The Liturgical Schedule Tuesday – Sunday:

7:00 am – Matins

9:00 am – Holy Eucharist

12:00 Noon – Diurnum

5:00 pm – Vespers (4:00 pm on Sunday)

7:30 pm – Compline (no Compline on Sunday)

Worship is central to our life of faith, and we invite you to join our regularly scheduled services. We ring the bell ten minutes before each service to remind brothers and guests to gather in the church.

You are welcomed to all services, whatever your religious faith, and we encourage participation.  Please stand as you are able when the monastic community stands. You may softly join in the chanting. Silence is observed in the church other than liturgical responses and chant.

In addition to Matins, Holy Eucharist, Diurnum, Vespers, and Compline, we observe festival of the liturgical calendar and commemorate saints according the the sanctoral cycle of the Episcopal Church, with a few adaptations. Our calendar of observances, the Ordo, is available on this website.

The Ordo

The Ordo of the Order of the Holy Cross, the official calendar of feasts and fasts we observe, will help you emulate and support our monastic communities. The Odo is used in conjunction with A Monastic Breviary.

Matins

Matins begins our day with an invitation to worship, usually the Venite from Psalm 95.  Matins is similar to Morning Prayer and includes a said section from the Psalter, a reading from the Old Testament and an Epistle reading, a hymn, the Benedictus (which invites “the dawn from on high” to break upon us), and prayers appointed for the day.

The Holy Eucharist

The Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion, the Lord’s Supper, or Mass) draws us together in Word and Sacrament.  We are nourished and renewed in the sacramental sign of Christ’s presence with his Church in his Body and Blood.  We receive the gift of Christ’s tangible life as his crucified, risen, and ascended glory sustains us and the whole world by grace. Feast days include more music and a sermon, while simple weekday celebrations are more contemplative.

Diurnum

Diurnum provides time to pause and reflect upon the unfolding day in the light of God’s eternal message. Diurnum includes a hymn, a section of chanted Psalms, and a period of silent meditation. It ends with a prayer for the dead: “May the souls of the departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.”

Vespers

Vespers is similar to Evening Prayer and begins with the Phos Hilaron, includes chanted Psalms, a Gospel reading, a hymn, and Mary’s Song, the Magnificat.  A Collect and dismissal complete evening prayer.

Compline

Compline (Night Prayer) completes the monastic cycle of worship and ushers in the night’s silence. It ends the day by entrusting ourselves to God as we rest and sleep with hymn, Psalms, canticles, and the Nunc Dimittis, Simeon’s song of dismissal from the Gospel of Luke and its antiphon, “Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ and asleep we may rest in peace.” Compline reminds us of God’s abiding presence and care through the night.  Monasteries traditionally sing a final antiphon to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, the melody of which varies according to church season.  The Superior blesses each brother and guests in attendance with holy water as a reminder and renewal of our baptismal vows.  We depart the church in silence and observe Great Silence until 8:30 am the next day.