Society of the Sacred Cross (SSC)

The Society of the Sacred Cross is a contemplative, monastic community within the Church in Wales. We live a life of prayer in vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, with a modern rule that encourages a mutual growth in love. At the heart of our pattern of life is daily Eucharist, which draws us into the mystery of God’s love in our crucified and risen Lord. The prayer life of the community, which flows from the Eucharist, includes the daily Office, periods of shared silent prayer, and an understanding of prayer as part of every aspect of our life – from our shared work, our times of silence and solitude, our studying, and time spent in rest and celebration.

Hospitality is an important part of our life at Tymawr, as a characteristic of Christ’s love on the cross. All of our services are open to the public and we are often joined by members of the neighbourhood, residential and day visitors, and visiting groups. We offer full-board, catered accommodation and a self-catering group guest house; we also organise occasional lectures and Quiet days for those who wish to find or develop the life of the spirit in their own circumstances. We also welcome women and men, married or single, to experience the life of prayer by living alongside the community of periods longer than the usual guest stay.

The Community has been based in the beautiful Wye Valley countryside for over a hundred years. Having originally come to seek solitude and self-sufficiency, our understanding of our charism has grown to include an understanding of hospitality which encompasses the whole of God’s creation. We manage our land as a wildlife site, maintain a large organic kitchen garden and orchards, and are in the process of converting our site to run entirely on renewable energy. Updates on the life and work of the community along with ways in which you can share our life or support us are regularly published on our website.