22nd May Today, it was a pleasure to welcome the Union of Monastic Superiors who are holding their annual meeting at Ampleforth Abbey this week. The group, comprising monks and nuns from 21 monasteries following the Rule of St Benedict in England, Scotland, Ireland and the United States, arrived just before 10 am. After a […]
19th May PENTECOST A glorious morning, as if creation truly were renewed; we pray it shall be. The first large poppy of the season burst into bloom in celebration, its full red against the green foliage with a hint of dew all pointers to the Holy Spirit. At Lauds Mother Abbess chose for her Scripture […]
On 11 March I travelled to Italy to join a group of 22 monks and nuns on the Benedictine Monastic Formators Program. We come from 5 continents: Africa, North and South America, Asia, Australia and Europe and form a diverse group. The principal aim of the program is to assist participants in their work of […]
Funeral of Dame Mary Benedicta Scott (21.02.1936-26.03.2024) Today, 25th April, Feast of St Mark, was the Requiem Mass and funeral of Dame Mary Benedicta Scott, former Conventual Prioress of St Mary’s Abbey, Oulton in Staffordshire. Founded in Ghent 400 years ago this year, the community merged with Stanbrook in 2019. Mother Benedicta died on 26th […]
House Chronicle 16-17 April 2024 16 April Abbess Gertrude’s body was received at 5.45pm on a sunny April evening. After the customary ritual we processed through the cloister, towards the church, singing psalms 120 and 121, ‘I lift up my eyes to the mountains’ and ‘I rejoiced when I heard them say, let us go […]