The Feast of James Otis Sargent Huntington, November 25
NB: This piece contains biographical information found in Lesser Feasts and Fasts,1994, published by The Church Hymnal Corporation in 1995.
How fitting it is that Barbara will be giving an Advent/Sabbath retreat for Sabbath workers from November 27-29 at the Monastery of the Order of the Holy Cross, the religious order founded by Fr. Huntington.
It should first be clarified that the Episcopal Church doesn't go through the Roman Catholic process of 'making' saints. There don't have to be a certain number of miracles performed by the candidate during and after their earthly lifetime. The body is not exhumed to note whether there has been no, little or minimal decay -- or whether a hand or face are perfectly intact.
What our denomination DOES do on an ongoing basis is consider the names submitted by church organizations or diocese of deceased individuals who, during their lifetime, were extraordinarily gifted and giving in fields such as teaching, human or civil rights, humanitarian efforts, theology, works of mercy with groups of outcasts or the handicapped, etc. These names are then put forward for inclusion in our liturgical calendar in celebration of their lives and accomplishments for the greater good. A vote is taken at General Convention. If there is a consensus for inclusion, lo and behold, the following year they pop up with a feast day in their name.
Fr. Huntington is given a particular day (as recorded in the book Lesser Feasts and Fasts) for his unfailing devotion to a life of prayer complimented by a life of active ministry and his establishment of the first permanent Episcopal monastic community for men in the United States.
Born in Boston in 1854 he later graduated from Harvard, attended Divinity School in Syracuse and was ordained deacon and priest by his father, the first Bishop of Central New York. He originally worked with a blue collar mission church in Syracuse and only later felt a call to the religious life. Instead of joining a community which was based elsewhere but maintained a 'house' in the United States, he believed it important to found an indigenous American community. To that end, he and two colleagues came to minister at Holy Cross mission with the Sisters of St. John the Baptist on New York's lower east side to Eastern European immigrants, paying particular attention to the needs of immigrant children. Parenthetically, to this day the cross given to the Order's life professed members is the cross given to novices of the Sisters of St. John Baptist.
He stood up with labor union organizers for workers rights, helping to establish the Episcopal Church's involvement in social issues and ministries. The Order moved to Maryland and eventually to West Park, NY in 1902 on the site of the current Mother house.
Fr. Huntington served as Superior of the Order on several occasions and remained active in the life of the Order, celebrating the Eucharist, preaching, teaching and spiritual direction until his death in February 1935.
How fitting it is that Barbara will be giving an Advent/Sabbath retreat for Sabbath workers from November 27-29 at the Monastery of the Order of the Holy Cross, the religious order founded by Fr. Huntington.
It should first be clarified that the Episcopal Church doesn't go through the Roman Catholic process of 'making' saints. There don't have to be a certain number of miracles performed by the candidate during and after their earthly lifetime. The body is not exhumed to note whether there has been no, little or minimal decay -- or whether a hand or face are perfectly intact.
What our denomination DOES do on an ongoing basis is consider the names submitted by church organizations or diocese of deceased individuals who, during their lifetime, were extraordinarily gifted and giving in fields such as teaching, human or civil rights, humanitarian efforts, theology, works of mercy with groups of outcasts or the handicapped, etc. These names are then put forward for inclusion in our liturgical calendar in celebration of their lives and accomplishments for the greater good. A vote is taken at General Convention. If there is a consensus for inclusion, lo and behold, the following year they pop up with a feast day in their name.
Fr. Huntington is given a particular day (as recorded in the book Lesser Feasts and Fasts) for his unfailing devotion to a life of prayer complimented by a life of active ministry and his establishment of the first permanent Episcopal monastic community for men in the United States.
Born in Boston in 1854 he later graduated from Harvard, attended Divinity School in Syracuse and was ordained deacon and priest by his father, the first Bishop of Central New York. He originally worked with a blue collar mission church in Syracuse and only later felt a call to the religious life. Instead of joining a community which was based elsewhere but maintained a 'house' in the United States, he believed it important to found an indigenous American community. To that end, he and two colleagues came to minister at Holy Cross mission with the Sisters of St. John the Baptist on New York's lower east side to Eastern European immigrants, paying particular attention to the needs of immigrant children. Parenthetically, to this day the cross given to the Order's life professed members is the cross given to novices of the Sisters of St. John Baptist.
He stood up with labor union organizers for workers rights, helping to establish the Episcopal Church's involvement in social issues and ministries. The Order moved to Maryland and eventually to West Park, NY in 1902 on the site of the current Mother house.
Fr. Huntington served as Superior of the Order on several occasions and remained active in the life of the Order, celebrating the Eucharist, preaching, teaching and spiritual direction until his death in February 1935.
posted by Joanna Depue | 3:57 PM
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