New Skete (New York)

New Skete Monastery in the snow.

New Skete is the collective term for three Orthodox Christian monastic communities in Cambridge, New York:

• The Monks of New Skete, a men's monastery founded in 1966,
• the Nuns of New Skete, a women's monastery founded in 1969, and
• the Companions of New Skete, a community of married monastics founded in 1982.

All three communities are under the omophorion of the Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church in America. They are best-known in the world at large for their breeding and training of German Shepherds as companions and guide dogs; the Monks have written several best-selling dog-training textbooks. Among Orthodox Christians, they are unique in that they have instituted wide-ranging reforms to the divine office and eucharistic liturgies of the Eastern Orthodox Church, aimed at rendering the services more comprehensible. They maintain an extremely open stance regarding ecumenical contacts with other Christian groups; the nave of their newer temple features iconographic portraits of prominent non-Orthodox such as Pope John XXIII, Archbishop Michael Ramsey, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and the communities celebrate the feast of the Roman Catholic saint Francis of Assisi. This openness has brought them criticism from Orthodox conservatives and traditionalists; but the Monks and Nuns strongly defend their renewal of liturgy and monastic life as a necessity if Orthodox monasticism is to be more than "museum-keeping" in the modern world. The monastery has also attracted the presence of a small but vibrant lay community of cradle Orthodox Christians and converts from the surrounding area.

On 16 April2007, the television show Divine Canine will air on Animal Planet. The show will feature the dog training program of the Monks of New Skete.

Monks of New Skete

As a monastic community, the Monks of New Skete live with the conviction that an authentic and vibrant monasticism is an essential ingredient to healthy Church life. By nature, the monastic vocation is contemplative and apostolic, challenging both the Church and the world at large to fuller life; therefore, they see their primary responsibility as being authentic monastics. However, they believe this cannot be done by simplistically reproducing previous expressions of monastic life. Monasticism has always incarnated itself within a particular cultural context, so throughout their history the monks have worked to express the mystery and dynamism of their vocation in a manner appropriate to modern culture and times.

Working toward this end, the Monks daily schedule reflects an integrated blend of liturgical and personal prayer, work, study, and prudent openness to the world. Anchored in a daily cycle of matins and vespers (with Divine Liturgy on Sundays and feast days), they try to make themselves available to all who come to the monastery, in a manner that is in keeping with their vocation. Many people visit the monastery each year, either to make retreats, attend services, or visit the gift shop and grounds, or as dog customers. There is small guesthouse available for retreatants. Those interested in retreats may contact the guestmaster.

Nuns of New Skete

The Nuns of New Skete moved from Indiana to live near to the monks in 1969. They support themselves by baking their acclaimed New York-style gourmet cheesecakes.

Companions of New Skete

The Companions of New Skete are married couplies living under monastic orders. They were formed in 1983 and operate a bed and breakfast nearby.

External links

• Common site for all three communities
  • Monks of New Skete
  • Nuns of New Skete
  • Companions of New Skete
• The Psalter (Translation by the Monks of New Skete)