Washington National Cathedral

For centuries—bells of monasteries around the world have signaled the integrating rhythms of spiritual life and practical living that order monastic life. And beyond the walls of every monastery—neighboring farmers, busy villagers, weary travelers, and grateful pilgrims—have heard a clarion call to these reconciling rhythms.

So it is with The Community of Reconciliation. In this “monastery beyond walls” we discover the balance and harmony found in a cloistered community—right in our own environments—family, the workplace, and daily life in a complex world. We learn to contextualize the ancient Christian wisdom and practices of Benedictine spirituality as an alternative way of life to our often-fragmented existence. Through a growing constellation of expressions, the Community helps us freshly experience, community, trust, and transformation as we interpret and integrate the rhythms of prayer, study, renewal, work, and hospitality throughout our lives.

Listening, Hearing, and Living sessions invite us to explore these rhythms of life balance and reconciliation in conversation with scholars, leaders, and active contemplatives steeped in the Benedictine tradition. We set our intention—to listen to ancient yet evergreen wisdom that shapes our lives. We still ourselves—to hear the centering call of the Holy, birthed in prayer, silence, and reflection. And we live from a place of balance—supported and encouraged by our communities of intention. We listen, we hear, we live.

Is it possible to recreate cloister rhythms of silence and refreshment right in our own homes? In the middle of doing the laundry, paying the bills, shuttling the kids to soccer and ballet practice—can we experience “a garden of the heart?”

Today, Fr. Simon McGurk, prior of Saint Anselm’s Abbey here in Washington DC, speaks about the life of a Benedictine monk within the cloister and of how that experience can be shared with those whose lives call for a different kind of cloister—a cloister in the world.

Our day is one of exploration. There are no right and wrong choices, only the way of intention and discovery. If you hunger for a life centered in the Holy that brings balance to life and reconciliation to the world—this is right where you belong. Welcome.

About the Listening, Hearing, and Living series

These sessions invite us to engage the evergreen way of balance in a learning and experiential dialogue with scholars, leaders, and active contemplatives steeped in the Benedictine tradition. Join us as we explore how to more intentionally bring balance and reconciliation into our daily lives.

Through lectures and conversations with Benedictine leaders we deepen our understanding of the core practices of prayer, study, recreation, work, and hospitality and provide real world settings. Each interactive session offers time for prayer, reflection, and shared community. All are welcome to attend any of the sessions held in Perry Auditorium.

Here we set our intention to listen for the ancient monastic rhythms that model balanced, harmonious living. We still ourselves in prayer, silence, and reflection to hear deep wisdom for our lives— our families, our relationships, our work. With the support and encouragement of shared communities of intention we begin again to live lives that embrace balance and foster renewal and reconciliation.

Order of the Day

We listen, we hear, we live.

10–10:15 am
Gather in Perry Auditorium, 7th Floor Tower

10:15–10:45 am
Welcoming, Prayer, and Setting of Intention

10:45–12:40 pm
A Cloister in the World, with Prior Simon McGurk

12:40–1 pm
Reflections with Simon McGurk

1 pm
Release with Blessing

To more richly experience the fellowship and hospitality along the Benedictine way, plan to stay for an optional brown bag meal from 1:15 to 2:30 pm. Bring a lunch to share or you can pick one up in the Cathedral Store.

1:15–2:30 pm
Hospitality (optional)

Shared Meal: Brown bag lunch and facilitated conversation with others and Simon McGurk

To more richly experience the fellowship and hospitality along the Benedictine way, plan to stay for an optional brown bag meal from 1:15 to 2:30 pm. Bring a lunch to share or you pick one up in the Cathedral Store.

About Simon McGurk

Fr. Simon McGurk was born in north-west England in 1943. He attended the Benedictine boarding High School of Belmont Abbey, Hereford, England and later studied theology at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland. Fr. McGurk returned to Belmont Abbey in 1969 to teach in the High School as housemaster, subject and sport teacher, and finally headmaster until 1988. From 1989 to 1994 he was retreats and guestmaster at the abbey, then pastor of the Abbey’s parish until 1997. He was then appointed pastor of the city parish of Hereford and Dean of the county’s parishes.

In 2001 Fr. McGurk was sent to Peru as superior to Belmont Abbey’s recent foundation near Piura, principally to train the Peruvian novices. Expecting that to be his last job, he was called to Washington D.C. to be Prior of St. Anselm’s Abbey, also by its foundation a monastery of the English Benedictine Congregation. There he amuses himself with American monks, leads the liturgy, gives talks and retreats, and tries to foster all things Benedictine.