Archbishop Joseph Kurtz paid a brief, physically distant visit to the abbey on Nov. 1, All Saints Day. Gethsemani is still closed to the public, so the visit was a rare treat for the monks.

The Archbishop joined the brothers for None and then spoke to them in church for about half an hour. He discussed major issues affecting the Church and our nation, including the impact of COVID-19 and ongoing racial tensions. As always, he allowed generous opportunity for questions afterward.

Archbishop Kurtz has long been a frequent visitor to Gethsemani, so it was a joy to have him back with us for a short while. We thank him for his time and offer our prayers for him and all his fellow bishops.