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JUNE 2000
June 28
Workmen began varnishing the exposed wood surfaces on the exterior of the Abbey Church.
June 23
Contractors have spent two days putting an attractive gravel
surface on the car park and the roadways around the abbey.
June 22
Abbot Geoffrey Scott blessed the new chapel at St Benedict's Senior School in our Parish of Alcester, Warwickshire.
June 19
A group from Bl Hugh Faringdon School, Reading, spent the first of five retreat days at Douai.
June 18
Abbot Geoffrey Scott presided at the annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of Evesham.
June 17-18
Brompton Oratory (London) RCIA group came for a short retreat at the conclusion of the final stage of their Journey to Christian Initiation in order to experience monastic life and lectio divina.
June 11 WHITSUNDAY
Our Mass today was highly festive: the Douai Singers, under the direction of Dr John Ronwtree sang Vidor's Mass for two organs and double choir, a most appropriate conclusion to Paschal Time.
June 10
About 150 people attended an organ recital in the Abbey Church given by Wayne Marshall to raise money for the Nick Danby Trust, which is a fund to provide for the training of talented organists. Many of them also took part in a champagne supper afterwards.
June 8
Fr Peter Bowe OSB departed for Rome to take part in the annual Monastic Interfaith Dialogue being held there and at Subiaco.
June 7
Fr Alexander Austin OSB went to become Priest-in-Charge of the parish of Pershore, Worcestershire, which we are taking charge of for the diocese of Birmingham. He had previously been assistant priest in the Woolhampton parish.
June 4
The Kennet Valley Deanery Mass for Healing was held in the Abbey Church. About two hundred people took part and celebrated the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. The are only two non-Benedictine priests working in the Deanery now. The music was led by the Deanery Choir dircted by Trefor Edwards, choir-master of our church in Pangbourne.
June 3-4
Newbury & District Radio Society are holding a meeting on our large field where they have erected several masts. Being a high point without any close high trees, it is a good place for radio reception.
June 1 Ascension Day
Fr Benedict Thompson OSB became assistant priest in the Woolhampton parish, with pastoral responsibility for the churches of St Mary, Woolhampton and St Oswald, Burghfield. He succeeds Fr Alexander Austin OSB who has held that position since September 1996.
MAY 2000
May 30
Fr Matthew returned from his stay in Battle Hospital, breathing better, but rather weak.
May 28
Hannah Richards, 17 year old award winner at Oundle International Summer School for Young Organists 1999, gave her first ever recital in the Abbey Church.
Her excellently performed programme was:
- Concerto in G BWV 592 - Johann Ernst transc. J.S.Bach
- Allegro moderato from Sonata no 1 in F min op 65 - Mendelssohn
- Adagio in E - Frank Bridge
- Mariales - Naji Hakim
- Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich BWV 605 - J.S.Bach
- Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottes-sohn BWV 601 - J.S. Bach
- Toccata in B minor - Gigout
- Adagio from Sonata no 1 in F minor op 65 - Mendelssohn
May 24
The latest issue of the Oblate Newsletter has been published.
May 23
Mr Terence Kimm arrived to begin a period of postulancy.
May 19 - 21
Twenty-two people took part in the fifth Spirituality in the Workplace Retreat directed by Fr Dermot Tredget OSB.
May 19
Fr Matthew Hulley OSB was taken to Battle Hospital in Reading because of breathing difficulties.
May 15 - 18
Fr Bernard Swinhoe OSB, Novice Master, attended the Benedictine Novice Masters' Meeting at Ampleforth Abbey, York.
May 9 -10
Fr Abbot delivered a paper at the Quatcentenary Celebration Conference held in Abergavenny, Wales, to commemorate 'That 'Mysterious Man' Augustine Baker OSB, 1575 - 1641.
May 8 - 11
The Bible Society held a training course for their leadership here.
May 6
The International Ecumenical Fellowship held a workshop here.
May 2
The clergy of Newbury Anglican Deanery held a Quiet Day here led by the Bishop of Reading.
May 1
Fr Abbot presided and preached at an outdoor Mass in the ruins of Mount Grace Priory, Yorkshire. It was the main celebration of a Benedictine Pilgrimage in honour of Our Lady.
APRIL 2000
Apr 27 - May 1
As part of the landscaping young trees have been planted to the north of the new car park, (left) and a new hawthorn hedge has also been planted there and along part of the road side.(right) 
Fourteen people attended a Lectio Divina Retreat led by Fr Gervase Holdaway OSB.
Apr 26 - 27
Abbot Geoffrey Scott and Fr Alban Hood OSB attended the 25th English Benedictine History Symposium held at Stanbrook Abbey.
Apr 22 Holy Saturday
More people came for the Easter Vigil than in previous years.
Apr 21 Good Friday
About 300 people attended the Service of Music & Reflections in the evening. The main piece was Stabat Mater by Antonio Caldara; also sung were two settings of Christus factus est by Anerio and Bruckner and two resposories by Victoria, Tradiderunt me and Ecce Quomodo Moritur
Apr 20 - 24
Twenty five people took part in the Easter Triduum Retreat. The numbers were reduced this year because the former school is no longer available for accommodation.
Apr 19
Douai Abbey Newsletter No 10 is now available 'on line'.
Apr 16 Palm Sunday
Despite having had snow on three occasions within the past ten days and heavy rain yesterday, the sun shone in the morning, enabling us to hold the Procession from the Parish Church to the Abbey Church as we entered into the celebration of the Great Week.
Apr 11 - 15
Thirteen ministry students from Campion House, Osterley, came for a retreat with three spiritual directors under the leadership of the Rector, Fr Antony Nye SJ.
Apr 9
The Douai Society took part in the Conventual Mass in the Abbey Church and in the afternoon held their AGM in the former school premises.
Apr 7 - 9
A retreat for Oblates took place at Douai. Fr Peter Bowe OSB gave a Christian Meditation weekend at The Grail Centre, Pinner, Middx, and Fr Nicholas Broadbridge OSB gave a retreat in Guernsey, CI.
Apr 4
The Portsmouth Diocesan Committee for Church Unity met here under the chairmanship of Fr Gervase Holdaway OSB.
Apr 1
This weekend we have two residential retreats, for a group who will be ordained deacons this spring and for Holy Rood Parish, Swindon, Prayer Group; also a Day of Recollection for Ministers if the Eucharist and Readers, and a study day for the Confirmation candidates from Fleet Parish.
Mar 30
Eleven men who will be ordained deacons during the coming months came for a retreat to be given by Fr Gervase Holdaway OSB. They will serve in the dioceses of East Anglia, Southwark, Arundal & Brighton and Portsmouth.
Mar 26
Fr Abbot presided and preached at Solemn Vespers in St Anne's Church, Caversham, as part of a Pilgrimage in honour of Our Lady of Caversham.
Mar 26
BBC Radio 4 included a feature about our Spirituality in the Workplace series of retreats in the Sunday programme. It included recorded interviews with some of the participants at the recent retreat.
Mar 25
The Arion Orchestra conducted by Brien Stait gave a concert in the Abbey Church. The programme included Elgar's Introduction & Allegro for strings, Weber's Clarinet Quintet arranged for string orchestra with Emma Johnson as soloist, and Dvorak's Seranade for Strings .
Mar 25
Fr Benedict Thompson OSB was ordained priest by Bishop Crispian Hollis in the Abbey Church. About 250 people were present. Parts of Mozart's Credo Mass were sung by the Douai Abbey Singers and Instrumentalists.
Mar 17 - 24
Fr Nicholas Broadbridge OSB gave a week's retreat to the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary at their convent in Blackheath, London.
Mar 23
Fr Gervase Holdaway OSB gave a Day of Recollection for the priests and deacons from Fareham Deanery, at Douai.
Mar 23
Fr Abbot attended the installation of the new Archbishop of Westminster, Corman Murphy-O'Connor.
Mar 17 - 19
Eighteen people attended a retreat led by Fr Dermot Tredget OSB Responsibility & Ethical Behaviour part of the Spirituality in the Workplace series.
Mar 12
Prior Dermot Tredget OSB gave a Day of Recollection for a group of Catenians at Cold Ash Centre.
Mar 11
'Magnificat' gave a concert of the Abbey Church celebrating 1000 years of liturgical music. The programme of a capella music ranged from plainchant to Britten and Warlock. The rarest piece was the Mass Inclite stirps Jesse by Philippe Rogier (c1561-1596).
Mar 10 - 13
Fr Nicholas Broadbridge OSB gave a Lent Retreat in the parish in Rotheram where Fr Antony Hayne is Parish Priest.
Mar 10 - 12
Br Benedict Thompson OSB gave a Lent Retreat as part of our Pastoral Programme.
Mar 10 - 11
Fr Gervase Holdaway OSB attended a meeting of the Diocesan Committee and Council for Christian Unity of which he is the chairman.
Mar 9
The Historic Churches Committee for the Southern Dioceses met here.
Mar 4
About 150 people attended a performance in the Abbey Church of Love's Journey, the story of the life of the 13th century Sufi poet, Jalaluddin Rumi. It was acted by Ashley Ramsden and Duncan Mackintosh, directed by Sue Best and produced and conceived by Muriel Maufroy. The musical accompaniment was played by Haroun Teboul and Osman Gallet on traditional instruments, ney, oud and tambur.
Mar 3
A group of priests from Portsmouth and Birmingham dioceses have been here for five days pre-Lent retreat led by Fr Terence FizPatrick OSB, Fr Louis O'Dwyer OSB and Fr Godric Timney OSB.
Feb 26
A new professional choir, Singscape, performed Rachmaninov's Vespers, two movements of The Seven Days of Passion by Grechaninov and the first British performance of Schnittke's Psalm of Repentance XII in the Abbey Church. This last work was a wordless chorus. In an attempt to create an appropriate atmosphere a large screen was hung from the vaulting behind the altar on to which were projected a series of ikons, and during the Psalm of Repentance a montage of moving water and wind images. The conductor was Sarah Tenant-Flowers who had previously visited Douai with the Reading Bach Choir.
Feb 26-27
A Cursillo group held a study weekend here using the Conference Centre and the Guesthouse.
Feb 19
A busy day: there was a 'Christian Meditation Workshop' led by Fr Peter Bowe OSB, a Saturday event of the Pastoral Programme: the Anglican Parish of Aldermaston held an Alpha Course Study Day here: eight people are taking part in a Silent Retreat this weekend, and four Colomban Missionary deacons came for a quiet day of prayer and meditation.
Feb 18
The latest edition of The Douai Oblate Newsletter has been published.
Feb 13
At Mass today the Douai Abbey Singers gave the first performance of Missa Ferialis composed by Merion Wynn Jones for Douai Abbey.
Feb 12
A group of twenty Readers from the parish of Romsey, Hants, came for a Retreat/Workshop for Ministers of the Word given by Fr Gervase Holdaway OSB.
In the evening a concert of the liturgical music from the Renaissance and Twentieth Century was given in the Abbey Church by Voci Cantanti Chamber Choir . The Renaissance pieces were two anonymous English settings for the Magnificat, one alternatim plainchant and organ, and the other alternatim plainchant and very elaborate polyphony, and three organ antiphons on Clarifica me Pater by Tallis. The twentieth century works were Let the People Praise Thee by William Mathias, the Mass in G minor by Vaughan Williams, Pean for organ by Kenneth Leighton, played by Robin Kimber, and Rejoice in the Lamb by Benjamin Britten.
Feb 5
Some twenty people attended a Healing Workshop given by Fr Nicholas Broadbridge OSB as part of the Pastoral Programme.
Feb 3
As one of the evening series of Pastoral Programme events Muriel Maufroy gave a talk entitled Tuning in - the Forgotten Art of Listening, about the Sufi tradition. It was illustrated with the reading of Sufi stories.
The new fence which the novices are constructing along the Beenham path.
Jan 30
Fr Nicholas Broadbridge OSB travelled to Milton Keynes to give a Day of Recollection for the Catenians. It was arranged by Tony Burton, a fomer pupil of Douai School.
Jan 29
The annual concert by the Berkshire Young Musicians Trust in the Abbey Church was given this year by musicians from both West Berkshire and Central Berkshire Music Centres. Douai Abbey is conveniently situated half way between these two centres in Newbury and Reading. The brass ensembles began with a Processional Fanfare by Elgar Howarth, and also performed a Toccata by Monteverdi and a Canzon by G Garieli. The strings performed Grieg's Holberg Suite and the Fastasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis by Vaughan Williams and the Girls Choirs sang 'A Ceremony of Carols' by Benjamin Britten as well as various shorter pieces. The sheer sound of over sixty strings playing in the Abbey Church was thrilling to hear. The standard achieved was perhaps even higher than previous years, and we are blessed to have so many fine young musicians (all under 18) in our neighbourhood.
Jan 23
The Confirmation group from St Edward's Parish, Windsor, came for a Retreat Day, which was led by Fr Gervase Holdaway OSB.
Jan 22
Fr Bernard Swinhoe OSB, Fr Nicholas Broadbridge OSB and Fr Oliver Holt OSB represented the community at a Mass in Portsmouth Cathedral for the Religious of the Diocese.
Jan 18
Mr Peter Hill who has been a postulant since September was received as a novice at a ceremony before Compline, and has been given the name, Br Simon.
Jan 8
Annual Families Day. Members of the community's families visited, for Mass at 12noon followed by festal lunch. About 50 visitors came.
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