Solemn Monastic Profession of Sr Thérèse Murphy
Feast of St Maximilian Kolbe, 14 August 2026
The abbey church was full for this joyful occasion as family, friends and oblates joined the monastic community to witness the solemn profession of vows of Sr Thérèse, the culmination of three years of focussed preparation since her triennial vows on 11 July 2023 and of many years of monastic formation before this. For once we did not need to pray for good weather but were grateful for a cooler day than of late, especially as the ceremony coincided with the midday sun.
Abbot Robert Igo of Ampleforth, recently elected Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation, was the principal celebrant and expressed his delight that a solemn profession should be almost his first official duty in that role. Concelebrating were Abbot Brendan Thomas of Belmont who preached the homily, Fr Brian Murphy (a relative of Sr Thérèse’s), Fr David Goodill OP and Canon Christopher Jackson, oblate of Stanbrook.
The heavenly guests, whose intercession was invoked in the Litany of the Saints sung by Dames Josephine and Andrea, included figures as ancient as Abraham and as modern as St Carlo Acutis, as well, of course, as St Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Sr Thérèse’s patron.
Sr Thérèse had chosen English chants and Latin VIII, Missa de Angelis,
for the ordinary of the Mass, all taken up with gusto by community and congregation alike.
Dame Petra Simpson proclaimed, with great sensitivity and clarity, the first reading, Isaiah 55: 1-11 with its key phrase ‘Come to the waters: hear, that your soul may live,’ resonant with both the waters of baptism and the Rule of St Benedict where the first word is ‘Listen!’
The Responsorial Psalm, drawn from Isaiah 12 and sung at the Easter Vigil, took up the baptismal theme, ‘With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.’
The second reading, St Paul’s great hymn to love from 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13, was beautifully proclaimed by Benjamin Murphy, brother of Sr Thérèse, while an old friend of hers, Fr David Goodill OP, proclaimed the Gospel (John 15:9-17) which describes the supreme love a person shows in giving up his life for his friends.
Abbot Brendan Thomas skilfully wove all these themes into a homily full of symbolism and practicality: the poetry and prose of monastic life, as he phrased it. He highlighted one of the most powerful moments in monastic profession: the singing by the newly professed of the Latin chant, taken from Psalm 118/119, v. 116, the Suscipe:
‘Receive me, (Suscipe me) Lord, according to your Word and I shall live. Do not let my hope in you be disappointed. Glory be to the Father…’
Sung three times by the newly-professed nun, and each time repeated by the community, ‘it is a prayer’, said Abbot Brendan, ‘of one who knows that she cannot sustain herself but entrusts herself entirely to God’, and the support of this monastic community.
A little later, as Sr Thérèse sang the Suscipe, one of those poetic moments of monastic life quietly erupted as a volley of swallows in shadow swooped across the northern wall of the abbey church, embodying the exuberant joy of this day.
The liturgy of Solemn Profession is visually very rich and dynamic, from the reading and showing to the assembly of the vow chart, designed and executed by the nun making profession, to the giving of the insignia of monastic consecration: the cowl (voluminous garment worn for prayer in church), the veil (sign of dedication to the service of Christ and his body, the Church), the ring (token of fidelity and seal of the Holy Spirit). As each of these was conferred on Dame Thérèse, she responded with a special chant, for one of which she had composed the melody herself. So, after receiving the cowl, she sang:
‘My only glory is in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world’ (cf. Gal 6:14).
This gives the context for the whole ceremony of profession which is embedded within the Eucharist, the celebration of Christ’s Paschal Mystery. For the Offertory procession with the gifts, the newly-professed was accompanied by a cousin, Emma Pryde, and Sr Elizabeth Vardon.
After the Solemn Blessing, Abbot Robert entrusted the now full member of the Stanbrook community to the Abbess.
Finally, during the singing of the Te Deum, in thanksgiving for the gift of the self-gift of the new, fully professed nun to God, the Church and this community, Mother Abbess led Dame Thérèse to her place in choir. However, she will not join in the singing until Sunday, spending the three days following the profession in silence with the Lord.
Clergy and community processed out to the singing of ‘Dear Lord and Father of Mankind’.
A most happy festive buffet lunch followed and continued well into the afternoon.
Deo gratias – thanks be to God!
Organ Music played before during and after the Profession by D. Mary Peter Smith:
Buxtehude Nun bitten wir den heilgen Geist
Benoit Vous que notre miroir est le Seigneur
Paumann Wach auf mein Hort, der Leucht dort her
Benoit Ubi caritas
Mawby O sacrum convivium
Camilleri Wine of Peace
Notes
The image with this post shows Dame Thérèse singing the Suscipe with arms outstretched in prayer.
In our tradition the term ‘Dame’ is used for a finally professed nun. We also use ‘Sister’.
Labels for the photos below in order of appearance:
Profession Wreath traditionally hung on the cell door of the newly-professed nun.
It remains in situ for three days and is changed part-way through that time. This one (part two) was confected by D. Marian.
Sr Thérèse prostrates during the singing of the Litany of the Saints.
Profession cake, creation of D, Josephine, bearing the single word: Suscipe.
Profession guests enjoying the buffet lunch in the monastic garth.
Guests in conversation over drinks in the Front Hall after the profession.
L.-R. D. Mary Stephen, Abbot Brendan Thomas, M. Abbess,
D. Benedict.
