Turvey Benedictines

December 2005

It is the nature of a newsletter to focus on memorable occasions and this year’s edition is not short of them. The death of Dom Gregory and the appointment of Br John as his successor marked 2005 for both communities. Likewise, Sr Fidelis’s First Profession was a moving experience for us all. Yet, as these pages reveal, many other types of events have impacted and enriched our lives in deep and lasting ways. The past year is notable especially for the opportunities we have had to engage with others following the monastic path and to strengthen our commitment to lifelong learning and personal development.

The other side of the story, however, is that the goal of all of our travel, study, and special events is greater fidelity to our search for God in the monastic life. With that in mind, we can say that the defining moments of 2005 were those spent in prayer and in community. It is a very special ministry to be able to share these facets of our life with others and, once again, our guesthouses and retreat programme brought a wide variety of people from all faith backgrounds to Turvey for periods of prayer, reflection, and rest.

Our special relationship with the village’s Anglican parish, All Saints, continues to flourish. Throughout the year, we held our now- customary ecumenical services and joint Bible studies. It is unquestionably a good thing that these are no longer perceived as extraordinary but, like so many other things, they are no less memorable or important for being part of our ordinary lives.

December 2004

Mother Marie Placide Visits

Over the long holiday period, the community enjoyed the company of Mother Marie Placide, Prioress of Le Bec in France. She told us about the Christmastime customs of her community and gamely participated in ours. In January, she visited the Anglican Benedictines at Burford Priory with our Mother Prioress, Sr Zoë. Shortly before her return to France, she also took part in an outing to Peterborough Cathedral—formerly a Benedictine abbey—with Srs Goedele, Fidelis, and Johanna.

January 2005

Srs Fidelis and Johanna Visit Stanbrook Abbey

Sr Fidelis writes… Turvey Abbey’s two novices were included in an invitation extended to Benedictine juniors and novices—men and women like us in initial monastic formation—to visit Stanbrook Abbey for a three-day conference entitled ‘Prayer in the Monastic Tradition’. This brought together—from seven monasteries (Ampleforth, Belmont, Downside, Minster, Pluscarden, and, of course, Stanbrook and Turvey)—a rich and multinational variety of personalities and backgrounds in the form of six nuns and four monks, aged between 21 and 58.

Stanbrook’s Novice Mistress, Dame Laurentia Johns, was the main facilitator, helped valiantly by Srs Josephine and Scholastica, but all the Sisters of Stanbrook Abbey contributed wholeheartedly to the success of the gathering, making the group so very welcome and delighting in showing us around their magnificent abbey. For our part, it was a great pleasure to have the opportunity of getting to know the community and of sharing in their liturgy. Some of the Sisters delivered thought-provoking talks on ‘Prayer in the Monastic Tradition’. Fr Peter Bowe came from Douai Abbey to share with us his passion for interfaith and intermonastic dialogue, and Fr Augustine Holmes, Pluscarden’s Novice Master, presided at daily Mass, adding some rousing short homilies to the general inspirational tone of our gathering.

When she welcomed us on our first evening, Dame Anna Brennan, the Prioress of Stanbrook Abbey, had emphasised that the underlying aim of this gathering was to get to know each other, to share our different experiences as we each make our way along the winding path of the monastic life. Our endeavours to do this were compounded not only in the comfort of the conference room but also in the kitchen where we prepared our own meals. A group session of meditation and sharing on a Bible passage was also an excellent way of getting to know each other better. Indeed, a strong bond very quickly united the group and it was good to experience the ensuing easy camaraderie. It seems to us that the main reason for this oneness among Benedictine monks and nuns from different monasteries is that we are all endeavouring to live our lives by the same monastic rule, that of St Benedict. In this way, we came together rather like one would in a large family reunion.

This was the first time in 26 years that such a conference for juniors and novices had been organised and we hope it will become a regular event. We found it extremely supportive and encouraging to have met others on a similar path and are now enjoying a warm sense of solidarity and friendship as we continue to keep in touch with them.

February

Turvey Sisters Participate in Edgware Benedictines’ Jubilee

On the great feast of St Scholastica, February 10^th, Srs Zoë, Benigna, Esther and Miriam visited the Community of St Mary at the Cross in Edgware, Middlesex, to celebrate their 70th Jubilee as Benedictines. They are a small but vibrant community of Anglican nuns who provide nursing and residential care for elderly people. It was a joy to have been invited to their special celebration.

March

Sisters Study Orientale lumen at Belmont Abbey in Hereford

On March 29^th and 30^th, Srs Zoë and Esther attended a conference marking the 40^th anniversary of the Vatican II document Orientale lumen, which explores the relationship between the Eastern and Western Churches. Most of the speakers and attendees were Benedictine monks and nuns, so there was a strong emphasis on the monastic and liturgical theology behind the document. Both of our Sisters appreciated the variety of topics discussed, the insights into Eastern Christianity, and the hospitality of the Benedictine monks at Belmont.

 April

Sr Anne Moves to Nearby Olney

Since July 2003, Sr Anne has been in residential care in Riseley, about half an hour’s drive from Turvey. After a reassessment of her condition this spring, it was decided to move her into nursing care at a home in Olney. Because Olney is hardly more than five minutes away, we have the pleasure of being able to visit her more often now.

May

Sr Fidelis Makes Her First Profession

At Mass on May 5^th, the Solemnity of Christ’s Ascension, Sr Fidelis made her First Profession. The ceremony was a simple yet moving one in which she committed herself to living the Benedictine vows of obedience, stability, and conversion of life at Turvey for the next three years. As is traditional, Sr Fidelis prepared for her Profession by making a silent retreat in the week leading up to it.

May–June

Sr Lucy Joins the 10^th East–West Spiritual Exchange

Sr Lucy writes… The Spiritual Exchanges have been taking place since 1979 when the first group of Japanese came to Europe. This year nine of us were fortunate enough to take part: two Dominicans and seven Benedictines/Cistercians. We came as representatives of the UK, USA, France, Portugal, Holland, and Norway. We varied a great deal in age, religious background, experience of interreligious dialogue and attitude towards it. It was a very interesting experiment in community building. Our hosts were the Zen University of Kyoto and various monastic communities. The organisation of our visit was impeccable and utterly generous. We were escorted everywhere and had interpreters at hand to help us out all the time.

Immediately after our arrival (after a fourteen-hour flight and a three-hour coach journey) we went into retreat (‘Osesshin’, the great retreat) at the monastery of Sogen-ji. It was a gruelling and challenging timetable for us, feeling rather adrift in a strange culture and country—and jet-lagged as well. But we all agreed we would not have missed it for anything. Our day began at 3.15 am (if you wanted coffee first!) and the first session of Choka (chant) at 4.00 am. After that it was Zazen (meditation) and chanting for most of the day until 10.00 pm. We were fortunate to have time off for our own ‘Missa’, which we celebrated in the guesthouse, and some free time to rest in the afternoon. Before leaving we were privileged to have a group meeting with the Roshi (teacher and head priest) and interpreter, something he had not done for the previous exchange groups.

After that, the visits to other monasteries were less formal. The nuns’ community was Soto Zen and they welcomed us as Sisters and included us in their work, chanting, and prayer. We also took part in a Dharma Debate, when we shared Christian and Buddhist teachings on prayer and the interior life, and we took part in other experiences such as a calligraphy session, a Buddhist hymn-singing session, and preparing meals. The other Soto Zen monastery we visited was a very ancient one, founded by Dogen Zenji himself in the 13^th century. Situated in a most beautiful valley surrounded by high, wooded mountains it was an idyllic setting amid enormous ancient cedar trees. To get to the Dharma Hall where the 5.00 am chanting took place, we climbed in single file behind our ‘guardian angel’ 200 steps—quite an experience in the early morning.

The final part of our stay was in Kyoto, where we had also touched base after each visit to a monastery. We had a symposium in the presence of Japan’s leading Roshis. Each of the group gave a presentation about the monastery we had stayed in; and there were keynote speeches from the Japanese and European DIM/MID organisers. It all ended with a very moving memorial service for Pope John Paul II, conducted by one of the Roshis, with chanting, prostrations, and bells and gongs. This was followed by a concelebrated Mass with the Bishop of Kyoto, after which there was a splendid farewell banquet for us and invited guests. We returned home the following day.

It was a most amazing experience. I still have not processed and integrated it at any very deep level except perhaps to be aware of the joy of being in Christ. But my overwhelming feeling is of amazement and gratitude for the whole opportunity, for the very different people in our group, together forming community for a month and for the warm and generous welcome, kindness, compassion and hospitality we received from our Japanese hosts. Explaining the experience to the community and other interested friends has helped to put it in perspective somewhat but I feel like one of the priests who went in the 1980s, who said it would take him a lifetime to understand what the whole thing really meant.

June

Community Representatives Attend Bishop Peter’s Ordination

Sr Beatrix writes… Brs John and Herbert, Srs Benedict and Beatrix, and the monks’ aspirant, John, were present at the episcopal ordination of Monsignor Canon Peter Doyle as the 12^th Bishop of Northampton on June 28^th at Northampton Cathedral. It was a great day of jubilation, a day of giving glory to God and rejoicing in the Lord always! The long opening procession of the clergy was impressive. The organ music was beautiful. The hymn singing was joyful, and young boys and girls played their instruments in melodic songs and read holy readings from the lectern. The Litany of the Saints was sung by the Bernardine Cistercian Sisters of Slough, with the whole congregation singing the responses. His Eminence Cormac Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, was the principal consecrating bishop. Bishop Peter spoke a word of thanksgiving to the congregation, saying that he was overwhelmed by the friendship and affection that welcomed him, and by the sight of the beautifully decorated cathedral. Afterwards, we met the bishop at St George’s Banqueting Hall to shake hands and congratulate him.

Meetings for Bursars and Novice Directors

In June, Sr Ruth attended the first of several gatherings related to her ongoing work as our bursar and novice mistress. From June 27^th to July 1^st, she attended the Benedictine Novice Directors conference at Mount St Bernard Abbey, a Cistercian house in Leicestershire. She went to the Novice Directors of Contemplative Communities meeting at Noddfa, Penmeanmawr, from September 8^th to the 13^th. October found her joining in the Association of Provincial Bursars meeting, which ran from the 3^rd to the 6^th. All of these gatherings were important opportunities to keep abreast of the latest thinking and to make contact with other religious working in the same areas.

 July

Two Special Visits to Ely Cathedral

Sr Goedele writes… A long-standing invitation from Canon Alan and Annie Hargrave brought Srs Benedict, Benigna, Paula, Lucy and Goedele to Ely Cathedral, the famous Norman cathedral in the beautiful City of the Fens, on July 15^th. For some of us, it was a first visit. Alan gave us a prayerful ‘pilgrimage’ tour of the cathedral, ending in the Lady Chapel where he invited us to test the acoustics by singing one of the Marian hymns we use at Compline. The acoustics were impressive but we were most intrigued by the chapel’s modern, controversial statue of Our Lady and by the many mediaeval statues of saints that had been beheaded or otherwise damaged after the Reformation. We then made an assault on the cathedral’s octagonal tower. Srs Benedict, Paula, and Lucy reached the top and have the photos to prove it! Alan and Annie then took us to their own house for a wonderful dinner. Ely Cathedral was originally a Benedictine abbey, and the house that Alan and Annie live in served as the monks’ infirmary. It has been carefully modernised but still has a wonderful historical feel. We had a relaxed afternoon wandering the cathedral grounds and taking tea with Annie before heading home for Vespers.

Canon Alan Hargrave was also responsible for inviting Sr Zoë to preach at Ely’s Sunday Eucharist on July 31^st. In the middle of a beautiful service, she spoke on the themes of listening and patience in the Rule of St Benedict.

Benedictine Hospitality

On July 5^th, Srs Ruth, Miriam, Judith, and Johanna visited the Benedictine monks at Douai Abbey in Berkshire. Fr Gervase Holdaway was our host for the day and gave us a tour of the grounds, the parish church, and the magnificent abbey church. Following the closure of their school, the monks have sold some of their property for redevelopment as private housing and are making major improvements to their remaining buildings. We were able to see some of the work in progress and to look over the plans for the future. After Midday Office and a delicious dinner in the monks’ refectory, Fr Gervase introduced us to other members of the community over coffee. It was a most enjoyable day for us all and a special opportunity to see how the Douai monks are living out their vocation under changing circumstances.

A few weeks later, on July 26^th, the Anglican Benedictine monks of Alton Abbey in Hampshire came to Turvey to visit with both of our communities. Abbot Giles Hill was able to bring all five of his Brothers with him, so we had the pleasure of meeting their entire community. They joined us for Midday Office and dinner in our refectory, followed by conversation over coffee in the library. We were particularly interested to hear about the oblate community that they assist in Peoria, Illinois, USA, and their special interest in Hampshire native Jane Austen. After a tour of the nuns’ property with Sr Zoë and a tour of the monks’ quarters with Br John, Abbot Giles and his community left us with a much-appreciated invitation to come and see Alton for ourselves.

Bishop Peter and Religious of the Diocese Join Us for Vespers

At his ordination on June 28^th, Bishop Peter Doyle stated that one of his priorities was getting to know the religious of the Diocese of Northampton. True to his word, he lost no time in arranging for all the local religious to gather with him for Vespers at Turvey Abbey on Sunday, July 17^th. Our chapel was full for the Office, and Bishop Peter addressed the congregation briefly. We all then moved to Brand House and the front lawn for light refreshments and a chance to meet the Bishop and the other religious in our area. It was a very pleasant afternoon and a lovely introduction our new bishop.

August

An End of Summer Walk

Br John writes… It’s a debatable point when summer ends and autumn begins. I tend to take the departure of the Swifts as the first arbitrary sign that autumn is beginning to make itself felt, and most of August seemed to bear this out until we got to the end and those fabulous last three days. It was on the last of these that I managed a lengthy trek from Harrold to Park Wood to Santa Pod to Odell and back to Harrold and then on to Turvey. The choice of the route was quite deliberate: a clockwise circuit to the north so that the sun was directly behind me, at least at first. This gives a much better chance of taking the wildlife by surprise and gaining a close approach. This strategy was amply rewarded with a superb view of a Hobby hurtling straight towards me, taking a dragonfly, and then settling in a dead tree within eighty paces of where I sat. This made finishing my coffee somewhat difficult but the view was perhaps the best I’ve ever had. This is a beautiful bird with a black mask and white cheeks, a heavily streaked breast and pale red leggings—all set off by slatey-blue back and wings. Seven more Hobbies presented themselves during the day, mostly hunting dragonflies at some height, but they can take Swallows and Martins, too. We have a pair not far from the village and a sure sign that they are about is a sudden mad dash in one direction by the Swallows and Martins. Nine Buzzards, five Sparrowhawks, and eight Kestrels also presented themselves. This is a good time for raptor watching as the young of all these species are now flying and often give themselves away by their higher pitched and more insistent calls. It’s also a good time for coming across small groups of birds working their way through the hedgerows feeding on the abundance of fruits and insects. These can often comprise an interesting mix of migrant and resident birds. One flock included Blackcaps, Reed Warblers, and Reed Buntings, while another had Whitethroats and Spotted Flycatchers. The migrants are preparing for their long journeys south and one can also hear snatches of song from Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs as they pass through. Perhaps the most unexpected find was a flock of 45 Yellow Wagtails among cattle at Carlton. These are now scarce birds nationally, but we still have breeding birds around Turvey and especially around Santa Pod. The British race of Yellow Wagtails has a wonderful lemon yellow head and breast. We live in an exciting countryside, full of movement and sudden surprises—it just needs that slightly mad English ability to wander around in the midday sun for things to happen.

September

Sr Esther Helps to Co-ordinate East–West Day

Sr Esther writes… Our first Christian East–West Day was held at Turvey Abbey on September 10^th. The Eastern Churches were represented by and Egyptian Coptics, Greek Catholic Melkites, and Greek and Russian Orthodox. Participants from the Western Churches included Anglicans, Baptists, Catholics, and Methodists. In addition to representatives of various Benedictine and Orthodox monasteries, there were members of the Community of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Poor Clares, and Sisters of the Love of God.

The day’s theme was ‘Peace and Reconciliation: A Road Ahead’. Fr Robert Gibbons, a Melkite priest who lectures in theology at Strawberry Hill and Oxford University, spoke on the ‘Future Vision of Monastic Life’. This was followed by a talk on ‘Living Orthodoxy in the Western World’ by Mother Joanna Burton of the Holy Myrrh-Bearers Skete in Cambridge. Fr Robert, Mother Joanna, and Sandra Marshall were all instrumental in making this day happen.

Sr Esther and members of the British Association of Iconographers discussed how their prayer lives had been enriched by icons and the Orthodox tradition from which they come. Our Br John was the final speaker, considering ‘The Sacrament of Creation’. The day closed with the opportunity to attend both Orthodox Vespers, served by Fr Raphael Armour of St Ephraim parish in Cambridge, and our usual Benedictine Vespers. The day was dedicated to the late Canon Martin Reardon, of Turvey All Saints Parish, who contributed so much to ecumenism and was a great friend of the Turvey Benedictines.

A Historical Look at Consecrated Women

Srs Miriam and Judith attended a two-day conference entitled ‘Consecrated Women: Towards the History of Women Religious in Britain and Ireland’ at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology in Cambridge. The sessions covered a broad range of topics and were led by an impressive array of speakers drawn from both religious congregations and academic institutions. Our Sisters found it very stimulating and enthusiastically shared their memories and impressions of the conference with the rest of the community when they returned home.

October

Br John and Sr Benedict Attend Study Day on Global Warming

Two of our resident naturalists visited Ipswich on October 15^th for the Suffolk Naturalists’ Society’s annual conference. The theme was ‘Some Like It Hot’, referring to certain species of wildlife that benefit from the climate changes brought about in Europe by global warming. Much emphasis was given to specific observations made at the local level, such as when trees come into blossom and the nesting patterns of birds. When one speaker mentioned that harlequin ladybirds had recently been spotted in the area, a resident pointed out that they were actually living in trees outside the conference centre! At the next coffee break, many of the participants could be seen inspecting those very trees and taking photos on their mobile phones.  

Autumn

Sr Zoë Attends Meetings in Poland and Italy

From September 5^th to the 15^th, Sr Zoë attended the annual Conference meeting of the Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum (CIB), the official organisation of all the Benedictine women’s monasteries recognised by the Abbot Primate. Sr Zoë is the delegate from the British Isles to the Conference, which is the CIB’s leadership body. This year’s meeting was held in Poland and included input from Benedictine nuns from around the country as well as visits to some of their communities. Sr Zoë’s impressions were that our Polish counterparts combined apostolic and contemplative charisms in a way not often seen in the West and that there were a number of new vocations in most of their communities. She also remarked gratefully on the lavish, old-fashioned hospitality that greeted the CIB delegates everywhere.

October saw Sr Zoë returning to the continent for a meeting of the Definitorium of our congregation, the Benedictine Nuns of Schotenhof. The Definitorium consists of the superiors of all the houses of our congregation; it meets halfway between the General Chapters that take place every six years. The 2005 meeting was held at our house in Florence, Villa Linda. Originally scheduled for October 31^st–November 4^th, it had to be postponed when a general strike in Belgium disrupted the travel arrangements of the Sisters from our Motherhouse. As Sr Zoë had already arrived in Florence for the scheduled starting date, she found herself enjoying some unexpected holiday time until the Definitorium finally convened. She returned to Turvey on November 7^th, happy to have seen familiar faces from all our houses in Belgium, France, Italy, and Brazil.

News from the Mews

Br Tom writes… The major event in the monks’ life since the last News from the Mews has been the death of Dom Gregory, our superior.

Dom Gregory had not been in good health for several years, but in the first months of 2005 he began to get increasingly breathless and generally poorly. In late March he finally went to the doctor for an ECG, which revealed that his heartbeat was dangerously irregular, so he was admitted into Milton Keynes Hospital.

Dom Gregory’s stay in hospital was rather mixed. A private man, to begin with he found it difficult to adjust to the very public atmosphere on the ward. Perhaps he also found it difficult to have to leave his fate in other people’s hands. Members of the community visited him every day and he seemed to enjoy these visits. He continued to say his monastic office and kept up with events in the world (not least the election of the new pope) by buying a daily paper from the hospital trolley.

Dom Gregory was found to have a leaky heart valve. There were plans to have this operated on, but by the time the diagnosis was made he was so weak that it would have been dangerous for him to receive the anaesthetic. The hospital tried to build up his strength with booster drinks and a drip but it became increasingly obvious that Dom Gregory was actually losing strength. He spent more time in bed and slept a lot.

In the middle of May there was a false alarm when the doctors responsible for Dom Gregory rang to say that he was probably dying. He was anointed and the community were able to go and pray around his bed and say their good-byes. The next day Br John went in to visit and found Dom Gregory sitting up in bed reading the paper and wondering what all the fuss had been about. After this incident Dom Gregory seemed to be happier in hospital and perhaps also more reconciled to the likelihood of his own death. He made friends with members of staff and some of the other patients and was glad to receive family and friends and say good-bye. There was a constant stream of people from Turvey, London and Europe phoning the monastery to receive news of Dom Gregory’s condition. Many made the journey to visit him.

Dom Gregory died on May 28^th. The hospital rang the monastery at lunchtime to say that he was dying but the monks arrived just after his death. He had apparently grown weaker through the night and the morning and eventually slipped away very peacefully.

The funeral was on June 7^th, the first real day of summer. The Mass was celebrated at All Saints Parish Church in the village, because the numbers coming made a service at the Abbey impossible. We stopped the traffic on the way from the Abbey to the Church and again as we processed from the Church up to the little village cemetery. Guests came from all over Europe, including the Abbot General of the Olivetan congregation and various relatives of Dom Gregory from Holland. There were also lots of parishioners from Cockfosters and many contacts of Dom Gregory’s through his psychotherapy work. After the funeral we all went back to the nuns’ monastery for drinks and sandwiches. The atmosphere was lovely as people spilled out onto the lawns to enjoy the sunshine.

Dom Gregory’s monastic career had moved him around quite a lot. After his national service in Holland he entered the novitiate of Monte Oliveto, near Sienna, largely under the influence of Dom Constantine Bosschaerts, the founder of the Vita et Pax foundation and a pioneer in the ecumenical and liturgical movements. Fr Bosschaerts had taken his young foundation into the Olivetan congregation some years before. Dom Gregory enjoyed his time at Monte Oliveto very much and loved the Archabbey for the rest of his life. While he was a novice he read the Bible through twice, which was very rare among novices in those days. With his novitiate completed, Dom Gregory returned to the Low Countries to study at Louvain University and after ordination he was sent to the parish in Cockfosters, north London.

Dom Gregory remained in London until 1985, apart from a brief spell in the Lebanon in the 1970s. He was an active member of the community in the period when the liturgical changes following the Second Vatican Council began to be implemented; the Cockfosters community was widely regarded as a model of the new liturgical practice during this time and it gave Dom Gregory the opportunity to put into practice his deep appreciation of the liturgy and the renewal. Dom Gregory also enjoyed working with the young people in the parish. Towards the end of his time at Cockfosters, Dom Gregory trained as a Group Psychotherapist and helped to found the North London Centre for Group Psychotherapy just across the road from the monastery.

Following Dom Edmund’s death at Turvey, Dom Gregory was asked to move in and replace him as superior. At this point the fate of the men’s community was uncertain and Dom Gregory’s presence helped to secure the future of the monastery. He also succeeded in establishing the monastery on a firm financial base, first of all by his own practice as a psychotherapist and then by setting up the Turvey Centre for Group Psychotherapy, which continues to flourish.

Dom Gregory’s last big project was to establish the Emmaus Community in the village of Carlton, down the road from Turvey. This is a community where homeless men and women can live indefinitely and earn their living by recycling and then selling old furniture and other items. Although Dom Gregory did not stay involved in the community for long once it was up and running, he provided the inspiration and drive that got it off the ground. It is still doing well.

During the period of Dom Gregory’s illness, Br John acted as superior for the monks’ community. In August we finally had the vote to decide which names we would send to the Abbot General to help him to choose our next superior. Br John was appointed and was subsequently installed by Dom Costanzo, the prior of the Cockfosters community, in a short private ceremony. It was a happy day for the monks and we celebrated with a festive meal with the nuns.

Dom Gregory’s death has not been the only change in the community. At the time of the last Turvey newsletter the monks had two men living with us to explore the possibility of a monastic vocation. Both of them contributed a lot to the community in different ways, and we thank Maximillian for all his help and wish him well as he moves on to search for his vocation elsewhere. John Ramsey, however, was accepted into the community and, after enjoying some travel abroad in the autumn, entered on November 1^st, the Solemnity of All Saints.

Br Herbert spent a good deal of time commuting this year, making many trips to Cockfosters to assist the community there in various ways. Dom Paul enjoyed improved health during the summer months and resumed celebrating daily Mass for the communities—a great joy for us and a big help to Br John. John Paul has been keeping our busy guesthouse in good order.

In August Don Costanzo joined the monks for a day out visiting Hatfield House, home of the Salisbury family. Our invitation came from Canon Laird and his wife, who have been friends of the community from its earliest days. Canon Laird is now the chaplain at Hatfield. It was ironic in some ways for a group of Roman Catholic monks to spend a day visiting the ancient seat of the Cecil family, one of the great families who rose to prominence and power through their involvement in the English Reformation. During the tour of the house we were invited to admire several portraits of Queen Elizabeth I, who the tour guide told us had presided over an unprecedented period of peace and prosperity in England. ‘Unless you were a Catholic,’ said Br John. The tour guide was very kind and said that she ‘wasn’t going into any of that business’. Ancient injustices notwithstanding, we all had a lovely day, thanks largely to the great generosity of the Lairds. We were provided with a splendid lunch where the Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury joined us. Br John’s opening gambit was to ask about slug control in the garden, to which she promptly replied, ‘Nematodes’. 

Rejoice!

September 2006 will mark the 25^th anniversary of the nuns’ arrival in Turvey from Cockfosters, London, the monks having arrived some months before them. Our communities will be celebrating this jubilee together from September 2006 until September 2007.