Recent Events at Douai Abbey

The bust of St Joan of Arc, donated for our foundation in France.

Go to month (2005):

The usual silent vigil from 10pm till Midnight took place in the Abbey Church.
In the afternoon some 250 people attended a concert of contemporary Christmas music given by Commotio.

At Mass the Gloria from Victoria's Missa O Magnum Mysterium and the motet O Magnum Mysterium were sung, the Sanctus was from Missa X alternatim and the Agnus Dei by Quignard; also the Lennox Berkey's setting of I sing of a maiden was sung.

Nearly 500 people took part in the Christmas Vigil and Mass. Psalms 2, 84 & 96 were alternatim by the congregation and choir. The Mass setting was John Sanders alternatim setting of Plainchant Mass X. The communion motet was O Magnum Mysterium by Victoria. Carols sung were Abbot O'Neil's setting of See amid the winter's snow and Malcolm Archer's Love came down at Christmas during the preparation of the gifts, and Silent Night, I saw a maiden sitting and sing & Ding dong merrily on high during communion.

At Mass today the music was Missa Sancti Josephi by Flor Peeters, There is no rose of such virtue by Joubert and Rorate caeli by Palestrina.

The annual service of Music and Reflection for Advent was held in the evening. The Order of Service was:

Organ Prelude   Rorate caeli   Demessieux
Introit   Rorate Caeli   Bruckner
Processional   O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Introduction by Fr Abbot
  O radix Jesse   van Nuffel
Collect
Ave Maris Stella   Grieg
Reflection I   Fr Boniface
Ave Maria   Wilson
Reflection II   Fr John
Ne timeas Maria   Victoria
Reflection III   Fr Romuald
Hymn   Conditor Alme Siderum   Plainchant alternatim Washington
Gospel Luke 1:26-46
Magnificat (Collegium Regale)   Howells
Collect
Nunc Dimittis (Collegium Regale)   Howells
Blessing
O come, O Come, Emmanuel   Dombrowski
Postlude   Esurientes implevit bonis (Magnificat)   Dupre

Fr Abbot led a Pre-Christmas Retreat, part of the Pastoral Programme.

Elstree School, our neighbour, held their Carol Service in the Abbey Church this afternoon.

The annual Carols for Schools organised by our parish of St Mary, Woolhampton was held in the Abbey Church this afternoon. All the primary schools in our neigbourhood are invited to send pupils; the following schools took part: Aldermaston CE Primary School, Basildon Primary School, Beenham Primary School, Brimpton CE School, Brookfields School, Bucklebury CE Primary School, Downsway Primary School, Englefield CE Primary School, Greenham Court Primary School, Hampstead Norreys CE Primary School, Hermitage Primary School, St Finian's RC Primary School, St Mary's Junior School, Sulhampstead & Ufton CE Primary School, The Elvian School, Theale CE Primary School, Woolhampton CE Primary School.

Now available on line Douai Abbey Newsletter 24; printed edition available shortly.

Fr Nicholas directed a Pastoral Programme Healing Workshop in the Conference Centre.

A group of young Quakers held a Conference in the Guest House.

The clergy of the Reading Anglican Deanery came for a Day of Retreat in the Conference Centre.

The programme for the Advent Service is published.

Fr Abbot announced that Br Christopher has been appointed Guest Master in succession to Fr Bernard to take effect in January.

Another even colder night brought even heavier frost.

The cobwebs on the cemetary cross covered with frost.	The young hedge on the edge of the meadow.	Detail of the fence protecting the young hedge.

November 19

The fifth 'Sing for the Homeless' concert took place this evening in the Abbey Church, in aid of the 'Cardinal Hume Centre Trust'. The programme consisted of Haydn's Nelson Mass and Handel's Ode on St Cecilia's Day, conducted by Christopher Robinson. There were about 300 singers and 200 audience, the sum raised was £6,300.

A series of very cold clear nights have brought heavy frosts.

Fr Dermot facilitated a workshop focused on 'Finding personal wholeness in the Changing World of Work' for the St Paul's Institute at St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London.

Fr Nicholas ran a Healing Workshop; part of the Pastoral Programme .
A small group of ladies who had been confirmed earlier this year in the parish of All Saints, Ascot, came for a Quiet Day.
Our parish attached to the monastery has a new website.

Fr Abbot gave an illustrated lecture on 'The Gunpowder Plot', part of the Pastoral Programme. About twenty people attended.

Thirty-two people attended a Pastoral Programme Day of Recollection for Ministers of the Eucharist and of the Word led by Frs Francis and John.

Fr Dermot is leading a Cursillo at Cold Ash Centre.

Fr Dermot spoke on the relavance ofBenedictine Spirituality to new forms of community at a conference entitled 'Building bridges of Hope' organised by Churches Together in Britain & Ireland at Hoddesdon, Herts.

Frs Finbar & Peter departed for France at 5am, driven by Fr John in a hired van.

After Mass the community made its way to the graveyard where Fr Abbot blessed the graves and we prayed for the dead.

After breakfast we vacated the refectory which we had used since 1944. All the furniture and the kitchen equipment was moved to the temporary facility north of the abbey church, known as the folly, pictured on the right. Lunch was taken informally in the Conference Centre.

After lunch at which Mrs Sally O'Brien, seen left with Fr Abbot, was the guest of honour, a small presentation was made to her, to mark her retirement from vestment making and repairing, which she had done faithfully for seventeen years.

As this was the last lunch in the refectory, photos were taken of the community and the kitchen staff.

Back row Graham, Br Hugh, Fr Bernard, Fr Peter, Fr Alban, Br Christopher, Fr Terence. Centre row Fr Oliver, Janet Prior, Pam, Fr Dermot, Fr Finbar, Fr John, Martin O'Hagan, Front row Fr Boniface, Fr Romuald, Julie Kolade , Fr Abbot, Fr Gervase, Fr Nicholas.

After Vespers there were Prayers of Commendation to bless Fathers Finbar and Peter on their departure to establish the new monastery in Douai, France. The Nunc Dimittis was sing and the prayer concluded with the collect:

God our Father, you made a dry path through the sea for the children of Israel, and showed the way to the Magi by a guiding star: grant to your servants, our brothers, a safe journey and a fruitful ministry in that same place whose townsfolk welcomed our fathers and provided them with a home. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Through the prayers of our holy Father, St Benedict, grant success to our new foundation in Douai under his patronage. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.

September 30

Fr Richard has moved from Broadway to become parish priest of Alcester in succession to Fr Boniface who returns to the monastery. We have ceased to administer the parish of Broadway on behalf of the archdiocese of Birmingham. Fr Augustine Strickland who has been assistant in Alcester has become assistant in Studley.

The temporary kitchen and refectory accommodation arrived in the carpark.

Br Hugh travelled to Minster Abbey, Thanet, to take part in the East-West Christian Monastic Encounter on the theme 'Divinisation'.

One of our neighbours. Miss Marie Endean has donated a beautiful bust of St Joan or Arc for the foundation we are to make in France, see photo above.

Freedom in Christian Ministries, an evenglical group from south Reading met in the Guesthouse.

Fr Gervase gave a Pastoral Programme Day of Recollection for Ministers of the Eucharist and Readers, and Fr Nicholas led a Healing Workshop, both in the Conference Centre.

Fr Peter Bowe travelled to Northern Ireland to visit the monastery of Rostrevor; part of his preparation for setting up the dependent monastery in France.

Fr Nicholas gave a Pastoral Programme Healing Workshop.

A Men's Retreat was held in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre.

Vespers was at the new time of 6pm which allows the community a full half hour for Lectio Divina afterwards.

The community spent the whole day cleaning the Abbey Church.

Fr Oliver works the scrubbing machine supervised by Br Simon, whilst Fr Alban and Br Christopher are busy in the background.	The nave is cleared of chairs, while Fr Dermot cleans the lights on an tower scaffold.

Cleaning the sanctuary and choir.		Fr Terence with Br Placid on the ladder cleaning the windowsills.		Seen through the sacristy door, Fr Romuald cleans the chalices.

The Ella Chamber Orchestra under its conductor Mick Beach gave a concert in the Abbey Church this evening. The programme included a rarely performed and unpublished work by Respighi Suite for Organ and Strings in which the soloist was Mark Stringer. It is a work which deserves more frequent hearing. Also played was Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances Suite no 2, Mozart's Symphony 39 and three orchestral songs by Richard Strauss sung by Janet Coxwell.

Sr Annie Bromham IBVM has come to lead a Pastoral Programme retreat "Touching God with my fingertips", using creative art.

Fr Benedict Thompson OSB has become parish priest of our local parish of St Mary, Woolhampton, in succession to Fr Romuald Simpson OSB, who has succeceded Fr Bernard Swinhoe OSB as subprior. Fr John Bolton OSB takes over as sacristan from Fr Benedict.

Fr Finbar Kealy OSB left this morning for Paris, where he will study French in preparation for becoming superior of our new foundation in Douai, France.

The community retreat began this evening, the first three talks will be given by Fr Abbot and the remainder by Abbot Edmund Power.

We were saddened to hear of the death of Fr Peter Farmer, a former pupil of Douai School, a priest of the Archdiocese of Southwark and a former Director of Music at Southwark Cathedral. He was the only person who sang in the choir both at the opening of the Abbey Church in 1933 and at the dedication of the completed church in 1993.

The Brinkwells Quartet gave an excellent concert this evening in the Abbey Church. It is a young quartet which was formed through the Berkshire Young Musicians Scholarship Scheme in 2002and which had given its first concert in the Abbey Church last year. The programme was Beethoven String Quartet op 50 no 1 "Razumovsky" and Brahms Clarinet Quintet op 115 with Caroline Woodhouse (clarinet). The audience included a high proportion of young people.

The latest Douai Newsletter, no 23 Summer 2005, is now available.

Fr Gervase went to lead a retreat for the Sisters of Jesus & Mary at Felixstowe, Suffolk.

Fr Szczepan Sztuka OSB who has been living at Douai since last September and has been studying Newman at Oxford returned to his monastery, the Abbey of Tyniec, Poland. His bursary here was the last event of our Centenary celebrations.

Eighteen people attended a Pastoral Programme retreat 'Transitions' led by Bernard Kilroy.

A group from St Nicholas parish, Newbury, held a Day of Recollection in the Conference Centre.

The Diocese of Northampton pre-ordinands held a retreat here with Bishop Peter Doyle who presided at Conventual Mass on Friday 22nd.

At Conventual Mass today Br Placid Hughes made his first profession, which is for three years.

Br Placid reads the profession chart in front of Abbot Geoffrey Scott.		The Abbot gives Placid the kiss of peace at the end of the profession rite.

A workshop Accessing Spiritual Resources Whilst Supporting Others is taking place in the Conference Centre and Guesthouse.

The Oxford Diocese Schools Religious Education department met in the Conference Centre.
About 250 children who will be starting at Bl Hugh Faringdon School next term came for Mass in the Abbey Church, followed by a picnic in the grounds.

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

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

A group of clergy from the Taplow and Burnham area held a Quiet Day in the Conference Centre.

Today at Mass the Douai Singers sang Widor's Mass for double choir, and motets by Victoria O quam terribilis, and Howells Like as the hart.

Today 30 Oblates attended a gathering, with a picnic lunch and tea in the cottage garden which many of the monks came to as well.

20 Oblates took part in a retreat.

Today we enjoyed a visit by four nuns from Turvey Abbey, Srs Ruth, Judith, Miriam and Johanna.

We also welcomed a group from Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina who are two week English Literature Course visit to England.

Today some 300 children who are graduating from Thatcham primary schools this term came for a fun day and picnic in the grounds and a service in the Abbey Church. Apart from one heavy shower the weather was fine.

The Newbury Choral Society gave a concert in the Abbey Church at which they sang Tavener's Svyati & Elizabeth, Full of Grace and Rutter's Feel the Spirit. There was a large audience.

A silent retreat is being held in the guesthouse.