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On Saturday 25th March, the Feast of the Annunciation at the Benedictine Abbey of Our Lady and St John at Alton, our former bishop, the Right Reverend Timothy Bavin, will be taking his final vows as a member of the Benedictine Order. We send our love and prayers to him on this great occasion. Someone said recently that the religious communities of the Anglican Church were our best kept secret. At the time of the dissolution of the monasteries in 1538 by Henry VIII, it was thought that the monastic life of England and Wales had gone forever. Yet, by the mid 19th century with the revival of the catholic tradition in the Anglican Church, many new communities had come into existence and many new Roman Catholic communities too. Over one thousand four hundred years ago St Gregory the Great, sent St Augustine from his community of St Andrew in Rome with forty monks to England in 597. It is from these forty monks that the religious communities began and St Augustine founded the Church in England, setting up his Cathedral in Canterbury as first Archbishop. Today there are 140 religious communities for men and women throughout the Anglican Communion (Religious Communities Year Book 2000) with a large number in England and Wales. Alton Abbey began in 1896 for active work amongst seamen but this was discontinued in 1989 and the community has adopted the full Benedictine rule. The monks lead a life of prayer, work and study within the monastery, although they do take occasional commitments outside. Their ministry is one of hospitality, for individuals and groups in retreat, and on several occasions in the past St George's have held Quiet Days at Alton Abbey. I well remember my own visits to Alton Abbey for retreat over forty years ago in the most beautiful countryside and the lovely Abbey Church. We must remember the work and witness of the religious communities in our prayers and pray for more vocations to the monastic life. May God bless Fr Timothy, the Abbot and monks of Alton Abbey.
Alton Abbey With my blessing and prayers. Your friend and priest. Fr Malcolm Ferrier |
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page last updated 3 MARCH 2000 |
