Death of Fr Vincent Deane OSB
AFTER Matins on April 10 the telephone brought the message that Fr Vincent had just died in the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where he had been for several weeks. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on April 16 followed by burial in the monastery cemetary.
Thomas "Dixie" Deane had been born on September 6, 1914 in Bedlington, Northumberland of Irish parents. The parish of Bedlington at that time was run by Douai monks and so it was not surprising that Thomas was sent to Douai School in September 1928.
At school he was a keen sportsman and was eventually selected to play Rugby Football for the school in the first XV and Cricket in the first XI. His interest in sport never waned and he remained a fervent supporter of Newcastle football team until his final days.
On leaving school he joined the community and was clothed as a novice by Abbot Sylvester Mooney on September 18, 1932, being given the name Vincent. Temporary Profession followed the next year and he made Solemn Profession on September 25, 1936. He was ordained priest by Bishop Cotter on April 16, 1939, Low Sunday.
Fr Vincent read Mathematics at the Universities of Oxford and Reading, graduating with 2nd class honours in 1940. He was then appointed to teach senior Mathematics at Douai School along with Fr Aelred Eckersley OSB.
Early in the war he joined the group of monks who were acting as chaplains to the American Air Force men, serving at the various bases in the vicinity of the monastery. This was something which made a great impression upon him and which he was to recall frequently in the final year of his life.
Fr Vincent's first love was for pastoral work rather than teaching, and so he was delighted to be appointed as assistant priest to Ormskirk, Lancashire in 1952. In 1962 he went as parish priest to Stratford-upon-Avon and two years later to St Osburg's Coventry, where he remained until 1980. His final appointment was as parish priest of Frizington in Cumbria, where he stayed until his retirement in 1993. He then went to assist in the parish on Walney Island, Cumbria, until returning to the monastery in 1995.
As long as his health permitted, Fr Vincent continued to assist in pastoral work in the local parish of Woolhampton, and with the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary at Cold Ash convent. He enjoyed being back with the community and became a keen member of the crossword group in the calefactory. He also enjoyed frequent games of golf with local clergymen and with parishioners.
Sadly the last year of his life was one of rapidly failing health. He became increasingly confused and had to be hospitalised in December 2001.
Fr Vincent was remembered with affection and gratitude by the parishioners whom he had served faithfully during his pastoral ministry, and with many of whom he kept in touch by correspondence after his retirement.
He had been keen to support artists; the sculpture of the Blessed Virgin and the child Jesus by Jacqueline Herbert which stands in the monastery cloister is a lasting memorial to his artistic taste. While at Coventry he had commissioned the same artist to carve a statue of Our Lady for St Osburg’s and in Stratford he had encouraged the Halls to weave woollen vestments, some of which grace the abbey sacristy today.‡
Easter Profession of Br Hugh
Br Hugh, who comes from Sydney, Australia, had first joined the monastery in 1995 after teaching for a year in Douai School, but left after a few months and returned to Australia where he worked with the Sydney Police. He is currently studying for a theology degree from Sydney on the internet and will also be taking classes at Oxford next term.‡
Click for pictures of Br Hugh's profession
Letter - received by emailREADING about the fire in the sacristy of the house chapel (1) takes my mind back to 1936 (I think!) when we had a fire in the passageway leading from the school to the school chapel.
All those years ago the details are a little hazy but I remember I was in what was then the new dormitory which was built at the time of the swimming pool etc. We were awakened in the night by Father Dunstan who told us that there was a fire.
By some quirk of fate I had been instructed only the day before to make a survey of all the fire extinguishers, buckets etc. in the school buildings, so as we all came out of the dormitory I was able to direct people to where they could find fire fighting equipment. I suspect that the speed with which we were able to tackle the fire because of that knowledge must have reduced the damage that was done.
I cannot remember which members of the community were there tackling the fire (I expect Brother Bernard was one of them!) but we had it out by the time the fire brigade arrived from Newbury to an ironic cheer from the boys in the Brown Dormitory who had been kept there out of the way. It took the fire brigade more than 15 minutes to arrive in those days.
If I remember rightly, the fire had been caused by a heating furnace under the school chapel sacristy. (2)
At this date I cannot remember how we all got into the chapel for Mass each morning until the damage was repaired; I suspect we had to go round outside.
Your report on the December fire mentions the use of fire hoses to cool the sacristy door; I do not think we had anything as sophisticated as a fire hose in the school back in 1936!
I hope you may find this of interest.
Kind regards,
Robert McCall
(1) See Douai Magazine no 164.
(2)Fr Robert Richardson OSB informs us that the fire was actually caused by charcoal from the thurible which was customarily tipped into a metal container, and which on this occasion instead of becoming extinguished ignited the remnants of charcoal already in the container. - Ed‡
Frs Oliver & Austin celebrate Silver Jubilee
ON June 29 Fr Oliver Holt OSB (left) celebrated the silver jubilee of his ordination. Conventual Mass was held at Noon that day, and in addition to Fr Oliver’s invited guests many of our oblates were present since they were at Douai on retreat.
Fr Oliver is currently the monastery guest master and heads the hospitality team. He is also a member of the building committee and the centenary committee as well as being Abbey Church administrator which 
gives him responsibility for organising the many concerts which take place there, as well the use of the church for services by other groups and for recordings. Previously he had been a housemaster in Douai School.
Fr Austin Gurr OSB (right) who had been ordained on the same day as Fr Oliver celebrated his jubilee the previous evening in Stratford-upon-Avon where he is parish priest. He has spent all his priestly life working in parishes at Cheltenham, Coventry, Malvern, Wash Common and Alcester.‡
Oblates
IN June we hosted the first British meeting of Oblate Directors. It was a valuable occasion as it enabled oblate directors to exchange ideas and discuss how best to lead oblates in the 21st century.
The number of oblates have been growing at an increasingly rapid rate during the past twenty five years or so, and the character of oblates has been changing. In earlier times oblates might have been considered as devotional societies of people who liked to help the monks in various ways, but now they are people who are seeking to lead their lives according to the principles enshrined in St Benedict’s Rule.
They are looking now for formation in monastic living in parallel with the monastics who reside in monasteries. Like monastics themselves they are attached to a particular monastery, and grow into the particular spirit of that particular community.
Our Douai oblates are no exception to the world wide growth. We now have to hold no less than five retreats a year. In addition this year has seen the birth of the ‘Julian Chapter’ which meets at Cromer, Norfolk, under the leadership of Ron O’Toole OblOSB.
It is significant to see how many books are being written about Benedictine life and spirituality these days by lay oblates from various Christian traditions. one thinks of Kathleen Norris, Norvene Vest Esther de Vaal or David Robinson to mention but a few.
St Benedict is seen as offering a means of bringing gospel values into an increasingly materialist world and working environment. The moderation and balance St Benedict teaches is seen as being particularly helpful for living as a Christian today.
If you are interested in getting to know more about oblates please visit our web site: http://www.douaiabbey.org.uk/douaiobl.htm or contact the Oblate Director at Douai Abbey.‡
Interfaith Conference
On July 2, 2002 Monastic Interfaith Dialogue UK held a conference in conjunction with the Christian Centre for Interreligious Dialogue at Heythrop College, University of London, on Christian Monasticism & Interreligious Dialogue: Theological & Mystical Encounters.
The conference put before an audience of about 80 consisting of monks and nuns, academics and a wider public some of the significant contributions of contemporary Christian monks and monasticism in the engagement between Christianity and other religious traditions. The emphasis was on contemporary witness and encounter, theological and spiritual.
A day of reflection followed at Douai Abbey on July 3 on themes and personalities touched upon in the papers given at Heythrop. Here a smaller group of about thirty worked over the implications of the two days in greater depth. The papers will be published and it is hoped to continue such conferences in the future. The conference was widely felt to have been very beneficial.
Papers were delivered on the first day by Fr Pierre de Bethune OSB on The history and theology of monastic interreligious dialogue; Abbot Eoin de Bhaldraithe OCSO of Bolton Abbey, Ireland, on Thomas Merton and Monastic Interreligious Dialogue; Anthony O'Mahony, of Heythrop College, on Christian monks and monasticism in Islam. Then Brother Ian Latham of the Little Brothers of Jesus of Charles de Foucauld spoke on Charles de Foucauld: Fraternity Witness with and in Face of Islam, Judson Trapnell, of the College of St. Benedict and St.John's University, USA, on Henri Le Saux and Bede Griffiths and Peter Bowe OSB of Douai Abbey on Contemporary Witness & Future Configuration of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue.‡ Monastery News
New Appointments
FR Alban Hood OSB (left) has been appointed novice master in succession to Fr Bernard Swinhoe OSB.
Fr Alban has served on the parish of St Anne, Ormskirk, Lancs, since 1995, the last five years as parish priest. His place there will be taken by Fr Godric Timney OSB who has been priest in charge of St Francis de Sales parish, Wash Common, Newbury, Berks. A diocesan priest will take over at Wash Common.
Fr Alexander Austin OSB will become parish priest of Studley, Warwickshire in succession to Fr Paul Gunter OSB. Fr Paul will begin post graduate studies in Liturgy at Sant’ Anselmo, Rome, in October. He has already gone to Italy in order to have an intensive course in Italian. Fr Alexander was previously priest in charge of Pershore parish, Worcestershire; his place will be taken by a diocesasn priest.
In addition to his duties as novice master, Fr Alban will serve as monastic choirmaster, a post he held previously before moving to Ormskirk.
Novices
We hope to have two novices for clothing in September, Kim Jørgenson, who has lived with us since last July and has been a postulant since January. Kim is from Norway and studied for two years at Campion House, Osterley, coming to Douai for retreats, which is how he came to know us. Terrence Kimm had already spent nine months in the noviciate before returning to London, and now feels the Holy Spirit is calling him back again.
Art Exhibition
As part of the Newbury Spring Festival Open Studio programme an exhibition of paintings by Nina Choudhuri which were inspired by Westonbirt Arboretum were displayed around the Abbey Church. Also on show were some pottery pieces by Geoffrey Eastop.
Retreats
The number of retreats held at Douai continues to grow, both those organised as part of the Pastoral Programme and those specifically designed for particular groups. In addition more and more people are coming to make individual retreats or merely to seek a period of quiet for reflection. The frenetic pace and stress of modern life makes people realise that time out to pray is essential.
The Pastoral Programme continues to develop, if you would like more information please send for a brochure or visit the website http://www.douaiabbey.org.uk/pastprog.htm
New Web Address
We now have a new address for our web site, http://www.douaiabbey.org.uk
Douai Abbey Newsletter No 15 Summer 2002
Douai Abbey Newsletter is published at Douai Abbey, Upper Woolhampton, Reading, Berks, RG7 5TQ. Phone: 0118 971 5300 Fax: 0118 971 5303 E-maildouaiabby@aol.com
22.07.02. Registered charity no 236962
Go to the recently published Douai Magazine 2000Or the accompanying Old Dowegians Supplement
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