Dear Friends,
In spite of our small number, we began in the course of last month to sing Lauds in Latin in the Abbey
Church on Sunday mornings. Lauds takes its name from the ‘Laudate’ or praise psalms and it is a joy to sing
this Office. It lifts and punctuates Sunday beautifully. Please God, new vocations will soon be joining us
and strengthening the singing. Sunday Lauds takes the best part of forty minutes to sing.
We welcomed the annual ‘Day with Mary’ celebration. This is a day of prayer and devotion to Our Blessed
Lady, something of a marathon of devotion in fact. A coach from Westminster Cathedral swelled the ranks.
The church was full. Fortunately for us, a priest friend was staying and was able to help with confessions
and with the sermons. Fr Gabriel Burke preached as only the Irish diocesan clergy can!
Jean-François de Saint Ferjeux, who came here as a student to learn English some years ago returned to us
for some days of rest and retreat before his wedding, which I performed in the parish church at Flavigny
in Burgundy.
Douai Abbey celebrated the centenary of its arrival in England with a number of celebrations, not least of
which was a solemn Mass with Cardinal Murphy O’Connor and the Abbot Primate. Whilst circumstances at home
made it impossible for us to attend, we were pleased to play our part by welcoming a large French group
from Douai, in France, where the Douai community (now at Upper Woolhampton, Reading) lived for many years
as an English house in exile. Brother Hugh Somerville-Knapman brought them to us.
The month was otherwise quiet. Dom Magnus had a well-earned rest with members of his family.
Another friend of the community, Fr Stéphane Dupré, was ordained to the priesthood. Although he was
ordained for the Fraternity of Saint Peter, his ordination took place in the Benedictine Abbey of
Fontgombault in France. Some years ago he spent several weeks with us as part of his discernment before
entering the Fraternity.
We were delighted to receive a visit from Lebanese Father Augustine Aoun. Abouna Augustine is a priest of
the Maronite Rite, an eastern Church in Communion with Rome. He has pastoral responsibility for the
Maronites living in the British Isles, and celebrates the liturgy in a mixture of English, French, Arabic
and the Lord’s own language of Syriac (Aramaic). We hope that this was but the first of many visits.
The vocations fund continues to help needy seminarians known to the Abbey community with their studies and
expenses. We continue to be grateful for your help in this. Might we ask your aid for another project?
Although the Abbey has a fine collection of vestments for solemnities and for the high points of the
liturgical year, we have surprisingly little for ordinary days.
We have recently acquired a High Mass set for feasts of Our Lady, but have not yet paid for it! We are
grateful to one kind family who have made a substantial donation towards the purchase of these vestments,
but would be grateful for any help towards the few hundred pounds which we have yet to raise.
With all our good wishes and blessings
Sincerely in the Lord,
rchived 
ews
