Dear Friends,
The month of September was one of particular grace and celebration for us.
On our Patronal Feast of St Michael, we also celebrated this year the centenary of the Abbatial
blessing of Dom Fernand Cabrol, who was the first Conventual Prior and then first Abbot of Farnborough.
This edition of Laudetur is dedicated largely to him and to the celebration on that day.
Many of our friends and benefactors have contacted us in the last few months concerned about worrying
rumours they had heard about a threat to the future of the community of St Michael’s Abbey.
We are eager to dispel these rumours, and that is best done by a presentation of simple facts. An election
for a Conventual Prior held in the monastery in May of 2002 was not ratified, or ‘confirmed’ as we say, by
the Abbot President of the Subiaco Benedictine Congregation to which we belong. No reasons were given for
this action, an action which resulted in much distress for the community and much uncertainty about its
future. The Community, completely united against this decision and convinced that it was unjust and
contrary to the laws of the Church and to those of our monastic Congregation, appealed to the Holy See. Any
such recourse to the Holy See is a thorough and therefore a time-consuming process.
Those who worship here cannot fail to have noticed the numerous visits of various abbots since May 2002.
Because the community refused to abandon its right to elect its superior, and to have that election
respected, we found ourselves under considerable pressure to consider many alternatives, including our
closure.
In spite of these not inconsiderable difficulties, we invited a number of friends to celebrate Saint
Michael’s Day with us.
On the Saturday before the feast our fax machine issued forth the Decree of the Congregation for Institutes
of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, upholding our appeal and giving the necessary
recognitio of the election. The fact that this arrived on the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul was a
particular joy to me, since I have long been a devotee of his, and indeed visited his shrine in Paris
earlier in the Summer to commend these problems to his intercession.
Let history record that we owe to three particular communities, as well as so many individuals, a massive
debt of gratitude for their prayers, their support and care for us during this period of intense suffering:
the Abbot and monks of Quarr Abbey, the Abbess and nuns of St Cecilia’s Abbey Ryde, and the Mother General
and communities of the Tyburn Nuns.
The Solemnity of Saint Michael was therefore, one of the most memorable days in the history of the
community, and thanks to Mrs Christine Parkin and to Mr Arthur Hall, we are able to share with you a
photographic record of it in this edition.
Sincerely in the Lord,
rchived 
ews
