Abbey News

09 Apr 2021

History and Community online with The Downside Review!

Our collaboration with the University of Bristol and the British Academy comes to fruition in The Downside Review … The result of many months work has come to fruition with the online publication of a special issue of The Downside Review reflecting the project History for the Community: Monk Historians and Communal Heritage funded by the British Academy […]

18 Mar 2021

WHAT ARE THE MONKS READING THIS LENT?

Throughout history monks have been associated with books and with reading. In the Rule St Benedict gives time every day for reading (lectio divina/spiritual reading) and for learning the Psalms better, and he places even more emphasis on this in Lent, when the monks are to take a book from the library and read it […]

16 Mar 2021

CONGRATULATIONS TO ABBOT NICHOLAS

When a Benedictine abbot is elected he assumes full authority and jurisdiction in his monastery from the moment when the Abbot President confirms him in office on behalf of the Holy See. The diocesan bishop is invited to give the Abbatial Blessing and to hand over the signs of his authority. This usually takes place […]

21 Jan 2021

DOM JOHN IS AN ACOLYTE

There are a number of stages to becoming a priest, some of which are better known than others. A man has to be accepted by a Bishop or religious order, and study the required philosophy and theology, but he also has to be instituted first as a lector and then as an acolyte. Last Friday […]