Volume 33 • Number 3
Fall 2007
VOCATION: “a purpose for being in the world that is related to the purposes of God”
– Walter Brueggemann
Cover photo: (clockwise from upper left) Brothers James Koester, Eldridge Pendleton, Thomas Shaw, Jonathan Maury, and Robert L’Esperance at Emery House
©2007 by The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, North America
A Letter from the Superior Dear Members of the Fellowship of Saint John and other Friends, Curtis Almquist, SSJE
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rom the beginning, the Church has entrusted to monastic communities a special responsibility for the daily practice of intercessory prayer. We pray for you, our friends, and we pray for those people and concerns dear to us all around the world. We also pray for our enemies and for those who wish us harm. When we pray on behalf of another, we are not imploring God to begin some work and or initiate some intervention. Rather we acknowledge that it is God who is sharing what is already known to God, and we are responding to this invitation to cooperate with God’s love. As we say in our Rule of Life, “It is his Spirit who calls us to join him there by offering our love in intercessory prayer and action, to be used by God for healing and transformation.” Our prayer informs our actions: past, present, future.
Brs. Bruce Neal and Timothy Solverson with Bishop Frank Griswold, who led the community’s annual retreat at Emery House in August
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Some of our ministries have been woven into the fabric of our life since our founding – contributing to the spiritual formation of seminarians and students, clergy, leaders, and other seekers; providing refuge and refreshment for those needing to retreat; actively witnessing for peace and social justice; bearing witness to Christ’s presence on the side of people who are deprived and oppressed. We cherish this heritage, and yet we continually pray for the freedom to be available to God’s new call. The founder of our community, Richard Meux Benson (1824-1915), writes, “We have not to maintain truth, but to live in the truth so that it may maintain us.” In our prayer, our reading, our remembering, our listening, our discussing, we are always looking for God’s invitation: how God is calling us to bear the beams of Jesus’ light, love, and truth, and with the greatest generosity, to the life enfolding us and around us. As monks we live in between the past and the future – a liminal, thin space between earth and heaven – and we must be conversant with both. In the following pages we will share more about how our ministry is unfolding. Our current ministries are a rich tapestry of our weaving together past, present, and future. Our brother Mark Brown is now in the Holy Land as the Christian chaplain for an interfaith pilgrimage sponsored by St. George’s 3
of the internet to enlarge our ministry of spiritual formation. This world-wide medium enables us to be home, living the normal rhythm and discipline of the monastic life. We encourage you to visit (and re-visit) our website – www.SSJE.org – where you can see, hear, and read good news. We are also emailing an electronic SSJE newsletter six times annually. If you are not receiving this, you may register your email address through our website. More will come of this.
Pilgrims standing before the Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem
College, Jerusalem: “ABRAHAM, YESTERDAY & TODAY.” The course focuses on the theology, history and common heritage in the Holy Land of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, the three Abrahamic faiths. Brs. Thomas Shaw, Bishop of Massachusetts, and Geoffrey Tristram, Chaplain to the House of the Bishops, met with sister and brother bishops in New Orleans. At Emery House we hosted in September the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition (NEAC), of which Br. Robert L’Esperance is a board member. We are leaders in clergy conferences, in programs and workshops for seminarians and other students, for parishiners, and for veterans. We are welcoming many souls to our houses. We are preparing to return to minister alongside our sister and brother Anglicans in Tanzania and Kenya, with trips planned for December and April. We are also working with communications specialists to make greater use 4
Br. Curtis Almquist with Br. Robert L’Esperance, who made life vows in June
We live a very interdependent life. We brothers depend on God and one another day-by-day for the prayer, life, and ministry we share. We also depend upon you and our other friends. We live our life in relationship: weaving relationship among ourselves, with God, and with God’s children, near and far. We not only welcome you to share in our life, we need you. Please remember us in your prayer, in your conversations with others, and with your financial support. We count on you sharing in the building of our future. Faithfully yours,
Curtis G. Almquist, SSJE Superior SSJE
Our Mission Unfolding
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he SSJE brothers live as a community of men giving our whole selves over to living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Rooted in the ancient monastic traditions of prayer and community life, and critically engaged with contemporary culture, we seek to know and share an authentic experience of God’s love and mercy. In successive editions of the Cowley quarterly, in our e-newsletters, and on our website, we will share how we see our mission and ministry unfolding, in four significant ways:
• Silence and Sanctuary The Building of our Future • Guidance in Prayer and Spirituality Enabling Spiritual Formation • Nurturing Vocations Encouraging and Sustaining Men as Monks • A Vision for Wholeness Witnessing to God’s Compassion, Reconciliation, and Justice
“The religious, if his religious life is worth anything, takes a large view and a clear calm view of all the phenomena of the day upon which God calls him to work, and is careful to act in a manner proportionate to those necessities. He is not fussy, looking out for something; not gloomy, looking back with sorrow or forward with despondence; but he is ready, looking always upward for the call of God.” Richard Meux Benson (1824-1915) Founder of SSJE
Have you visited our website lately? • Listen to SSJE sermons recorded at the monastery • Sign up to receive our e-newsletter six times a year • Find out about retreats, workshops, and other programs at the monastery and at Emery House
www.ssje.org The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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Formation, Formation, Formation Mark Brown, SSJE
L
ocation, Location, Location. The three rules of the real estate industry, so we hear. Where founders situate monasteries tells a great deal about the hopes and aspirations of a new community. When the great Benedictine monasteries of Europe were founded in their remote, but agriculturally promising locations, their founders signaled their desire for self-sustaining lives focused on prayer. When, in 1866, Fr. Richard Meux Benson and two associates founded the Society of Saint John the Evangelist in Cowley, a suburb of Oxford, they were signaling a desire to be available to both the ordinary folk of Cowley and the great university community. Just as land, agriculture and remoteness shaped the subsequent development of the Benedictine monasteries of Europe, so the proximity to Oxford University shaped subsequent developments of the SSJE. When the Society first came to the United States in 1870, we came to Boston, a center of learning since colonial times, and eventually (in the 1920’s and 30’s) built the current monastery near Harvard University across the Charles River in Cambridge. Being neighbors to Harvard and close by numerous institutions of higher education has shaped who we are and what we do. Our location has been part 6
of our own formation as a community. A lot of what we do is, broadly speaking, “formation.” “Formation” might be thought of as a kind of counterpart to education. Or, perhaps, a counterpoint to education. If education is acquiring knowledge, skills and expertise, formation might be thought of as integration, healing, making the person “whole.” Getting it all together!
Brs. Jude Smith and Mark Brown with retreatants from Houston, at the monastery in September, among them FSJ member the Rev. Canon Andrew Doyle (right) of the Diocese of Texas.
We do some of this work of formation in an intentional way through our ministries of spiritual direction, leading retreats and teaching. As our mission statement puts it, “we are especially available to students and others at critiSSJE
Cecilia and Kristen, among a multitude of students who attended our annual “welcome back” barbeque in the cloister garden on September 25.
cal stages of life formation, and to those whose vocation is the formation of others.” In recent years we have worked with students at several seminaries of the Episcopal Church and other divinity schools: Harvard Divinity School, Virginia Theological Seminary, Episcopal Divinity School, Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. Many of us have met one-on-one or in small groups with seminarians and other students for spiritual direction. We’ve led quiet days for seminarians and taught courses on prayer and on spiritual direction. We’ve been chaplains for courses at St. George’s College, Jerusalem, that were designed for seminarians and students. And, of course, many students come to us for retreats and workshops (ministries we heavily subsidize). Many students also join us for worship, some on a regular basis— students from Boston University, Tufts University, Northeastern University, Boston College and others. Some of these students are Episcopalians, but many represent other traditions. And, The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
from time to time, we are even honored by the presence of Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist students who sense our opendoor-big-tent approach to things. On one level, we work with students and seminarians because we’re handy, we’re convenient. We work a lot with students because there are a lot of students in the neighborhood. And, as a monastic community, we represent something fresh and new in terms of approaching the divine—for many students, SSJE is their first exposure to the monastic life and the contemplative tradition. But, on a deeper level, we do work in that elusive category called “formation” because “we get it”—or, we get it well enough. “Formation” is the air we breathe; our ethos as a community has ongoing conversion of life in Christ at its core. We understand this process to be continual, ebbing and flowing through the various stages of our lives—and never complete, never done! We work hard at it, living as we do in close community. We are not very scholarly, truth be told, but we understand life to be an ongoing process of continual learning, continual growth, continual deepening in Christ. And, more truth be told, we know the secret ingredient to Christian formation, to ongoing conversion of life in Christ: daily failure. Daily failure is a key component of conversion of life. There’s a familiar story about a visitor who asks an old monk what monks do all day. “We fall down, we get up. We fall down, we get up. We fall down, we get up.” And so, we do. People sense this, at least intuitively, and are drawn to us, especially in those “critical stages of life formation.” People sense an accessibility born of a 7
fertile mix of striving and failure. Even young people have a keen intuitive sense of this. People sense that we may have something to offer in their own ongoing conversion of life, their own “formation,” their own falling down and getting up. Even if it’s simply sitting quietly at the back of our chapel as life in the monastery goes on beyond their sight. Another very significant dimension of our work of formation is, of course, our life of prayer and worship, especially its component of silence. In a culture
of hyperactivity, in a city throbbing with powerful currents of intellectual, scientific, and artistic enterprise, we offer a quiet counterpoint: bowing before the mystery of God in silence. The quiet counterpoint of silence before the great mystery is a powerful formational experience, putting all our endeavors, wonderful as they are, in the light of something incomparably more vast, and, ultimately, unfathomable. A quiet counterpoint that makes the whole texture richer and more satisfying. The Officers of the SSJE Corporation – Brothers Curtis Almquist, Mark Brown, James Koester and Robert L’Esperance – meet regularly with volunteer advisors for counsel in the oversight of the Society’s investment portfolio. Pictured above are James Bell (left) of Strategic Value Capital and Nardin Baker of South Street Investment Advisors. Jim is a parishioner at Trinity Church, Copley Square, and Nardin is at Christ Church, Needham.
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SSJE
A Second Seedplot:
SSJE and the Formation of Ordained Ministers Regina Walton
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have been worshipping at the monastery for seven years, from the time before I had ever considered ordained ministry, through my entire discernment process and recent ordination to the diaconate in the Diocese of Massachusetts. SSJE has had a profound effect on my formation for ordained ministry and I owe the community a huge debt of gratitude. The brothers have not given me anything different than what they offer to all who come to worship with them or to make a retreat: hospitality in welcoming me into their home and often to their table, spiritual direction, inspiring preaching and teaching, and the opportunity to be part of an ancient Christian way of life. In reflecting on SSJE’s contribution to my formation, I asked myself, Where are the signs of the brothers’ influence on my ministry? Here are some of the things that came to mind. More joy: I think I will be a more joyful minister of the gospel because I have known the brothers. They have been great examples to me of the way that Christians should approach one another and others whom we meet: with a welcoming smile, honoring the presence of Christ in the other person. I feel refreshed
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when I worship at the monastery each week, and I want those who come to worship in my church to feel refreshed and welcomed, and to experience the joy of the Christian life that comes from living out our baptismal covenant. This is not to be confused with a surface happiness or with putting a good face on things. This joy is accessible to us even in times of personal struggle. The brothers do not pretend that life in community is easy, but theirs is a joyful hospitality and they know how to have a good time!
Br. Curtis Almquist with clergy from the Diocese of Texas on retreat at the monastery in June
More connection to Christian tradition: Unlike many twenty-two-year-olds who visit the monastery for the first time, I was already steeped in scholarship about monasticism. But even though I 9
knew the difference between a calced and a discalced Carmelite, monastic practices were not a part of my prayer; being a theological bookworm could only get me so far. It was participating in the brothers’ worship that truly brought monastic spirituality into my life. I prayed the Daily Office for the first time with the brothers at Emery House. The Tuesday Eucharist offered the chance to celebrate many feasts of the church year that are not observed in parishes. I grew to crave periods of silence in my life, which I am certain would not have happened as readily without the influence of SSJE. Influence of spiritual direction: Through SSJE I have had the privilege of working with a spiritual director throughout my discernment process. I hope that as a priest I can internalize the perspective of my director when talking with parishioners, always keeping an eye out for resonances with Scripture, for where God is in the present situation and how the Spirit is working through us. A stronger sense of what makes good liturgy and the dedication it takes to prepare it: One Easter Vigil at the monastery, the congregation processed in from the cloister garden behind the new fire. It was dark, and there was a step up into the chapel. A brother with a flashlight was stationed at the step, illuminating it. This has become a symbol for me of the dedication and foresight it takes to make good liturgy happen. Now in planning worship I often think, where do we need the “flashlight brother”? Where is the point in the service where extra attention must be paid in order to 10
keep the path smooth for the congregation? A dynamic understanding of tradition: Chapter Three of the Rule of SSJE describes faithfulness to tradition as “a creative recovery of the past.” This definition has resonated with me because of the way it implies that imagination, discovery, and choosing among many options are a part of faithfulness to tradition, and not a betrayal of it. Evangelism and congregational development are two of my passions, and SSJE has been an example for me of a community that has made courageous decisions (in revising their Rule, in changing the specific ministries they are involved in) in order to better live out their mission.
A view of the monastery’s cloister garden
A strong sense of the importance of retreat times in my ministry: Going on retreat is now a habit for SSJE
me. As the circumstances of my life change, I may need to adapt the length or kind of annual retreat I do, but I am committed to making one each year. Retreats at Emery House have played a very important part in my discernment process. They have been great sources of reflection, much needed stress-reducers, and times of feeling especially close to God that energize me for the year ahead. I have been very grateful for the discount full-time students receive at SSJE houses. Commitment to a Rule of Life: Joining the Fellowship of Saint John has given me a pattern to follow, a way to check and see how I’m doing in leading an ordered life of prayer and service. The Rule of the Fellowship helps me to know what areas of my life need “tun-
ing up” or more attention, and knowing that I am part of a larger community of prayer is a source of encouragement to me. The Latin origin of the word “seminary” literally means a “seed-plot,” an enclosed space where young plants can sprout and thrive. SSJE has been for me a second seminary. My vocation has been nourished and encouraged by the brothers’ invitation to participate in their life and worship. Now that I am a curate, literally “one who has the cure/ care of souls,” I hope I can show the kind of care of others that they have shown to me. The Rev. Regina Walton is the curate at the Parish of the Good Shepherd in Waban, MA and a doctoral candidate in religion and literature at Boston University.
A family of robins found a safe haven in the monastery cloister.
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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Vocation:
A Three-part Process of Discernment Kevin Hackett, SSJE
“You’re going to do what?”
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ore than a few of the brothers of SSJE have been met with this disbelieving response when they’ve told family and friends of their intention to test their vocation as a monk. Vocations to the monastic life are not in vogue these days. Actually, they never have been. A monastic vocation has always been a somewhat eccentric call. The word ‘eccentric’ comes from the Greek ekkcentros, meaning, off, or
Our new postulant, Andrew Gary, with Br. Jude Smith, a novice
out of, center—and so it is. From the third and fourth centuries, men and women who have answered the call to move out from the center, out from the mainstream of ecclesiastical and cultural norms, have rarely been inherently wise or holy people; rather, they 12
have been—and are—extraordinarily ordinary women and men who have simply said ‘yes’ to the call of God to follow in a very particular, if sometimes odd and peculiar way. Such a call is always personal, though it is never private. There are always three parties involved: God, the individual, and a larger community (or representatives of the same). When God called Samuel, for instance, God was the initiator of the call, and Samuel was the unlikely respondent. Eli served to provide the voice of testing and confirmation, urging Samuel’s ultimate attentiveness: Speak, Lord, your servant is listening. When the young girl Mary was called by God to bear the Savior, Mary agreed: Be it unto me according to your word. But it was not—apparently— until Elizabeth confirmed that call by the acknowledgement of John the Baptist’s leaping in her womb, that Mary’s unique, and decidedly out-of-center, vocation resulted in praise: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord…. When God called Saul the Persecutor, God initiated the call to the man who had cruelly persecuted the people who were following the way of Jesus Christ. It was the Ananias, representing the community of believers who tested and confirmed that call: Who are SSJE
you, Lord? And so it goes, throughout the Scriptures, and down through the ages. Any call, any vocation, has some version of the one who calls, the one who is called, and those who confirm the call. When God calls a man to the religious life, this three-part dynamic is always present. First there is the initiation of the call by God. Then there is the response of the individual who is called. Then there is the confirmation of the community or its representatives. A vocation to the religious life is always at God’s initiation, though this is often only seen and understood in retrospect. The impulse can come in any form: a “voice” in the night, in initially “unwelcome” news, or occasionally as a “flash” of blinding awareness, but more often it comes through some entirely ordinary experience (as the calls to Samuel, Mary, and Saul probably were in the moment—their stories in the Scriptures were recorded after years of reflection). A comment from a trusted advisor, friend, or family member; reading an article or a book with a direct or oblique reference to religious life; from a movie or play; or through an encounter with a passage of Scripture, a sudden change in personal circumstances—these describe but a few means by which God begins the conversation (and conversion), which may take years to process! Then comes the response of the individual—the nagging urge to make the first risky, tentative inquiry, responding to a spiritual “itch,” wrestling with personal questions of incredulity, unworthiness, and even revulsion, then braving the risk of asking questions of friends and family or the particular community of interest to “test” the The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
idea. This is a time of great vulnerability for most people, but the test of a call is the individual’s persistence in pursuit, which again, may take years. Then, finally, there is the community’s part in the confirmation of the call. In vocations to our community, it has often been the case that a man’s “personal communities” (family, church, friends) are mixed in their support of a monastic vocation, asking questions like, “What about your familial obligations?”—a good question because those obligations demand real attention. “Why would you ‘waste’ your life behind the closed doors of a monastery?”—another good question though it begs the question of what is waste. And “How will you ever cope with the loneliness?”—still another good question that gets to the heart of one of the very real risks of this life.
Brs. Curtis Almquist and Kevin Hackett share a quiet conversation in the cloister garden
But it is the receiving community who ultimately provides the testing of a man’s call to this life. Our Rule of Life is clear that our community is not one of like-minded men (far from it!) nor is it based solely on mutual attraction (though that certainly figures into 13
it). In discerning a call to a monastic community such as ours, we brothers, together with the man discerning his vocation, wrestle with a veritable thorn bush of desire, gifts, culture, habit, compulsion, and personal preference, all in the pursuit of the kind of community which God desires us to be—and here we’re coming back to where we started! As a community, we are constantly called to the standard set forth in our Rule: The first challenge of community life is to accept whole-heartedly the authority of Christ to call whom he will. Our community is not formed by the natural attraction of like-minded people. We are given to one another by Christ and he calls us to accept one another as we are. By abiding in him we can unite in a mutual love that goes deeper than personal attraction. Mutual acceptance and love call us to value our differences of background, temperament, gifts, personality and style. Only when we recognize them as sources of vitality are we able to let go of competitiveness and jealousy. As we actively seek to grow, and discern which men are being called into our Society, we must ardently seek for signs that God desires to increase our diversity in culture and race. We are also called to accept with compassion and humility the particular fragility, complexity and incompleteness of each brother. Our diversity and our brokenness mean that tensions and friction are inevitably woven into the fabric of everyday life. They are not to be regarded as signs of failure. Christ uses them for our conversion as we grow in mutual forbearance and learn to let go of the pride that drives us to 14
Br. Bruce Neal with our dog, Duke, at Emery House
control and reform our brothers on our own terms. – Chapter 4 These are challenging words, but they are true words, words of life, life together, and we could not do without them because we could not be the men that we believe God is calling us to be with anything less demanding. Jesus himself was known for such challenging words and teaching: “This is a hard saying! Who can be saved?” the disciples cried. To which he answered, “Well, what about it? What about you? Do you want to go another way?” which elicited Peter’s reply, “To whom shall we go, Lord? You have the words of life.” And indeed he does. For everyone. And for some, actually a few, to this very particular, peculiar monastic way. We ask you to be alert to men whose vocation to this life might be awakened by your asking the question, “Have you ever considered…?” Such a query may well be the spark that ignites a flame that results in a vocation. We pray daily for vocations to this odd and eccentric way of life—and we ask you to do so as well. SSJE
Society of Saint John the Evangelist The Friends of SSJE Annual Fund 2007 Information on Giving US Giving
SSJE Friends in the USA can make tax-deductible gifts to SSJE. Checks: Please make checks payable to: SSJE and send to: The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, P.O. Box 382601, Cambridge, MA 02138 Online: Credit card donations can be made via www.ssje.org. Stock Gifts: Please email treasury@ssje.org for details. Monthly Gifts: Please email friends@ssje.org if you would like to make monthly payments by credit card. Pledging: If you would like to pledge please email your pledge to friends@ssje.org. Tax Receipts: After the end of each calendar year receipts will be sent for Chapel gifts made by check and for all pledge payments received and deposited to our bank before December 31st.
Canadian Giving
SSJE Friends in Canada can make tax deductible donations through The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust. At this time we cannot accept Canadian gifts paid by credit card. Please make checks payable to: SSJE and send to: “SSJE” c/o Scotia Trust Co., Attn: Mrs. Vi Bunclark, Trust Administrator The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Company, Exchange Tower, PO Box 430, Stn First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario M5X 1K1
UK Giving
SSJE Friends in the UK can now donate through Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). This method allows SSJE to reclaim the taxes paid by the donor as is allowed under UK tax law. You can open a CAF Charity Account either online at www.cafonline.org or by calling 01732 520 050. Please specify The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, Boston when making your gift.
Consider Becoming an SSJE Brother!
“Come and See” – Dec. 13-16, 2007 We welcome men interested in learning about a vocation to SSJE to join us for a “Come and See” weekend at the monastery. For those who cannot make it to this weekend program, we will be glad to schedule another time for you to visit us. For more information, please visit our website at www.ssje.org or contact our Vocations Director, Br. Kevin Hackett, at the monastery or by email: vocations@ssje.org The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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Choosing to Become Who We Are: The Life Profession
of Robert L’Esperance, SSJE Br. Robert L’Esperance
On June 3, 2007, our Brother Robert L’Esperance made a life commitment to serve God according to the monastic way as it is lived in the Society of Saint John the Evangelist. In this brief interview, he tells us why he came to SSJE and how he discerned this calling to monastic life. Cowley: Robert, tell us why you came to SSJE. Robert: It’s actually difficult for me to talk about – not because I don’t want to, but because it’s ontological. It’s like being asked, why did you fall in love with that person? If there is an answer, it’s irrational. I guess if I had to put it into words, I’d say that it’s about being myself. I wanted to be who I am rather than who I was trying to be or thought I should be. It’s not easy, but for me becoming a monk is about becoming one with yourself, coming to terms with who you really are. Cowley: In the early years, brothers are often discerning whether they should stay or go on to something else. Was there a moment when you knew you wanted to make a life commitment? Robert: It was more of a gradual dawning than a sudden moment of enlightenment. For me, it involved carefully 16
Br. Robert at work in the gardens at Emery House
weighing things, shedding illusions about the life, about myself and others. It’s all part of self-discovery. Some days I thought I knew; other days I didn’t. I’ve learned that the discernment process is clearer when we can remain single-minded and live in the present moment rather than in the future. SSJE
Cowley: What changes have you noticed in yourself as a result of this process? Robert: There really has been a change, even in the few months since my life vows. I feel at peace with myself and at peace within the community. Since the decision to make life vows, I’m living more mindfully than ever before – savoring the days, tasting their sweetness. Making the choice was freeing. Cowley: What do you see as you look towards the future? Robert: Obviously I can’t know where
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
this life will lead me, but I have a better sense now of how it might unfold. I’m looking forward to further study and growth. Cowley: What would you say to someone who was interested in exploring religious life? Robert: I’d say, if you think it’s a possibility, you owe it to yourself to try, to ask the question and to give it enough time to be answered. You have to give the process a chance to work. Like I say, a lot of it is ontological. It’s not easy to explain, but you come to see that this is who you really are.
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Join the SSJE Brothers on pilgrimage to
The Holy Land 2008 February 1-14, 2008
THE PALESTINE OF JESUS Brs. Kevin Hackett and Jude Smith Program, accommodations,& all meals - $2,180 ■
June 20 - July 1, 2008
ICONS IN CYPRUS Br. James Koester (Program cost not yet available)
Brs. Curtis Almquist and David Vryhof with Cambridge-area pilgrims (left to right) Bill Snyder, Elizabeth Clarke, and Hall Kirkham at Saint George’s College, Jerusalem. SSJE brothers serve as course chaplains. We lead in the daily prayer and worship, offer meditations and spiritual reflections, and give guidance to the pilgrims on how to “pray their own lives” amidst the sacred landscape where the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ unfolded. Outstanding faculty, gracious accommodations, and delicious meals are provided through Saint George’s College, a continuing education center for the entire Anglican Communion. For more information and to register for a course, contact: Saint George’s College, Jerusalem www.sgcjerusalem.org email: registrar@stgeorges.org.il
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telephone: 011 972 2 626 4704
SSJE
The Grace of Tradition: Handing On What We Have Received Eldridge Pendleton, SSJE
F
or over 140 years the Society of Saint John the Evangelist has offered spiritual formation and mentoring to students and those preparing for Holy Orders. The graces that have resulted from these relationships have been long lasting and of great mutual satisfaction. Soon after its foundation, in an effort to secure official recognition from the Bishop of Oxford (Samuel Wilberforce) for the new religious community of men that Richard Benson, Charles Grafton and Simeon O’Neill had formed at Cowley in 1866, Father Benson presented the bishop with a list of six objectives the new Society intended to undertake. One of these was to establish “a house at Oxford for scholars who wish to live by a [spiritual] rule, while getting a University education; for students in theology; and for clergy who wish to retire for a time for study.” With the bishop’s approval the Society applied for and was granted the status of University Hall, where students at Oxford might live and pursue these ends. In those early days both young Englishmen and Americans availed themselves of this opportunity to live and pray alongside these Anglican monks. Among the early students who did so while preparing for priestly ordination were men
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who eventually entered the Society: Arthur Hall, later Bishop of Vermont; Frederick Puller, one of the outstanding Anglican theologians of his generation; and Freeborn Coggeshall, a young American priest of great promise who died at a young age. In recent years, John Gedrick, Michael Rodriguez, Seth Lancaster, José Hildalgo, and now Gerone Lockhart have continued this tradition by living with us for a time.
Frederick Puller, SSJE
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In 1870, when the Society made plans to open a branch foundation in the United States and had received invitations from a number of East Coast dioceses to do so, Father Benson sought the advice of his spiritual mentor and former academic advisor at Christ Church, Edward Pusey. Pusey did not hesitate to say Boston would be the best choice, because of its proximity to the most distinguished and influential university in America. And so soon afterward the first members of SSJE in the United States took up residence at the Church of the Advent, at that time located on Bowdoin Street on Boston’s Beacon Hill. While SSJE never received the official recognition from Harvard it had with Oxford University, their practice of hospitality and spiritual mentoring for University men, especially those considering ministry, became a vital part of the work in North America. Some of these young men, who had first known us through our ties with Saint Paul’s School at Concord, New Hampshire, made the mission church on Bowdoin Street their spiritual home during their years at Harvard. When the church was redecorated in the early 20th century, their Saint Paul Society gave the paneling and altar screen designed by Henry Vaughn, and the Calvary group that adorns the sanctuary of the church to this day. In fact, had it not been for their support and that of others, it would have been extremely difficult for SSJE to maintain a presence in North America. One of those strongly influenced during his university years was a young man from Cincinnati, Spence Burton. It was at the Cowley mission on Bowdoin Street that he discovered his call to priesthood, and it was there 20
that he was ordained in 1904. Soon afterward Burton entered the Society. Father Burton would become one of the most influential and colorful spokesmen for the religious life in the Episcopal Church before becoming a missionary bishop.
Spence Burton, SSJE
In 1904 the Superior General of SSJE, Father Robert Page, visited the community in Boston to determine whether it might be best for the Society to give up its work there, open a house in Cambridge, and concentrate on a new ministry that would include missions and retreats, as well as work with students at Harvard. No steps were taken at the time, but this desire remained a vital interest. While our association with the church on Bowdoin Street would continue for most of the new century, the Society did not give up the idea of a house near Harvard. In 1916, with the generous help of Isabella StewSSJE
art Gardner and other benefactors, the Society purchased land on Memorial Drive, and Ralph Adams Cram donated plans for a two-room hermitage to be built there as temporary housing for the brethren involved in college ministry, until a permanent monastery could be erected. Subsequent gifts from Mrs. Gardner and the Burton family made this possible within a few years. During those first years in Cambridge, Father Burton devoted much of his energies to developing relationships with the University, its faculty and students. As soon as the Society began offering a daily Eucharist on Memorial Drive, Harvard students volunteered as acolytes. (The article about T.S. Eliot relates the experience of one of them during those years.) This was how Paul Wessinger, a young undergrad from Oregon, came to know the Society in 1934. Successive generations of Harvard students, including Frank Griswold, former Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, and David Souter, currently a Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, have helped with the Eucharists at the Monastery. In 1978 the Society instituted its Tuesday evening Eucharists, designed specifically to serve the spiritual needs of the greater university community. This has been an unusually successful venue for introducing and revitalizing the Christian experience of young
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Fr. Burton and a retreatant (ca 1923) at the front of the first building on SSJE property at 980 Memorial Drive, Cambridge
men and women attending colleges and universities in New England. In addition, members of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist have offered retreats, workshops and quiet days on many campuses and have served as spiritual directors at General Seminary, Yale Divinity School, Harvard Divinity School, the Episcopal Divinity School and Virginia Theological Seminary. Because this work has always been a vital part of our religious charism, members of our Society continue to provide spiritual mentoring for students and those considering ministry. It is a rich and wonderful way God has given us to extend the kingdom of heaven.
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The Fellowship of Saint John:
“Doing What We Can” Jeanne & J.C. Snead
W
hen a fellow member of our church in Dallas, Saint Michael and All Angels, first introduced us to the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, we were surprised. An Episcopal monastery? And we wondered, why would anyone go on a retreat at a monastery, where most of the time you have to remain silent? Remaining silent is hard for very social people like us. Well, we are absolutely delighted that we made that first “pilgrimage” to the monastery, since it was an incredible experience, a life-changing event. Since then we have made the “pilgrimage” to retreats at the monastery a number of times. We say “pilgrimage” because these visits feel like coming home for peace, solitude and reinvigoration–a rejuvenation of our very souls. While we have not yet made the pilgrimage to the Holy Land, which we so much want to do, going to the monastery seems to us the next best thing for our spirituality and for our relationship to God and our savior Jesus Christ. The brothers at the monastery are incredible people, led by an extraordinary man, Curtis Almquist, who has meant so much to our family. Initially one might think that the brothers could be isolated by their routine and environment and therefore could be out of touch with the issues confront-
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ing people in their relationships and life circumstances. Nothing could be further from the truth! The brothers are “tuned in” and have very dynamic relationships with the people they encounter, who seek from them spiritual guidance and help in dealing with life’s difficulties. When you talk privately with a brother about your problems, he gives you proper perspective and common sense guidance. The brothers give so much more than they receive. What a wonderful and relevant ministry they give to all who come in contact with them throughout the world!
Jeanne and J.C. Snead at St. Michael & All Angels Church, Dallas
In February 2007, we decided that we wanted to deepen our relationship and commitment with the brothers by SSJE
becoming members of the Fellowship of Saint John. We worried about whether we could live up to the high standards of the Fellowship—it is not a commitment to be taken lightly. In our daily lives and work, it is easy to become absorbed with the problems that confront us and so to postpone critical, life-nurturing prayer and reflection. We make excuses like “there is only just so much time in the day,” or “I am tired,” or “I will do it later.” Having the brothers in our lives gives us perspective and helps us to focus on what is truly important. They set a standard that we can hope to live up to, a standard we can try to emulate. As members of the Fellowship of Saint John, we hope we can incorporate into our lives the discipline the brothers demonstrate in their daily life and work. By following the Rule of the Fellowship of Saint John, we are hopeful that we can help make the world a better place, by making ourselves better
people and setting a positive example through the service of others in our community. We also hope that, by being active members of the Fellowship, we can give something back (in small measure to what we have received from the brothers), by supporting the brothers in their critical worldwide ministries. Recently, we heard a simple story, a “parable” of sorts, which characterizes what we hope to contribute as members of the Fellowship of Saint John. A small sparrow lay on his back, his legs pushed upward at the sky. A passing farmer, scratching his head, asked the sparrow what he thought he was doing. The bird explained that he had heard the sky was falling. The farmer laughed and said, “Even if that were true, your spindly legs couldn’t hold up the sky.” To which the bird replied: “One does what one can.” The peace of the Lord be always with you.
The Fellowship of Saint John (FSJ) is comprised of men and women throughout the world who desire to live their Christian life in special association with the Society of Saint John the Evangelist. They have a vital interest in the life and work of the brothers, and support our life and ministries with their prayers, encouragement, and financial gifts. The brothers of SSJE welcome members of the FSJ as partners in the gospel life, and pray for them by name in our daily prayers, following a regular cycle. With us the FSJ members form an extended family, a company of friends abiding in Christ and seeking to bear a united witness to him as “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” following the example of the
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Beloved Disciple. For more information, please contact Br. Jonathan Maury, the Director of the FSJ, at the monastery.
Jacob Wood, received into the Fellowship of Saint John in September, with his fiancé, Joanne Brown, and Br. Mark Brown.
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The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
riends Fwww.ssje.org
An Invitation to Join The Friends iof SSJE
Richard: “One of the really important aspects of this community is how intentional they are about living an integrated life, in which their worship and their faith and their prayer life are not separate from their relationships with each other and with the outside world. Lay people, though they might not even be aware of it consciously, really are very interested in that, in what it’s like to live a life that is all of one piece. My weekly experience of moving into and out of this community has helped me to a sense of what an integrated life means. “
Pam and Richard
Pam: “People are charging so hard for professional success or some ideal they have of their family life, that they often get to a certain point where they suddenly feel like it’s lost its magic, or it’s falling apart for them. Even though outwardly they maybe extremely successful, there’s an emptiness, a hollowness. Their hunger is not just for a community, but for another model which brings together professional life and spiritual life and family life. SSJE lives this out and also supports the people who come here. The fact that multiple times each day they’re lifting up all of us in their prayers, the constancy of their love and their good humor, all the different kinds of work that they have undertaken, and the tradition that stretches back through the order—it’s is a treasure that I want everybody to know about because it’s such a rarity in the 21st century. “ Richard Goldhor and Pam Chester live in Belmont, MA. Richard is a member of the Fellowship of St. John.
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SSJE
Becoming a Friend Please consider becoming a Friend today. A tax-deductible contribution may be made by check (payable to “SSJE”), credit card, or a gift of securities. Gifts may also be made online through our website.
USA
Friends of SSJE The Society of Saint John the Evangelist 980 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 02138 Tel (617) 876-3037 ext. 24 Email: friends@ssje.org www.ssje.org
CANADA
“SSJE” c/o Scotia Trust Co. Attn: Mrs. Vi Bunclark Trust Administrator The Bank of Nova Scotia Trust Co Exchange Tower, 130 King Street West, 20th Floor, PO Box 430, Stn First Canadian Place Toronto, Ontario M5X 1K1
UK
For UK tax deductible donations please donate via the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). Contact www.cafonline.org or telephone 01732 520 050. Please specify “The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, Boston” when making your gift.
Making a Bequest “I have chosen to put SSJE in my will because I think everyone would benefit from knowing the monks and what they offer, even if they can’t go to the monastery, just to encounter the wonderful things the brothers have written and to participate in the way they model their life. “It is especially essential for anyone who is going into active pastoral ministry or who is an ordained person to have a rhythm in their life where they have a quiet day, preferably a quiet day a week, regulatory time, honored with scripture and prayer and quietness. Brother Tom Shaw used to say—and I love this—as a sort of code of his, ‘I can’t imagine how anyone could write a sermon if they didn’t look out of the window and just be still and silent for twenty or thirty minutes.’ This is a different way of listening, a different way of being. As I have gotten older, I find I have a great yearning for such introverted quiet times. “People come to the brothers so thirsty, for something they may not even be able to name, and they find it in the brothers’ houses, on the retreats they give, or in the brothers who are on the road teaching and at the monastery. It’s remarkable. I just can’t imagine my life without these deep threads of connection with them. The Rev. Julie Clarkson is a member of the Fellowship of St. John and a long-time friend of the Society. She currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina. Please let us know if you would like a copy of the Ways of Giving brochure to learn how you can include SSJE in your estate planning.
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Friends of SSJE The Society of Saint John the Evangelist 980 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02138 Tel: (617)-876-3037 ext. 24 E-mail: friends@ssje.org www.ssje.org
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COMMUNITY NEWS On the weekend of May 18-20, Brs. David Vryhof and Kevin Hackett led a program entitled “Abiding in Christ: Prayerful Living in a Fastpaced World” at Grace Episcopal Church on Lopez Island, Washington. During their visit, they were guests of Bob and Ginger Riggins, and enjoyed spending time at their sheep farm. Bob is a member of the Fellowship of Saint John.
Br. Geoffrey with Whitney and Clare
terbury Cathedral, were presenters at the diaconal ordination of the Rev. Whitney Zimmerman at Washington Cathedral in June. Both Clare and Whitney are members of the Fellowship of Saint John.
In June, Br. Kevin Hackett traveled to Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, as the speaker for the Community of Celebration’s annual conference, entitled “Seven times Seventy: The Practice of Forgiveness.” Kevin was a member of that community for many years before coming to the Society. Br. Mark Brown was at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Buffalo, New York on May 18-20, where he led an interfaith quiet day for Christians, Jews and Muslims on the topic of prayer and preached at a Sunday service. Br. Geoffrey Tristram and the Rev. Clare Edwards, Canon Pastor of Can26
Br. David Vryhof was a guest speaker at a Conference on Ministry sponsored by the Episcopal Conference of the Deaf (ECD) in St. Louis, Missouri, June 12-14. He led two workshops on the theme, “Becoming Christ: Spiritual Practices for the Renewal of Our Lives.”
Br. David teaching at the ECD Conference on Ministry
Brs. James Koester and Jonathan Maury attended the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada in Winnipeg, Manitoba, June 19 to SSJE
25, where they joined members of other religious communities staffing the information booth on the religious life. Br. David Allen attended the annual meeting of the Asian-American Ministries of the Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, California, June 27-July 2. As part of the conference, the participants explored the differences in communication styles between the East and West.
During the month of July, Br. Timothy Solverson was at the Mercy Center in Burlingame, California, for a monthlong internship program in the art of spiritual direction. This inter-faith program is designed to teach spiritual directors to practice “contemplative listening.”
Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane of the Anglican Church in South Africa was a visitor at the monastery in July. He spoke with the brothers over tea and then joined them for Evensong and supper. Brs.Timothy Solverson and Bernard Russell.
Br. James Koester led an icon writing workshop at the Sorrento Centre in British Columbia from July 29 to August 4.
Br. James Koester
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Over the course of the summer, three of our brothers moved into assisted living facilities in or near Cambridge. Brs. Paul Wessinger and Bernard Russell now live at the Jeanne Jugan Residence of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Somerville. Br. John Mathis resides at Cambridge Homes, just a few blocks from the monastery. Cards and letters may be sent to 980 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02138. Correction: In the Spring 2007 issue of Cowley, we incorrectly identified Charlene Arzigian’s position at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government as “Administrative Assistant” (p.22). Her correct title is “Assistant Director, Research Administration Office.” We apologize for the error. 27
On August 11, Br. John Mathis celebrated his 84th birthday at the monastery. Joining him from Eugene, Oregon, were his daughter Jen Smith, and her daughters, Lexie and Libby.
Jim McReynolds and Gerone Lockhart
Occasionally, the Society welcomes long-term guests to stay in our houses. Over the course of the summer, The Rev. Jim McReynolds, a long-time friend of the community, was in residence at Emery House. In September, we welcomed Gerone Lockhart, a former graduate student at New York University, who will be living at the monastery during this academic year. During the last two weeks of July, Brs. Curtis Almquist and David Vryhof served as chaplains for a “Palestine of Jesus” course specifically for seminarians at St. George’s College in Jerusalem. The course drew Episcopal/Anglican seminarians from five countries: the U.S., Canada, England, Wales and Australia. Pictured here are Melissa Drummond (from Nova Scotia) and Nola Crewe (from Toronto), who received scholarships through SSJE’s Canon Young scholarship program, which benefits Canadian seminarians.
Lexie, Jen, Br. John, and Libby
On September 8, the community welcomed a new postulant, Andrew Gary. Andrew comes to us from New York City, where he worked for six years as Administrative Assistant and Registrar in the Office of the Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies at the Episcopal Church Center. He holds a B.A. degree in Art History from the University of Connecticut. Andrew’s interests include the arts, architectural history, and church history.
Andrew Gary
Melissa Drummond and Nola Crewe
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Brs. Thomas Shaw and Geoffrey Tristram were present at the meeting of the House of Bishops, held in New Orleans, September 18-25 – Tom as SSJE
Bishop of Massachusetts, and Geoffrey as Chaplain to the House of Bishops. During the week the bishops had meetings with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and on Saturday they and their spouses took part in work projects in New Orleans and in Mississippi, helping to restore and reconstruct houses which had been damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Sunday provided an opportunity for worship in over thirty churches in New Orleans or along the Gulf Coast.
Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross, an international organization of Anglican women called to lead lives of intercessory prayer. Br. Curtis Almquist led a quiet day for the senior class of the Berkeley-Yale Divinity School on September 22.
Brs. David Vryhof and Jude Smith
At the House of Bishops meetings in New Orleans, the Rev. Dr. Ian Douglas (member of the Design Group for Lambeth 2008), Bp. Michael Curry (North Carolina), Bp. Tom Shaw, SSJE (Massachusetts), Dr. Paul Farmer (physician and anthropologist), Br. Geoffrey Tristram, SSJE (Chaplain to the House of Bishops), and Bp. Mark Hollingsworth (Ohio). Photo credit: Maria Plati/ Diocese of Massachusetts
On Sunday, September 23, Br. Eldridge Pendleton preached and presided at the Adelynrood Retreat Center of the
Br. Eldridge Pendleton
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Brs. David Vryhof and Jude Smith were at St. John’s Cathedral in Jacksonville, Florida, to lead a weekend program, October 5-7. Br. David Vryhof will be leading an Advent retreat entitled “The Christ Who Comes to Us” at the Kanuga Conference Center in Hendersonville, North Carolina, on the weekend of November 29-December 2, 2007. If you’re interested in participating, please visit the Kanuga Conference Center’s website at www.kanuga.org.
SSJE Listen Online
Listen to brothers preach the Gospel at SSJE Listen Online. Also available as podcasts! Simply visit our website, www.SSJE.org., click on Our Community, then click Recent Sermons, then click on Listen— and you’re there! 29
Retreat Programs and Workshops: The Society of Saint John the Evangelist Monastery Guesthouse, Cambridge, Massachusetts Emery House, West Newbury, Massachusetts
September 2007 - April 2008 The brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist have for years offered hospitality to those seeking a place of quiet and renewal. At the monastery in Cambridge, Massachusetts and at Emery House in West Newbury, Massachusetts, we invite you to find space to pray and renew your spirit. We are pleased to welcome you to these sanctuaries of beauty and reflective stillness. Generous gifts of land and money from Isabella Stewart Gardner, Elbridge Gerry, and the family of then-SSJE member and later superior Spence Burton enabled the Society to begin developing the property along Memorial Drive. Today’s guesthouse, designed by the famous twentieth-century American architect, Ralph Adams Cram, and built in 1924-1928, was the original monastery building. In the mid-1930’s, Cram designed the chapel and monastery buildings. Built at the height of the Great Depression, the buildings, completed in 1936, are another legacy of the Burton family’s philanthropy. The renowned American landscape designer, Fletcher Steele, designed the guesthouse garden in 1934. The monastery is located along the Charles River, near Harvard University and the Episcopal Divinity School. Guesthouse facilities include large and small meeting rooms, chapels for private and corporate prayer, a library, garden, and single bedrooms, each with its own sink; showers and toilets are nearby. Linens and towels are provided. Guests join the brothers for three meals daily, eaten communally and normally taken in silence, accompanied either by a brother reading aloud or recorded music. Emery House and its 120 acres of undeveloped meadow and woodland were gifts to the Society from the Emery family, who homesteaded the property in 1641. Over the past two decades, we have been joined by generous benefactors and friends in our efforts to conserve the house, woodlands, and meadows as a beautiful sanctuary for retreat. Emery House is located in West Newbury, Massachusetts, about forty-five miles north of Boston and is adjacent to the 380-acre Maudsley State Park. Emery House features spacious and fully-equipped “hermitages,” period guest rooms in the 1745 main house, two rustic wood cabins, and three meals daily, taken communally in the main house. Guests are welcome to join the brothers in daily monastic worship. Emery House is easily accessible by public transportation. Out-of-town guests may board regularly-scheduled buses leaving from Logan Airport and South Station, Boston for Newburyport. 30
SSJE
If you would like to visit us or attend one of our retreats or workshops, please contact the appropriate guesthouse brother: The Guesthouse Brother Monastery Guesthouse 980 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 02138-5717 Email: guesthouse@ssje.org (617)876-3037 x10
The Guesthouse Brother Emery House 21 Emery Lane West Newbury, MA 01985-1333 Email: emeryhouse@ssje.org (978)462-7940 x10
The monastery guesthouse and Emery House are open to guests seven nights a week. Guests may arrive from Monday afternoon through Saturday morning. Resident guests may choose to stay in the Monastery guesthouse on Sunday night. Public worship is not offered, nor are there any meals served from Sunday Evening Prayer until Morning Prayer on Tuesday (the community’s Sabbath time).
Parking at the monastery:
Parking at the monastery is extremely limited; we encourage guests to use public transportation if at all possible. Space cannot be guaranteed, and guests requiring parking must call ahead to check availability. There is a $10 per day fee for parking at the Monastery.
Please note:
The Society reserves the right to decline applications for retreats or place applicants who have made a number of retreats with us in the past on a waiting list. Brothers may also exercise discretion over admissions based on other priorities. Deposit checks are returned to applicants in the event they are wait-listed or declined.
We depend on your help to make this ministry possible. The brothers of the SSJE offer hospitality to guests regardless of their ability to pay. We offer reduced fees to full-time students. But fees cover only about 50% of actual costs. We depend on guesthouse income to support our life and ministries. Published fees are suggested amounts. Individuals with limited resources are asked to give as they are able; those with ample resources help us continue to offer reduced rates to those who cannot afford to pay by increasing their giving beyond the suggested fee. Your additional gift may be wholly or partially tax deductible. The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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Retreats at The Monastery Cambridge, Massachusetts 2007-2008
For information about retreats at the monastery, visit our website at www.ssje.org or contact the guesthouse office at (617) 876-3037 or guesthouse@ssje.org. NOTE: Retreats listed in bold type-face are available for registration. For full program descriptions and to register, visit our website at www.ssje.org. Continuing education credits are offered for programs marked by an asterisk (*). BINDING UP OUR WOUNDS– a retreat for members of the armed services and veterans returning from places of war October 4-7, 2007 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by Br. ROY COCKRUM AND JEFFREY COX
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats November 2-4, 2007 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats November 16-18, 2007 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats November 23-25, 2007 ( Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
WAITING FOR THE LIGHT – an Advent retreat November 30-December 2, 2007 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by Br. ROY COCKRUM
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“COME AND SEE” WEEKEND – a program for men interested in exploring religious life with SSJE December 13-16, 2007 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by Br. KEVIN HACKETT, Vocations Director NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats December 14-16, 2007 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats January 11-13, 2008 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats January 25-27, 2008 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) FIVE-DAY COMPANIONED RETREAT January 29-February 3, 2008 (Tuesday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by SSJE BROTHERS NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats February 15-17, 2008 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
SSJE
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats March 14-16, 2008 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats April 4-6, 2008 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
HOLY WEEK AT THE MONASTERY March 18-23, 2008 (Tuesday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats April 18-20, 2008 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
Retreats at Emery House
West Newbury, Massachusetts 2007-2008 For more information about retreats and programs at Emery House, visit our website at www.ssje.org or contact Emery House at (978) 462-7940 or emeryhouse@ssje.org. ROCKS, RIVERS AND TREES – praying with nature November 9-11, 2007 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by Br. MARK BROWN
ADVENT QUIET DAY FOR CLERGY December 11, 2007 (Tuesday, 9 am – 4 pm) Led by Br. ELDRIDGE PENDLETON
BEING GAY, BEING IN LOVE, AND BEING A CHRISTIAN – a retreat for gay couples November 16-18, 2007 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by Br. ROBERT L’ESPERANCE
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats December 14-16, 2007 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats November 23-25, 2007 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats January 11-13, 2008 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
HIS GARMENT’S HEM: RECEIVING AND OFFERING CHRIST’S HEALING TOUCH November 29-December 2, 2007 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by Ms. PATRICIA WARREN
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats January 25-27, 2008 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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Retreats at Emery House continued TIME FOR GOD – a week of renewal for clergy January 29-February 2, 2008 (Tuesday 5 pm – Saturday 2 pm) Led by Br. JAMES KOESTER and ELDRIDGE PENDLETON
THREE-DAY COMPANIONED RETREAT March 6-9, 2007 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by SSJE BROTHERS
LENTEN QUIET DAY FOR CLERGY February 12, 2008 (Tuesday, 9 am – 4 pm) Led by Br. JAMES KOESTER
NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats March 14-16, 2008 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)
“MY HEART, SING THY SORROW, TO HONOR THE HIGHEST”: J. S. BACH’S “ST. JOHN PASSION” IN MUSICAL MEDITATION February 21-24, 2008 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by Br. JONATHAN MAURY BEHOLD THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD – icon writing retreat/workshop February 26-March 2, 2008 (Tuesday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by Br. JAMES KOESTER
FIVE-DAY COMPANIONED RETREAT April 8-13, 2008 (Tuesday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by SSJE BROTHERS TOUCHING THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT: RECEIVING AND OFFERING CHRIST’S HEALING TOUCH (Advanced Healing Touch training) April 24-27, 2008 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Led by Ms. PATRICIA WARREN For further information about our retreats and workshops, visit our website at www.ssje.org.
The meadow and hermitages at Emery House, where Br. Robert oversees the care of our buildings and grounds.
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SSJE
SATURDAY WORKSHOPS AT THE MONASTERY 980 Memorial Drive • Cambridge, Massachusetts 2007-2008
Workshops begin at 10:00 a.m. (registration begins at 9:30 a.m.) and end by 3:00 p.m. The normal fee for a Saturday workshop is $75 ($40 for full-time students), which includes lunch. To register, call or write the guesthouse office at: Tel: (617) 876-3037 Email: guesthouse@ssje.org web: www.ssje.org DISCERNMENT in PRAYER – a workshop especially for young adults (though all are welcome) October 20, 2007 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm) One of our most popular programs, this workshop offers practical guidance for praying about significant life choices drawn from the wisdom of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Led by Br. DAVID VRYHOF CENTERING PRAYER November 17, 2007 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm) A day of teaching, discussion and practice on Centering Prayer, based on the principles taught in Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, by Cynthia Bourgeault (Cowley Publications, 2004). Led by Br. ROY COCKRUM HEALING TOUCH January 12, 2008 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm) Using a Christ-centered approach to healing touch, and employing prayer, meditation, scripture, reflection, and “hands on” practice, this workshop invites participants to experience God’s healing love and to be channels of that love and healing power to others. Led by PATRICIA WARREN, a Christian healer who has traveled the world studying and teaching Buddhist, Sikh and Christian methods of healing for the past twenty-five years. She is dedicated to the direct experiential practice of God and healing in ordinary lives. Suggested fee for this workshop: $100 (half-price for full-time students) FORGIVING and BEING FORGIVEN February 16, 2008 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm) Forgiveness is central to Christian living, yet it is one of the most challenging aspects of discipleship. This workshop will explore the biblical basis of God’s forgiveness as well as the practical dimensions of forgiving and being forgiven. Led by Br. CURTIS ALMQUIST BEGINNING TO MEDITATE April 19, 2008 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm) For those who are beginning to pray or want to deepen their experience of prayer, this workshop will offer teaching on meditative prayer and opportunities to practice it. Led by Brs. TIMOTHY SOLVERSON and BRUCE NEAL YOURS ARE THE HANDS: Advanced Healing Touch Workshop May 31, 2008 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm) This prayer of St. Teresa of Avila sets the tone for participants to learn the skills to develop a Christ-centered approach to healing touch. Using prayer, meditation, scripture, reflection, and “hands on” practice, this advanced workshop invites participants to experience God’s healing love and to be channels of that love and healing power to others. Led by PATRICIA WARREN (see description above) Suggested fee for this workshop: $100 (half-price for full-time students)
The Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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