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Benedictine Monks from St Augustine’s Abbey in Chilworth enjoy the snow as it blankets their abbey. On the left is Fr Paulinus Greenwood OSB, the Abbot and on the right is fellow monk Fr John Seddon OSB.

The Benedictine Abbey, formerly a 19th century friary, is built in the gothic style, and sits on a hillside in the Surrey countryside surrounded by woodland, providing an idyllic setting for the monk’s life of ora et labora.

Coronavirus has interrupted the normal rounds of public services, retreats and visits by the public to the Abbey, but Fr John remains stoical. Perhaps inspired by the weather he said that the “threat we can often feel from a cold universe without God”. He quoted Teilhard de Chardin in a Facebook post: “On certain days, the world seems a terrifying thing, huge blind and brutal. It buffets us about, drags us along and kills us with complete indifference.

“We contrive to create a living space of warmth and light but how precarious it is! At any time the vast and horrible thing may break in through the cracks: fire, pestilence, storms, earthquakes or dark immoral forces which can swiftly sweep away in one moment what we have labouriosly built up.

“The only response is the prayer, ‘Lord, help my unbelief.’ How does the Lord respond? He says, ‘This is my Body.’ ‘It is I do not be afraid.’ When faith claims us, then all that terrifies us becomes a caress of the divine hand drawing us to the One who is love.”

Fr John said of his life as a monk at St Augustine’s: “I believe the best good acts I can make are those which will bring me to God. A monastery offers me those in spades, therefore I not only feel free here, I am free, content and happy.”

The Abbot, Fr Paulinus Greenwood OSB, told The Tablet: “The monks of Chilworth have had to stop singing original Gregorian Chant on Sundays in order to keep the length of Mass down, on the advice of the Bishop. Both the monks and laity are feeling this temporary loss.

 

“Covid-19 restrictions and guidelines are having an impact on all aspects of liturgical celebration and tradition. This is why the monks had more time to go out into the snow after Mass – the 10am Mass finished at 10.35am. Also, after Mass, the monks were able to help dig parishioners’ cars out of the snow in the car park to enable them to drive off.’ 

 

Meanwhile, by way of an update about Benedictine life at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, the monastic community has grown to ten in total with two postulants, one of whom is making Chilworth rosary beads from cord and they are proving popular, with 40 sold in less than a month via the Abbey's online shop.

 

Currently, Sunday 10am Mass with the monks is available for up to 32 people, with 20 places made available for those people who normally attend weekly Mass at the Abbey. Sung Gregorian Chant during public Mass has temporarily ceased. The additional 12 places are available on request on a first come first served basis – for these places or any questions, please contact Deirdre Leach at d.leach@waitrose.com or 01483 203920. Daily Mass, daily Divine Office and all of the Abbey's events remain suspended and not open to the public. The monks are happy to offer prayer petitions and Mass, which can be requested via the website www.chilworthbenedictines.com