New monastic community takes solemn vows

First vowed members begin a lifelong commitment to their Rule of Life

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — The Community of the Incarnation, one of the fastest-growing religious communities in the Anglican Communion, celebrated the solemn vows of its first cohort of new monastics, marking a significant milestone in its growth and ministry. Founded at the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York, the Community now serves people across North America and beyond, bringing a fresh expression of monasticism to today’s world.

The Community of the Incarnation is part of the emerging new monastic movement, which integrates ancient spiritual traditions with contemporary life. It is rooted in three rich monastic and mendicant charisms: the Benedictine way, which helps members live in monastic mindfulness, listening for God’s presence in the most ordinary events; the Carmelite way, which invites them to journey into the desert of the heart, experiencing the gift of silence and the transformation it brings; and the Franciscan way, which calls for a life rooted in simplicity, nonviolence, and justice, emphasizing that spirituality must lead to a more loving and compassionate way of engaging with the world. The Community also embraces three core accountabilities: to God and one another through an adapted version of the 12 steps of recovery, to the poor through the lens of liberation theology, and to the earth through earth-centered spirituality, grounded in awe and wonder, where creation is recognized as a place of divine revelation. | More

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