Events at Douai Abbey
2002

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CHRONICLE - DECEMBER 2002

Dec 31

There was a large audience for the annual New Year's Eve afternoon concert in the Abbey Church, given for the third time by the Rodolfus Choir directed by Ralph Allwood. This choir is selected from present and past members of the Eton Choral Courses and consists of young singers, some of whom are still at school, others are choral scholars, who come together from all over the country to sing for a few intensive days during the holidays. They had just completed three days of recording. The programme consisted of motets by Mendelssohn, Bruckner, Wolf, Brahms, Rheinberger, Reger and Parry which will appear on their forth coming CD, plus motets by Tallis and some seasonal pieces.

Dec 29

Fr Abbot and five of the community visited the community at Elmore Abbey for Vespers and Supper. Elmore is our nearest monastic neighbour, about half an hour drive away.

Dec 25   Christmas Day

At the Day Mass the Douai Singers used the settings by D Bartolucci and R Quignard that had been used at the Night Mass. In addition to the usual carols, O Magnum Mysterium by Victoria was sung at communion.

Dec 24   Christmas Eve

Vigils and First Mass of Christmas was well attended as usual. This year the Gloria and Sanctus of Mass VIII were sung alternatim wuth the Douai Singers who used a setting by D Bartolucci, Director of Music in the Sistine Chapel. The Agnus Dei was a Christmas setting by R Quignard; also sung was O Magnum Mysterium by George Malcolm, Viderunt omnes by William Byrd and See Amid the Winter's Snow by Abbot Austin O'Neill of our community.

Dec 22   4th Sunday of Advent

The service of Music and Reflections for Advent took place this evening in the Abbey Church. The music sung was The Reflections were given by various monks, the Abbot introduced the service, read the Gospel and gave the Blessing, and the music was sung and played by the Douai Abbey Singers and Players directed by Dr John Rowntree. A large congregation attended.

Dec 20 - 22

Eight people took part in a pre-Christmas Retreat, organised by the Pastoral Programme.

Dec 19

Douai Abbey Newsletter no 16 was published today.

Dec 15

We had a Sunday afternoon concert in the Abbey Church given by the European Union Baroque Orchestra directed by Fabio Biondi. This orchestra is formed each year of the best Baroque musicians in Europe who are just beginning their professional careers. The ensemble playing was probably the finest we have heard in the Abbey Church. The programme consisted of music by Porta, Handel, Haydn, Vivaldo and Geminiani.

Dec 13 - 15

Twenty-four oblates came for a retreat.

Dec 12

Fr Abbot presided at Mass at St Gabriel's Convent, Cold Ash, to celebrate the beatification of Bl Mary of the Passion, founder of the Francisan Missionary of Mary. Fr Nicholas, County Vicar for Religious, Fr Bernard nd Fr Benjamin also attended.

Dec 11 - 18

Fr Prior flew to Glasgow to give the annual retreat the community at the Benedictine Monastery in Largs, Ayrshire, Scotland.

Dec 11

Elstree Preparatory School, our near neighbour on the hill, held their Carol Service in the Abbey Church.

Fr Dermot led a seminar for the Change Partnership on Spirituality in the Workplace

Dec 10

The Regimen of the English Benedictine Congregation met here today. The Regimen comprises the Abbot President and the Abbots of Douai, St Louis and Ampleforth.

Dec 9 & 10

St Gabriel's School, Newbury, held their two Carol Services in the Abbey Church.

Dec 9

Fr Dermot gave a Day of Recollection to RAF Anglican Chaplains.

Dec 6 - 8

Fourteen people attended a Spiritulity in the Workplace retreat/workshop, part of the Pastoral Programme.

Dec 5

Fr Abbot attended a Mass at Parbold, Lancs, to celebrate the bicentenary of the community of St Lawrence, now at Ampleforth, coming to England.

Fr Gervase travelled to Cromer, Norfolk, for a meeting of the Julian Chapter of our oblates.

Dec 1

First Sunday of Advent. The Douai Singers sang Missa Sancti Joseph by Flor Peeters, and two motets by Palestrina Alma Redmeptoris Mater and Cantite tuba at Mass.

CHRONICLE - NOVEMBER 2002

Nov 29 - Dec 1

The Pastoral Programme Advent Retreat given by Fr Gervase was well attended.

Nov 29

Fr Abbot attended a Mass at Parbold, Lancs., to commemorate the second cententary of Ampleforth's settlement in England.

Fr Gervase gave the Campion Day Lecture at Campion House College, Osterley, on lay ministry.

Nov 25

Fr Gervase gave a talk on Wisdom Literature at Alcester parish, the last of a series of talks on the Old Testament.

Nov 23

A concert in the Abbey Church this evening was given by a new Oxford Choir Gradualia. They were formed in 2001 to explore the less well-known vocal repertoire of the late 15th to early 16th centuries. The programme consisted of Salve Regina by William Cornysh, Missa Maria Magdalene by Alonso Lobo, Lamentationa a6, Domine quis Habitabit and Christe qui Lux es by Robert White, interspersed with organ pieces by William Byrd and Thomas Tallis. Those who came to hear this rarely performed music were well rewarded by the quality of singing from this new choir.

Nov 22 - 24

There were two Pastoral Programme events this weekend; a residential retreat led by Erica Turk and Fr Paul Marsden on Inner Healing and a Saturday school Christians Meeting Other Faiths led by Stephen Roberts, Anglican chaplain at Brunel University and Fr Peter Bowe OSB. Bother were well attended.

Nov 20

Solemnity of St Edmund, King and Martyr, our patronal festival. Several friends of the community came for Mass and lunch, including Abbot Christopher Jamison, newly elected abbot of Worth and the Master and several monk students from St Benet's Hall, Oxford. Yesterday three members of Elmore Abbey, Anglican Benedictines, were our guests for Pontifical first Vespers, supper and Compline.

Nov 16

Fr Nicholas held the first of a new series of Healing Workshops; twenty two people attended.

Nov 9 - 10

Fr Dermot led a Cursillo at Cold Ash Convent Retreat Centre.

Nov 9

Singscape gave a concert of Music for Remembrance in the Abbey Church to an audience of over 450. Included in the programme was the premiere of a new work by Cameron Sinclair entitled We are Stars. The composed introduced the work which was intended to illustrate the inter-connectedness of creation, beginning with an movement inspired by modern physics and ending with a setting of Psalm 150 in Hebrew. The choir used the space of the church to advantage, beginning with 'surround sound', being grouped around the nave aisles, and processsing to the altar in the course of the performance. Also included in the programme were Faure's Requiem and music by Douglas Guest, Frank Martin, Rchamaninov, Durufle, Macmillan, Ireland and Walton.

Nov 8 - 9

Fr Gervase went to our parish at Alcester to lead a Day of Recollection for Ministers of the Eucharist and of the Word.

Nov 7

The Historic Churches Committee for the southern dioceses met in the Conference Centre.

Nov 6

Pangbourne College Choir sang Evensong in the Abbey Church.

Nov 4

The faculty of Bl Hugh Fraingdon School came for a day of Retreat led by Fr Terry Burke, the chaplain of Reading University.

Nov 3

Douai Oblate Newsletter 17 now available.

Nov 1 - 3

Ten people attended a retreat Healing Grief given by Fr Nicholas

Nov 1

All Saints Day. At lunch we bade farewell to our cook and housekeeper, Jane Pearce who is returning to her native Scotland.

CHRONICLE - OCTOBER 2002

Oct 25 - 27

Perivale Anglican Parish held a weekend retreat in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre. Also six trainee deacons for the Liverpool Archdiocese came for their annual retreat in the monastery.

Oct 25 - 26

Fr Gervase Holdaway OSB attended the Diocesan Committee Meeting for Christian Unity of which he is chairman.

Oct 23

The Abbot and Prior both attended Vespers at Westminster Abbey as guests of the Ampleforth Community who were commemorating the 200th anniversary of their coming to England. Oct 22
Euphony Communications held an all-day meeting in the Conference Centre.

Oct 21

A meeting of the Hospitality and Outreach Advisory Board was held.

Fr Benjamin Standish OSB attended the dedication of the Faith Room at The Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Oct 19 - 23

Fr Alban attended the Novice Masters' Conference at Pribknash Abbey, Glos.

Oct 20

The Retreat Programme for 2003 is now available.

Oct 19 - 20

Fr Alban Hood OSB who has taken on responsibility as Vocations Director from Prior Dermot Tredget preached at the weekend Masses in our parish of Stratford-upon-Avon.

Oct 19

A large number attended a Day of Recollection for lay ministers.

Oct 18 - 20

Twelve people attended an Enneagram Workshop, part of the Pastoral Programme.

Oct 16

Bishop Remi De Roo, emeritus Bishop of Victoria, Canada, gave a lecture on the Vision of Vatican II as part of the Pastoral Programme. Bishop De Roo is one of few remaining bishops who were present at the Second Vatican Council.

Oct 14

Fr Gervase visited the parish of Alcester, Warks, where Fr Boniface Moran OSB is parish priest, to give a lecture on the Feasts of the Old Testament, as part of a series on Scripture being held in there.

Oct 12

A concert entitled An American Dream of a capella American religious choral music was given by Choros conducted by Janet Lince. Included in the programme were In the Beginning by Aaron Copland, The Peaceable Kingdon by Randall Thompson, Take him for cherishing by Herbert Howells, Lamentations by Juan Gutierres de Padilla and several Negro Spirituals.

Fr Gervase attended a symposium at Heythrop College, London, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, and in particular, the seminal role played by Bishop Christopher Butler OSB. Present at the Symposium which was opened by Cardinal Murphy O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, was Bishop Remi De Roo, bishop emeritus of Victoria, Canada, and Archbishop Hurley, archbishop emeritus of Durban, South Africa, the only two remaining English speaking Council Fathers.

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