29 Jun 2020

28th June this year marked 40 years since Dom James and Dom Alexander were ordained as priests by Bishop Mervyn Alexander, who was then Bishop of Clifton.

Dom James celebrated the Mass with the chalice given to him by his family. In his time as a priest he has worked in Downside School as teacher, house master and chaplain, as well as being bursar, novice master and (perhaps most visibly for those who attend Mass in the abbey church) master of ceremonies. Owing to the Covid-19 pandemic the celebration was more muted than would otherwise have been the case, since only the monastic community could attend the Mass (click here to hear the Mass), but as well as the liturgical celebration, during which Dom James was able to reflect on the feast and on his anniversary, we also had a community meal to celebrate. So we wish him the traditional greeting, AD MULTOS ANNOS!  

Find out more about life at Downside Abbey here.