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Douai Abbey
July - December 2003

 

An autumn view of the monastery field
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CHRONICLE - DECEMBER 2003

December 31

A few people came to celebrate the Vigil for New Year's Eve from 10pm till midnight. It was mainly in silence with a reading or a piece of recorded music every quarter of an hour.
About 230 people attended a New Years Eve concert at 4pm in the Abbey Church. It was given by the Oxford group Commotio and consisted of twentieth century religious music for the Christmas season.
December 25 Christmas Day
Crib The music at Mass included the Gloria from Victoria's Missa: O Magnum Mysterium and his motet O Magnum Mysterium The Sanctus was plainchant X alternatim by John Sanders and the Agnus Dei was by Quignard with acclamations from Schubert's German Mass.
December 24 Christmas Eve
About 400 people celebrated the Vigil and first Mass of Christmas with us. The motet at the preparation was Dies sanctificatur by Palestrina. The Et incarnatus est verse of the Credo was specially composed for tonight by John Sanders who sadly died yesterday. The Sanctus was plainchant VIII alternatim by Bartolucci and the Agnus Dei was by Quignard with acclamations from Schubert's German Mass.
December 23
A team of ladies has been decorating the Abbey Church with flowers, Fr Bernard and Fr John have begun erecting the crib, and Christmas trees from our plantation have been placed in the entrance hall, the monastic calefactory and the Abbey Church.
December 21
At Mass this morning we sang again the Missa Beata Maria Virgine by John Sanders. This is an alternatim setting composed for the Douai Abbey Singers, with polyphony alternating with Plainsong Mass X. The motet at the preparation of the gifts was Ave Maria by Villa-Lobos and at communion Of one that is so bright and fair was sung to a setting by Benjamin Britten.
December 19 - 21
Eleven people took part in a Pre-Christmas Retreat led by Fr Benjamin Standish OSB, part of our Pastoral Programme
December 18 Frost
As the last days of Advent come upon us we have had several nights of heavy frost. The picture on the right of the monastery garden and the one at the top of the page were taken this morning.
Douai Newsletter no 18, Winter 2003, was published today.
December 15
The annual Carols for Schools Service which our parish organises for the Primary Schools in our neighbourhood took place this afternoon. About 350 children from took part accompanied by teachers and some parents.
December 14 Gaudete Sunday
The annual Advent Service of Music & Reflections took place this evening at 8pm. The music was: The Douai Abbey Singers & Consort were directed by John Rowntree, and the Reflections were given by Sr Catherine of Stanbrook, Fr Gervase and Fr Bernard; Fr Abbot gave the welcome and introduction and the final blessing.
December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady
Fr Abbot pontificated at Mass and at Vespers. This was the first time for at least 50 years that there has been Pontifical Vespers on this feast.
The first of the season's schools carol services took place this afternoon in the Abbey Church, that of St Gabriel's Junior School, Newbury.
Fr Dermot Tredget OSB travelled to Alnmouth, Northumberland, to give a retreat to the RAF chaplains, on the base there.
December 6
Fr Peter led a Christian Meditation Workshop, part of the Pastoral Programme. Twenty three people took part.
Basingstoke Choral Society and New London Sinfonia Orchestra gave a concert in the Abbey Church, consisting of Bach's Christmas Oratorio parts 4 & 5, and Vivaldi's Gloria. Lara Taylor was the distinguised soloist in an Oboe Concerto by Alessandro Marcello.
December 5 - 7
The second in this year's series of Pastoral Programme Spirituality in the Workplace workshops was held.
December 2 - 3
The funeral was held in the Abbey Church of Will and Julia Pemberton, Parishioners of Wash Common, Newbury, who were murdered a fortnight ago. The church at Wash Common was too small for the huge crowd of about 700. Will Pemberton had been a pupil in Douai School.
December 1 - 4
Fr Abbot went to assist at the visitation at Ealing Abbey.
December 1
Fr Boniface Moran OSB flew to Aberdeen for the Ordination of his cousin as Bishop of Aberdeen.
The EBC Regimen met in the Conference Centre.
The Waverley Group held a meeting in the Conference Centre.

CHRONICLE - NOVEMBER 2003

November 30

First Sunday of Advent. The music at Mass included a new Mass written for Douai by John Sanders. It is an alternatim Mass, plainchant Mass X for congregation alternating with polyphonic sections. Also sung were Alma Redemptoris Mater & Canite Tuba by Palestrina.
November 29
A Pastoral Programme Day of Recollection was held in the Conference Centre led by Fr Gervase.
November 28 - 30
Ten people attended a Pastoral Programme Advent Retreat led by Fr Alban
November 21 - 23
Thirteen people took part in follow-up workshop to the Pastoral Programme Spirituality in the Workplace series
November 20
Invest Our patronal festival of St Edmund. There were many guests for Mass and lunch including M. & Mme Corteel and M. & Mme Durr from Douai, France. At Mass Madame Corteel was invested as a consoror in recognition of her services to the community as founder of the William Allen Association in Douai to research and preserve the history of the English establishment there, and for the organisation of our recent visit to Douai. A picture of the actual investiture is shown on the right.
November 18
About 30 sixth form students from Salesian College, Farnborough, Hants, came for a Day of Reflection in the Conference Centre.
November 15
500 singers and 300 audience took part in the bi-annual Sing for the Homeless Concert to raise money for the Cardinal Hume Centre Trust. Unfortunately Sir David Willcocks who was to conduct was taken ill during the rehearsal so Dr John Rowntree took over and continued the rehearsal and conducted the performance which consisted in Faure's Requiem and Bach's Magnificat.
November 14 - 16
The Pastoral Programme held a Eucharist Retreat led by Fr Gervase.
November 13
Novice Patrick Jorgensøn left today to return to his native Norway.
The Historic Churches Committee for the southern dioceses met in the Conference Centre.
November 9
Maidenhead alpha group came for a study day directed by Fr Nicholas in the Conference Centre.
November 8
Singscape directed by Sarah Tenant-Flowers gave a concert in the Abbey Church which included the world premier of Cameron Sinclair's Lux Vivens, Cherubic Hymn no 2 by Yuri Sakhnovsky, Of Thy Mystical Supper by Alexander Grechaninov, Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Part, I am the Light of the World by Antony Pitts, Alleluia by Cameron Sinclair, Requiem by Durufle and O Gladsome Light by Rachmaninov.
November 2
Feast of All Saints (transferred). The music at Mass was Missa and Motet 'O quam gloriosum' by Victoria and Beati quorum via by Stanford.
November 1
A Pastoral Programme workshop Christians meeting Shia Islam was held in the Conference Centre led by Abbas Jaffer and Fr Peter Bowe OSB.

CHRONICLE - OCTOBER 2003

October 31

A Pastoral Programme retreat Healing Grief opened this evening led by Fr Nicholas Broadbridge OSB
October 29
The choir of Clare College, Cambridge, sang Choral Evensong in the Abbey Church at 4pm for the weekly broadcast on BBC 3.
The Introit was Laudate Dominum by Christopher Brown
The Canticles were to settings by Sir David Willcocks
The Anthem was Thou has made me, words by John Donne, setting by Lennox Berkeley
The organ voluntary was Acclamations (Suite Medieval) by Jean Langlais.
Br Hugh & Fr Romuald read the lessons, Fr Oliver read the prayers of intercession and gave the blessing with the Dean of Clare College Roger Greeves who presided. The Director of Music was Timothy Brown and the organ scholars were Nicholas Collon and James McVinney.

Douai Oblate Newsletter no 20 is now available.

October 27 - 31
Eleven people are taking part in an individually directed retreat, part of the Pastoral Programme.
October 26
A large tapestry was unveiled in the monastery reception area. It was commissioned by Oliver Gebhardt and made by Susanna Beer in memory of her mother, Elizabeth Carson who died in 1992 aged 100. The artist wrote "I have called the piece 'Connections' since it is informed and inspired by the many interwoven threads of love and succour formed by Elizabeth, and especially her spiritual connections to Douai and Stanbrook Abbeys and her enduring friendship with Fr Peter".
October 25
A Reading University Dayschool was held in the Conference Centre in conjunction with the Douai Abbey Pastoral Programme. The subject was Real and Fictional Abbeys. Fr Oliver Holt OSB gave an illustrated lecture about the various buildings our community has occupied in Paris. Douai and Woolhampton, and Stuart Abbott lectured on the Dom Bellot OSB and Quarr Abbey. The afternoon sessions dealt with abbeys in literature and painting, Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey and Wordsworth's Lines written a few miles above Tintern Abbey. The school ended with a consideration of William Beckford's Fonthill Abbey.

In the evening the Philharmonia Orchestra gave a concert as part of the centenary celebrations, which included Haydn's Cello Concerto no 1, Bach's Double Violin Concerto, Mozart's Symphony no 40, Delius's On Hearing the first cuckoo in Spring and Summer Night on a River. The concert ended with Arvo Part's In Memoriam Benjamin Britten.

October 23
A memorial concert for Denis de Souza, Charles Cuddon, Anthony Milner and Paul Reade, former pupils of Douai School, was held in the Abbey Church, given by The Joyful Company of Singers conducted by Peter Broadbent and Chaconne Brass directed by Mark Kesel, former trumpet teacher at Douai School. The programme included The Ballad of Judas Iscariot composed by Paul Reade, The Harrowing of Hell by Anthony Milner to words by Charlie Cuddon, and the first performance of Missa Douensis by Chris de Souza, written in memory of his father and Paul Reade.
October 21 - 23
Ten oblates attended a midweek retreat. Two oblate novices, Ali Wrigley and Paul Hirons, made oblation after Compline on Wednesday.
October 18
At Conventual Mass, which was at noon, Br Petroc Kimm OSB made first profession of vows for three years.

Fifteen people attended a Pastoral Programme Healing Workshop led by Fr Nicholas.

October 17 - 19
A new series of Pastoral Programme Spirituality in the Workplace retreat/workshops took place this weekend led by Fr Dermot.
October 17 - 18
Fr Gervase chaired the Diocesan Committee for Christian Unity at Park Place, Conference Centre, Wickham, Hants.
October 15
Bishop Remi De Roo, bishop emeritus of Victoria, Canada, and a council father at Vatican II, visited us again to lead a clergy formation day for priests and deacons of our diocese of Portsmouth entitled Future shape of the Church and ordained ministry in the light of the Council and the present context. Over forty attended.
In the evening he gave a talk Where is the Kingdom of God? as part of the Pastoral Programme series.
October 11
A group from the parish of St James the Less, Pangbourne, came for a quiet day.

A concert of twentieth century English Choral Music given in the Abbey Church by the Cecilia Consort included two works by Britten, Canticle II op 51, Abraham and Issac and Wedding Anthem op 46 and pieces by Howells, Leighton and Chilcott.

October 10 - 12
Twenty-four people attended a Pastoral Programme Enneagram retreat, led by Karen Webb.
October 10
Thirty pupils from Ranelagh School, Bracknell, came for a Quiet Day led by three of their staff.
October 9
Twelve people attended a day retreat entitled 'Have you got time?' organised by the Kingsway Church, Slough, Berks.
October 5 - 11
Fr Nicholas gave a retreat for the Benedictine sisters of Our Lady of Grace and Compassion at Heathfield, Sussex.
October 5 - 9
Fr Peter attended the Religious Bursars' Conference at Hoddesdon, Herts.
October 3 - 6
As part of the celebratrions of our Centenary-in-Woolhampton year, Fr Abbot, Fr Oliver, Fr Godric, Fr Alban, Fr Alexander, Br Christopher, Br Hugh and Fr Gervase went on a pilgrimage to Douai, France, guests of the Mayor and the William Allen Association. Several members of the Douai Society and their wives accompanied them.
October 1 - 2
The Spirituality-in-the-Workplace Network held a conference in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre.

CHRONICLE - SEPTEMBER 2003

September 29

We celebrated the golden jubilee of profession of Fr Bernard Swinhoe OSB and Fr Timothy Kelly OSB. Fr Bernard is the subprior and Fr Timothy is parish priest of Kemerton in Gloucestershire.

Two postulants arrived, George Fitzgerald and Barnaby Hughes.

September 27
Monteverdi's Vespers were sung at a concert given by Chorus with Charivari Agreable Simfonie, the period instrument orchestra of Oxford, in the Abbey Church this evening. The concert was performed in a quasi-liturgical manner using the antiphons from the common office of the Blessed Virgin before the psalms and Magnificat and using the sacri consenti as substitute antiphons after the psalms. The music sounded particularly appropriate in the Abbey Church, particularly as the choir used the whole of the space, placing the echo tenor and instruments at the far east end, and for the Ave Maris Stella with its different voice arrangements for each verse placing the singers around the perimenter of the nave.
September 25 - 26
The Waverley Group held a two day training session in the Conference Centre.
September 23
Fr Abbot with Bishop Declan Lang of Clifton blessed an extension to the Primary School of St Gregory's Parish, Cheltenham, Glos., formerly served by us.
September 20
Fr Oliver Holt OSB gave a Day of Recollection for Maidenhead and Twyford parishes in the Conference Centre.

A Supervision Workshop for Counsellors and Psychotherapists was also held in the Conference Centre.

September 17 - 23
Two Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict from Australia, Sr Patricia Hickey sgs and Sr Felicity Hardy sgs who were on a Sabbatical course in Rome came to visit for a few days.
September 17
Fr Peter Bowe OSB, British secretary for DIM, left for a three day meeting of Monastic Interfaith Dialogue in Assisi, Italy.
September 14
Br Christopher Greener OSB left early this morning to begin a Moral Theology course at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. He will be living at Abdij Keizersberg, thus reviving a custom of our monks studying at Louvain. He was driven by Fr John Bolton OSB.
September 13
A Pastoral Programme held a Workshop Healing Families led by Fr Nicholas Broadbridge OSB in the Conference Centre.
September 12
The Anglican Diocese of Oxford Schools Committee held a study day in the Conference Centre.

Fr Godric Timney OSB has been elected chairman of the National Council of Priests.

September 11
Slough Voluteer Bureau held a study day in the Conference Centre.
September 8
The Waverley Group held a quiet day in the Conference Centre.
September 6
A concert of songs from The Symphony of the Harmony of Celestal Revelations by Hildegarde of Bingen was given by Sinfonye directed by Stevie Wishart, in the Abbey Church. The songs were interspersed with readings from the writings of Hildegarde read by Fr Oliver.
September 5
The retreat ended this morning.
New appointments. Fr Francis Hughes OSB, formerly parish priest of Scarisbrick, Lancs. becomes prior in succession to Fr Dermot Tredget OSB. Fr Bernard Swinhoe OSB becomes subprior in succession to Fr Terence Fitzpatrick OSB. Fr Louis O'Dwyer OSB goes to become parish priest of Scarisbrick. Fr Dermot becomes infirmarian in succession to Fr Louis. Fr Benedict Thompson OSB becomes sacristan in succession to Fr Dermot, and takes charge of the Theale area of the Woolhampton parish. Fr Terence becomes Clerk of Works, a post held by Fr Wilfrid until his recent death.
September 1
The three nuns of Stanbrook Abbey who are presently residing in the Presbytery at East Hendred are joining us for the retreat conferences and conventual Mass this week.

CHRONICLE - AUGUST 2003

August 31

The community retreat began this evening directed by Fr Nicholas King SJ.
August 28
The ashes of Antony Milner, former pupil of Douai School and composer were buried in St Mary's churchyard.
August 28 - 31
Fr Abbot flew to Lambspring, Germany, for the celebration of the bi-centenary of the suppression of the English Benedictine monastery there.
August 18 - 24
Fr Nicholas Broadbridge OSB flew to Lyon, France, to give the retreat at the International Gathering of the Chemin Neuf community at the Abbaye d'Hautecombe in Savoy, a former Benedictine monastery whose community is now at Ganagobie.
August 14
Fr Abbot flew to Washington, DC, to give the annual retreat at St Anselm's Abbey there.
August 8
This afternoon about 170 people came for the Mass of Christian Burial for Fr Wilfrid. He was afterwards buried in the monastery cemetary, while the bell tolled. It was through Fr Wilfrid's efforts that the bell was recently installed in the north tower of the abbey church. Fr Abbot preached the panegyric.
August 7
Douai Newsletter no 17, Summer 2003, was published today.
August 4
Fr Gervase and Br Petroc represented the community at the final profession of five sisters of the Benedictine Congregation of Grace and Compassion at Bognor Regis, Sussex. The five sisters had spent a week at Douai a month ago as part of their preparation for profession.
Wilfird August 1
Fr Wilfrid Sollom OSB died in the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading, at a quarter after midnight. He never regained consciousness after a heart attack yesterday afternoon.

 

CHRONICLE - JULY 2003

July 31

Fr Wilfrid Sollom OSB, our webmaster, had a massive heart attack in his workshop during the afternoon. He was taken by air ambulance to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. The prognosis is not good.
July 29 - Aug 3
The Pentabus Theatre Company are staying in the guest house whilst giving performances in the neighbourhood.
July 25 - 27
The Pastoral Programme hosted a Transitions retreat led by Bernard Kilroy.
July 20 - 26
Ten members of the Sons of Divine Providence came for a retreat led by Fr Oliver and Fr Paul.
July 19
A Day of Recollection, organised by the Pastoral Programme was led by Br Simon Hill OSB.
July 14 - 18
The Diocese of Northampton is holding its Vocations Week here in the Conference Centre and monastery led by Bishop Kevin McDonald.
July 14 - 16
Les Folie Francoises are recording the music performed at Sunday's concert in the Abbey Church on a CD for release next year. They are staying in the guesthouse.
July 13
At Conventual Mass today the music included Messe op 36 by Widor, Oculi omnium by Byrd, and Ave Verum by Mawby. The organ volutary was Final - Symphonie VI by Widor. The Douai Singers were directed by Dr John Rowntree and the organist was Terry Duffy.

In the evening the second concert of the summer baroque series was given by Les Folies francoises and Ryland Angel counter-tenor. It included motets and instrumental music by Scarlatti, Corelli, Bassani and Stradella.

July 11 - 13
The Thames Valley Progressive Jewish Community held their biannual retreat here in the Guesthouse, Cottage and Conference Centre, for the third time.
July 11 Feast of St Benedict, Patron of Europe
At the Conventual Mass Fr Abbot enrolled Professor Mayr-Harting, Regius Professor of History in the University of Oxford and Canon of Christchurch, former pupil of Douai School, as a confrater.

Leavers from all the Catholic Primary Schools who will be moving to Bl Hugh Faringdon School in the autumn held a Mass in the Abbey Church, at which Fr Tony Jones, parish priest of St Anne's Caversham and one of the school chaplains presided.

July 10
Fr Dermot flew to Dresden, Germany, where he is to give a lecture to the leaders of BMW, motor car maufacturers, on Spirituality in the Workplace.
July 8
300 leavers from primary schools in the Thatcham area spent the day here. They were greeted by a steel band. There were activities and a picnic on the lawn, games in the meadow and, in the afternoon, a service in the abbey church. The day was organised by Thatcham Baptist Church.
July 5 - 9
Fr Peter attended a Conference in two parts, one at Heythrop College, University of London, and the other at Ampleforth Abbey, Yorkshire, entitled A Catholic - Shia Engagement: sharing spiritual and theological resources in the face of contemporary challenges. Participants came from academic and monastic establishments on the Catholic side and on the Muslim side from academic institutions such as Qom, Iran (the centre of Shia theology), and from Islamic institutions in Britain.
July 4 - 6
An Oblates retreat was held in the Conference Centre.
July 4
Elstree School, our near neighbour, held their end of term Leavers Service in the Abbey Church.
June 30 - July 4
Six sisters of the Benedictine Congregation of Our Lady of Grace and Compassion are here for part of their preparation for profession.

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Registered Charity No.236962
revised 01/01/04 by GH
Gervase Holdaway OSB, Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton, Reading, Berks. RG7 5TQ
e-mail: douaiabby@aol.com