Chronicle January - June 2007
		Sunset in front of the Abbey.

The BBC made a recording of the Phoenix Choir singing three hymns in the Abbey Church, to be televised as part of a Songs of Praise programme.

MONOS,a non profit organization that is concerned with the current engagement between monastic culture and spirituality and contemporary society, in partnership with the University of Wales, Lampeter, held a course in the guesthouse and conference centre.

The leavers from Thatcham's Primary Schools all gathered for a 'fun' day in the monastery grounds and a service in the Abbey Church. Fortunately there was no rain. This event is organised annually by Thatcham Baptist Church.

An in-service training day for primary school head teachers was held in the Conference Centre.
Fr Hugh left for Italy to take an intensive course in Italian. prior to studying Patristics in Rome.

The annual staff conference of Ripon/Cuddesdon Theological College was held in the Guesthouse.

Fr Nicholas held a Healing Workshop and an Alpha Group from Reading held a day conference, both in the Bl Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.
In the Abbey Church The Newbury Choral Society and the London Concertante gave a concert. The programme was: Elgar's Seranade for Strings, Britten's Cantate Misericordium nad Handel's Dixit Dominus.

There was an Oblates Retreat in the Guesthouse

A meeting of Oblate Directors and representatives of the Oblates Congress Committee was held in the guesthouse. left to right Zina Neagle Douai, Fr Gervase Douai, Sr Petra Stanbrook, Michael Woodward Benedictine Lay Community, Sr Benedict Minster, Mgr Richard Moth Pluscaden, Ali Wrigley Douai, Fr Timothy Ealing.

Br Placid attended the Juniors' Conference, held this year at Stanbrook Abbey; the topic was 'the Vows'.

Sr Annie Bromham IBVM led a Pastoral Programme Workshop Touching God with my fingertips.
A group from Universities of Reading and Southampton Chaplaincies came for a Quiet Day.

The leavers class from St Finian's Primary school, Cold Ash, came for a study day in the conference centre.
Several of the community went to the centenary and a quarter celebration of the Diocese of Portsmouth in Winchester Cathedral. The remainder celebrated Vespers in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel.

The Bethany Children's Trust held a staff conference in the guesthouse and conference centre.

The Black Country Urban Industrial Mission held a conference in the guesthouse and conference centre.

After Mass there was a procession to the parish church. The parish Mass was combined with the Conventual Mass.

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

The Salvation army held a concert in the Abbey Church to raise money to help the victims of the 2004 Tsunami. The Central Southern Fellowship Band, Newbury Choral society, Roger Cobb, tenor and Clare Cousens, organ, performed.

The Bridge Pastoral Foundation held a conference in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre.

Fr Dermot preached at Evensong at St Edmund's Hall, Oxford.

Fr Gervase led a Pastoral Programme retreat To God through Music.

Abbot Geoffrey hosted a book launch in the Guest Refectory for a volume he has been preparing for seven years with three Dutch scholars, who teach English Literature at Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Prof. Frans Korsten, Drs Jos and Frans Blom. The book is the collection of the correspondence of James Peter Coghlan (1731 - 1800), and is published by the Catholic Records Society.

James Peter Coghlan was the chief English Catholic printer, publisher and bookseller of the second half of the eighteenth century. It was mainly through him that the English Catholics were provided with an extensive polemical, catechetical, pastoral and devotional literature of their own. Coghlan was also a pivotal figure in the infrastructure and logistics of the Catholic community, acting as a middleman between the various layers and segments of that community. In the turbulent days of the Catholic Committee after 1785, he found himself uneasily in the midst of the fray. He corresponded with dozens of British Catholics, at home and abroad, and his letters, pious, shrewd, dedicated, garrulous and eminently practical, yield a fascinating insight into the day-to-day working of Catholic book production as well as the behind-the-scenes life of the English Catholic community.

Fr Oliver flew to Northern Ireland to give a retreart for priests and sisters at the Thornhill Centre, Derry.

At Mass today sang Missa Lux et Origo, the alternatim setting of Plainchant Mass I written for us by David Bednall, Offertory Confirma hoc by William Byrd and Communion by William Byrd. The organ prelude was Veni Creator by Flor Peeters and the postlude Veni Creator by P Benoit OSB.

The choir and organ scholar of Kings College Cambridge gave a concert in the Abbey Church, part of the Newbury Festival. The programme consisted of English church music and Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb; the organ works included the first movement of Elgar's 1st Sonata.

Eleven diaconate students from Wonersh College came for their pre-ordination retreat.

Coach House Consultancy held a workshop in the guesthouse and Conference Centre.

The English Concert gave a a concert in the Abbey Church of music by Bach and Handel, part of the Newbury Spring Festival.
The Bridge Pastoral Foundation held a Tutor's day in the Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.

Fr Abbot travelled to the Abbey of Solesmes, France, to give a lecture on Mabillion and England during a Conference celebrating the 3rd centenary of Mabillion's death.

Waverley Learning Group hald a two day retreat in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre.

An oblates retreat was given by Fr Boniface.

A taster session is being held by the Bridge Pastoral Foundation in the St Alban Roe Conference Room.

Br Christopher is leading a Pastoral Programme Retreat on The Cloud on Unknowing in the Guesthouse.

Fr Dermot is attending a conference on Implicit Religion at Ilkley, Yorkshire.

Fr Abbot is attending the AGM of the William Allen Association in Douai, France.

Fr Gervase led a Pastoral Programme Retreat on Lectio Divina in the Guesthouse.

Fr Oliver and Canon Peter Sills led a Benedictine Weekend at Ely Cathedral.

Br Simon is coordinating a course on Monastic History at Reading University.

The Taceham Hundred Scout District (Thatcham, Berks) held their annual service in the Abbey Church this afternoon, about 500 attended.

Fr Romuald gave a Pastoral Programme Day of Recollection for Ministers of Communion and of the Word in the Bl Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.

The Arion Orchestra, conducted by Brien Stait gave a concert in the Abbey Church.

• Concerto for three violins Vivaldi
• Concerto for clarinet & strings Tartini arr Gordon Jacob, (Sarah Williamson clarinet)
• Divertimento for Strings Bartok
• Three movements from String Quartet op 131 Beethoven arr Brien Stait
• Quintet in Bflat Weber, (Sarah Williamson clarinet)
• Andante Tchaikovski, (Heather Harrison cello) in memory of Rostopovich who had died the previous day.

Members of Anderson Baptist Church, Reading, came for a weekend retreat in the guesthouse.

Fr Nicholas has gone to Langport, Somerset, to lead a retreat for Chemin Neuf.

A memorial service for Phil Smith, a former chemistry master in Douai School who was killed recently in a road accident, was held in the Abbey Church; Fr Dermot presided.

Since January we have been pasturing sheep belonging to one of our oblates on part of the meadow. This will improve the quality of the grass.

An oblate retreat was held this weekend, given by Fr Boniface, assistant oblate director.

Br Christopher preached the homily at Mass for the first time.

Spirituality-in-the-Workplace Network met in the Bl Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.

Today Bishop Crispian Hollis of Portsmouth ordained Fr Hugh as priest and Br Christopher as deacon at the Conventual Mass.

The ordinands lie on the floor while the people pray for them by singing the Litany of the Saints.

The bishop ordains Br Christopher as deacon,	and Br Hugh as priest.

Concelebrants: Frs Leo, Alban, Paul, Benedict, Alexander amd Romuald. At the altar: Deacon Christopher, visiting deacon Oratorian Anton, Abbot Edmund of St Pauls-outside-the-Walls in Rome, Fr Hugh, Bishop Crispian and Abbot Geoffrey.

In the evening Thames Voyces gave a concert of liturgical music in the Abbey Church

• Schutz Jauchzet dem Herrn, Ps 100
• Bach O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht
• Bach Fantasia in G played by Timothy Uglow
• Bruckner Os justi
• Schubert Mass in G
• Mozart Laudate Dominum Ps 117
• Handel Dixit Dominus Ps 110
• Mendelssohn Verleih uns Frieden

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The music at Mass included the alternatim Missa Lux et Origo composed for us by David Bednall, Regina Caeli by Soriano and Haec dies by Palestrina.

There was a large congregation for the celebration of the Easter Vigil.

At the afternoon Liturgy of the Passion the music sung included Popule meus Victoria, Reproaches Colin Hope, Caligaverunt oculi mei Croce, Vexilla Regis plainchant alternatim R.R. Terry
In the evening we held our usual service of Music and Reflections, at which there was a full church.

• Processional: Miserere mei - from Hanacpachap. anon 16th century South America
• Hymn: The regal, dark, mysterious cross.
• Introduction and Prayer - Fr Abbot
• Vere languores - Victoria
• Reading: Isaiah 53:4-9
• Responsory: Tristes est anima mea - M. Haydn
• Reflection: Br Placid
• Responsory: O vos omnes - N Wright
• Reflection: Fr Oliver
• Responsory: Tenebrae factae sunt - M Haydn
• Reflection: Fr Alban
• Stabat Mater - N Lebegue with organ versets by Peter Denny
• Vexilla regis - plainchant alternatim T Wingham
• Hymn: The royal, dark, mysterious cross
• Prayer and Blessing: Fr Abbot
• Organ postlude: Vexilla regis - F Peeters

The Easter Triduum retreat began today led by By Hugh.
At Mass the choral music was Kyrie & Agnus from Mass for Three Voices Byrd, Ubi caritas Durufle, Ave Verum F. Peeters, Pange linqua Palestrina.

A bright sunny day for the procession with palms. The music sung at the celebration included Hosanna Filio David Victoria. Improperium expectavit F.X. Witt, Agnus Dei Kitson, In monte Oliveti Croce.

The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Lieutenancy of England and Wales came for their annual Day of Recollection led by Bishop Mark Jable OSB

The Catholic Women's League, Marlow branch, came for a Day of Recollection led by Fr Boniface.

The Friends of Reading Abbey held a Dayschool in the Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre. Fr Abbot, Br Placid and John Rowntree were among those who gave papers.
The New Life Church met in the Alban Roe Conference Room.
The Reading Phoenix Choir gave a concert of religious and liturgucal choral music in the Abbey Church; Christopher Enston played Alain's Litanies and the finale from Widor's sixth organ symphony, and Prunella Scales did some readings.

Fodhla McGrane led a Pastoral Programme retreat Managing Conflict: The Benedictine Way.

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

A group of head teachers from local primary schools met in the Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.

Now available on line: Douai Abbey Newsletter 28, March 2007 & The Douai Magazine 2007. The paper versions will be published before Easter.

The parish of Our Lady & St John, Goring-on-Thames, came for a Day of Recollection in the Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre, given by Fr John.

The University of Reading held a dayschool in the Conference Centre. The topic was Drawing faith: Christian Art & Poetry: it was given by Fr Oliver and Myra Cottingham.

Fr Dermot taught weekend classes at Cuddesdon College, Oxford.

The Bridge Pastoral Foundation held a conference in the Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.

Fr Prior, Br Christopher & Fr Gervase ran a Pastoral Programme Individually Guided Retreat.

Fr Nicholas went to Maison St-Benoit, Douai, France to give four of the Lent Conferences on Prayer.

The Historic Churches Committee met in the Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.

Fr Gervase went to Maison St-Benoit, Douai, France to give two of the Lent Conferences on Prayer.

Members of All Saints Parish, High Wycombe, Bucks, are having a Day of Recollection in the Bl Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.

The national steering committee for the next Oblates Congress met in the Conference Centre.

Choros gave a performance of Bach's St John Passion in the Abbey Church.

Fr John Bolton is leading a Pastoral Programme Lent Retreat.

Fr Nicholas represented the community at Quarr Abbey's centenary celebrations.

The Jubilee River Group held a Quiet Day in the Bl Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.

First Sunday of Lent. The music at Mass included Mass for four voices by William Byrd, Ave Regina Caelorum by Soriano & Sicut Cervus by Palestrina.

Fr Gervase gave a Pastoral Programme Day of Recollection for people engaged in parish ministries. About 30 took part.

The annual retreat for parishioners from St Mary Moorfield, London, took place in the Guesthouse.

St Mary's parish, Streatley came for a pre-Lent Day of Recollection.

The pages describing the development of the former school site have been redesigned.

The Reading Bach Choir conducted by JanJoost van Elburg gave a concert of music in honour of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Abbey Church. They presented a well planned programme which was beautifully executed. Each half ended with a setting of the Magnificat: the first by Arvo Part, composed in 1981, the second by Vic Nees, composed in 1989. These settings presented a complete contrast of style and design, but each was deeply religious. The first half opened with Salve Regina by Victoria, followed by Hymne a la Vierge by Pierre Villette and the seven Great 'O' Magnificat Antiphons by Arvo Part, in the second half were Rachmaninov's Bogoroditsye Dyevo (Ave Maria) and Poulenc's Salve Regina. The final piece after the blessing was Rachmaninov's To Thee o Lord. The concert was a highly spiritual experience.

The University of Wales, Lampeter.University of Wales, Lampeter, in conjunction with Monos held the second workshop in the Guesthouse on A Spirituality of Work led by Fr Dermot.

The pages describing the new monastic buildings have been redesigned.

The Executive Committe of the National Conference of Priests met in the Guesthouse and Bl Hugh Faringdon Conference Centre.

Fr Abbot has gone to Belmont Abbey, Hereford, to give the community retreat. Br Christopher has also gone there to make a pre-diaconate ordination retreat.

Fr Nicholas led a Pastoral Programme Healing Workshop.

The annual Conventual Chapter was held today, several monks were unable to attend because of a heavy snowfall. Click for more photos of the snow.

The Ecclesiastical Education Council of the the Diocese of Northampton and the Bishop of Northampton, Peter Doyle met in the Guesthouse.

At Mass today The Douai Abbey Singers sang Missa quarta by Bardos, Tollite Hostias by Saint-Saens and Ave Verum by Flor Peeters.

We hosted a Meeting of Head Teachers in the Conference Centre.

A parish group from St Mary & St George, Sands, held a workshop in the Conference Centre.

A Silent Retreat was held this weekend.

We awoke to see the first snow of winter lying on the ground, but it had all mealted by midday.
Boehringer Ingelheim held a training session in the Conference Centre.

We hosted a trustee meeting of the Orders of St John Care Trust in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre.

An ecumenical group Christianity Explored from Sonning Common, Oxon, met in the Conference Centre.

In the evening the Reading Centre of the Berkshire Young Musicians Trust held a concert in the Abbey Church.

The teaching staff of Bl. Hugh Faringdon School, Reading, came for a half day of retreat.

A group of theology students from Cuddesdon College came for a workshop directed by Fr Dermot in the Conference Centre.

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

At Mass today the Douai Abbey Singers sang David Bednall's Missa brevis complete for the first time. The offertory motet was Videntes stellam by Poulenc and at communion Magi videntes stellam by Clemens non Papa.

Fr Louis returned to Douai, France today.

Frs Finbar & Peter returned to Douai, France early this morning.

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