Religious Life at Atonement
The religious brothers at Atonement are members of the Brotherhood of St Gregory and the Community of the Mother of Jesus. They are all members of what is known as “apostolic” or Faith Communities. Such communities may not require their members to live all together in one place or establish religious houses within dioceses, but they do require their members to live by a specific model of service and prayer life, often called a Community Rule, and take vows as part of their formation process. These Faith Communities are all within the monastic tradition of the Episcopal Church.
The Brotherhood of St Gregory (BSG), who wear white and brown, celebrated its 50th anniversary of founding in 2019. BSG brothers have been at Atonement since the early 1990s. They are in provinces from coast to coast and have brothers in the Philippines and Australia. While most of the brothers are lay, including the founder and minister general, there are several priests and deacons in the community.
The Community of the Mother of Jesus (CMJ), who wear gray and blue, was established in 2011 at Atonement. Since then, brothers have joined the community from several other states and Canada. Although its guardian is a former Roman Catholic priest, the brothers are lay and some are in the process for Holy Orders and the diaconate.
Many brothers in the three communities at Atonement serve in liturgical roles, and many do “behind the scenes” work. While none of the communities have the same vows, all of the communities have vows that their members take. The Brotherhood of St Gregory adapted what is commonly known as the “evangelical counsels,” of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience, with a contemporary focus; while the Community of the Mother of Jesus take vows of Justice, Tenderness, Humility, and Contemplation.
All of the communities at Atonement have some affiliation with the National Association of Episcopal Christian Communities.