New Skete (Cambridge, New York)

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The Communities of New Skete are three monastic foundations with a shared vision and similar rule of life in Cambridge, New York: The Monks of New Skete, the Nuns of New Skete, and the Companions of New Skete (a community of retired couples). They are directly under the authority of the primate of the Orthodox Church in America or stavropighial.

History

New Skete's history begins in 1966 with a group of Byzantine Rite Catholic Franciscan monks who left the Fransiscan Order to set up a more authentically Byzantine house. In 1969 a group of Catholic "Poor Clares" (Fransiscan nuns) joined them, becoming a sister monastic house. In 1979, after a period of prayer and study, the monks and nuns of New Skete were received into the Orthodox Church in America. In 1983 a group of married couples and widows joined the New Skete communities, forming what has become known as the Companions of New Skete.

The monks, the nuns, and the companions each have separate houses, but gather together regularly for prayer in the monastery church.

The New Skete Communities accept retreatants; recently an OCA parish has formed which worships at the monastery. In addition, the monks receive income from breeding of German Shepherd dogs and training of dogs of all breeds. The nuns receive income from baking cheesecakes. There is also an iconographer among the nuns.

Currently, there are 8 monks (led by Br David, Prior), 5 nuns (led by Sr Cecelia, Prioress) and 3 companions in residence.

Schedule of services

Sunday

Monday

  • Mondays, the monastery is not open to the public.

Tuesday through Friday

  • 7:15 AM - Matins (monks and nuns separately)
  • 5:00 PM - Vespers (at the monks')

Saturday

  • 8:00 AM - Matins
  • 5:00 PM - Vespers

Books by the Monks of New Skete

Spiritual

  • In the Spirit of Happiness: A Book of Spiritual Wisdom (ISBN 0316606944)
  • Rise up with a Listening Heart: Reflecting and Meditating with the Monks of New Skete (ISBN 0972942769)

Liturgical

  • Apolitikia and Kontakia: in Greek and English (with the faculty of Holy Cross Seminary) (ASIN B0006S22CK)
  • Hymns of Entreaty (ISBN 093512909X)
  • A Prayer Book (ISBN 0960792430)
  • The Psalter (ISBN 0960792457)

Dog training

  • The Art of Raising a Puppy (ISBN 0316578398)
  • How to Be Your Dog's Best Friend (ISBN 0316610003)
  • I and Dog (ISBN 0972942734)

External links