Skete News & Announcements
The Anglican Province of Christ the King 2725 Sacramento St. San Francisco, CA 94115
November 17, 2010
To the Clergy and People of the Province
Beloved Brethren,
It all began with prayer; one priest walking the war-ravaged jungles of Sierra Leone quietly praying the Name of Jesus. Among the poorest and most enslaved people of the world, he prayed; not praying for any outcome, but just to make that Holy Name present. No one needed to know what e was doing, because God knew and that was more than enough. Then the miracles began. The prayer became visible in providing food and medical aid for the people. It manifested the grace of God in constructing a school that now has three hundred students. From that prayer an orphanage was built, and now the beginnings of a compound for the staff of Nazareth House Apostolate in Sierra Leone. Many of you know that the priest who has dedicated his life to prayer without ceasing is Seraphim, who is also rector of the APCK Parish of Grace Church, Louisville, Kentucky (now relocated in Taylorsville, KY).
The prayer is simple. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” It is simple, but it tells the entire redemptive work of God. In its simplicity, one can repeat the prayer throughout the day while engaged in normal activity. In its fullness, one can pray it meditatively for hours, going deeper into the mystery of God’s love.
I believe that one of the causes of strife and division in the Church is the loss of disciplined prayer. While one is praying the Name of Jesus, it is very difficult to engage in divisive action. It is also more difficult to entertain the temptations that “so easily beset us”. However, this kind of prayer, while being simple, is also very deep. It must move from the mind to the heart. It cannot be taught, but must e lived. In the early centuries of the Church, it was lived in the desert. But where does one find that desert today? Is there a place where individuals can be alone with God, grow deeper in prayer then return to the world with clearer vision?
This year, on the Feast of All Saints, God delivered another miracle: Nazareth House Apostolate, under my archiepiscopal authority, closed escrow on a property that was move-in ready for this work of prayer. That evening, I celebrated the first Mass in the chapel of what is now known as St. Simeon Skete. (An important part of the miracle is that funding for this property came from outside sources designated solely for the purchase of real estate. Not one cent came from the money donated to the work in Sierra Leone nor will it ever be).
Typically, skete is a form of monastic community with a central chapel surrounded by individual cells where the monks say their prayers. We chose St. Simeon because he spent his life in the temple waiting for Christ. When he saw our Lord, he sang forth with the beautiful words we know as the Nunc dimittis, “Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace… for mine eyes have seen they salvation…” Like St. Simeon, those who come to this place must be prepared to wait for God and know that He is enough.
St. Simeon Skete looks very little like the desert. It overlooks a beautiful lake surrounded by rich forest. It is one of the most tranquil places I know. While we intend to construct cells on the property, there is also a building that provides living arrangements for shorter stays. But one should not be misled by the beauty of the setting. St. Simeon Skete is a place for the hard work of spiritual formation and not a place for a spiritual vacation.
I believe that St. Simeon Skete will be enormously important to the Anglican Province of Christ the King. We needed to be a people prayer – prayer built on the adoration of God and a joy of simply being in His presence. If He doesn’t live in our hearts, how can we comprehend Him at the altar? If we do not “dwell in Him and He is us” how can we make Him present in our own communities? We cannot do the work to which God has called us apart from a life of prayer.
God willing, a monastic community will form at St. Simeon Skete so that the Church can pray without ceasing. One layman has already been accepted into that community and others have expressed interest.
Not everyone is called to the monastic life, and some should not attempt it. But for others, time spent in this environment will be essential for their spiritual life, especially those are testing their vocation to Holy Orders. I intend for every postulant and candidate under my authority to spend time in this community to better equip them for the work of the Sacred Ministry. Our clergy should make use of the Skete to build and strengthen their own life of prayer, which will make a difference in the congregations they serve. Finally, lay members of the Church who are called to a life of deeper prayer can apply to come into this desert for a time to meet God.
St. Simeon Skete is indeed a miracle, and it all began with prayer.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
The Most Rev. James E. Provence
Archbishop