The 24 member communities of the Conference on the Religious Life celebrated 50 years of ministry on Sunday afternoon in St John's Cathedral. Clouds of incense accompanied the members of several religious orders in the procession at Solemn Evensong with the Revd David Bryan Hoopes, Superior of the Order of the Holy Cross, as the officiant The preacher at the service encouraged the vowed religious present to "continue to walk in the gospel zone".

In contrast to the morning Convention Eucharist and its wide open space, the gothic setting of Denver's Cathedral provided the sombre yet joyful setting for music by the St Martin's Singers and a challenging, laced with humour, homily by the Bishop of Alaska, the Rt Revd Mark MacDonald.

Bishop MacDonald spoke of the need of having "gospel eyes" to be able to meet Christ and Christ's people in the "gospel zone ", the place where we encounter the people some often "don't see and we do not connect with, those of us on the inner zone, where we often crowd others out". The bishop reminded the nearly full cathedral that people on the edge have "needs so great that they immediately connect with Jesus Christ".

"Help the rest of us to see that it is not pretty in the gospel zone, help us to see things we need to know and understand", the bishop said to the Episcopal religious seated the choir. Bishop MacDonald, a Third Order Franciscan, praised the members of the Religious Communities for their ability "to live in the gospel zone".

The service concluded with the Prayer attributed to Saint Francis with a blessing, in French and in the ceremonial custom of the indigenous peoples of North America, by the Most Revd Michael Peers, Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada. The Revd Dr Donald Anderson is the General Secretary of the Council of the Religious Life in the Anglican Communion in the Americas.

A Directory 2000, dedicated to the 50th anniversary, is available in the exhibit hall at the Cowley booth.

J M Rosenthal
Anglican World