The Blessing Cup House of Prayer is located in the rural area of northwestern New Jersey near the Delaware Water Gap. It was established to be a place of intentional peace and quiet, solitude and prayerfulness, in accordance with the way-of-life of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity.
Nestled within the woodlands of the northeast, our hope is that in the stillness, one might sense the tender mercy of God; that in the silence, one might listen to the Word of God; that in the solitude, one might embrace the heart of God; and in the natural beauty, one might sense the fullness of God.
Our prayer is that what God has so graciously poured upon us, His "cup of blessing", might also be shared through simple hospitality with our brothers and sisters in community so that all are renewed and refreshed to return home and continue to do His will in all things, living our way of life with joy and authenticity.
Guests may schedule one to three day private retreats, as availability permits, and are provided a private room and a semi-private bathroom. Simple meals can be shared or taken privately. Retreatants are invited to spend time in our chapel, visit the garden or walk the nearby trail which runs along Stony Brook. The variety of local wildlife include deer, fox, turkey, black bear, a variety of songbirds, hawks, woodpeckers, etc. Neighbors have horses, pigs and goats. Bring good shoes, bug repellant and a walking stick!
Manual labor in the garden and at the small farm, as well as the practice of sacred silence, have become an integral part of our daily life. In this setting, sacred silence is kept quite naturally until late afternoon and resumes again at the end of the day. Only when we quiet ourselves and enter into the silence, can we hope to hear the still, small voice of the Lord. In this way, we hope to make of our lives a "constant prayer," as encouraged by St. Paul. We are also inspired by the Shaker ethic of "Hands to work, hearts to God!"
Daily Schedule:
8 AM Morning Prayer in the Blessing Cup Chapel
Noon Angelus (in the Chapel or on your own)
6 PM Evening Prayer in The Blessing Cup Chapel
Night Prayer on your own
Please make visiting arrangements with Annmarie Zullo, BSCD at
[email protected]