Celebrating a Century of Hospitality and Healing
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JUNE 2008 Vol. 56 - No. 3 Celebrating a century of hospitality and healing By Sharon Sheridan When the word “conversation” came into the English language, she noted, it The day after he was consecrated meant “to spend time with.” Conversation bishop of the Diocese of Newark in 2007, is “the way we build intimate community,” Mark Beckwith headed for the Community she said. “Building intimate community of St. John Baptist in Mendham. “I needed with God involves listening and going apart. a place to go for silence and sanctuary,” That is the centerpoint of retreat ministry. he said. We all need that place of solace, that place The Episcopal women’s order has of- of hospitality.” fered sanctuary and hospitality for more “A central part of the ministry in than a century. On April 22, Beckwith joined this place has been hospitality,” she said, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori describing it as a place for healing. She and other visiting clergy, local politicians, recalled how the Good Samaritan brought community members and convent members the injured man to an inn – a place we might and associates in celebrating the 100th anni- recognize as a caravansary, or an inn along versary of the community’s St. Marguerite’s a road where travelers would stop – for House – once a home for girls, now a retreat healing. house – and in launching the public phase of The order’s work is a caravansary, Nina Nicholson photo a $2.5 million capital campaign to repair and healing ministry, she said, noting its work Ethel Dennis, far right, recounted her memories of living at St. Marguerite’s House to re- restore the retreat house and convent. Other not only with retreatants but also with ception guests, including Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, second from left, and Sister Barara Jean, Community of St. John Baptist superior, standing beside Dennis. attending bishops included Bishop Herbert teenagers recovering from substance abuse Donovan, the convent’s episcopal visitor; through the Daytop residential program in from the school building, “Grace was the Standing in a former playroom/class- Bishop George Councell of the Diocese of the convent’s former girls’ day school build- one who organized the estate sale, you might room, Judith Smith, 74, recalled sitting at New Jersey; and Bishop Mark Sisk of the ing. “I hope you will bless this ministry with have called it,” said Sister Barbara Jean, a small table there and hearing about the Diocese of New York. your help and support.” community superior. bombing of Pearl Harbor. “I was 7. We knew “This is an opportunity to say thank you The order first bought land in Mendham St. Marguerite’s operated as a home it was something serious, but not sure what to God for this ministry that goes on in this in 1902 and originally brought groups of city for young ladies until 1946, when the state it was or where Pearl Harbor was.” place and to plant seeds so that ministry can children to visit the country. The sisters sub- ended funding and shifted its resources into On Sunday nights, they’d gather around continue to grow and heal,” Jefferts Schori sequently relocated from New York to New foster care, she said. Most recently, two of the fireplace and listen to one of the nuns said in her keynote address. Jersey, building St. Marguerite’s House, a the order’s sisters opened a small convent at read a chapter from Exodus. “The books of She talked of the importance of “going school and a convent. St. Mary the Virgin in New York in 2007. Exodus were my mystery stories,” she said. apart,” as Jesus did. “Jesus called people to Among those acknowledged at the “We couldn’t wait till the next week.” go apart for rest and recreating, recentering, April 22 reception was Grace Terwilliger, Returning home Upstairs in the dormitory, the girls took rediscovering who we are in relationship to 99, of Denville, an associate of the order The centennial celebration and campaign advantage of a proctor whose hearing “was God in order that we might better serve our and mother of a former student at the school, kickoff began with a tour of the retreat house, See “Celebrating,” page 14 neighbor.” which closed in 1983. When they moved where two former residents reminisced. Diocese, other faith groups join to combat violence By Sharon Sheridan “[He] could speak very passionately … about how we have not provided enough resources “Seek the welfare of the city.” (Jer. 29:7) for kids.” “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall The Rev. Robert Morris, coalition be called the children of God.” (Matt. 5:9) co-founder, described the meeting as an “Remember Abraham said, ‘O my Lord! “inspirational call to action.” Make this city one of peace and security.” “It was kind of an invitation to people to (Qu’ran, Sura Abraham 14:35) consider working more closely together,” he said. “We got over 40 direct responses from Diocese of Newark Bishop Mark Beck- people who said they wanted to be part of with and other diocesan leaders have joined the coalition.” More than 50 attended a fol- with Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders low-up meeting April 15. from the greater Newark area to explore “There’s a lot of interest in what we’re ways to reduce youth violence in Newark. proposing, which is simply to inspire more The Newark Interfaith Coalition for Hope and more interfaith leaders in Newark to and Peace held an inaugural summit April 3, work together, to interface with the city and bringing together almost 200 religious lead- with the private sector, [the] social-service Nina Nicholson photo ers, city officials, leaders of social-service and sector,” Morris said. Holy ground nonprofit agencies, former gang members, Equipped with their own yellow hard hats and trowels, the children of Grace Church in university representatives and others. Speak- Next steps Madison assisted at the official groundbreaking for Grace’s new parish hall and redesigned ers included the Rev. Jeffrey Brown, director Moving forward, Beckwith said, the driveway, held on April 20. Bishop Mark Beckwith blessed the construction site before of Boston’s Ten Point Coalition, and Imam El- coalition “continues to broker relationships the groundbreaking. The parish hall will provide five new classrooms and additional Amin from the Muslim Community Cultural between agencies, religious communities, handicapped bathrooms and, if all goes well, will be complete before Christmas. Center of Baltimore – grassroots religious- gang members and funders. We are trying based programs that have transformed gang to support already-scheduled gatherings of More Inside: violence in their cities – as well as Newark hope and solidarity in neighborhoods this Mayor Cory Booker. summer – and we are planning our own in From Our Bishop . page 2 Gates of Hope . pages 8-12 Newark’s deputy mayor, who formerly Bradley Court in Newark.” The Wider Church . page 3-4 Resources . page 13 directed the city’s juvenile justice facility, The Bradley Court housing complex has also spoke. “He knows the violence drug been the scene of shootings in recent years. Diocesan News . pages 5-7, 16 Commentary . pages 14-15 culture very well locally,” Beckwith said. See “Diocese,” page 5 FROM OUR BISHOP know the secret handshake or who have honored and celebrated. the right pedigree or can buy their way in I also am learning, in an odd but won- through the gate of hope. derful way, that radical hospitality is almost All are welcome. a selfish act. As we become more disciplined And in the ensuing confusion, a com- in the offering of the hospitality of the living munity begins to be created that is marked Christ and as we are freed from the need to by appreciation rather than obligation. keep track of social obligation, profit or debt, Radical hospitality is about offering the we position ourselves to be better able to gift of the best of who we are without any see the face of Christ in the faces of family, expectation of payment or payback. That, for friends and strangers alike. And that is its me anyway, enables a deeper appreciation own freedom. Radical hospitality helps us of Jesus’ gift of himself to us. “We saw a stranger yesterday. We put Radical hospitality involves welcom- food in the eating place, drink in the drink- ing the stranger – not with the expectation ing place, music in the listening place. And see God’s face in others that the stranger will become less strange with the sacred name of the triune God, he In recent decades, hospitality has be- insists that the guest list to a luncheon or by conforming to the norms of a particular blessed us and our house, our cattle and our come an enterprise for advancement, if not a dinner should include those who can’t social group, but with the invitation to live dear ones. As the lark says in her song: for profit. We now have a hospitality indus- even begin to think about repaying a so- into the fullness of who he or she is, with Often, often, often goes the Christ in the try, which charges for various perks so that cial obligation – the poor, the crippled, the everyone being blessed as a result. stranger’s guise.” we may feel appreciated and important. The lame and the blind (Luke 14:12). In other I am learning about radical hospital- – an ancient Celtic rune of hospitality more lofty a person’s status and willingness words, the people we would be least likely ity in this unique household called the to pay, the more elaborate the welcome.