2012 January -

Eighteen deacons, members of the Ordinariate, are here making a pre-ordination retreat, under the direction of Fr Aidan Nicols OP. Photograph taken in the Guest Refectory.

Oxford Diocese Anglican Cursillo are here for a study weekend.

The Konevets Quartet, who have often sung at Douai Abbey Church, gave a concert of Russian Liturgical and Secular Music in St Anne's Parish Church, Ormskirk, Lancs.

Fr Oliver attended the monastic bursars' meeting at Ampleforth Abbey, Yorks.

At Conventual Mass Andreas Groeger made oblation, taking the oblate name, Anselm.

The Reading Bach Choir gave a concert in the Abbey Church in the evening.

We harvested the first of the season's rhubarb today. The weather this year has been good for rhubarb and it will be an excellent crop.

A silent Marantha retreat is being held in the Guesthouse.

Two Pastoral Programme events today, a Healing Workshop directed by Fr Nicholas and a Day of Recollection led by Br Gabriel.

A retreat for Teams of Our Lady was held this weekend in the Guesthouse.

Another lamb was born today unexpectedly, our ninth, sixty days after the first arrived.

Click for music list.

There was a large congregation for the annual Good Friday service of Music & Reflections. This year the reflections were given by the Bishop of Reading, the Rt Revd Andrew Proud.

Click for music list.

We have a large number staying for the Easter Triduum retreat which is being led by Fr Gervase.

The Douai Singers sang at the Liturgy today, which began in the St Mary's parish church, and processed to the Abbey Church. Click for music list.

The Knights of the Holy Sepulchre had their annual day of retreat led by Archbishop Kevin Macdonald. emeritus of Southwark.

Fr Bernard led a Day of Reflection for thirty members of the Catholic Women's League, Marlow, Bucks, branch.

Fr Nicholas directed a Pastoral Programme Healing Workshop for a small group of eight.

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

The South Chiltern Choral Society gave a concert in a full Abbey Church.

Fr Gervase led a Day of Recollecion for Ministers of the Word and of the Eucharist from Christ the King parish, Reading.

'Teams of Our Lady' from Fareham, Hants, are here for a weekend retreat.

The Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Guido Mennini presided at Mass. Click for Fr Abbot's Homily.

Laetare Sunday, a link to Fr Hugh's homily is here.

The southern Institute for the Anglican Dioceses in the south held a meeting of pastors in their first appointments.

The UK National Oblates Co-ordinators Team met here to day.
The Nonsich Singers gave a concert in the Abbey Church.

A Methodist retreat was held in the Guesthouse.

A service of Meditations and Music for Lent based around movements from Pergolesi's Stabet Mater was held in the Abbey Church given by the Consort Choir and Chaplain of Queen Anne's School, Caversham.

Also the Society of St Vincent de Paul organised a Mass of Healing in the Abbey Church during the afternoon led by Fr Dermot and Fr Nicholas.

Frs Peter and Fr Bonifae attended the Inaugural Lecture by Fr Henry Wansborough OSB at Hope University, Liverpool; it was entitled 'Was Jesus a Pharisee?'.

Two more lambs born today, making a total of eigth so far this year.

A Pastoral Programme Silent Retreat is taking place in the Guesthouse.

The annual Day of Recollection for Goring parish was led by Br Simon.
Fr Paul has been appointed Secretary to the Family Life and Worship department of the Bishops Conference for England and Wales.

A retreat for Catholic families organised by Notre Dame de Vie was held in the guesthouse.

Four lambs, two sets of twins, were born today.

	A warm spring day has brought out spring flowers. left The lesser celendine has opened at the base of a lime tree. right Golden lace primula. below a bright clump of crocus.

A lot of work is being done in the greenhouses preparing for the spring and summer.

FEBRUARY 2012

Snow fall in February

Fr Peter has gone to Ormskirk, Lancs, for two months, while Fr Godric is following a Scripture course in the Holy Land.

The Gabrielli Consort are making a CD in the Abbey Church, the nave of which is being used to copy the spacial effect of St Mark's, Venice. We temporally have six organs in the Abbey Church!

Bracknell Deanery are here for a Chapter meeting.

Fr Abbot has flown to Rome for a meeting of the academic planning group at Sant'Anselmo's Benedictine College.

The Douai Singers sang at Mass today. Click for music list.

A group from St Mary's University College, Twickenham, are here for a day led by Fr Dermot.

The Fraternity of St Peter are holding a retreat in the Guesthouse and Parish Church.

Br Christopher & Fr Gervase led a Pastoral Programme retreat 'Pancakes and Ashes' during Carnival and the beginning of Lent.

Thirty people took part in a dayschool on Christian Poetry organised jointly by the Continuing Education Department of Oxford University and our Pastoral Programme. It was directed by Fr Oliver and Myra Cottingham.

A group from St Luke's parish, Chelsea, is here for a retreat given by Fr Alban and Fr Gervase.

A small group came from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford, for a quiet period.

A Pastoral Programme IGR was held for six participants.

A monastic schools' conference is being held here this weekend, the coldest of the year: temperature down to -12C at night.

Snow fell overnight, but the lambs, Eva and Zwa Zwa, were unperturbed. photos by Fr Hugh, the shepherd

Two lambs were born today and both are doing well. Last year this ewe lost her twins, this year she has been successful.

Fr Peter arrived form Douai, France, this afternoon. The Maison St-Benoit is now no more.

The Monastic Guestmasters and Guestmistresses form England and Ireland met in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre. There were representatives from the guest teams of Ampleforth, Belmont, Bolton, Buckfast, Chilworth, Downside, Glenstal, Minster, Quarr, Roscrea, Stanbrook and Worth.

The Confirmation group form Downe House School have come for a Day of Prayer and Retreat.

The Douai Singers sang at Mass today. Click for music list.

A small group of Kinghts of Malta are here for a retreat.

The Berkshire Maestros, young musicians under 18 from West Berkshire Music School, Newbury, held a concert in the Abbey Church. The first snow fall of the winter prevented some of the performers arriving.

The Headmaster and senior teaching staff of St Benedict's School, Ealing, held a planning meeting in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre.

Fr Hugh presided at the Procession and Mass for the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord. Click to read his homily.

Fr Abbot announced this evening that Br Simon had been appointed infirmarian in replacement of himself.

Fr Abbot has gone to Douai, France, for the AGM of the William Allen Association, at which he gave a talk on Ushaw, and for a farewell dinner in the 'Salle Gothique' at the 'Hotel de Ville'.

Fr Nicholas is running a Pastoral Programme Healing Workshop.

A class of Wonersh seminiarians are staying in the guesthouse for a study weekend, and we are hosting a Meditation Retreat.

Fr Alban & Fr Hugh attended a Plainchant Workshop at Ealing Abbey.

The Anglican Diocese of Oxford held a meeting of clergy, working in their post of first appointment.

Our co-worker, Nick Nutley, today completed 40 years of working at Douai, first as groundsman for the former school playing field, and recently in charge of all the monastery gournds. There was a gathering with the monastic community and the co-workers during which Nick cut a celebratory cake. On the right he is seen with his wife, Sue, also a co-worker.

Celebration of Fr Finbar's golden jubilee of profession. Fr Finbar is currently prior-administrator of Quarr Abbey in the Isle of Wight. The whole of the Quarr community, together with the Fr Amand, the prior-administrator of Wisques, who was staying at Quarr, came to Douai for the celebration. Mass was at 12noon at which Fr Finbar renewed his vows. The two communities sang Vespers together at 16.30. The Quarr community had left Quarr at 07.30 and were due to catch the 19.00 boat back from Portsmouth.

The Bartholomew Consort stayed over the weekend in the guesthouse rehearsing for a concert given in the Abbey Church on Sunday evening.

Fr Oliver preached at the funeral of Christine Walton in Walthamstow, London. She had been a housemistress in our former school.

Fr Alban had gone to Douai, France, by train, to drive back a van full of items to be returned to the monastery, as John Bolton, who was to have driven it, has fallen and broken his arm.

Mgr Francois Garnier, Archbirshop of Cambrai, presided at a Mass of thanksgiving in the church of Notre Dame in Douai, for the six years the monks spent at the Maison St Benoit.
Click to see an account and photos of this Mass.

The abbot has travelled to Douai, France, for the formal closure ceremonies of our monastic cell there, the Maison St Benoit.

A Methodist Retreat, 'A Listening Heart' is taking place in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre.

St Matthew's parish, Reading, is holding a Quiet Day in the Conference Centre.

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

A group of pupils from the London Oratory School came for a Retreat Day with their Chaplain.

Churches Together in Basingstoke held a Conference in the Guesthouse and Conference Centre.

Click for list of Music at Mass.

The Douai Society Newsletter for 2011 has been published.

Douai Abbey Newsletter no 42 in now published.

The Pastoral Programme Brochure for 2012 is available.

Fr Abbot presided at Mass. Click to read the homily.

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