Dear Friends,
In July, we celebrated the Solemnity of Saint Benedict with a procession from the crypt to the Abbey
Church. Last minute arrivals who joined us for both the Mass and for the rest of the day, were some
Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. A small group of friars have established a shop in south London and
formed a little community there to staff it. At present they rely on the local priest for Mass, but during
the summer holiday period Fr Serafino, an Italian friar who came to learn English with us two summers ago,
is staying with them.
We were pleased to welcome to Farnborough, for the first time, Dom Robert Mawulawoe of the Abbey of the
Ascension Dzobégan, in Togo. This was, in fact, his first visit to England, though I have met him a number
of times abroad. Our friendship began when we met by coincidence on a train going up a Swiss mountain, and
the result of this meeting was the long visit of his former prior, Brother Emmanuel, to us some years ago.
Abbot Robert is Visitor of the French African Province of our Congregation and was in England for a meeting
of our Provincial Visitors at Ramsgate.
Once again we have many seminarians with us from the Collegio Maria Mater Ecclesiae in Rome. This year sees
students from the Czech Republic, from Poland, Haiti, Brazil, and Mexico, to name but a few. There is a
real sense of the Catholic Church in the house when we are blessed with the presence of seminarians from
all over the world. This is particularly evident during the liturgy, when it is a joy to see that even if
the Church in our part of the world is, at present, suffering from a crisis of vocations, this is not the
case in other parts of the world.
Among them is Deacon Marcin from Poland (left) who is in the final year of his studies for the priesthood
in Rome. He is attending an advanced English course at King’s College, London, and has returned to us each
evening with useful and erudite new phrases such as ‘my tummy is rumbling’ and ‘keep your hair on’!
Also among them (right) is Brother Jiri, a Blessed Sacrament brother from the Czech republic who is
visiting us with his superior’s nephew, Stanislav. They are relaying and setting the crazy-paving in front
of the monastery and on the cemetery path.
Not from Mater Ecclesiae, but from Croatia, are seminarians Matija Maticic (far left) and Domagoj Kalcina
(left). This is the second summer that Matija has spent with us and the first visit of Domagoj.
Some of those who came to us as students and deacon are ordained to the priesthood this year. Two
Brazilians, Father Frederico and Father Darlan, and Father Cristian Camacho from Mexico (left). Our prayers
and warmest wishes go to them. We are delighted that we have played our small part on their paths to the
priesthood, and will continue to support them by our prayers and encouragement.
The peafowl have begun to exhibit an interest in organised religion...where will it end?
Sincerely in the Lord,
rchived 
ews
