About the Hermitage

The Hermitage of the Advent  
is a new beginning - a small precanonical contemplative monastic community which started in 1990 on the South Shore of Boston, Massachusetts. 

At the beginning there was only one person living the monastic balance of prayer and work, hence the name "hermitage". Since 1995 there was a second person and then a third. At present, doubtless temporarily, there is only one.The Hermitage of the Advent is a community in the process of development. Others come for shorter or longer periods of vocational discernment to see if this is a life in which they might belong.

The life here is about the basic and traditional monastic rhythm as envisaged by the Rule of Benedict - a balance of prayer, liturgical and private; sacred reading; or study; silence, work, community living, relaxation. It tries to balance solitude/ space for each person with community living, and seeks work that can be done at home.

At the same time there is an effort to be aware of contemporary values - the importance of nature and the environment, of human needs and women's issues, of contemporary insights from fields like psychology and ecology.

The schedule or horarium reflects the priorities of the house. Retreatants who are seeking a time of quiet or deeper insight into the life are welcome.