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EnglishWhat is SSJE (Society of Saint John the Evangelist)?
Updated
SSJE stands for the Society of Saint John the Evangelist, a monastic community of men in the Anglican Episcopal tradition. According to the community's own description, its members "give our whole selves over to living the Gospel of Jesus Christ," rooted in ancient monastic traditions of prayer and community life while engaging with contemporary culture. The website, ssje.org, is the community's public home: it introduces who the brothers are, how they live and pray, and how visitors can worship, retreat, or explore a vocation with them.
What the community is
The Society describes itself as a community of men living a common life shaped by worship, prayer, and a Rule of Life. Its stated purpose is to know and share "an authentic experience of God's love and mercy." Two elements stand out in the community's self-description:
- Rootedness in tradition — monastic patterns of prayer and shared life ground the community.
- Engagement with contemporary culture — the community presents itself as critically engaged with the present day, not withdrawn from it.
The site frames this around three invitations: worship with the brothers, book a retreat, and consider becoming a brother.
What you can find and do on ssje.org
The homepage and its linked sections organize the community's public life into several streams:
| Area | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Worship | Services from the monastery chapel, including recent sermons |
| Retreats | Booking a retreat with the community |
| Vocations | Information and videos of brothers reflecting on why they came to SSJE |
| Daily meditation | "Brother, Give Us A Word," a daily meditation you can subscribe to |
| News | Updates from the Monastery & Emery House, community reports, and announcements |
| Teaching | Series such as "Learning to Pray," including praying with Scripture |
The site also carries a vocations video in which brothers speak about their reasons for joining, and a regular sermon archive—for example, a sermon by Br. Keith Nelson on Christian proficiency that uses the parable of the wedding banquet to describe discipleship as ongoing growth.
How to use the site
If you want to follow the community's daily rhythm without visiting:
- Go to the "Brother, Give Us A Word" section and use the Subscribe link (ssje.org/subscribe) to receive the daily meditation.
- Read or listen to recent sermons from the chapel for longer teaching.
- Check the news section for events such as the Election Night Vigil or the "Learning to Pray" series.
If you want to visit or participate in person, the homepage points to worship times and retreat booking; the news section also notes practical matters such as access to the monastery and chapel during Memorial Drive construction.
If you are exploring a vocation, start with the vocations videos and the "Become a Brother" path rather than the news pages—the brothers' own reflections are the most direct introduction to the life.
A note on subscriptions and pricing
The site offers a subscribe option for its daily meditation, but the available material does not state terms, costs, or login requirements for subscribing or for retreats. Treat those details as things to confirm on the relevant page rather than assuming they are free or open.
The short version
SSJE is an Anglican Episcopal monastic community for men, and ssje.org is where it shares its life: worship and sermons, retreats, vocational stories, community news, and a daily meditation you can subscribe to. Use the site to pray along with the community, plan a visit or retreat, or learn what monastic life looks like in this tradition.