We learned that Fr Wilfrid Sollom OSB, the webmaster, who was on holiday, had been taken to hospital in Bangor, North Wales, with a heart problem. Please pray for him.
Fr Godric Timney OSB took up his appointment as Parish Priest of Ormskirk, Lancs, in succession to Fr Alban Hood OSB who has been appointed Novice Master. Fr Godric had been priest in charge of Wash Common parish, Berkshire, which is returning to diocesan care. Fr Alexander Austin OSB took up his appointment as Parish Priest of Studley, Warks, in succession to Fr Paul Gunter OSB who is to study Liturgy at Sant' Anselmo, Rome. Fr Alexander had been priest in charge of Pershore, Worcs, which has also being returned to disocesan care.
Fr Benjamin Standish departed on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostella by bicycle.
A group of Anglican priests, including one monk of Elmore Abbey, Fr Patrick Phelan OSB, who were the last year group to be trained at Chichester Theological College, have come for a re-union.
Pictures, left: Br Hugh signs his profession chart on the altar
centre: receiving the cowl
right: receiving the kiss of peace from Fr Abbot
April 4
The 2001 issue of The Douai Magazine has been published.
April 3 - 4
Fr Abbot with Brs Simon, Christopher, Hugh and Frs Richard and Alban attended the EBC History Symposium at Downside Abbey, Somerset.
April 1
All our Easter retreatants departed today.
CHRONICLE -
MARCH 2002
Mar 29 Good Friday
The church was full for the evening Good Friday service of Music and Reflections. This year the music was some of the Tenebrae Lamentations and Responsories by Jan Zelenka sung and palyed by the Douai Abbey Singers and Instrumentalists, directed by Dr John Rowntree. Reflections were given by Frs Gervase, Peter and Godric.
Mar 28 Maundy Thursday
The Triduum celebration began with the Mass of the Lord's Supper at 8pm. We have 26 people staying on retreat. The talks will be given by Fr Oliver Holt OSB on the Paschal Mystery in Painting and Poetry.
Mar 25
The community had a quiet day to begin Holy Week with time for personal prayer and reflection. Fr Abbot gave a conference in the evening.
Kim Jorgensen who has been living with us since last July began his postulancy today.
Mar 24 Palm Sunday
A cloudless sky was ideal for the Procession from the Parish Church of St Mary to the Abbey Church for the beginning of our Holy Week celebration.
Mar 23
Over thirty people from parishes in four dioceses attended a study on Priestless Parishes facilitated by Angela Wills, who is adviser for Collaborative Ministry in our diocese of Portsmouth. It was a valuable day which should produce future events.
Mar 18 - 22
Ten students from Campion House, Osterley came on retreat, led by Fr Tony Nye SJ and Sr Annie Bromham IBVM.
Mar 18
Fr Dermot led a workshop on Spirituality in the Workplace for Mars-Pedigree at Melton Mowbray, Leics.
Mar 16
The Arion Orchestra conducted by Brien Stait gave a concert to a full Abbey Church. The programme included Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis, Haydn Symphony no. 44 and Mozart's Exsultate jubilate sung by Isabell Bringmann.
Mar 15 - 17
Sixteen previous participants of Spirituality in the Workplace retreat/workshops attended a reunion led by Fr Philip Endean SJ.
Mar 15 - 16
Fr Gervase attended the diocesan church unity executive committee meeting and the annual church unity forum at Park Place, Wickham, Hants.
Mar 12
Ninty pupils form Year 9 of the Salesian College, Farnborough, spent a day of retreat here.
Mar 11
The planning committee for Challenge 2002, the diocesan gathering due to take place this summmer in Bournemouth, met in the Conference Centre. Fr Nicholas is a member of the committee.
Mar 11 - 13
A group of students from Oxford University Catholic Society came for three days retreat in the Cottage.
Mar 9
Reading University School of Continuing Education held a Saturday School in our Conference Centre Early Monasticism in England: its foundation, work and environment. There were thirty participants, as well as several of the community. Papers were given by Marvin Clarke on Lewes Priory and Barbara Harvey on Westminster Abbey. Both speakers were experts on their topics. In the afternoon Fr Abbot gave an overview of mediaeval monasticism and also gave an appreciation of the work done by the late William Pantin in this field.
Mar 7
The Historic Churhces Committee of the southern dioceses met in the Conference Centre.
Mar 3 The Berkshire Youth Choir gave a concert in the Abbey Church. They exceeded their usual high standard; they won the Choir of the Year award in 1999. They gave a demanding and varied programme, the highlight being Spem in alium numquam habui, the 40 part motet by Thomas Tallis.
Mar 1-3
Fr Gervase Holdaway OSB gave a Lectio Divina retreat at Marie Repatrice Retreat House, Wimbledon.
CHRONICLE -
FEBRUARY 2002
Feb 23 Maidenhead Alpha Group and Caversham Alpha Group held Holy Spirit Days here.
Feb 22 - 24
The Vasari Singers have been recording music by Dupre, Alain and Messiaen in the Abbey Church.
Feb 20 - 21
The Spirituality-in-the-Workplace Network held a meeting here.
Feb 20
Students of Bl Hugh Faringdon School came for the first of five retreat days at Douai duing the next fortnight.
Feb 18
The Society of Bookbinders held a meeting at Douai: the president is Dominic Riley, former pupil in our school.
Feb 16
Fr Dermot lectured on 'Spirituality in the Workplace' at The School of Business Studies, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.
Feb 15 - 17
Ten people attended a Lent Retreat led by Fr Gervase: part of our Pastoral Programme.
Feb 15
A lot of work has been done in the garden and grounds recently, under the direction of our gardener, Nick Nutley. Many of the plants from the former school grounds have been transferred to a new bed outside the Guest House and Conference Centre.
Some of the new planting outside the Conference Centre.
The apple trees in the orchard north of the church have been cut down as they were diseased, leaving only the two ancient Bramleys which always fruit abundantly. In the monastery garden there has been much clearing especially around the pond and the old pergola which had become overgrown has been removed.
Left. Working in the monastery garden, Novice Hugh Somerville Knapman speaks to former novice Petroc Kimm, with gardener, Nick Nutley, in the background.
A new fence has been erected so as to enclose the former school playing area known as the 'monastery pitches'. The intention is to create a wild flower meadow, which will not be cut for hay until the flowers have all seeded.
Right. The new hedge which has been planted on the former school playing field, known as the 'monastery pitches'. The hedge consists of hawthorn (quickthorn), blackthorn (sloe), hazel, field maple and hornbeam, planted irregularly so as to present a varigated tapestry of leaf and colour, and is protected by wire from rabbits and deer.
Feb 9
Canticum, a chamber choir conducted by Mark Forkgen, gave a performance of Rachmaninov's Liturgy of St John Chrysostom in the Abbey Church.
Fr Gervase led a Day of Recollection for 32 ministers of the eucharist, lectors and musicians from several parishes in the neighbourhood.
Feb 8-10
Prior Dermot Tredget led a retreat for the Black Country Industrial Mission.
Feb 4
Fr Edmund Power flew back to Sant' Anselmo, Rome, this morning.
Seven students for the Verona Fathers arrived for a week's retreat.
Feb 3
Fr Benjamin presided at Mass for the first time.
Feb 2
Ordination of Br Benjamin
At the Community Mass which was at 11am, Bishop Crispian Hollis ordained Br Benjamin Standish OSB to the priesthood. As it was Candlemas Day the Mass began with the lighting and blessing of candles followed by procession.
The deacons were oblate Ron O'Toole and oblate novice Peter Lattey. There were over two hundred people present, and all were entertained to lunch afterwards.
In the evening the young musicians from the Central and West Berkshire Music Schools gave their annual concert in the Abbey Church. This year an even higher standard was attained.
CHRONICLE -
JANUARY 2002
Jan 30
Fr Edmund Power OSB arrived from Rome where is Prior for a few days. He has come for the ordination of Br Benjamin on Saturday.
Jan 28-31
Abbot Thomas Frerking of St Louis Abbey is spending a few more days with us before returning to the USA.
Jan 22-23
At a routine visit the doctor discovered Fr James had a weak heart beat and sent him to Battle Hospital, Reading, to have a pace maker fitted.
Jan 20
Fr Gervase was invited to preach at the Sunday Eucharist in St Michael's Anglican Parish Church, Basingstoke, on the Sunday within the Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Abbot Mark Serna of Portsmouth Abbey, Rhode Island, and Abbot Aidan Shea of Washington Abbey DC came for lunch prior to travelling with Abbot Thomas of St Louis and our Abbot Geoffrey to the Abbots' meeting at Buckfast Abbey.
Jan 18-20
We were pleased to have Abbot Thomas Frerking of St Louis Abbey, Missouri, staying with us prior to travelling to a meeting of Abbots at Buckfast Abbey.
Jan 12
Feast of St Benet Biscop; the community welcomed members of their families to Mass at noon and lunch.
Thirteen confirmation candidates from St Joseph's Parish, Tilehurst, came for a study day.
Fr Oliver led an evening retreat for a group of Teams of Our Lady.
Jan 10
About thirty Anglican ordinands from Cuddesdon/Wycliffe College, Oxford, came for a study day directed by Fr Dermot.
Jan 9
The West Berkshire Planning Committee approved nem con our application for monastery building development.
Jan 9-11
Fr Gervase travelled to Cromer, Norfolk, to meet a group of people who have been meeting monthly to study Benedictine spirituality.
Jan 6
Feast of the Epiphany. At the Community Mass today the Douai Abbey Singers sang the Douai Missa Brevis by Roxanna Panufnik in full for the first time (parts of the Mass had been sung at the beginning of Advent). The Mass had been commissioned to celebrate the Millennium and was funded in part by Southern Arts and in part by members of the Douai Abbey Singers. The Mass, which is unaccompanied, is highly complex and is both beautiful and prayerful and will become part of the Douai Abbey Singers repertoire.
Jan 1
A silent Vigil was held in the Abbey Church to welcome the New Year.
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Registered Charity No.236962
revised 13/10/02 by GH
Webmaster, Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton,
Reading, Berks. RG7 5TQ
e-mail: douaiweb@aol.com
Two postulants, Kim Jorgenson and Terrence Kimm were clothed as novices (shown on the left asking to be accepted as novices at the beginning of the ceremony) by Fr Abbot assisted by Prior Aidan Bellenger of Downside at a chapter ceremony before Compline. They were given the names Br Patrick and Br Petroc. 
