The Brothers
Beyond the Monastery
How to invite the Brothers into your community.
The monastery in Cambridge is our home, but our ministry is not confined to it. Preaching and leading retreats are central to the life of the Society, and all the Brothers are trained in offering them. We travel to parishes, lead quiet days and vestry retreats, and welcome groups here at the monastery. If you are curious whether the Brothers might be able to join you in some way, this page explains what that can look like and how to make a request.
What We Offer
Groups at the Monastery We love welcoming new people to our home. Groups are welcome to join us for worship in the Chapel — Evensong, a weekday Eucharist, Compline — or to spend time in the monastery precincts. Events at the monastery must be facilitated by one of the Brothers; we are not able to accommodate groups led by an external facilitator or undirected groups gathering on their own. We can make time Tuesday through Saturday, during the hours the Chapel is normally open.
Visits to Your Parish or Community Being invited into a faith community is something that brings genuine joy to us. Within the Diocese of Massachusetts, one Brother will generally plan to join you for the day. For communities outside the Diocese, one or two Brothers will travel to be with you and will stay for the duration, available for ministries such as preaching, teaching, a quiet day, or a retreat with your vestry or parish leadership. We are also glad to discuss virtual offerings if they seem like a good fit.
Other Requests If what you have in mind doesn’t fit neatly into the categories above, we still want to hear from you. Tell us about the community involved, what you hope the gathering might accomplish, and any sense of lasting effect you’re looking for. We’ll read it carefully.
Making a Request
We review requests as they arrive, but full consideration — which involves the community as a whole — can take several weeks. Requests with very short lead times are less likely to be accepted, so the earlier you can reach us, the better.
When you submit a request, it helps to include:
- Your contact information and preferred way to be in touch
- Your parish or community and a brief description of the audience
- What you hope to work on together
- Your preferred timing and how long you envision the gathering
- Any prior experience your community has had with SSJE (if applicable)