Agape at a Glance
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A Wonderful Work Day in the Books!
Last Saturday, June 12th, Agape Community hosted our first large Work Day since the beginning of the Pandemic. Support was strong as friends gathered from various places to help prepare the garden for the summer season as well as collect and split wood for this coming winter. Despite the threat
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“Escaping the Final Pandemic” by Dean Hammer
Escaping the Final Pandemic By Dean Hammer ’78 M.A.R. The spiritual “Let My People Go” rises from deep inside of me during these days preceding the celebration of Passover. Moses follows God’s instruction to confront Pharaoh’s domination of the Israelites. Moses’ chutzpah and prophetic imagination galvanize a liberation movement. Pharaoh
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Katya’s Family Visits Agape for the First Time
Our intern, Katya’s family visited Agape this past week. Brayton gave them a tour of St. Francis, St. Brigid House, and the garden before we enjoyed a nice lunch together where we learned about the Portuguese Island of Madeira, where Katya’s family on her mother’s side, is from. The visit
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A Blessed Visit and Reflection
Sr. Melina Pellerin SSJ and Just Faith member, Cheryl Moynahan, visited Agape together for a rousing conversation on race matters in Springfield, MA. Sr. Melinda also shared the following reflection: Joseph, the father, the disenfranchised, the refugee, the dreamer. In my living room, above my flat screen television is
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A New Friend Joins Agape for Retreat
“Mikey” came to Agape for a silent retreat, through Agape’s relationship with Sr. Jane Morrissey and The Peace Pagoda. He joined us for morning prayer, blessed the hermitage and its sacred presence with his great vibes, and offered stunning commentaries on how Jesus claimed his life. The hermitage is made
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Family in a Van: A Wild Adventure Still Unfolding
When Brayton got the initial phone call from Courtney Hayes-Jurcheck, that she and her husband John Jurcheck, both 41 years of age, who, with their sons, Luca, 5 and Oliver, 9 were traveling to farm and WWOOFING sites in a 1987 Vanagon, we were excited about their romantic, counter-cultural adventure.
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Life Springs Up Again at Agape
We are planting in the garden! The energy and excitement of our “no-till” seeding comes through in these photos. The straw came from Agape member Dixon George’s family homestead in Spencer, MA. Ann Garvey came from Winchester, MA to retreat and helped in the garden too.
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At Last, Hay for the Garden!
Last week, Brayton, Dixon, and Katya (our intern currently staying at Agape), and with the assistance of our friend Jerry and his car trailer, made a trip out to Dixon’s childhood home in Spencer, MA to get some much needed hay for the garden. There they met up with Dixon’s
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Loving Life on the Margins: The Story of the Agape Community.
The book describes the community’s rich background of gospel-based nonviolence, interfaith perspective, and action on such issues as the death penalty, war, racism and environmental degradation.
Founded in 1982, The Agape Community is a lay Catholic residential community located on 32-acres of woodlands in Central Massachusetts.
The Agape vision is an alternative vision of peace with the Earth and its inhabitants through deeply sustainable practices, public witness, and advocacy for a world that is carbon threatened.
Ecumenical and interfaith in outreach and practice, we focus on daily prayer, evangelical simplicity, and nonviolent witness in the world.Members of the community engage in actions against war, peace vigils, and non-cooperation with institutional and eco-violence. We attempt to bring an integrated vision of peace, social justice, and eco-theology to our gospel based nonviolent practice.