A Benedictine Monastery in the Episcopal Tradition
At Holy Cross you enter into a time of prayer and reflection, renewal and re-creation. The time you spend here can help you deepen your sense of communion with God, nature and with others. Holy Cross is part of the Order of the Holy Cross. Our facilities consist of 2 Guest Houses, the Monastery Church of St. Augustine, and the Monastic Enclosure, located on twenty-six magnificent acres on the west bank of the Hudson River.
The primary ministry of Holy Cross Monastery is to guests on individual and group retreats. Our Guesthouse is among the largest monastic retreat facilities in the Episcopal Church. Rooms are available for overnight stays so that you can join with us and explore the spiritual dimension of your life. We estimate that about 5,000 people visit us each year.
In addition to our guest ministry we also manufacture incense, publish, and operate a book and gift shop.
The primary work of the community is worship and prayer, which are the central components of our daily life.
Br. Lary's Sermon for the 3nd Sunday of Lent
The mention of figs and fig trees brings happy memories to me. My maternal grandmother had a large fig tree behind her house in coastal South Carolina. My mother knew what to do with figs. Most years she would buy several dishpans full of figs, put them in glass jars, and seal the jars. That was how she made fig preserves, which she would serve with hot biscuits and spicy sausages for breakfast. Today’s gospel is not about a happy childhood memory. Rather, it is a stern warning to amend one’s life while there is time. Jesus’ mention of the tower of Siloam reminds me...Click here for more
Mr. Matthew Leaycraft's Sermon for the commemoration of John and Charles Wesley
Matthew is a third year seminarian at Berkeley Divinity School. As part of his third year of study he is doing an internship at Holy Cross Monastery, West Park, participating in many Guesthouse-related ministries.
Parting from my fellow Berkeley classmates and Canterbury Cathedral pilgrims a couple of weeks ago, I met my partner, Steve, in London for a short vacation. My now good friend, Diing, stayed with us for two nights. Our quarters were in Chelsea, a residential part of London characterized by a confidant and offhand elegance. The harmonious street-scape there speaks of an ordered and prosperous way of living which seems to assume that things have been, and always...Click here for more
The Prior's Column - How To Make the Effort Without Making the Effort
Viruses moved in here in a big way this week. An especially virulent chest cold and a quite spectacular stomach flu both arrived at the same time, and some of us got one and some the other, and a few lucky souls had both. And nearly everybody has been involved. At one point the only non-sick member of the community was Bernard. This is quite unusual. We don't often get each other's ailments quite like this, and often we don't get them at all - whoever has a cold just usually goes his way with it and the rest of us don't get it. This week was a very noticeable...Click here for more
