Early Spring Update
» The work on repairing the storm damage and older problems in the abbey church has begun in earnest, with scaffolding being erected both on the interier and exterior of the nave. The community is very grateful to those individuals and trusts who have donated towards the copsts of the repairs and remedial work.
» The week beginning 11 March the community welcomed a number of clergy from the Nottingham diocese who were making a retreat with us.
» Early last week the superiors of all the EBC houses met at Douai along with Abbot President Christopher Jamison. The principal topic for discussion was monastic formation, both intial and ongoing.
» On 21 March the community celebrated the solemnity of the Passing of St Benedict with a somewhat scaled-down Mass in St Mary's church. This was followed by a festal lunch with several guests, including Andrew Proud, the outgoing Anglican bishop of Reading and long-standing friend of the Douai community. At recreation after lunch he presented the abbot and community wtih a beautiful icon of the last supper from Ethiopia, where Andrew had been bishop before being translated to Reading. Also with the resident community for St Benedict's day were Frs Paul and Hugh, who were down from their parishes for a meeting of the abbot's council the day before.
» Last Friday two experts came to Douai to undertask the task of valuing our library collection.