Cowley Magazine - Autumn 2005

Volume 31 • Number 4 Autumn 2005

©2005 by The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, North America

It costs SSJE $20.00 annually per subscription to produce and mail four issues of Cowley. We would welcome a tax-deductible contribution to our community’s ministry, which would help defray this expense and ensure continued delivery of our newsletter. Checks should be made payable to “SSJE” and sent to the monastery at 980 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.

Cover photo:

Brs. Curtis Almquist and David Vryhof in early summer on the medieval pilgrims’ route traversing northern Spain, el Camino de Santiago de Compostela. This scene is in the hill country outside of Pamplona, in northeast Spain.

Dear Members of the Fellowship of Saint John and Other Friends,

The Society of Saint John the Evangelist 3

A Letter from the Superior

Curtis Almquist, SSJE

In June and early July, David Vryhof, SSJE and I made a pilgrimage across

northern Spain. We walked the medieval pilgrims’ route, el camino, to Santiago de Compostela. We carried a pack on our backs and a staff in our hands. On occasion we would hop a bus when the summer heat was too great or when our feet were too sore. We walked, prayed, rested, read, both scavenged and feasted, laughed, shared wonderful conversations and spacious solitude, and walked some more. This renewing experience was made possible by the gift of an anonymous donor, for which we are deeply grateful.

Brs. Curtis Almquist and David Vryhof on the Camino in Spain.

Over the centuries the three des-tinations most sought out by Christian pilgrims have been Jerusalem, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela, tradition-ally believed to be the burial place of Saint James the Apostle (Santiago). In the ninth century the site was mysteri-ously revealed by the shining of a star on a field (the Latin campus stellae, which became Compostela). Why a pilgrimage? Every pilgrim will have his or her own intentions for this bonum arduum, this steep good. For some, to purge the soul of debris; for others, to travel a way made holy by those who have gone before; for others, the meet-ing of fellow pilgrims and wise guides; for others, the grace of perspective and clarity that can come by standing back from your life. Pilgrimage is also about losing yourself and finding yourself. By the time Br. David and I reached the high country of Santiago in Galacia, we

A fellow pilgrim, generous with food and helpful advice.

The Society of Saint John the Evangelist 54 SSJE

Curtis G. Almquist, SSJESuperior

Faithfully yours,

were in a new space spiritually. The prayer of the psalmist, “set me upon the rock that is higher than I” (Ps. 61:2b), was answered in our own hearts. We recognize the pilgrim’s spirit in so many of you who travel to the monastery and to Emery House. We often hear of the tremendous effort you have made to come on retreat, and the equally great sense of need. In our Rule of Life we recall how we offer “silence for our guests, which protects the mystery of their hearts and brings healing. We have our ongoing stream of worship, which they can enter. We have the fellow-ship of our altar and our table. We offer security, where guests are safe from intrusion and free to pray. Our

houses have simple beauty. We offer courtesy, acceptance and intercession. And the Spirit has given us gifts of guidance, teaching and encouragement by which we can help retreatants grow in Christ.” We warmly welcome you to join us on a personal retreat for the nourishment of your soul, or for a retreat or workshop with a particular spiritual focus. You will find a complete listing of all these offerings on our newly-redesigned website – www.ssje.org – where much more information about the life and ministry of the SSJE broth-erhood is also available. Welcome, pilgrim! Come be with us for a time of spiritual renewal.

A pilgrim’s cross.

Cowley PubliCations is a ministry of the brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, a monastic order in the Episcopal Church. Our mission is to provide books and resources for those seeking spiritual and theological formation. Cowley PubliCations is committed to developing a new generation of writers and teachers who will encourage people to think and pray in new ways about spirituality, reconciliation, and the future. Please see our website: www.cowley.org


A painting by Robert White of the monastery cloister and tower.


Our VisionWe are a community of men giving our whole selves over to living the gos-pel 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.

Silence and SanctuaryWe offer our monasteries as places of silence, sanctuary, and simple beauty, renewing them to meet changing needs. At home and wherever we minis-ter, we accept and welcome all who come, including them in our worship, meals, and fellowship.

Guidance in Prayer and SpiritualityWe offer guidance through preaching, teaching, retreats, workshops, and spiritual direction. We are especially available to students and others at critical stages of life formation, and to those whose vocation is the for-mation of others. Through Cowley Publications, we encourage people to think and pray in new ways about spirituality, reconciliation, and the future.

A Vision for WholenessWe serve a wide spectrum of people, from the disempowered and marginalized to the influ-ential and privileged. We are ministers of reconciliation, hope, and transformation. Our work helps people uncover their deep-est desires, live with authentic-ity, and discover their place in the heart of God.

Monks of the New CenturyOffering silence and sanctuary,Guidance in prayer and spirituality,And a vision for wholeness.

The refectory at the monastery.


Michael J. Crowley has joined us as our new (and first!) Director of

Development. Since 2000 Michael has been a Vice President for a private equity investment group, and earlier served as an officer in academic and development work for several universi-ties. He is a lawyer by training and someone with whom we have profes-sionally collaborated for several years. We are delighted in this appointment. We need to raise additional funds to fulfill the mission we believe God is giv-ing us. The costs to fund our ministries, meet our living expenses, and provide much-needed renovations to our his-toric buildings exceed our current level of income. We also hope to build an endowment to ensure our future and

Michael Crowley and Br. Curtis Almquist

continue to serve those whose lives are touched by our ministry.

Michael writes, “I am tremendously excited to serve the Society of Saint John the Evangelist in this new role. Their ministry effects the lives of thou-sands both locally and throughout the world and I welcome the opportunity to work with them and you to advance their vision and mission so that their good work will continue for future generations.” Many of you already generously support us by your prayer, friendship, and financial gifts. We are counting on your continued partnership as we build a future together. In these coming months we will share more of both our vision and our needs.

New Director of Development

Irrigate, Cultivate,Lie Fallow


Good soil. As gardeners know, good, fertile soil is “built” over

time. In the earthy parable of the sower Jesus likens the human heart to soil: soil that receives the seed, the seed of the Word. The receiving heart may be like rocky ground or a thorny patch. Or, it can be rich, fertile soil, ready to receive the seed, nurture growth and bring forth fruit. The question for us, to be practi-cal, is how? How to build our soil over time. How to increase the fertility of our hearts that they may indeed bear fruit and yield a hundredfold, or sixty, or thirty. Three things come to mind—which may stretch the agricultural metaphor a bit—irrigation, cultivation, and lying fallow. Let’s begin with lying fallow. A very successful professional person visited Emery House a while back for a week of retreat. She worked 80 hours a week—and then went home to care for children and spouse! Although clearly exhausted from all this, at our first meeting for direction she told me about the stack of books she had brought to read as well as her hopes of doing an Ig-natian-style retreat, with its somewhat rigorous pattern of readings, reflections, questions, prayers, etc. I told her that the type of retreat

Br. Mark Brown

From a Sermon delivered by Mark Brown, SSJE

But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in once

case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. (Matthew 13:23, nrsv)

she had in mind could certainly be very helpful, but, I asked, in light of what she had just told me about her busyness and feeling of depletion, was she sure that was what God wished for her? I asked her to pray about that before we met the next day. She realized that what she really needed for body and soul was to get off her habitual treadmill and do nothing! To do nothing for a few days—and feel good about it. No agenda, no goals, no assignments—just rest. She needed simply to lie fallow. Many of us experience some version of this: overwork, perhaps a level of com-pulsion around work, or difficulty in just letting go of it all for a time. Lying fallow is akin to Sabbath rest. Our Rule of Life reminds that The hal-lowing of rest and the keeping of Sabbath is an essential element in our covenant with God (Chapter 45). It goes on to explain the place of rest in the rhythm not only of the week, not only over the long-term, but also of the day: each day needs its moments of repose. The soil of our hearts needs to rest, to lie fallow. Second: cultivate. Cultivate hu-mility. We might think of humility as the humus of the heart—they’re related words. I like a definition of humility I once heard from Margaret Guenther, a Cowley Publications author. “Humil-ity,” she told me, “is just knowing who


you are.” Much is packed into that simple definition. I know no better way to cultivate humility, to cultivate “just knowing who you are”, than the practice of Examen of Consciousness, which comes out of the Ignatian, or Jesuit, tradition. Examen of Conscience (note the spelling) is a time-honored practice of preparation for confession by making a list of one’s sins. By contrast, the more recent practice of Examen of Conscious-ness goes beyond: in addition to being aware of one’s sins, we are also to be aware of the good we do. That is, how the Divine Compassion is actually, lo and behold, made manifest in our lives. Yes, we sin. But that is not the whole picture. We need—and I believe this is essential—to be aware also of how the Love of God is actually embodied and incarnated in our lives. This is often in the little things we do: acts of kindness and generosity, a gracious word. Even a friendly smile can be the embodiment of Grace. The awareness of our capacity not only for sin, but also our capacity for loving-kindness—the essence of the Divine—gives us a truer picture of who we are. To know our capacity for both sin and goodness is essential for full self-awareness. To know our capacity for goodness and love is necessary to cultivate true humility (as opposed to a negative self-image or low self-esteem, which is false humility.) The humble soul is fertile soil—the soil of true humility, the humus of the heart. Just knowing who we are is a rich and fertile bed for the Divine Word. Lie fallow. Cultivate humility. And, finally, irrigate.

What about those times when our hearts are like that “barren and dry land where there is no water” (Ps. 63:1). The rain has stopped falling; the well has run dry and the streambed is parched. Where is God? Where is goodness? Where is love? Some days are like that. What do we do if water is not present naturally? We bring it in from wherever we can get it. I don’t know how it works, but I’ve found this strategy to be very helpful when I am spiritually dry and aware of no particu-lar motivation to do good (and I saw this on a bumper sticker in our parking lot): Commit random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty. Random kindness. Senseless beauty. And so much the better if anonymous. Doing something for someone, with no strings attached! Somehow, it works. Perhaps it’s like priming the pump. Perhaps it has something to do with the mystery of resurrection or the movement of the Spirit. To be sure, random kindness and senseless beauty have something of Divine Mercy about them. Somehow, with the help of this irrigation, our own inner landscape is gradually restored to its primal lushness and fertility. The leaves and blossoms of the heart begin to reappear, and resurrection life is made real.

Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:

Love is come again like wheat that springeth green.

The Hymnal 1982, 204

SSJE brothers Sunday and Feast Day sermons are now

available on the web. Visit the site at www.ssje.org.


In 1866, our community’s founder, Richard Meux Benson, had a vision for SSJE’s formative ministry to students. He wrote of our providing “a house at Oxford

for scholars who wish to live by a rule while getting a university education [and] for students in theology…” In 1870, when considering the beginnings of SSJE’s presence in the United States, Father Benson’s long-time mentor, Edward Bouverie Pusey, recommended a location in the Boston area because of its close proximity to Harvard University. In the coming years, property was acquired for the monastery very near Harvard Square. We now see many students in spiritual direction, on re-treat or in workshops, in our teaching, and in their participating in our worship life at the monastery. This past summer three students lived with us as interns, which was a great blessing.

Matthew Kruger and Br. Timothy Solverson

Matthew Kruger from

Bedford, Massachusetts, is an undergraduate student at

Tufts University, majoring in Comparative Religion.

Matthew lived with us at the monastery June 28—July 21.

“For me, the most important part of this experience has been the silence. As I am discerning a vocation to the priesthood, the opportunity to sit, pray, and listen in silence has been amazing. In our daily lives, we are so often prevented from enjoying even a moment of quiet with ourselves and with God. We forget to listen to God, simply because we do not have time to listen, or at least we don’t think we do. Living the monastic life has given me so many opportunities to hear; there is silence before services, at meals, all day on retreat days, silence when sweeping the cloister and guesthouse gardens, and all the time spent in your room alone. My time here has taught me the importance of silence, not only for listening to God, but for knowing ourselves.”

Summer Interns at SSJE

We depend on your financial support to help us meet our current financial obligations and enable us to be a sustaining witness to Christ in the years ahead. We would be very grateful and interested to speak with you about your support of SSJE through cash donations, real estate, stock. Please remember SSJE in your estate planning.

Jacob Wood and Br. Kevin Hackett

Jacob Wood, originally from Teaneck, New Jersey, is an

undergraduate at the University of Saint Andrews, Scotland,

studying for a Master of Theology degree. Jacob lived with us at the

monastery June 11—July 24.

“Administering the chalice was a very formative experience for me. Having never done it before, I was excited at the opportunity and eager to give where I had received so many times since baptism. Once I got over the initial fear of tipping wine onto a communicant’s summer blouse, I found the experience very different than I had imagined. In a way that no book could describe, God made it clear to me that the only “giving” in this action was God’s self-offering in Jesus Christ. Once again, I was on the receiving end of things. My role was to receive with thankfulness and to proclaim with joy the mystery here present: that this was indeed the blood of Christ, who offered himself once and for all for our salvation. What better privilege, what higher calling than that of all Christians, to proclaim this good news?”


Summer Interns at SSJE

Brent Was and

Br. James Knutsen

Brent Gavin Was,from Boxford, Massachusetts, is a recent graduate of Harvard Divinity School. He is in an ordination discernment pro-cess. Brent was with us at Emery House June 22—August 14.

“Some years ago I farmed in western Massachusetts and would awake each morn-ing thinking, ‘I hope I don’t have to leave the farm today, for anything.’ Invariably, by nine o’clock, I was driving off somewhere to do something important. I left Emery House once my last week; just twice the week before that. The graceful curves of these fields and the light in the hearts of Brothers John, Jamie, Charles, Robert, David and Tom (with a dash of Eldridge, Geoffrey, and Curtis) meet me at the well of silence we drink from together here throughout each day. This convergence, this relationship has held my attention as much as just about anything I have encountered in my life and ministry. I could not over-estimate the significance of the timing of this in my life. I can only fold my hands and say, ‘Thank you, Brothers.’”

12 SSJE

FELLOWSHIP OF SAINT JOHN

By The Rev. Richard Lawler

The Fellowship of Saint John (FSJ) is comprised of nearly 1,000 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 community and support our life and ministries with their prayers, encouragement and financial gifts. The broth-ers of the Society welcome members of the Fellowship as partners in the gospel life, and pray for them by name during the Daily Office, following a regular cycle. Together with us they 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 Beloved Disciple. For more information, please contact Br. Jonathan Maury, the Director of the FSJ, at the monastery.

I see that I want to thank you my brothers for being who you are and

living the life you live. Your life as monks, your life of prayers, your life as a complex group of individuals struggling to live together under one roof, your life of awareness of the needs of others and injustices that are suffered, is an inspira-tion, challenge, and comfort to me.It inspires me to know you are praying together in the beautiful tradition of the Book of Common Prayer. The screen saver on my computer is a pic-ture of the Oratory at the monastery in Cambridge. Before I launch into some project there is a moment of peace and recollection and remembrance of my brothers in Christ gathered in Cam-bridge. I know when I gather with the few souls called to pray the office here

at St. Mary of the Hills, I am part of a much larger brotherhood and sisterhood. I am challenged by the quality and mindfulness of your life together reflected in your rule and in the many ways in which you take the energy of prayer out into the world or welcome the world into your home. I am comforted by the counsel and friendship I receive from your commu-nity. Countless times in my ministry a brother from SSJE has heard my cries, laughed with me at my foibles, and been a companion along the way. I am deeply grateful for your calling to be monks. Monks in the world. Monks for the world.

Inspired, Challenged and Comforted


Consider Becoming an SSJE Brother!

“ComE anD SEE”December 8-11, 2005 & June 8-11, 2006

We welcome men interested in learning about a vocation in SSJE to join us for one of two upcoming “Come and See” weekends at

the monastery: December 8-11, 2005, and June 8-11, 2006. For more information, please visit our website www.ssje.org or

contact our novice Guardian, Br. Geoffrey Tristram, at the monastery or by email: [email protected]

14 SSJE

Robert L’Esperance, SSJE

Praying the Spiritual ExercisesThe Ignatian Way

Pedro Arrupé, SJ, the late, great Superior General of the Society of

Jesus, was once asked about the mean-ing and purpose of a thirty-day Ignatian retreat. In his response, Father Arrupé said that the Exercises had one mean-ing and only one purpose: to allow the retreatant to once again “fall in love with God.” When the founder of the Jesuits, Ignatius of Loyola, was dictating his au-tobiography he carefully concealed any specific details of his own spiritual life, including his apparently ready access to mystical visions. Instead of revealing himself in the style of John of the Cross or Teresa of Avila, the Basque priest left his spiritual legacy in the form of a small book which he called The Spiritual Exercises. Ignatius has often been character-ized as the “general” of the Church Militant of the Catholic Counter-Ref-

ormation. In fact, he was little interest-ed in the theological debates that raged between early Protestant and Catholic theologians. His most lasting influence on Western spirituality is found in his highly specific guide to discovering oneself in relation to God in a thirty-day spiritual journey. Ignatius believed that he had found God, and he wanted more than anything else to share that experience with others. The book was so influential in re-shaping Western spirituality that The Spiritual Exercises almost invariably ranks among lists of the 100 most influential books ever written. Ignatius began to give his Exercises to individuals attracted to his pro-found sense of spiritual confidence and freedom. His first excercants were lay persons and clerics, men and women. His focus and method were something quite new. Ignatius focused on desire, both divine and human: his method of prayer was first and foremost utilitarian and practical. He was a tactician. For him, to pray meant to seek and find the will of God; to know if we have done his will. Ignatius had a real passion for life. He walked across Europe several times and made a perilous journey to the Holy Land, carrying nothing but the clothes on his back. He begged alms along the way and shared what he was able to collect with other beggars. He often found himself in trouble with

The entrance to Emery house, built in 1745.


the suspicious Inquisition, ever wary of some new heresy. Ignatius talked to others about their spiritual life and journey. He wanted to help others to live their lives passionately, but with a passion that, while fearless, was also prudent. Passions can lead people to be foolish and do foolish things, but they can also foster love that is heroic, courageous, and immortal. Ignatius’ holy passion was rooted in the grace of understand-ing God’s wonderful, awesome love for the human race, a love that had led God to become human in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Throughout the Exercises, Ignatius guides the excercant

to find the truest passions of the heart, to be realistic in assessing them, while remaining true to our inmost being. The Spiritual Exercises have histori-cally figured large in the spirituality of the Society of Saint John Evangelist. One of the Society’s early members, Fr. W.H. Longridge, produced the first English translation of the Exercises. This translation was used by English-speaking Jesuits to give the Exercises well into the twentieth century; more contemporary translations are now

used, but finding the truest passion of the heart—Jesus—remains unchanged.

Br. Robert recently completed a thirty day retreat praying the Spiritual Exercises at the Jesuit Center for Spiritual Growth in Wernersville, Pennsylvania.

The Chapel of the Transfiguration.

The Coburn Hermitages.

The meadow at Emery House.


The doors of the monastery chapel in Cambridge open before morning Prayer and most days remain open until after Compline. This sanctuary is available to you for your prayers. You are always welcome to join us as we pray the Daily office and celebrate the Eucharist. For a service schedule, please visit our website at www.ssje.org or call the guesthouse office at 617-876-3037.

SSJE brothers Sunday and Feast Day sermons are now available on the web. Visit the site at www.ssje.org


COMMUNITY NEWS

Matthew Wright

Br. David Vryhof and Alcott Covington

Alcott Covington, from Detroit, Michi-gan and godson to Br. David Vryhof, began his studies at Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, Massachusetts this past summer. For many years Alcott and his mother have been frequent visitors and friends to us brothers. We are delighted to be able to see him regularly during his next three years at Eaglebrook.

Br. Curtis Almquist

Br. Alan Cooper

On August 1st, Matthew Wright joined our Cowley Publications’ staff as our new Director of Marketing. Matthew brings to us ten years of award-making marketing experience with Allyn & Bacon/Simon & Schuster, Brooks-Cole/Thomson, and Wadsworth/Thomson. He and his family live in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He is an avid Red Sox fan and is pursuing graduate studies at UMASS-Boston. Please visit our rede-signed website: www.cowley.org

Brs. Geoffrey Tristram and Roy Cock-rum were chaplains for pilgrims partici-pating in “Palestine of Jesus” course at St. George’s College, Jerusalem, June 17-30. The pilgrimage included many

Br. Alan Cooper was clothed as a nov-ice in our community on August 28th in the presence of the SSJE brothers and many friends of the community. Br. Alan comes to us from Chicago, where he was an artist and floral designer.

SSJE friends from North America and the British Isles. It coincided with the installation of the new Dean of the College, Dr. Stephen Need. Brs. David Vryhof and Kevin Hackett were chap-lains to pilgrims at St. George’s College August 2-15.

Br. Curtis Almquist was a brother-in-residence at St. Michael and All Angels parish, Dallas, September 23-October 2,


Mother Rosemary with Brothers Gerald Beauchamp and Geoffrey Tristram, both of whom were parish priests in the Church of England prior to becoming SSJE brothers.

Emery House, built in 1745.

Canadian Ministry. SSJE continues to be active in ministry in Canada. Members of the Fellowship of Saint John and other friends in Canada who would like to make a financial contribution to our Canadian min-istries may send cheques payable to “SSJE” to Scotia Trust Co., ATTN: Charitable Trust Services, 4th Floor, One Financial Plaza, One Adelaide Street East, Toronto, Ontario M5C 2W8. The Scotia Trust will issue a receipt and inform us here in the States so that we may personally thank you.

for the parish’s 60 anniversary celebra-tions, to preach and meet with groups and individuals. October 3-5 he was the keynote speaker for the Diocese of Texas clergy conference. In both settings he had opportunity to meet many FSJ members.

Mother Rosemary SLG, the Superior of the Sisters of the Love of God at Fairacres, Oxford, led the SSJE broth-ers on our annual community retreat at Emery House, August 15-22. She had previously led our retreat ten years ago. The Sisters of the Love of God are an Anglican contemplative women’s order. Our own SSJE predecessors in England had a share in SLG’s founding in 1906. We share a close friendship with the SLG sisters, and are deeply blessed in Mother Rosemary’s ministry to us.

This autumn the main dwelling at Emery House, built in 1745, is being re-painted. The SSJE brothers live in the main house along with some of our retreat guests. We share meals from a common table in our refectory. The Chapel of the Transfiguration is con-nected to the main house. We continue to offer retreat programs and our monas-tic hospitality to our guests during our re-painting project.


Sisters joining us for High Tea on July 16th: Front Row: Sr. Kristina Frances SSM (Boston), Sr. Laura Katherine CSJB (Mendham, NJ), Sr. Carolyn SSM (Boston), Br. Paul SSJE, Sr. Pamela CSJB (Mendham, NJ), Sr. Elise CHS (New York City), Sr. Isabel SLG (Oxford, England). Back Row: Br. James SSJE, Sr. Eve SLG (Oxford, England), Sr. Marjorie Raphael SSM (Boston), Sr. Constance Johanna SSJD (To-ronto), Sr. Faith Margaret CHS (New York City), Br. Curtis SSJE, Br. Geoffrey SSJE.

To celebrate our brother Paul Wessinger’s 60th anniversary of his life profession in SSJE, we hosted a High Tea on Saturday afternoon, July 16th, attended by the brothers and many friends, among them sisters from five Anglican religious orders. Two sisters gave tributes and our Superior, Br. Curtis Almquist, spoke of how Br. Paul is a living reminder of another

Paul, Saint Paul, who had said, ‘We do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.’ “Our own Br. Paul is such an inspiring witness for Jesus Christ, how Christ continues to ‘make all things new’ within us.” The following day Br. Paul preached at the Sunday liturgy at the monastery.

Brs. David Vryhof and Kevin Hackett served as chaplains for a recent Palestine of Jesus course at St. George’s College, Jerusalem. With twenty-seven pilgrims, it was the largest course in many years. Several other course offerings, with the participation of SSJE brothers, are planned over the course of the next two years.

Brs David Vryhof and Kevin Hackett, together with Nael Rahmoud (deacon at St. George’s Cathe-dral in Jerusalem), and Jill and Stephen Need.


Twenty years ago in Britain it was easy for those of us on the political

left to be critical of Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s controversial right-wing Prime Minister. But one of the most percep-tive comments I heard about her was that she had “no hinterland.” What you saw was what you got. In the nine-teenth century, there were a number of people who had a similar concern about the Church of England. What you saw was what you got. And what you got wasn’t very much. If the Church of England was part of the Church Catho-lic what were its marks of authenticity? Yes, it had sacraments and bishops, priests and deacons. But where were the convents and monasteries so evident in Southern and Eastern Europe? England only had spectacular ruins. People like Dr. Edward Pusey and others in Oxford sought to put this situ-ation to rights. Around this time,1841, Pusey received the vows of Marian Re-becca Hughes, the first official religious in the Church of England since the Reformation. She would go on to be an influential Mother Superior. Where she led, many followed, including Richard Meux Benson, the Founder of the Soci-ety of Saint John the Evangelist. I suspect that part of the impetus for the flourishing of the religious life in the nineteenth century was the increas-ing awareness of the hinterland of hu-

The Restoration of the Religious Life in the Anglican Communion

Gerald Beauchamp, n/SSJE

man society. The Industrial Revolution created new possibilities for human life. The 1800s saw the creation of wealth and luxury beyond many people’s wildest dreams. But it was what you didn’t see or what you didn’t want to see that was so disturbing – the slums, the prostitution and the child labor. Queen Victoria would order the blinds of the Royal Train to be pulled down whenever she passed through Britain’s industrial centers. The First World War pricked the nineteenth century’s bubble of optimism. The tank, that most deadly weapon of modern warfare, demonstrated that machines are not al-ways benign; they can sometimes be the means of our destruction. The ordered world collapsed like a house of cards. Karl Marx said that religion is “the heart of a heartless world.” Christians seek to be at the heart of things because we know that to be truly human is not something skin-deep but goes way in-side. And so some people are called on a particular journey, “a road less trav-eled,” to traverse the human hinterland because it is from there that the sym-bols of life and their meaning spring. Like the water gushing from the rock we know that much of life is wasted. If human life is to be like bread it will the product of both sunshine and rain, milled and ground, baked and broken. Our blood is like wine, rich, intoxicat-


ing and sometimes running hot with lust and passion. We are oil pressed into service - and a little goes a long way. If the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were (hard wired) with ma-chines and world wars, then our century is (soft wired) with global communica-tions and terrorism. But the human hinterland stays the same. So does God: the God who enfolds and extends him-self into the world and human history; a God who is blooded and yet unbowed. The religious life cannot be ‘restored’ as one might restore a ruined abbey. It will live where there are those who know their own hinterland and the God who has been their companion through it. If we foreground the cross, sense that the world is both more and less than it appears to be and live paradoxi-

cally – both losing our lives and finding our lives – then the religious life will grow. It thrives in those who know in their own being the process, the work of grace that is essential if humanity is to be brought to glory. And com-munities will form around those whose truth-telling is compelling and fearless, pitching tents on the margins and light-ing bonfires on the edge of darkness. These edgy and precarious places need people who steel themselves with vows in order, with God, to draw cosmos out of chaos. If all that sounds a bit grim and earnest, well surprisingly, it’s not. Being a religious may be hard but it’s also hilarious. Tighten the knotted cords. The hinterland beckons. And laugh? You bet we will.


The Holy Land2006

“Palestine of Jesus”May 2-15

“Ways in the Wilderness”September 19-October 4

“Pilgrimage and Spirituality”October 10-23

hosted bySaint George’s College, Jerusalem

Join the SSJE Brotherson pilgrimage to

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.stgeorgescollegejerusalem.orgemail: [email protected]: 011 972 2 626 4704

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Autumn 2005

Retreat Programs and Workshops:

Monastery Guesthouse, Cambridge, MassachusettsEmery House, West Newbury, Massachusetts

The Society of Saint John the Evangelist

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 Ger-ry, 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 archi-tect, Ralph Adams Cram, and built in 1924-1928, was the original monastery build-ing. 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 480-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.


If you would like to visit us or attend one of our retreats or workshops, please contact the appropriate guesthouse brother:

The Guesthouse BrotherMonastery Guesthouse 980 Memorial DriveCambridge, MA 02138-5717Email: [email protected](617)876-3037 x0

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 any meals served from Sunday Evening Prayer until Monday Evening Prayer (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 Guesthouse BrotherEmery House21 Emery LaneWest Newbury, MA 01985-1333Email: [email protected](978)462-7940 x10

GROuP PROGRAM RETREATSGroup program retreats are generally conducted from Thursday or Friday evening through Sunday midday. In addition to joining the brothers for worship and meals, guests attend a series of addresses or meditations offered by the retreat leader, which alternate with time for prayer, reflection, and recreation. It is customary for those on retreat to observe silence.

Suggested fees for group program retreats:Monastery Guesthouse:$90.00 per person per night $45.00 for full-time students

Reservations are confirmed upon receipt of a non-transferable/non-refundable de-posit equal to 50% of your total fee.

Emery House:$105.00 per person per night $55.00 for full-time students

COMPAnIOnED FIVE-DAy RETREATSCompanioned five-day directed retreats provide guests with more ample time to receive the gift of renewed intimacy with God in Christ through silence and sustained prayer. Guests meet individually, once each day, with a director who offers them help in recognizing God’s will and touch in their lives and who gives suggestions for how they might respond to the invitations of the Spirit disclosed in prayer. A team of leaders conducts companioned retreats; leaders include SSJE brothers and, occasion-ally, other ordained and lay spiritual directors. Companioned retreats are suggested for persons with previous retreat experience. Companioned retreats focus on worship and spending time with God. With their registration, applicants should include a brief (one or two page) spiritual autobiography.

Suggested fees for companioned five-day retreats:Monastery Guesthouse:$85.00 per person per night $45.00 for full-time students

Reservations are confirmed upon receipt of a non-transferable/non-refundable deposit equal to 50% of your total fee.

nOuRISHInG yOuR SOuL: InDIVIDuAL RETREATSIndividuals may not wish to attend a program retreat, yet desire a time of quiet and the opportunity to join the brothers in worship and silence. Most weekdays and some weekends are available for individual retreats. If you would like to meet with a brother during your individual retreat, please be certain to make that request when you book your reservation.

Continued


Emery House:$100.00 per person per night $55.00 for full-time students

Suggested fees for Individual Self-directed Retreats:Monastery Guesthouse:$60.00 per person per night$30.00 for full-time student

Suggested fees for Individual Directed Retreats: Monastery Guesthouse:

$95.00 per person per night$40.00 for full-time student

Reservations are confirmed upon receipt of a non-transferable/non-refundable deposit equal to 50% of your total fee.

Emery House:$75.00 per person per night$40.00 for full-time student

Emery House:$100.00 per person per night$50.00 for full-time student

GUEST HOUSE PROGRAMSCambridge

For program descriptions of retreats and workshops at the Monastery, Cambridge, please visit our website at www.ssje.org or call 617-876-3037 x0

AUTUMN, 2005 - SUMMER, 2006

continued on page 27


For a detailed listing of Retreats and Workshops being offered in 2005 – 06, please visit our website at: www.ssje.org

nOuRISHInG THE SOuL - individual retreats at the monasteryOctober 7-9, 2005 // December 16-18, 2005 // January 6-8, 2006 // March 3-5, 2006 // April 7-9, 2006 // May 26-28, 2006 and most weekends in the months of June and July, 2006. (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Enjoy the quiet, nourishing atmosphere of the monastery; join the brothers as they chant the Daily Office; walk along the Charles River – a time for rest, reflection and renewal.Suggested fee: $120 (half-price for full-time students)

FIRST TIME In PRAyER AnD QuIET – a weekend retreat for beginnersSeptember 16-18, 2005 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. ROY COCKRUMSuggested fee: $180 (half-price for full-time students)

MOnKS In BLuE JEAnS – autumn work weekend at the monasteryNovember 4-6, 2005 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)

THE TRuTH SHALL SET yOu FREE – a retreat for gay menNovember 11-13, 2005 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Brs. TIMOTHY SOLVERSON and CHARLES LA FONDSuggested fee: $180 (half-price for full-time students)

AnOTHER LOOK AT MARyDecember 2-4, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. ELDRIDGE PENDLETONSuggested fee: $180 (half-price for full-time students)

COME AnD SEE – a program for men interested in exploring religious life with SSJEDecember 8-11, 2005 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. GEOFFREY TRISTRAM, Novice Guardian

REDEMPTIVE LIVInG: Making the Most of the Past, the Present, and the Future – a retreat for menFebruary 3-5, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. CURTIS ALMQUISTSuggested fee: $180 (half-price for full-time students)

CHAnTInG: That We All May Be OneFebruary 17-19, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. MARK BROWN, Director of Music at SSJESuggested fee: $180 (half-price for full-time students)

QuAnTuM PRAyERMarch 10-12, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. ROY COCKRUMSuggested fee: $180 (half-price for full-time students)

A COMPAnIOnED RETREAT – five days for quiet reflectionMarch 13-18, 2006 (Monday 5 pm – Saturday 2 pm)Suggested fee: $450 (half-price for full-time students)

HOLy WEEK AT THE MOnASTERyApril 10-16, 2006 (Monday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Suggested fee: $75 per night (half-price for full-time students)

MOnKS In BLuE JEAnS – spring work weekend at the monasteryApril 21-23, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)



REDISCOVERInG yOuR HunGER FOR GOD – a week of renewal for clergyApril 24-29, 2006 (Monday 5 pm – Saturday 2 pm)Led by Brs. JAMES KOESTER and JAMES KNUTSENSuggested fee: $525 ($265 for full-time students)

SAInT JOHn’S DAy CELEBRATIOnMay 6, 2006 (Saturday, 11 am – 2 pm)

COME AnD SEE – a program for men interested in exploring religious life with SSJEJune 8-11, 2006 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. GEOFFREY TRISTRAM, Novice Guardian

BEHOLD THE BEAuTy OF THE LORD – Icon Writing Workshop and RetreatJune 12-18, 2006 (Monday 2 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. JAMES KOESTERSuggested fee: $800 for program, room, meals and all supplies (includes a $400 deposit)Suggested fee for full-time students: $400 (includes a $200 deposit)



Altar Bread

Br. Roy Cockrum

The Society of Saint John the EvangelistCambridge & West Newbury, Massachusetts

Sift together into large bowl: 8 cups whole wheat flour 8 teaspoons baking powder 4 teaspoons salt

Mix together: 1 cup milk 1 cup oil (vegetable, canola, or other light oil) 1 cup water 16 oz. honey (1 small jar)

• Pour liquid into dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly blended; dough should be stiff and moist, but not sticky.

• Turn out onto lightly floured board and knead briefly, using additional flour as necessary.

• For ease of handling, divide into two portions and work one at-a-time.

• Roll out on lightly floured board about 3/8” thick.• Cut into rounds of approximate size (no larger than 6_” diameter.)• Stamp firmly with floured mold or incise with cross, using sharp knife

dipped in cool water.• Place on heavy, light colored, oiled (or use vegetable spray) cookie

sheet and bake 12 to 14 minutes at 400o.• Cool loaves on wire rack and wrap well before refrigerating.• May be reheated in microwave – ever-so-briefly to

avoid drying – before use.

yield:This recipe yields several large (approx. 6”) and medium (approx. 3” diameter) circular loaves for a total of 16 to 24, depending on size.

SATURDAy WORkSHOPSAt The Monastery

For program descriptions and costs of retreats and work-shops at the Monastery, Cambridge, please visit our website at www.ssje.org or call 617-876-3037

Workshops begin at 10:00 a.m. (registration begins at 9:30 a.m.) and end by 3:00 p.m. The fee for a Saturday workshop is $60 (half-price for full-time stu-dents), which includes lunch. To register, write or call the guesthouse office at: [email protected] Tel: (617) 876-3037

FInDInG GOD In SEMInARy – a one-day workshop for seminariansSeptember 24, 2005 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm)Led by Brs. KEVIN HACKETT and CHARLES LA FOND

DISCERnMEnT In PRAyER – a one-day workshopOctober 22, 2005 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm)Led by Brs. DAVID VRYHOF and ROY COCKRUM

FORGIVInG AnD BEInG FORGIVEn – a one-day workshopJanuary 21, 2006 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm)Led by Brs. CURTIS ALMQUIST and KEVIN HACKETT

OPEnInG THE BIBLE: Bible Basics for Prayer and Study – a one-day workshopMarch 18, 2006 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm)Led by Brs. JAMES KOESTER and JONATHAN MAURY

GROuP SPIRITuAL DIRECTIOn – a one-day workshopApril 29, 2006 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm)Led by Brs. DAVID VRYHOF and MARK BROWN

LIVInG PRAyERFuLLy In A BuSy WORLD – a one-day workshopMay 13, 2006 (Saturday, 10 am – 3 pm)Led by Brs. MARK BROWN and ELDRIDGE PENDLETON


RETREATS AT EMERy HOUSEWest Newbury

For program descriptions of retreats at Emery House, please visit our website at www.ssje.org or call 978-462-7940

NOURISHING THE SOUL – individual retreats at Emery House from Autumn 2005 through Summer 2006October 7-9, 2005 // October 28-30, 2005 // November 25-27, 2005 // December 16-18, 2005 // January 6-8, 2006 // February 3-5, 2006 // March 24-26, 2006 // April 7-9, 2006 and most weekends in the months of June and July, 2006. (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm) Enjoy the peaceful beauty of Emery House and worship with the brothers dur-ing these spacious weekends set aside for personal prayer and reflection.Suggested fee: $150 (half-price for full-time students)

ROCKS, RIVERS, AnD TREES – praying with the poetry of natureOctober 14-16, 2005 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. MARK BROWNSuggested fee: $210 (half-price for full-time students)

A COMPAnIOnED RETREAT – five days for quiet reflectionOctober 17-22, 2005 (Monday 5 pm – Saturday 2 pm)Suggested fee: $500 (half-price for full-time students)

REDISCOVERInG yOuR HunGER FOR GOD – a week of renewal for clergyNovember 14-19, 2005 (Monday 5 pm – Saturday 2 pm)Led by Brs. DAVID VRYHOF and JAMES KNUTSENSuggested fee: $525 (half-price for full-time students)

SPEAK TEnDERLy TO JERuSALEM: Praying AdventDecember 9-11, 2005 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. JAMES KNUTSENSuggested fee: $210 (half-price for full-time students)

HIS GARMEnT’S HEM: Receiving and Offering Christ’s Healing TouchJanuary 12-15, 2006 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. JONATHAN MAURY and PATRICIA WARRENSuggested fee: $315 ($160 for full-time students)



PRAyInG OuR LIVES: using Spiritual Autobiography as the Door to your Personal Sacred StoryJanuary 26-29, 2006 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. TIMOTHY SOLVERSONSuggested fee: $315 ($160 for full-time students)

COMInG HOME TO GOD – a retreat of focused on the Sacrament of Recon-ciliation (Confession)February 9-12, 2006 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Brs. DAVID VRYHOF and GERALD BEAUCHAMPSuggested fee: $315 ($160 for full-time students)

CALLED TO SERVE – a retreat for deaconsFebruary 23-26, 2006 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. GERALD BEAUCHAMPSuggested fee: $315 ($160 for full-time students)

A Retreat for Group Spiritual Direction FacilitatorsMarch 10-12, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. DAVID VRYHOFSuggested fee: $210 (half-price for full-time students)

FIRST TIME In PRAyER AnD QuIET – a weekend retreat for beginnersMarch 17-19, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. ROBERT L’ESPERANCESuggested fee: $210 (half-price for full-time students)

HOLy WEEK AT EMERy HOuSEApril 10-16, 2006 (Monday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Suggested fee: $90 per night (half-price for full-time students)

THE WOMEn OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDInG TO JOHnApril 21-23, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. JONATHAN MAURYSuggested fee: $210 (half-price for full-time students)

BEInG GAy, BEInG In LOVE, AnD BEInG A CHRISTIAn– a retreat for gay couplesMay 12-14, 2006 (Friday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. ROBERT L’ESPERANCESuggested fee: $210 per person (half-price for full-time students)



A COMPAnIOnED RETREAT – five days for quiet reflectionMay 15-20, 2006 (Monday 5 pm – Saturday 2 pm)Suggested fee: $500 (half-price for full-time students)

QuESTIOnS JESuS ASKED – a pre-ordination retreatMay 25-28, 2006 (Thursday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Br. DAVID VRYHOFSuggested fee: $315 ($160 for full-time students)

PRAy, WORK, STuDy – an experience of monastic lifeJune 12-18, 2006 (Monday 5 pm – Sunday 2 pm)Led by Brs. DAVID VRYHOF and ROBERT L’ESPERANCESuggested fee: $500 (half-price for full-time students)

We are dependent on friends and benefactors for the financial support of the life and ministry of SSJE. Please remember SSJE in your estate planning, and share our life and needs with others who may have interest. The brothers are deeply grateful.

Agent Bank: Investors Bank & Trust CompanyAgent Bank Number: 22319Agent Bank Clearing Number: 2132 (DTC participant number)Agent Bank Account Number: 45-23072Agent Bank Account: Society of St. John the Evangelist

We need certain information to properly process the stock transfer. This information can either come directly from you or from your broker, but must be done before the actual transfer is made. Please call the monastery Treasurer’s office with the following information:

Gifts of Stock and other Securities

For tax purposes, you will be sent an official acknowledgment stating the mean value of your gift.

a. Your nameb. name of stockc. Exact number of shares being transferred

James Koester, SSJE, Treasurer Society of Saint John the Evangelist 980 memorial Drive, Cambridge, ma 02138 U.S.a. 617 876-3037 ext. 16

d. CUSIP number of the stocke. Company name and DTC number of the brokerf. Intended purpose of the gift

Members of the Fellowship of Saint John and friends in CANADA who would like to make a fi-nancial contribution may send cheques payable to “SSJE” to SCoTIa TRUST Co., aTTn: CHaRITaBLE TRUST SERVICES, 4TH FLooR, onE FInanCIaL PLaZa, onE aDELaIDE STREET EaST, ToRonTo, onTaRIo m5C 2W8. The Scotia Trust will issue a receipt and inform us here in the States so that we may personally thank you.


Name_______________________________________________________________ Street_______________________________________________________________

City___________________________________ State_____ Zip Code____________

Telephone (Home)____________________ (Work)_________________________

E-mail ______________________________________________________________ Retreat dates: From _______________________ to:_________________________

Name of Retreat ______________________________________________________ Location: Monastery Guesthouse Emery House

Arrrival time:____________________ Deposit enclosed: $____________________

Visa MasterCard # ____________________________________________

Signature_____________________________________ Exp. Date_______________

In case of emergency, please contact: (Name)_______________________________

Telephone (Home)____________________ (Work)__________________________

Fellowship of Saint John member? Yes No

Please tell us about how you heard about retreats at SSJE.

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

SSJE Retreat Registration FormPlease return completed form to the appropriate Guesthouse Brother

(either the Monastery Guesthouse or Emery House)


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Cowley Magazine - Autumn 2005

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