Devotional

Episcopalians dedicated to the glory of God and the holy Incarnation of Christ, under the invocation of Our Lady, Help of Christians. Learn More...

A devotional society praying for the souls of the faithful departed and teaching the Catholic doctrine of the Communion of Saints.

More information about this society may be found here.

The Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament (CBS) was founded in 1862 as part of the Catholic Revival in the Church of England.  Its aim was, first and foremost, to be a confraternity (brotherhood) of men and women praying and working for a deeper devotion to Jesus Christ in the Eucharist and in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

Today, it is no longer confined to England alone but has spread throughout the Anglican Communion—particularly in Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and parts of Africa.  There is a separate, self-governing CBS in the USA.

Wherever possible, members of CBS meet together in local Wards for prayer, worship, and mutual support under the guidance of a priest as Ward Superior.  But you would be mistaken if you thought the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament only comes into its own on the Feast of Corpus Christi with festival services, processions and carpets of flowers.

We do all that.  But we are also active throughout the year: Masses are offered daily, Wards meet regularly, Holy Hours are prayed, and Benediction is celebrated in many of our churches.

Portions from the Introduction page of The Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament Web site

CBS at St. John's
At St. John’s, our chapter of the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament is closely involved in the preparations for our Corpus Christi Festival. In 2006, the celebration featured a choral and string setting of the Mass in G Majorby Franz Schubert. In 2007, we offered an unaccompanied choral setting of Missa O quam gloriosum est regnum by Tomás Luis da Vittoria.  In years since, a variety of additional Mass settings have been presented.

Every Thursday, the brief service of Benediction follows the Holy Communion (see the Parish Calendar for times).

During Lent, on Thursdays prior to the service of Holy Communion, the CBS sponsors a time of meditation before our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament—as He is sacramentally present on the Altar.