Chronicle of Douai Abbey January - June 2005

A recent view of the whole Douai campus; note the builders' huts at the bottom right, in preparation for building works which began in January.

Go to month:

The Diocese of Oxford Education Department held a seminar for school staff in the Conference Centre.

Fr Abbot, Fr Oliver and Fr Dermot attended the episcopal ordination of Peter Doyle, formerly parish priest of Winchester as bishop of Northampton.

Fr Alban attended the national monastic novice directors meeting at Mount St Bernard Abbey, Leicestershire.

Br Christopher led a Pastoral Programme Day of Recollection for Ministers of the Eucharist. The event had been fully booked by the East Berkshire Deanery.

Nine people attended a Pastoral Programme retreat To God through Music led by Fr Gervase.

At 4am Frs Abbot, Finbar, Terence, Oliver, Alexander and Br Hugh departed for Luton airport to fly to Rome for Fr Edmund's blessing as Abbot of the Abbey at St Pauls-outside-the Walls in Rome which is take place on St John's Eve.

Abbot Edmund in St Paul's basilica	Abbot Edmund with the Douai monks who travelled to Rome for the blessing, from the left Terence, Hugh, Finbar, Abbot Edmund, Alexander, Oliver and Abbot Geoffrey.

The Revd Dr Gayford gave a community talk on 'the disturbed human mind'.

Fr Abbot took the juniors who had been studying at Oxford and the novice master punting on the river in Oxford.

The Douai Society, the association of the alumni of the former Douai School, held its AGM in the Conference Centre today and had a luncheon with the community.

The English Baroque Choir gave a concert in the Abbey Church which included Leighton's Mass, Handel's The King shall rejoice, Parry's I was glad Dyson's Three songs of praise and two organ solos given by Robin Kimber, Alan Ridout's Three Dances and S.S. Wesley's Choral Song and Fugue.

Fr Nicholas is running a Pastoral Programme retreat this weekend: Healing Grief.

A garden seat has been donated to the Cottage Garden by the will of Lydia Cairns of Birtley, Co Durham, who with other ladies. including the abbot's mother, regularly spent a week in the cottage each summer. She requested that the seat have a plaque inscribed The Birtley Belles. This is the name by which the group of ladies was known.

Dr Ian Boxall gave a talk to the community on the Book of Revelation , the result of his study of the book while living on the Island of Patmos where St John wrote it. He is writing a commentory on the book for publication later in the year.

Finchapstead Anglican Parish are holding an Alpha group away day in the Conference Centre.

A Shintaido group are staying in the guesthouse and monastery and using the Park for their exercises.

Fr Edmund came from Rome to make a retreat prior to his blessing as abbot of St Pauls-without-the-walls.

Fr Benedict and Sr Elizabeth Rees gave a Pastoral Programme Individually Guided Retreat.

The Vasari Singers gave a concert in the Abbey Church of Howell's Requiem, Parry's Songs of Farewell and seven of the ten new anthems commissioned for the choir's 25th anniversary 2005.

Fr Augustine Stickland OSB celebrated the diamond jubilee of his ordination with Mass at noon, followed by a buffet luncheon for his family, friends, Douai School alumni, former parishioners and the community.

Fr Dermot gave papers at a conference on Organisational Spirituality held at the Friends Meeting House, Euston, London.

In prepartion for the monastery building works the old infirmary, TV room and tea and coffee room have been emptied ready for demolition.

Dr Nancy Reeves from Victoria, Canada, gave two workshops for the Pastoral Programme. Decision Making with God and Grief & Spiriuality - How God heals , both were well attended.

A group of French speaking children from Guadalupe came for English classes in the mornings whilst on a cultural tour in England.

Contractors moved on site today to set up protective fences for the monastery building works which should start shortly.

Frs Peter & Finbar have gone to Douai, France for a week to prepare for making the foundation in November. Peter will go to Toulouse to study the French language for two months.

A Univerity of Reading Dayschool was held in the Conference Centre arranged jointly with the Pastoral Programme entitled Saints in Art & Literature given by Dalila Castelijn and Myra Cottingham; 31 peole attended.

Fr Romuald Simpson celebrated the golden jubilee of his ordination to the presbyterate with Mass at noon followed by a buffet luncheon for members of his family, parishioners and friends with the community.

Fr Romuald giving the homily at the jubilee Mass.		Making a speech at the end of the luncheon.

A page has been set up advertising this year's Sing for the Homeless Concert.

The laburnum outside the old monastery infirmary is in bloom for the last time as it will be cut down when our building work starts.

At Mass today the Processional was Veni Creator plainsong alternatim verses by Henry Washington, the Mass setting was Plainsong Missa Lux et Origo alteratim David Bednall, the Offertory Confirma hoc, Deus by Byrd, the Communion Regina Caeli by Victoria and the Organ Voluntary Veni Creator by P Benoir OSB.

Fr Gervase attended the London Organ Day at The City of London School.

A Pastoral ProgrammePentecost retreat was given by Fr Nicholas.

A concert was given in the Abbey Church by The Sixteen, as part of the Newbury Festival and the Pilgrimage to the Cathedrals and Abbeys of England to celebrate the 5th centenary of the birth of Thomas Tallis and the centenary of the birth of Michael Tippett. The programme consisted of music by these two composers.

A new page has been set up about Project Douai We heard today that Pope Benedict XVI has confirmed the election of Fr Edmund as abbot of St Pauls-without-the-Walls Abbey in Rome.

The Reading & Silchester Methodist Circuit ministers came for a two day workshop in the Conference Centre.

The quadriennial visitation began today; the vistors are Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation Richard Yeo and Fr Bonaventure Knowles of Ampleforth.

Crowthorne, Sandhurst & Finchamptead Parish Pastoral Council held a Day of Recollection in the Conference Centre.

Finchampstead Parochial Parish Council held an 'away day' in the Conference Centre & Guesthouse.

Fr Oliver returned from an EBC Bursars' Meeting held in Washington and St Louis, USA.

Fr Finbar returned to the monastery from Ormskirk parish, and will stay until he goes to France.

Abbey Baptist Church, Reading, came for an 'away day' in the Conference Centre.

CHRONICLE - APRIL 2005 April 30

The Berkshire Youth Choir gave a recital of unaccompanied music in the Abbey Church, under their new conductor Peter Hunt. In 2000 they won the Sanisbury Choir of the Year competition, beating adult choirs, and their standard has, if anything, gone higher. It was a concert of excellent musicianship.

Fr Gervase led a Pastoral Programme Lectio Divina retreat.

Fr Dermot flew to Poland to lead a day conference on Spirituality in the Wokplace.

Fr Alban returned from a fortnight in Rome at St Pauls-without-the- Walls researching in various libraries, working on his doctoral thesis. His visit conincided with the Papal election and inauguration.

Fr Oliver led a Day of Recollection for the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Portmsouth group.

Boiler Room part of an organisation for prayer 24/7, based in Reading, held a day in the Conference Centre.

The Pastoral Programme sponsored an advanced Enneagram Workshop which was attended by 17 people.

Fr Dermot flew to Dundee, Scotland, to lead a Spirituality-in-the-Workplace workshop.

Fr Gervase attended a meeting of the steering group for the porposed Benedictine Oblates Handbook, at Ealing Abbey, London.

The tree in the monastery cemetary is in full bloom.

Fr Bernard and Fr Terence, along with Fr Brian of Glenstal attended a dinner at the Cricketers' Club in London, of former Douai pupils who were in the school prior to 1960.

After the election of Pope Benedict XVI both Fr Edmund and Fr Paul who are in Rome, were interviewed for the BBC1 6pm News Bulletin.

The Diocese of Portsmouth Spirituality Group met in the Conference Centre.

The Spirituality-in-the-Workplace Network met in the Conference Centre and Guesthouse.

Boehringer Ingelheim began a new series of seminars in the Conference Centre.

Thames Voyces, a choir from Bracknell, gave a concert in the Abbey Church consisting of Poulenc's Gloria, Bernstein's Chichester Psalms and Kodaly's Missa Brevis.

Fiveteen oblates took part in a weekend retreat.

The office of the Dead was sung today, the funeral day of Pope John Paul II

Fr Abbot presided at an evening Mass for Pope John Paul II

Fr Dermot gave two of the papers at the 11th National Conference of the Bloxham Project, held at Trinity College, Oxford.

Fr Peter flew to Rome, he will stay at St Pauls-outside-the-Walls Abbey, and his visit will coincide with the papal funeral.
Novice Theodore Fitzgerald left the community today.

Fr Benjamin left to become assistant priest in Ormskirk, Lancs, until September. He replaces Abbot Finbar Kealy who will be going to our foundation in Douai, France, when it opens in the autumn. Br Christopher will replace Fr Benjamin on the hospitality team.

CHRONICLE - MARCH 2005 March 30 - April 6

Fr Gervase went to Minster Abbey in Thanet, Kent, to give a retreat to their oblaates.

Prior Francis becomes Junior Master in succession to Fr Peter who will be going to foundation in France in the autumn.

At Mass today we had a new alternatim setting of Plainsong Mass I Lux et Origo written by David Bednall. The Douai Singers also sang Palestrina's Haec Dies and two choruses from Handel's Messiah, Since by man came death and Halleluia

A goodly number of people attended the Easter Vigil. This year we had a new set of Responsorial Psalms written by Martin Baker, Master of the Music at Westminster Cathedral.

At the Solemn Liturgy of the Passion the Reproaches were sung to settings by Victoria and Colin Hope. Victoria's O vos omnes and Ecce quomodo were also sung.
At the Service of Music and Reflections in the evening the order was

• Organ Prelude: Herzliebster Jesu - Oley
• Hymn: There in God's garden stands a tree
• Introduction and Prayer - Fr Abbot
• Reading: Isaiah 53:4-9
• The Lamb - John Tavener
• Eram quasi Agnus - Victoria
• Reflection - Fr Gervase
• Stabat Mater - Antonio Caldara
• Reflection - Br Christopher
• Ecce quomodo moritur - Victoria
• Jesus Christ the Apple Tree - Mawby
• Hymn: There in God's garden stands a tree
• Prayer & Blessing - Fr Abbot
• Organ postlude: Herzliebster Jesu - Bornefeld

The remainder of those coming on retreat for the Triduum arrived this afternoon; some had already come before Palm Sunday or earlier in the week. The retreat is being led by Fr Alban and one of our oblates, Tom Ryan.
The liturgy of the Triduum began with the Mass of the Last Supper at 8pm. The Douai Singers provided Fastenmesse by Bruckner, Ubi caritas by Durufle, Ave Verum by Flor Peeters and Pange lingua alternatim by Palestrina.

We had good weather for the Procession from the Parish Church to the Abbey Church at the start of our Holy Week celebration. The Douai Singers provided Pueri Hebraeorum by Victoria, Caligaverunt oculi mei, and Adoramus te, Christe by Lassus.

A group of students from Oscott College, Birmingham, came for a Day of Recollection in the monastery.

The parish of St Mary & St George, High Wycombe, held an 'away day' in the Conference Centre.
The Arion Orchestra conducted by Brien Stait gave their annual concert in the Abbey Chuech. The programme included oboe concertos by Vivaldi and Vaughan Williams with soloist Nicholas Daniel, Death and the Maiden by Schubert arrnaged for string orchestra by Mahler, Adagio and Fugue for string orchestra by Mozart, Rossini's first string sonata and The Last Sleep of the Virgin by Massenet.

A new page has been added showing work that is being done in Greyfields Wood.

Fr John has been making an extension to the vegetable garden.	A photo of the tree which has grown around a railing at the north end of the former vegetable garden.

The Oxford Diocese are having a training day for religion teachers in the Abbey Church Conference Room.

The community had a most informative talk from Jerome Bertram Cong. Orat.on Cassian.

Fr Dermot has flown to Rome to attend a conference on the document of the Second Vatican Council Gaudium et Spes.

Forty-three French pupils of a school at Versailles, who are staying with families in the neighbourhood are having English lessons in the Conference Centre.

Fr Boniface led a Day of Recollection for the Catholic Women's League at Dorridge Warks.

Fr Peter has accompanied the Abbot President to carry out a visitation of Worth Abbey.

Fr Dermot led a Day of Recollection for Eucharistic and other ministers from Alcester and Studley parishes at Alcester.

The prospective ordination candidates for the Diocese of Northampton were here for a Workshop in the Conference Centre with their vocations directors.
Fr Peter travelled to Douai, where we are to make a foundation in the autumn to preach at the Sunday Mass in the Collegiate Church of St Peter.

Fr Gervase attended the meeting of the Diocese of Portsmouth Church Unity Committee and the annual ecumenical forum at Park Place Conference Centre, Wickham, Hants.

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

The Choir of New College, Oxford, gave a concert in the Abbey Church under their director, Edward Higginbottom. Liturgical Music by composers as diverse as Grieg, Bruckner, Rachmaninov, Wesley, Gorecki and Tippett were interspersed with organ music by Hindemith, Mozart, Alain and Durufle. There was a large audience.

40 pupils of Year 4 of Farleigh House School came for a Day of Retreat in the Conference Centre. They attended Midday Prayer, and Fr Oliver led a sort service in the Parish Church, and told them about Douai and monastic life.

The Diocese of Portsmouth Executive committee for Church Unity met in the Conference Centre. Fr Gervase is the chairman.

The Riverside Vinyard Church from Reading alpha group came for a teaching day in the Conference Centre.

Fr Boniface gave a Day of Recollection to members of the parish of St Thomas of Canterbury, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton. Several of the sisters present had been teachers of Fr Paul, who, when a child, had lived in the parish.

Fr Oliver lead a Pastoral Programme retreat To God through Art.

Fr Bernard Swinhoe OSB became guestmaster today in succession to Fr Oliver Holt OSB who remains a member of the hospitality team. Fr Oliver became bursar in succession to Fr Peter Bowe OSB, who will become a member of the foundation we are making in Douai, France, in the autumn. Fr Peter went away for a week's private retreat at Minster Abbey in Kent.

CHRONICLE - FEBRUARY 2005

Fr Boniface attended part of the Soli House Retreat for Year 10 of St Benedict's High School, Alcester, Warwickshire.

Fr Boniface gave a half day of Recollection for the Catholic Women's League at Shipston, Warkwickshire. The event was organised by Jo Watkins, wife of former pupil of Douai School, Carl Watkins and mother of Paul, Dominic & James, also former pupils.

Thirty three people attended a Dayschool Plainchant, Dead or Alive given by Dr John Rowntree, our organist and director of the Douai Singers, organised jointly by the University of Reading and our Pastoral Programme.

The Ionian Singers gave a concert in the Abbey Church.

For the third year running a group of young business people from the parish of St Mary Moorfield in the City of London, have come for a retreat led by their parish priest, Fr Peter Newby, and Fr Dermot.

Fr Nicholas led a Healing Retreat for Chemin Neuf in Somerset.

Douai Magazine 167, 2004 and Douai Abbey Newsletter 22 have been published on line, paper copies will be available shortly.

Batboxes have been hung in a tree on the school building site.

Fr Peter is leading a Pastoral Programme Interfaith Workshop.

A group of 21 young people, members of Notre Dame de Vie Secular Institute have come for a weekend retreat led by Fr Alban.

The temporary buildings put up in 1947 for use as laboratories, and latterly used by the art department were demolished today.

The old workshop building was demolished today. It had been erected as a temporary building in the school quadrangle next to the parish church in 1916, intended to last until the end of the war (1918)! As is the wont often with temporary builings, it was a sturdy structure and survived in that position until the summer of 1960, when it was removed to a less intrusive place next to the then laboratories (later the art school) and close to the swimming pool, where it had a new lease of life.

At Mass today the Douai Singers sang Fastenmesse by Anton Bruckner, Ave Regina by Soriano and Sicit cervus by Palestrina.

Choros, conducted by Janet Lince gave a concert entitled 'Four Centuries of Lenten Choral Music' in the Abbey Church. The programme was: Hear my prayer Purcell, In ieiunuio et fletu Tallis, Vinea mea & Tenebrae factae sunt Poulenc, Warum ist das Licht gegeben Brahms, Jesus es a kufarok Kodaly, Crucifixus Lotti, Stabat Mater Palestrina, Domine exaudi Lassus, and Surely he died on Calvary arr Jennings. A good beginning for Lent.

The two houses St Gregory's & St Maw's have been demolished.
The road works progresses well.

The Pastoral Programme Lent Retreat was given by Fr Benedict.

To visit a model of the school development

The roadworks outside the main school building continues to schedule. Click for today's picture of the crane seen from the park.

Fr Nicholas led a Pastoral Programme workshop on Healing Families.

Fr Alban attended a meeting of the Ecclesiastical History Society at the University of Manchester.

The trees next to the school art rooms were cut down.

Fr Alexander celebrated the silver jubilee of his priestly ordination. He presided at the Blessing of Candles, Procession and Mass at 7.30pm, which was followed by a buffet. The Douai Singers sang part Byrd's Senex puerum, the Agnus Dei from the four part Mass and Mozart's Ave Verum. Plainchant Mass VIII was used for the Gloria and Sanctus in the alternatim setting by Bartolucci.

Fr Gervase represented the abbot at the golden jubilee of the parish church of St Saviour, Totland Bay, Isle of Wight. The church was built on land donated by Edmund Ward who was also a generous benfactor of this community in the latter part of the XIXth and early years of the XXth centuries.

January 31

The fence was erected today separting the former school site which is being developed from the monastery site.

Fr Gervase led a Pastoral Programme Day of Recollection for lay ministers.

Fr Oliver has gone to Holland to give a weekend retreat for the English speaking International Parish of the Hague, at the Cistercian monastery of Our Lady of Koenigshoven near Tilburg.

January 25

A large crane has been erected in the former school senior quad.

A new page has been set up to show the progress of the building works.

Bradfield College Choir gave an evening concert in the Abbey Church at the conclusion of a weekend choral workshop.

The Berkshire Young Musicians Trust Central Berkshire Music School gave a concert in the Abbey Church.

A week-end workshop in Neuro-Linguistic Programming took place in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre.

Fr Dermot is giving a workshop on Spirituality-in-the-Workplace at London Colney for ordinands of the Anglican dioceses of Oxford and St Albans.

The Spirituality-in-the-Workplace Network met in the Guesthouse and the Conference Centre.

This evening the completion of the sale of the lease of the school buildings to Bewley Homes took place at Bewley's offices in Baughurst, Hants, the picture below show, on the left, Abbot Geoffrey Scott and Fr Peter, the bursar checking the documents with the lawyers, and, on the right, the abbot and the managing director of Bewley, Colin Brooks, signing the documents.

Drainage pipes have been delivered and are stored outside the former laundry and lavatories.

Fi Nicholas led a Healing Workshop follow up session.

The Regional Leadership team of the Daughters of Mary & Joseph came for a weekend Consultancy facilitated by Fr Dermot.

Fr Dermot led a seminar on Spirituality-in-the-Workplace for students of the Oxford Theological Colleges, in the Conference Centre.

The Kingsley Centre held a study day in the Conference Centre.

Work has begun to make alterations to the road junction in front of the former school buildings. January 9

Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the end of the Christmas season.
At Mass the Douai Abbey Singers sang Missa O Magnum Mysterium by Victoria, and motets Tribus miraculis by Marenzio and O magnum mysterium by Victoria.
After Mass the community entertained the choir to drinks as a sign of our appreciation of their efforts to enhance our liturgical celebrations.

January 8

Br Christopher Greener made Solemn Profession today at Conventual Mass, with his family, friends and some of our oblates present.

Br Christopher signing the profession chart on the altar	Singing the Suscipe	Lying on the pall

Standing in the choir just before the blessing	With family and friends at a celebration afterwards.

January 7 - 8

The North Wilts Homeless Project are holding a meeting in the Conference Centre and Guesthouse.

January 7

Br Christopher returned from Rome during the night.

January 6 Feast of the Epiphany

The nuns from the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, East Hendred, came for Mass and lunch.

Some photos of the preparatory works in progress for the future building project.

The digger at work south of the main monastery block. The former school science block can be seen beyond the hedge.	The roadway cutting through the southern end of the monastery garden.	North of the monastery where a future car park will be.

January 3

Work resumed today preparing the roadway and storage area for builders' use when the monasatery building work commences. This work was begun by the late Fr Wilfrid and was interrupted when the housing plans were called in for review in May 2003.

January 1

Br Christopher flew to Rome today to make his pre-Solemn Profession retreat at at the Abbey of St Pauls without the Walls.

---

Go to Previous Months

Back to TOP

---

Registered Charity No.236962
revised 06/02/07 by GH

Webmaster, Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton, Reading, Berks. RG7 5TQ
e-mail: douaiweb@aol.com