The Order of the Holy Cross is an international

Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of t ...

monastic Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religion, religious way of life in which one renounces world (theology), worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic ...

order that follows the Rule of St. Benedict.

History

The order was founded in 1884 by the Rev.

James Huntington James Otis Sargent Huntington (1854–1935) was an American Episcopal priest and professed monk who founded the Order of the Holy Cross, a Benedictine monastic order for men, whose mother house is now located in West Park, New York. Early ...

, an Episcopal

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...

, in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. The order moved to

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean t ...

briefly before settling in

West Park, New York West Park is a hamlet on the west side of the Hudson River in the Town of Esopus, Ulster County, New York, United States. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the area became attractive to the well-to-do seeking second homes becaus ...

, in 1902.

Houses

As of 2018 the order maintained five houses: * Holy Cross Monastery,

* Holy Cross Priory,

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

, Ontario * St. Benedict's Priory, Volmoed, South Africa * Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery, in

Grahamstown Makhanda, also known as Grahamstown, is a town of about 140,000 people in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is situated about northeast of Port Elizabeth and southwest of East London. Makhanda is the largest town in the Makana ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

* Mount Calvary Retreat House and Monastery,

Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara ( es, Santa Bárbara, meaning " Saint Barbara") is a coastal city in Santa Barbara County, California, of which it is also the county seat. Situated on a south-facing section of coastline, the longest such section on the West ...

with the last two listed both closed . The Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery, in

was closed in August 2019, although Holy Cross School, a work of the Order of the Holy Cross, is still active on the site outside Grahamstown. Mount Calvary House, located in the hills high above Santa Barbara since 1947, burned to the ground in a

wildfire A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire may be more specifically identi ...

on 14 November 2008. The community relocated to a site near the city center. In July 2019 the Order announced that Mount Calvary House, the smallest of the four houses, would close and the three brothers still resident relocated to other houses.

Ministries

The monks of the order engage in various ministries, the chief being that of prayer (including the Divine Office and daily

Mass Mass is an intrinsic property of a body. It was traditionally believed to be related to the quantity of matter in a physical body, until the discovery of the atom and particle physics. It was found that different atoms and different ele ...

), as well as hosting guests for individual and group retreats. The order estimates that more than 5,000 guests stay at Holy Cross Monastery, one of the largest monastic retreat centers in the Episcopal Church, each year. Holy Cross Monastery also makes and sells

incense Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also b ...

and religious literature. Holy Cross Priory in Toronto is an urban expression of the Benedictine life where, besides the offices and Eucharist, monks are actively involved in the work of the local church. Some members of the order engage in occupations such as being therapists or parish priests. All monasteries of the order offer spiritual direction and counsel.

Vows

Monks of the order follow a threefold vow of obedience, stability, and conversion to the monastic way of life. In general, monks of the order are encouraged to develop their own ministries within their monastic vocation. They undergo periods of discernment and formation when entering the Order. The daily life of the monastery revolves around a balance of prayer, work, study, and rest.

Associates

Lay people and diocesan clergy (male and female) may join the Associates of Holy Cross. According to the associates' website, members "intend to love and serve God through a relationship with the Order of the Holy Cross (Anglican), adapting to their lives the Benedictine principles on which the monks base their common life." Associates live under a rule of life developed with the help of a

spiritual director Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of their encounters of the di ...

and have an ongoing relationship with the order. Associates are entitled to use the post-nominal initials AHC. Notable associates include bishops

Nathan D. Baxter Nathan Dwight Baxter (born November 16, 1948) is the 10th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania and the 1,010 in succession in the Episcopal Church. He was elected as bishop coadjutor on July 22, 2006, and consecrated on Octobe ...

, Brian Lee Cole, and Robert W. Ihloff.

Holy Cross Publishing

The order is known for its publishing of the

Anglo-Catholic Anglo-Catholicism comprises beliefs and practices that emphasise the Catholic heritage and identity of the various Anglican churches. The term was coined in the early 19th century, although movements emphasising the Catholic nature of Anglica ...

devotional guide '' Saint Augustine's Prayer Book'' in 1949. The order also co-published, with the sisters of the Order of St. Helena, ''A Monastic

Breviary A breviary (Latin: ''breviarium'') is a liturgical book used in Christianity for praying the canonical hours, usually recited at seven fixed prayer times. Historically, different breviaries were used in the various parts of Christendom, such ...

'', which succeeded ''A Four Office Breviary''. In 1957 the order published ''Within the Green Wall: The Story of Holy Cross Liberia Mission 1922-1957'' by the Rt. Rev. Robert Campbell, O.H.C. The book provides a detailed account of the Order of the Holy Cross's missionary efforts in

Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to Guinea–Liberia border, its north, Ivory Coast to Ivory Coast� ...

Personnel

Br. Robert Magliula, OHC, is the current

superior Superior may refer to: *Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind Places *Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state *Lake ...

of the order. The Rt. Rev.

Mark Sisk Mark Sean Sisk (born in Takoma Park, Maryland, August 18, 1942) was the 15th Episcopal Bishop of New York. He retired on February 2, 2013, when he was succeeded by Andrew M.L. Dietsche. Early education, career, and marriage Sisk received his B. ...

is bishop visitor and the Rt Rev.

Ann Tottenham Ann Elizabeth Tottenham (born July 21, 1940) is a retired bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada. She is the oldest child of Charles Tottenham, 8th Marquess of Ely who emigrated to Ontario, Canada. Although entitled to the style ''Lady Ann To ...

is deputy bishop visitor.

Footnotes

Notes

References

* * * * * *

External links

Order of the Holy Cross website

Mariya UMama weThemba Monastery
{{Authority control Anglican orders and communities Religious organizations established in 1884 Christian religious orders established in the 19th century Anglican monasteries in the United States