Listen to Our Podcast
Echoes from the Bell Tower, a podcast devoted to stories of wit and wisdom from the monks of Saint Meinrad.
Echoes from the Bell Tower is a blog devoted to observations on Christian faith, spirituality and everyday events, by authors with a connection to the Benedictine values found at Saint Meinrad Archabbey and its Seminary and School of Theology. Contributors include students, permanent deacons, Benedictine oblates and Saint Meinrad monks. Their stories, thoughts and ideas highlight the mission and vision that ring out from the bell towers on this Hill in southern Indiana.
Meeting at Saint Meinrad
Friday, August 16, 2019For Victor and Theresa (Parsons) Neff, the summers of 2006 and 2007 were full of memories, spiritual growth and life-long friendships.
Read
Ascending by Descending
Thursday, August 8, 2019There is no doubt that even a cursory reading of any of the four gospels gives the impression that humility is essential to following Jesus...
Read
Former OBOC Intern Is Now a Dominican Sister
Thursday, August 1, 2019Stacey Winterrowd was not thinking about a religious vocation when she joined a group of youth from her parish to attend the “One Bread, One Cup” (OBOC) conference at Saint Meinrad during the summer of 2007...
Read
From Saint Meinrad to South Africa: The Journey of Archbishop Peter Wells
Wednesday, July 3, 2019Ora et Labora, it’s not only for Benedictines, but prayer and work is for all of us who are in ministry.
Read
From Monks To Marketing: My Content Creating Journey
Thursday, June 27, 2019I remember grabbing a pad and a pen and going to remote areas of the campus that looked up at the Archabbey Church, I was never at a loss for inspiration there...
Read
True Service
Thursday, May 16, 2019By serving in the kitchen, refectory (dining room), church, or anywhere else, we express what Benedict calls "mutual obedience" by striving to address the needs of the community and thus solidify our mutual bond of fellowship...
Read
Gospel - Poverty
Thursday, May 9, 2019Blessed Columba Marmion, an Irish Benedictine monk and abbot of the 19th century, was a prolific writer on what it means to be a monk...
Read
Easter Joy
Thursday, May 2, 2019Easter joy to one and all!
Read
Triduum: Memories and Mishaps
Friday, April 26, 2019We have just finished the celebrations of Holy Week and Easter. If you haven't had a chance to listen to the previous episode of our podcast, "Echoes from the Bell Tower," it focuses on the Triduum liturgies celebrated here at Saint Meinrad...
Read
Triduum: Walking in Jesus' Footsteps
Thursday, April 18, 2019Today begins the celebration of the three most important days in the Christian faith - the Triduum. Triduum is Latin for "three days," and it refers to Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday...
Read
What's Behind a Monk's Name, Part III
Thursday, April 11, 2019If you were intrigued by some of the stories behind the new names that monks choose when they take their vows, we have a treat for you - another episode on monastic names!
Read
What's Behind a Monk's Name, Part II
Thursday, April 4, 2019In this week's podcast, we return to the topic of monastic names. Our third episode, which aired in 2016, was on how monks choose their religious names when they join the monastery...
Read
Making Lent Count
Thursday, March 21, 2019I'd like to reflect a bit on chapter 49 of the Rule of St. Benedict, entitled "On the Observance of Lent." The chapter begins with what many might consider a dreadful thing to say: Benedict writes that we are to live every day of the year as if it was Lent!
Read
Absent Alleluia
Thursday, March 7, 2019The whole of chapter 15 of St. Benedict's Rule is one verse. That's how short it is. The above excerpt amounts to a quarter of the entire chapter...
Read
Peanut Brother: An Accidental Ministry
Thursday, February 14, 2019A podcast about peanut butter? Yes, that's the topic of this week's episode of our "Echoes from the Bell Tower" podcast...
Read
Witness to God's Love
Thursday, February 7, 2019A couple weeks ago, we celebrated the solemn profession of four of our confreres. Joined by family and friends, the monastic community relished this awesome experience of final dedication to God...
Read
Honor the Dignity of the Other
Thursday, January 24, 2019There is a lot in the Holy Rule of St. Benedict about honoring the dignity of the other...
Read
Set Out for the Loftier Summits
Thursday, January 10, 2019Sometimes when we get caught up in the details of a project, or a process, we can miss the overarching goal or purpose...
Read
It's All In the Family: Following God's Call
Thursday, December 13, 2018In our last episode of the "Echoes from the Bell Tower" podcast, we introduced you to Br. John Mark Falkenhain and his parents. This week, we continue the family theme with a conversation that Br. Kolbe recorded with his parents and two of his siblings...
Read
It's All In the Family: Lifetime Commitment
Thursday, November 29, 2018Like so many important decisions in life, joining a monastery has a ripple effect. Family and friends are touched by this life-changing choice...
Read
Oblates: Ordinary People Seeking God
Thursday, November 15, 2018What's an oblate? It's the topic of this week's podcast episode on "Echoes from the Bell Tower."
Read
Upcoming Episodes: Saint Meinrad's Outreach
Thursday, November 8, 2018We're excited to be releasing some new podcast episodes this fall! While many of the previous episodes of "Echoes from the Bell Tower" have focused on monastery life or life in the seminary, these new episodes will take you along as Saint Meinrad reaches out into the world...
Read
One Bread, One Cup: The Young Church of Today
Thursday, July 26, 2018Each summer, hundreds of teens spend five days here at Saint Meinrad as part of the "One Bread, One Cup" (OBOC) conferences...
Read
Vow Charts: A Hidden Treasure
Thursday, July 12, 2018In this latest podcast episode from "Echoes from the Bell Tower," we learn about a tradition of the Saint Meinrad monks that few people know about - and even fewer get to see...
Read
Word With a Capital W
Thursday, June 21, 2018In our newest episode from the "Echoes from the Bell Tower" podcast, we look at some of the ways that "the Word" is important to life here at Saint Meinrad - both in the monastery and in the Seminary and School of Theology...
Read
Keep Death Daily Before Your Eyes
Thursday, March 22, 2018Welcome back to "Echoes from the Bell Tower," the third season of Saint Meinrad's podcast about life in a Benedictine monastery. We begin with an episode called "Keep Death Daily Before Your Eyes..."
Read
Preview Episode - Remembering Fr. Rupert
Thursday, March 15, 2018It's time for another season of the "Echoes from the Bell Tower" podcast! The first episode, "Keep Death Daily Before Your Eyes," will be released on March 22...
Read
Podcast Season 3
Thursday, March 8, 2018Br. Joel and Br. Kolbe are here to tell you that "Echoes from the Bell Tower" is returning for Season 3! You can listen to our Season 3 trailer above...
Read
What Brought You to Saint Meinrad? - Part 2
Thursday, December 14, 2017As promised, here is the second episode of our "Echoes from the Bell Tower" podcast about "What Brought You to Saint Meinrad?"
Read
What Brought You to Saint Meinrad? - Part 1
Thursday, November 30, 2017When you have a connection to Saint Meinrad - whether as a monk, student, co-worker or oblate - one question often arises: What first brought you here?
Read
Podcast Fall Trailer
Thursday, November 16, 2017Echoes from the Bell Tower returns with new episodes on November 30! In this brief trailer, Br. Joel and Br. Kolbe get us ready for stories of what has brought people to Saint Meinrad over the years...
Read
Composing Music: Bringing Prayers to Life
Wednesday, July 5, 2017Before we take a break from our podcast schedule this summer, we've released another episode of "Echoes from the Bell Tower" about music...
Read
Chant: Drinking God Straight
Thursday, June 22, 2017This week's episode of our "Echoes from the Bell Tower" podcast focuses on Gregorian chant - the sung prayers that have been a tradition at Saint Meinrad since our beginning...
Read
FAQs: Saint Meinrad Monks Have the Answers
Wednesday, June 7, 2017Saint Meinrad Archabbey has been around for more than 160 years, so we tend to hear the same questions again and again...
Read
Abbot Kurt Explains His Coat of Arms
Thursday, May 25, 2017This week's episode of the "Echoes from the Bell Tower" podcast is a brief story from Archabbot Kurt Stasiak, OSB, about his coat of arms...
Read
A Day in the Life...
Wednesday, May 10, 2017"What do you do all day?" That's not an uncommon question of monks and seminarians...
Read
The Bells of Saint Meinrad - Again
Thursday, April 27, 2017When we began our podcast, "Echoes from the Bell Tower," last year, the first episode was about the bells in the Archabbey Church...
Read
Band of Brothers - Community Life, Part 2
Monday, April 10, 2017Today's episode in the "Echoes from the Bell Tower" podcast completes a two-part series on community life...
Read
Season 2 of the ‘Echoes’ Podcast, and a Giveaway
Thursday, March 30, 2017The podcast staff has been working hard to get the episodes for Season 2 ready...
Read
Podcast Season 2
Thursday, March 2, 2017Are you ready? Echoes from the Bell Tower is returning for Season 2!
Read
O Advent, We Await Your Antiphons
Thursday, December 15, 2016Gregorian chant has a long and rich history. This "preview" podcast episode, from our upcoming Season Two of Echoes from the Bell Tower, uncovers some of the chant tradition...
Read
Preview Episode - Around the World Party
Wednesday, November 16, 2016The second season of our podcast, "Echoes from the Bell Tower," will officially kick off in March, but this week we've got a special preview episode to share...
Read
Interview with Archabbot Kurt
Thursday, June 23, 2016In a special episode of our podcast, Br. Joel and Novice Tony interview our new archabbot, the Right Reverend Kurt Stasiak, OSB.
Read
It's Election Time...But No Campaigning Allowed
Wednesday, May 25, 2016This is the last episode in our first season of the "Echoes from the Bell Tower" podcast...
Read
Hobbies: What Monks Do Besides Pray and Work
Wednesday, May 11, 2016Brewing beer. Knitting. Beekeeping. Running. Collecting stamps...
Read
Let's Get Personal - What's Your Name?
Thursday, April 28, 2016Most of us don't get the chance to choose our name. Our parents took care of that for us when we were born...
Read
St. Meinrad: The Man, The Martyr, The Place
Thursday, April 14, 2016This week's podcast takes a look at the story behind our patron saint, Meinrad, a man who lived in what is now called Switzerland during the ninth century...
Read
Episode 1 - The Bells of Saint Meinrad
Wednesday, March 30, 2016The first episode of Saint Meinrad's new podcast, "Echoes from the Bell Tower," is now available!
Read
3,2,1 - Podcast Launched
Tuesday, March 8, 2016If you're a regular reader of this blog, this topic will be a digression from our regular writers...
Read