Dear Friends,
The celebration of the Easter ceremonies was greater than usual this year, due to activity on our farm.
Two of our cows gave birth to fine, healthy calves. It was a great joy to witness this, one being born on
Holy Saturday. Father Aidan looked more exhausted than the cows at the end of it all. Mothers and babies
are doing well. I have asked him to prepare a brief update on the farm and estate progress for the next
Laudetur, and perhaps some photographs of the new-born calves, mothers permitting.
We have our own new life too. A number of young men have visited us lately, and a number are asking to be
received into the novitiate. Indeed, as things stand, we may well be blessed with more than five new
members by the end of this year. Please pray for them (and for our little community) that God will bless
this good work that He has begun in them.
Although the monastery may seem very big to those who view it from the outside, we do not in fact have much
space within. our library, refectory and kitchen take up most of the ground floor, and the red brick part
of the house is only one room thick. The increase in the number of the community and the arrival of the
Catholic Central Library is already causing a number of logistic problems. For example, the chapel in the
monastery which we use at 5.30 in the morning for Matins will soon be too small for us. We have therefore
decided to create a new house chapel which will not only offer three or four extra spaces but will also
allow us to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the monastery. This will not only be a fitting way to mark
this year of the Eucharist, but will also allow members of our community to pray privately without having
to undertake a pilgrimage up the hill to our church. It will also provide a ground floor, warm chapel for
our elderly. It is fitting that our former Chapter Room should become the house chapel, since it already
has choir stalls which are of historical interest.
Our former conference room will then become the Chapter Room once it has been redecorated and suitably
furnished.
Sincerely in the Lord,
rchived 
ews
