What's in a name?

Sacra Domus Nazarena...the Holy House of Nazareth.

This is the core and central charism of the Institute of Saint Joseph. We are a Public Association of the Christian Faithful (1998) in the Diocese of La Crosse, Wisconsin. Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, when he was our diocesan bishop, erected our association to this level so that we can officially live our charism as a recognized Catholic "public juridic person."

The name of this blog, Sacra Domus Nazarena, is the focal point of our spirituality, reminiscent of Blessed Charles de Foucauld and the Teresian Carmel: a place of simple, ordinary, hidden life with Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

I am superior of the monastic branch of this association, the so-called "fullness" of our association's spiritual life, the "heart" of our association of lay faithful, consecrated and married, and diocesan priests.

This blog is to be a record of our foundation; in particular, our renovation of the former Sacred Heart Parish in Edson, Wisconsin, graciously given to us by the pastor, Father Robert Nelson and parishioners, to be our permanent home, the site of our future priory for men and residence for our internal oblates (a Sister and diocesan priest). We have named this foundation Cor Jesu Oratory and Priory of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church.

We live our monastic observance in the spirit of the Rule of Saint Benedict, the Father of monasticism in the West, and our Constitutions which give us the particular spirit, nature and charism of our association. The Sacred Liturgy is of prime importance to us, especially in the monastic community. We celebrate the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite each Sunday and frequently throughout the week at our conventual Mass. But we also celebrate the Ordinary Form in both Latin and English, as well. We celebrate the Divine Office seven times each day and incorporate the Latin Gregorian chant into the English Office. Each Sunday we celebrate the Divine Office according to the 1962 Breviary in sung chant at Vespers.

We live our monastic life in a simple but dedicated manner. Our other secular members are committed to being "contemplatives in the world" and we are charged to be the "heart" of our association, as monastic life is to be for the Church.

What is in a name?

Hopefully, we will live more faithfully each day this call to Nazareth, a life dedicated to the Eucharistic Lord, His Holy Mother, and faithful Guardian.