The Society of St. Paul

On June 1, 2001, The Rev. Canons Barnabas Hunt, SSP and Andrew Rank, SSP came to do ministry of the Religious Order at St. Paul’s Cathedral. However, The Society of St. Paul began on July 1, 1958 founded by Canon Rene Bozarth, SSP, in Gresham, Oregon, east of Portland. It was the first monastic order for men recognized under the canons of the Episcopal Church (now SSP is one order among many belonging to the Conference of Anglican Religious Orders of the Americas). The monks were dedicated to a life of prayer, works of mercy, charity, and evangelism. At one time, when the Order was larger, the brothers were responsible for three nursing homes, a mission church, a Convent, a parochial school, and a print shop that, among other offerings published the community’s quarterly magazine for fifty years (see archives below).

St. Paul’s Press was the first printing house to publish five color liturgical calendars of the “new” prayer book authorized in 1979 It continued until 2000. The monks printed the first Altar Service Book in the Osikwanyama language of the Ovamboland people of South West Africa. The community briefly had a branch house in Namibia, Africa. For many years the Order raised money and supplies for the Church's ministry in the Middle East, Africa and the Philippines. More recently support is directed to local ministries and the St. John’s Eye Hospital in Jerusalem. Both Andrew and Barnabas are Officers in the Hospital Order of St. John of Jerusalem. The Society of St. Paul opened a monastery and retreat center in Palm Desert, California in 1977. In 2001, at the invitation of Dean John Chane, the last members, Canons Barnabas Hunt, SSP, Rector, and Andrew Rank SSP, Associate Rector, began ministry at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul.

In keeping with many of the changes in the church and religious life in the 21st Century, the order adopted a new vision in the 1990s. “Reading the signs of profound change in the world and in the Church, we sense a new role for us as pilgrims and prophets that requires a humble way of simplifying corporate life, and that frees us to explore the emerging spirituality and ministry in the 21st Century.” Today people call this the “New Monasticism.” For more information, contact Canons Barnabas Hunt, SSP, Rector, and Andrew Rank SSP, Associate Rector.

St. Paul's Printer Archives