Le Projet Douai
Douai England ..... Douai France |
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On November 2, 2005 two monks, Fr Finbar Kealy & Fr Peter Bowe, seen on the right outside our former monastery, started a small urban monastery, the Maison St-Benoît, in Douai, 25 miles south of Lille.
In May 2008 Fr Finbar was called to become administrator of Quarr Abbey in the Isle of Wight and Br David Hayes from Quarr has replaced him in Douai.
- the parish priest & parishioners of Douai invited us to re-establish a monastery, 100 years after our expulsion in 1903.
- the archbishop of the local diocese of Cambrai gave his blessing
- the venture has the support of the mayor and townspeople.
On Sunday February 5, 2006 the monastery was officially opened by the Archbishop of Cambrai after a Mass in the collegiate church St-Pierre . Click to see photos and an account of the event.
The Maison St-Benoît is a house of prayer where all are welcome to share in the monastic Office,
- Morning Prayer at 07.30 (except Tuesdays)
- Evening Prayer at 17.45 (except Mondays & Tuesdays)
- Fridays - Midday Prayer is celebrated in the nearby collegiate church of St-Pierre, (seen on the left) in the Lady Chapel at 12.15.
The monks
- offer spiritual & theological reflection
- introduction to prayer & spiritual guidance
- help with youth & other chaplaincies as needed
- and provide a place of retreat & hospitality
In this way
- Douai Abbey’s own horizon has extended into mainland Europe, now so readily accessible
- a new form of urban monastic life is being explored
- a new pastoral outreach is being tried
- an old English Catholic and Benedictine connection has been restored
Our former chapel designed by Pugin The graves of monks who died in Douai
