Author Archives: a Benedictine monk

We were blessed with the presence of no fewer than five deacons for the Triduum, all from the North American College in Rome. These fine young men will all be ordained priests in the next months. They added much to the ceremonies of Easter … Continue reading →

Dom Anselm spent some of his Lent on the well-worn route to Compostella. The weather was not at its best and so the trip was thoroughly penitential in character. The blog http://dialoguewithtrypho.blogspot.co.uk/ gives some accounts of the pilgrims’ journey.

When the Papal Nuncio was unable to celebrate Pontifical Mass at the Shrine of St Augustine in Ramsgate, Fr Abbot was able to step in at the last minute and celebrate and preach. The evening included the blessing of a new reliquary … Continue reading →

We are pleased to announce the dates of our traditional summer organ recital series. The Cavaillé-Coll at Farnborough is a magnificent instrument, and there are some fine musicians coming this summer to help you appreciate the fact! Recitals start at 3pm, and are on … Continue reading →

A number of followers of this little blog have asked us for more photographs of Dom Michael’s profession in January, and for some explanations of the ceremonies. For most of you, the most striking aspect was the use of the funeral pall during the litany of … Continue reading →

We were pleased to welcome today His Excellency Monsieur Bernard Emié, Ambassador of the French Republic to the Court of St James. With his charming wife and daughters he came to visit the Abbey and to see the tombs of the Imperial … Continue reading →

Dom Michael Vician (aged 28) made his Solemn Profession on January 5th after five years in the monastery. In a ceremony lasting more than two hours, Brother Michael lay prostrate on the sanctuary floor, covered with the funeral pall whilst … Continue reading →

Our Brother Michael and Brother Anselm today were present at the reception of a dozen Anglican sisters into Full Communion with the Catholic Church. They were received by the Ordinary of the Ordinariate, Mgr Newton, in the Oxford Oratory Church. We welcome and congratulate these brave … Continue reading →

Fr Abbot shared some thoughts on Fr Magnus, whose funeral took place yesterday in the Abbey Church. Our little community was delighted to be supported by brethren from Prinknash and Pluscarden, as well as Chilworth, Douai and Ealing abbeys, and diocesan clergy … Continue reading →

The funeral of Dom Magnus Wilson will be at the Abbey Church on Wednesday November 28th at 2pm, followed by burial in the monastery cemetery. An obituary will follow on this site.

Earlier this summer there was a meeting of the Provincial Council of the English Province of the Benedictine Congregation of Subiaco in our monastery. Farnborough was a good choice, because we are near to the London airports and brethren were … Continue reading →

Today we celebrate the Feast of title and a wonderful solemnity for us. Usually our Conventual Mass is at 6.30am, but this morning we celebrated at the decadent hour of 8am! Our feast day is an opportunity to greet all … Continue reading →

Our Abbot Cuthbert and Brother Michael visited Brother Michael’s family in Slovakia. They went to the cathedral at Nitra to visit the places associated with the ancient Benedictine saints Andrew Svorad and Benedict the martyr. The bishop invited them to … Continue reading →

We are often described by local people as an ‘oasis’ in Farnborough. As the town has grown around us, we remain a very green area. Geographically speaking we are at the heart of the town, though we probably fulfil the role of its lung more than anything else! … Continue reading →

We were pleased to welcome another group of young people from the Slovak Mission in London for a weekend of prayer. Young Catholics from the parish there have made us a ‘second home’ in the last couple of years.

We rejoiced with our friends, the nuns of the Notting Hill Carmel, at the Solemn Profession of Sr Pamela of the Holy Spirit on May 10th. Four of us attended the Mass and the reception which followed. Bishop Arnold was the celebrant, … Continue reading →

Fr Abbot has just returned from St Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde,  http://www.stceciliasabbey.org.uk where he preached the annual retreat. His theme was the Christian Altar, using the rites of dedication as a peg on which to hang various themes of monastic spirituality … Continue reading →

Fr Abbot and Dom Michael attended the four hour Mass of Dedication of the Abbey Church of Saint Michel de Kergonan in Brittany. Farnborough and Kergonan have many historic links as well as modern bonds of friendship. Five years ago the Abbey … Continue reading →

Three of the brethren attended the ordination to the sacred priesthood of Frs James Bradley and Daniel Lloyd of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in St Patrick’s, Soho Square. Bishops Hopes, an auxiliary bishop in Westminster, presided and Mgr Newton preached. … Continue reading →

We have had some lovely people passing through our portals in the last month or so. Dom Aidan Bellenger, abbot of Downside dropped in for a fraternal visit. Lord Nicholas Windsor dropped in with another friend of ours to say … Continue reading →