Dear Friends,
The month of June brought with it great joy as another of our brothers made his profession of vows as a
monk of Farnborough. Fr Aidan Charlton, a priest of the Middlesbrough Diocese, made his temporary
profession, that is to say he committed himself to our monastery for an initial three years.
Father Aidan brings with him various gifts to the community. He is a fine organist and singer, and is very
capable in his stewardship of the abbey estate and farm. It is amusing to some of us to see him in his farm
work gear driving the tractor, only to witness the freshly-showered artiste at work playing his favourite
Benoît on the Cavaillé-Coll after Vespers. Father Aidan’s profession happened to be on the weekend of the
June organ recital. In this special centenary recital series, we welcomed Marie-Bernadette Dufourcet-Hakim,
organist of Notre Dame des Champs, Paris. Madame Hakim arrived on the afternoon of the profession and added
to our joy by volunteering a superb improvisation on the Te Deum after Vespers.
On the following day, Dom Magnus renewed his vows at Mass. This was his Golden Jubilee of monastic
profession. It is incredible to think that he and Dom Wulstan have more than one hundred and twenty years
of monastic commitment between them, even before we start to add the years notched by the ‘younger’ end of
the community.
Some of the lady cows of our herd went to visit the bull early in August, taking their newborn with them.
This left the brethren on the farm with more time to take advantage of the good weather and make hay. With
the help of the sun and our new baling machine, we were able, by St John the Baptist’s Day, to boast enough
small bales for the winter feeding of the cattle.
A friendly farmer presented us with a gift of four duck eggs. These hatched under a broody hen. It will, no
doubt, be difficult for mother hen when her ‘chicks’ throw themselves into water for the first time!
We welcomed the first of this year’s batch of new recruits in June. Brother Kevin White, from Surrey, has
been a frequent attender of our Conventual Mass and has helped with work in the Abbey from time to time.
Before commencing his monastic life he worked in the accounts department of Aid to the Church in Need.
Please keep him, and indeed all of us, in your prayers as our little community continues to grow.
Sincerely in the Lord,
rchived 
ews
