In order for us to be able to continue to provide services for spiritual growth which we have been doing since 1955, it is necessary for us to rely on the generosity of friends and benefactors.  The expenses in providing retreat and spiritual direction ministries far exceed the income that these ministries generate. 

Also many of our buildings are badly in need of repair and refurbishing.   With an aging monastic community as well as an aging retreat clientele it is no longer feasible to have an upstairs dining room.  In the course of the coming year we will need to study the best usages for our buildings, and prioritize maintenance and reconstruction needs.  You can be part of the Pecos future through a one-time donation, or become a monthly or yearly contributor to help sustain the cost of projects necessary for us to continue our mission.  Of course, we still appreciate donations that significantly contribute to our everyday operating costs as well.

As we enter in 2009, and begin the year with the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1, the monastic community will be praying through her intercession for God’s blessings on all our friends, benefactors, and their families that the Lord will shine his face on you and gift you with his deep and abiding peace.

Sincerely in the Spirit of Jesus,

Stephen Coffey, O.S.B. 

Abbey Administrator