The winter 2022–23 issue of Abbey Banner examines the angelic choirs— those spiritual beings intermediate between God and humankind, God’s messengers of joy, the heralds of good news to the shepherds of Bethlehem, our personal guardians. Abbot John Klassen opens the issue with a reflection on faith and his own belief in angels. Brother Aaron Raverty outlines the role played by angels in the monotheistic traditions, including the interpretations of Saint Thomas Aquinas, “the Angelic Doctor.” Brother Eric Pohlman introduces Abbot Boniface Wimmer, a complex character regarded as one of the greatest Catholic missionaries of the nineteenth century. We also learn about the antics and adventures of wildlife in the Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum as captured by motion-activated trail cameras, review award-winning publications of Liturgical Press, reflect on the law of love, and listen to a Christmas pageant that ends with a twist, and more.
