Colwich Abbey - Chronicle 2005

The Colwich Chronicle

St. Mary's Abbey Colwich Stafford ST18 0UF

Advent 2005

"The joy and hope . . .

the grief and anguish of the men of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted in any way, are the joy and hope, the grief and anguish of the followers of Christ as well".

Vatican II Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes
40th anniversary

Year of the Eucharist, tsunami, Papal election, terrorist attacks in London, earthquakes and floods: as an enclosed community, these we have shared always in our prayer, sometimes through television, and exceptionally by going out. We watched the funeral of Pope John Paul II and the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI on TV. We went out to the Birmingham Eucharistic Congress.

Year of the Eucharist

We began day adoration before the Tabernacle, on a voluntary and informal basis, from 1 November 2004. Mother Abbess and Mother Prioress went on 5th March 2005 to a study day at the Maryvale Institute on the encyclical, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, and then most of the community studied it together as a group. On 15th July Mother Abbess was at Newman College for one day of the talks for the Birmingham Eucharistic Congress. And on 17th July the whole community travelled by coach with the parish to Oscott College for the closing Mass of the Eucharistic Congress. Probably the first time the whole community went out together since 1794, after the French Revolution!

Birmingham Eucharistic Congress at Oscott College July 2005

Silver Jubilee

Sister Benedict with Mother Abbess

Sister Benedict's Silver Jubilee in April coincided with the Inauguration of her namesake as Pope. A few days later the Colwich celebration took place with her father and friends.

Golden Jubilees

Dame Anselma's Golden Jubilee was celebrated quietly on 30th November 2004.

On 3rd September the whole community and Father Edward Delepine our chaplain travelled to our Benedictine neighbours for the Golden Jubilee of Mother Prioress Benedicta Scott of Oulton Abbey.

Back at Colwich, on 22nd October Abbot President Abbot Richard Yeo celebrated Mass for the Golden Jubilee our own Mother Prioress Ann Bromwich. Her brother Albert and some 70 family and friends shared the day with us.

Mother Prioress Ann Bromwich

Travels

Mother Abbess and Mother Prioress had to attend several meetings this year. But it was more unusual for Sr Theresa Mary and Sr Davina to go with Father Edward and Mother Abbess to Ampleforth Abbey for the Blessing of Abbot Cuthbert Madden on 31st March. Then later on it was Sr Sheila who went to the Cistercian nuns at Whitland with Mother Abbess and thence to Caldey Island for the Solemn Profession on 19th August of Brother Teilo.

Getting the Habit

On Christmas Eve 2004, Sister Cordis put on the Benedictine habit and she continues her probation with our community.

Studies

Sr Benedict and Sr Davina are studying the Catechism of the Catholic Church on a three year distance learning course with the Maryvale Institute, Birmingham. They took part in two Study Days this year, in February and September.
Sr Benedict also attended a Catholic Archives Society training day at the National Archives, Kew, London in March.

Christmas

Our community card this year is designed by our own Sr Monica.

The Passing of Friends

We pray for all who have died this year, especially for our oblate Aine Baptie; for Noreen, wife of our gardener Roy Sharratt; and for Jean, our friend Penny Holden's mother.
May they rest in peace.