The Society of St. Paul

The Society of St. Paul began July 1, 1958 in Gresham, Oregon. It was the first men's monastic order to gain recognition under the national canons of the Episcopal Church in 1959. Members of the Society dedicate themselves to a life of prayer and ministries of mercy, charity and evangelism. From 1958 to 1985 the order operated as many as three nursing homes in the area between Portland, Oregon and Mt. Hood. It also directed a parochial school there until 1964 and began "St. Paul's Press," in 1959, a printing company in Oregon which existed until 1995. The Order briefly had a branch house in Namibia (Africa) and for many years raised money and supplies for the Church's ministry in the Middle East, Africa and the Philippines.

In 1976 the order moved its mother house and novitiate of the monastery to Palm Desert California. The chief ministry there was retreat and conference hospitality, spiritual direction, addiction- recovery and pastoral care at the Paulist Center until 1996.

Today we are living a new venture of faith. Called to become a community without walls and free to respond to the movement of the Spirit, we are not limited by responsibility of property or by the expectations of numerical strength. This shifts our focus from institutional life to ministry and prayer. We see ourselves embracing the whole Church as our community.

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 which frees us to explore the emerging spirituality and ministry in the 21st Century.

The Fellowship of St. Paul is an association of Friends, Associates, and Companions of the Society of St. Paul who live a Rule of Life centered on the Glory of God. Fellowship members support each other with their love, prayers and commitment, including the Society and its works with their alms when possible. Every Fellowship member is regularly remembered in prayer by the community. The Fellowship Rule provides an ideal of living the Christian life by which we can measure our lives. Specific observance of a discipline helps us to reinforce the practice of our baptismal vows in acts of worship, study and ministry. Praying for each other is a special part of our spiritual life.

On June 1, 2001 the office of The Society of St. Paul moved to the campus of St. Paul’s Cathedral in San Diego where we do volunteer ministry in support of the Cathedral and diocesan programs. In addition to pastoral care and liturgical ministry, members of the Society of St. Paul also serve as elected diocesan representatives on the Cathedral Chapter as well as board members of St. Paul’s Senior Homes and Services. Both are on the Campus Redevelopment Committee of the St. Paul’s Senior Homes. They are also on the Cathedral Dorcas House Ministries Committee. The Society of St. Paul has been a member of the Conference of Anglican Religious Orders in the Americas since 1970. Canon Barnabas Hunt is a board member of the Uptown Faith Community Services. Andrew is Canon for Communications for the Cathedral.

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