Volume 41 • Number 3 Summer 2015 IN THIS ISSUE A LetterA Letter from the from Superior the Superior In the Superior’s letter, Br. Geoffrey Tristram shares words of thanksgiving for Geoffrey Tristram, SSJE the gifts of God, and invites us to experience Eucharistic living. The Society’s Bishop Visitor, Frank Griswold, offers his report on the past year Dear Members of the Fellowship in the life of the community: a year of growth, online and at Emery House. of Saint John and other Friends, Br. Geoffrey Tristram peers into the mystery of the Trinity to find a dance of love that involves us all. ere at the Monastery and at Emery she folded her magazine and opened her In the Annual Fund Report, the Brothers express their gratitude for all those HHouse, we celebrate the Eucharist shopping bag, and there… discovered who support their life and help spread Jesus’ message of love. every day. This daily celebration of her own unopened bag of cookies! The woman had been so angry that The Spotlight on Community Life announces the publication of Br. Eldridge the Eucharist (which in Greek means “thanksgiving”) invites us to enter the man had been helping himself to Pendleton’s biography of one of the Society’s founders, Charles Grafton. ever more deeply into that “Eucharistic her cookies. Then, when she looked in living” which can transform our lives. her shopping bag, she realized that they I love the story of the woman who weren’t really hers at all, but were a gift was out shopping on Black Friday. She – shared generously and with a smile. Update your address with us! To remove your name from was in the middle of the packed mall Seeing life as a gift is at the heart our physical mailing list and sign up for our electronic mailing list, and felt the need of a coffee break, so she of Eucharistic living. It’s about not please call 617.876.3037x55, or email [email protected]. bought herself a little bag of cookies, put forgetting, about remembering that them in her shopping bag, and got in line everything we have, everything we To follow the latest news from the Brothers, visit www.SSJE.org where you can for a coffee. She found a place to sit at are, is a gift from God. We do not listen to weekly sermons, watch videos, and view photo galleries. one of the crowded tables, across from a belong to ourselves. Our wealth, our man reading a newspaper. talents, our very life are not ours – not We would welcome hearing what you think of this issue of Cowley Magazine. After a minute or two she reached our possession – but are gifts from our Visit www.SSJE.org/cowleymagazine to share comments, ask questions, out and took a cookie. As she did, the generous God. or see Cowley in color! man across the table reached out and In order to keep before us this truth took one, too. She was a bit shocked at that everything we have has been given his rudeness, but didn’t say anything. to us freely by our good and generous A few minutes later she took another God, the Scriptures tell us quite clearly cookie. Once again, the man did so, too. – and time and time again – that the Now she got upset, but still didn’t like to key is thanksgiving. “O give thanks to say anything. the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy After a couple more sips of coffee endures forever” (Ps 107:1). Saint Paul she once again took another cookie. urges us, “Give thanks to God the So did the man. She was really upset Father at all times, and for everything now – especially as there was now only – in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” Cover image: one cookie left. Before she could say (Ephesians 5:20). But giving thanks is not always easy; we have to practice. A beautiful sketch of the Monastery Chapel by Marc anything, he took it, broke it in half, Mazzarelli. Marc visited the Chapel this winter along with offered half to her, and proceeded to eat The best time to practice thanks- Anne McGhee, a longtime friend of the community and the other half himself. Then he smiled at giving is as soon as we wake up. When professor in the Harvard Design School, who reguarly brings her and, putting the paper under his arm, the alarm goes off on Monday morning, her classes to sketch in the Chapel. rose and walked off. She was so angry. instead of groaning and allowing waves How dare he! Her coffee break ruined, of anxiety or weariness to wash over you ©2015 by The Society of Saint John the Evangelist, North America The Society of Saint John the Evangelist 3 Letter from the Bishop Visitor The Right Reverend Frank T. Griswold, III Dear Friends of SSJE, ather Richard Meux Benson, who According to the Pew Research as you think of all the things you have opportunity to express our thanks to all Ffounded the Society of Saint John Center, the number of people who to do that day, at once say, “Thank you those who have helped make it possible: the Evangelist in 1866 in Oxford, are unaffiliated with any religious God for the gift of a new day.” And then firstly to the Sisters of the Holy Nativity, England, challenged members of the body is continuing to grow at a rapid maybe think of at least five things to be who helped us purchase the house, and Society saying, “we must be men of pace, with the number somewhere thankful for: your health, your family, a then to all those who so kindly gave us the moment.” His words continue to around one-fifth of the U.S. public and roof over your head… Name them and the many gifts of furniture. It now looks challenge the Society to this very day. one-third of adults under thirty. At the say, “Thank you God.” And before you beautiful! The fruit of prayer and monastic same time, of this unaffiliated group, know it, something has changed inside. During that day’s celebration we were life is a sensitizing of the heart and two-thirds say they believe in God. I God loves to be thanked. When we give delighted to present Brother Eldridge mind to read with accuracy and insight am not surprised that many of these thanks, God changes us; he softens our Pendleton’s new book, Press On, The the signs of the times in their varied seekers find their way to monasteries, hearts, and we become more generous Kingdom: The Life of Charles Chapman aspects: cultural, religious, historical. drawn by the rather counter-cultural towards others and towards ourselves. Grafton. It was a very apt place for the The Society, therefore, is in a stance aspect of monastic life and searching for We are converted through thanksgiving. presentation – in the house dedicated in of constant discernment of how its an authentic experience of the Divine. This issue of Cowley includes the Bishop Grafton’s honor. members might best meet the deep The Brothers continue their ministry to Annual Fund Report. As I read through This year is an important one for hungers of men and women who are this group of seekers. the names of all you who have so the Society because it marks the 100th searching and seeking, as well as those In this past year an ever-widening generously given gifts towards our life anniversary of the death of our founder, who strive to renew their experience of audience of pilgrims who may never and ministry, I am filled with enormous Fr. Richard Meux Benson. We will also life in Christ. find their way to the Monastery or thanksgiving for so much kindness. As mark the occasion by inviting Columba In this last year the Brothers have Emery House has been fed by what I well as those who are listed, there are Stewart, OSB, from St. John’s Abbey, continued in their ministry of offering might call the Brothers’ virtual ministry also many others who have shared their Collegeville, MN, to preach at our Saint hospitality and spiritual companionship of presence on the Internet and through gifts of time and wise counsel with us, John’s Day celebration. Fr. Columba is a at the Monastery in Cambridge and at other social media. Using tools and and countless others who remember us very dear friend of the community and Emery House in West Newbury. This technology that Father Benson could in their prayers. We Brothers are deeply an eminent scholar and teacher of the has been a blessing to many visitors, not have imagined, his heirs are indeed grateful. religious life. It is a joy to welcome him old and new. As well, members of the “men of the moment.” The annual Bishop Visitor’s Report back to the Monastery. community have gone forth to extend As the following pages of this report gives me the opportunity to say publi- On behalf of all my Brothers, thank the ministry of the Society to the well indicate, the community continues cally how very blessed we Brothers are by you for all your support and prayers. broader Church. I know from my own to be steady, stable, and forward-looking the ministry of Bishop Frank Griswold to We are so grateful for the gift of your experience how the presence of the in all aspects of its life – for which we us.