an excerpt from the newsletter by Fr. David Bryan Hoopes, Prior:

“Archbishop Rowan Williams said of religious orders that they were ‘the heart of the Church.’

“The human heart is a small organ not visible to the eye; religious communities in our Anglican Communion tend to be small. In some parts of the Communion such may not be known. In Canada at this time there are three residential traditional religious orders – the Community of the Sisters of the Church, the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine, and the Order of the Holy Cross. The Society of St. John the Evangelist maintains a foundation in Canada and is generous in providing resources for spiritual growth. There are other expressions of the religious life such as the Oratory of the Good Shepherd, the Society of our Lady St. Mary, the Third Order of St. Francis, the Worker Brothers and Sisters of the Holy Spirit, Contemplative Fire, the Brotherhood and Sisters of St. Gregory, and several newly emerging communities.

“At the centre of all religious communities is prayer. In fact, prayer is the first responsibility and privilege of those who choose the religious life. Prayers are offered daily for the Church, the world, special intentions, the sick, those in special need, the departed, and for thanksgivings. Prayer requests are honoured. There are no ‘vacations’ for prayer.”

Download the full newsletter at ohcpriory.com/file_download/29/2019_HolyCross.pdf