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.
- 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 has given 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. In September 2006, a third monk, Fr Louis O'Dwyer, joined them.
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
