Order of the Holy Cross

The Order of the Holy Cross is an international Anglican monastic order that follows the Rule of St. Benedict.

History

The order was founded in 1884 by the Rev. James Huntington,^[1] an Episcopal priest, in New York City. The order moved to Maryland briefly before settling in West Park, New York, in 1902.

Houses

As of 2018 the Order of the Holy Cross maintained five houses:

Holy Cross Monastery, West Park, New York
St. Benedict's Priory, Volmoed, South Africa
Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery, in Grahamstown, South Africa (closed August 2019).
Mount Calvary Retreat House and Monastery, Santa Barbara, California (closed c. 2019)
Holy Cross Priory, Toronto, Ontario (closed 2024)

The Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery, in Grahamstown 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 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.^[2]

Ministries

The monks of the order engage in various ministries, the chief being that of prayer (including the Divine Office and daily Mass), 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 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 and have an ongoing relationship with the order. Associates are entitled to use the post-nominal initials AHC.^[3] Notable associates include bishops Nathan D. Baxter, Brian Lee Cole, and Robert W. Ihloff.

Holy Cross Publishing

The order is known for its publishing of the Anglo-Catholic 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, 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.^[4]

Personnel

Br. Robert Magliula, OHC, is the current superior of the order. The Rt. Rev. Mark Sisk is bishop visitor and the Rt Rev. Ann Tottenham is deputy bishop visitor.

Footnotes

Notes

^ Scudder 1940.
^ "Order of the Holy Cross to close Santa Barbara monastery and retreat center, prior says". Anglican Link. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
^ Olderr, Steven (2021-07-21). Dictionary of World Monasticism. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 143. ISBN 9781476640877.
^ Campbell 1957.

References

Campbell, Robert Erskine (1957). Within the Green Wall: The Story of Holy Cross Liberia Mission 1922-1957. New York: Holy Cross Press. Retrieved 2014-09-14 – via Project Canterbury.
Scudder, Vida Dutton (1940). Father Huntington, Founder of the Order of the Holy Cross. E.P. Dutton, Incorporated.
The Order of Saint Helena. Saint Helena Breviary. Church Publishing, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89869-790-2.
RULES OF THE CONGREGATION OF THE HOLY CROSS. 1871.
Order of the Holy Cross (1968). A Four Office Breviary. Holy Cross Publications.
Episcopal Church (1976). A Monastic Breviary. Holy Cross Publications.

External links

[FOOTNOTEScudder1940-1] Scudder 1940.

[2] "Order of the Holy Cross to close Santa Barbara monastery and retreat center, prior says". Anglican Link. 18 July 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2019.

[3] Olderr, Steven (2021-07-21). Dictionary of World Monasticism. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 143. ISBN 9781476640877.

[FOOTNOTECampbell1957-4] Campbell 1957.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Religious orders and communities of the Anglican Communion
For men	Alton Abbey Brotherhood of the Ascended Christ Brotherhood of Saint Gregory Community of the Resurrection Company of Mission Priests Ewell Monastery Franciscan orders Korean Franciscan Brotherhood Little Brothers of Francis Melanesian Brotherhood Oratory of the Good Shepherd Benedictine orders Order of the Holy Cross Order of the Teachers of the Children of God Salisbury Priory St Gregory's Abbey Society of the Holy Cross Society of St. Francis Society of St John the Evangelist Society of St. Paul
For women	Augustinian orders Benedictine Sisters of Bethany Chama Cha Mariamu Mtakatifu Chita che Zita Rinoyera Chita che Zvipo Zve Moto Christa Sevika Sangha Community of All Hallows Community of Christ the King Community of Jesus' Compassion Community of Nazareth Community of St. Andrew Community of St. Clare Community of St. Denys Community of St. Francis Community of St. John Baptist Community of St. John the Divine Community of St. John the Evangelist Community of St. Laurence Community of St. Mary Community of St. Mary at the Cross Community of St. Mary the Virgin Community of St. Mary of Nazareth and Calvary Community of St. Michael & All Angels Community of St. Paul Community of St. Peter Community of St. Peter, Horbury Community of the Blessed Lady Mary Community of the Companions of Jesus the Good Shepherd Community of the Good Shepherd Community of the Holy Cross Community of the Holy Family Community of the Holy Name (Europe & Africa) Community of the Holy Name (Australia) Community of the Holy Spirit Community of the Resurrection of Our Lord Community of the Sacred Name Community of the Sacred Passion Community of the Servants of the Cross Community of the Sisters of Melanesia Community of the Sisters of the Church Community of the Sisters of the Love of God Community of the Transfiguration Congregation of the Sisters of the Visitation of Our Lady Daughters of St. Francis Fikambanan'ny Mpanompovavin l Jesoa Kristy Franciscan orders Malling Abbey Order of St. Anne Order of St. Anne at Bethany Order of St. Benedict Order of St. Helena Order of the Holy Paraclete Order of Julian of Norwich Order of Women (South India) Sisterhood of St. John the Divine Sisterhood of St. Mary, Bangladesh Sisterhood of the Epiphany Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity Sisters of Charity Sisters of the Good Shepherd Sisters of the Incarnation Sisters of Jesus Way Sisters of St Francis (Korea) Society of All Saints Sisters of the Poor Society of Our Lady of the Isles Society of Our Lady St. Mary Society of St. John the Divine Society of St. Margaret Society of the Franciscan Servants of Jesus & Mary Society of the Holy Cross Society of the Holy Trinity Society of the Precious Blood Society of the Sacred Advent Society of the Sacred Cross Society of the Sisters of Bethany
Mixed	Anglican Order of Preachers (Dominican) Community of the Glorious Ascension Community of the Holy Transfiguration Community of the Servants of the Will of God Companions of Saint Luke (OSB) Franciscan orders Mucknell Abbey Order of Christ the Saviour (OCS Dominicans) Benedictine orders Society of the Sacred Mission St Mark's Abbey
Related articles	Topics closely related to active religious orders: Former religious orders in the Anglican Communion