22nd May
Today, it was a pleasure to welcome the Union of Monastic Superiors who are holding their annual meeting at Ampleforth Abbey this week. The group, comprising monks and nuns from 21 monasteries following the Rule of St Benedict in England, Scotland, Ireland and the United States, arrived just before 10 am.
After a talk from Br John Mark Falkenhain of St Meinrad’s Archabbey in the States, the main speaker at the meeting, the group mingled with the Stanbrook community over coffee before resuming their work session. Midday prayer all together was a strong moment of communion which extended into a convivial lunch which offset the gloomy weather! The UMS participants returned to Ampleforth hopefully replenished in body and spirit and ready to conclude their meeting.
Although, until we complete our own monastic guesthouse, we are unable to host such meetings, it is good that we can share the blessing of hospitality using the existing conference facilities and the abbey church.
From the House Chronicle