Please note the times of Sevices over the Christmas period. All services are also live-streamed. The Abbot and all the monks wish you all a happy and holy Christmas. Wednesday 24th December – Christmas Eve Please note there is no 6 pm Mass today. 6 am Matins 7 am Monastic Conventual Mass 7:35 am Lauds …
Director of Music The Abbey of St Benedict, London, wishes to appoint a Director of Music to lead the Catholic choir of Ealing Abbey, and to contribute to the development of the Abbey’s sacred music programme in September 2026. Founded in 1897, the Abbey maintains a high standard of liturgical and musical worship within the …
(All photos on this page are copyright Damian Walker.) On 27th September, Dom Bede was ordained to the priesthood after 9 years in the monastery. His ordination comes after six of studies at Oxford Blackfriars. Bishop James Curry presided at the ordination. In his homily, Bishop James referred to Bede’s experiences prior to joining the …
Your views on safeguarding can help make the Church a safer place. The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) is undertaking a thematic inspection focusing on current survivor engagement and support across Catholic dioceses and Religious Life Groups in England and Wales. This is the first of its kind for the CSSA. The aim to identify …
Brother Bede will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday 27th September. The Mass will start at 1 pm in the Abbey church. The Right Reverend James Curry, auxiliary bishop of Westminster, will be the ordaining bishop. Priestly ordination is the culmination of a long journey for Brother Bede. It follows six years of study …
The monastic community is on retreat this week from Monday evening, 18th August, until Saturday morning, 23rd August. The monastic community retreat is a time when we try to step back from our usual day-to-day activities in the parish and our other works, focussing on our relationship with God. Although we are still available for …
The Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency (CSSA) is conducting a thematic inspection on survivor engagement and support across Religious Life Groups (RLGs) and dioceses of the Catholic Church. Through a public survey/public call out we invite survivors to contribute their experiences of contact with the Catholic Church following abuse. The experiences may be new or ongoing, …
Come along to a Book Review and Discussion of ‘Hope’ by Pope Francis, held at the Maurice Fowler Hall of Ealing Abbey, on Saturday 21st June. In January, Pope Francis published his autobiography. Originally, heintended it to be published after his death, but then decided to release it to coincide with the 2025 Jubiliee year …
Pope Leo XIV (Robert Cardinal Prevost) Image © Reuters ‘Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus papam.’ ‘I announce to you great joy; we have a pope.’ This is the start of the announcement made Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti, the senior cardinal in the Order of Deacons. (Despite the title, Cardinal Mamberti is, as are most cardinals, …
There will be a Mass for survivors of clerical abuse on Saturday 17th May at 11:15 am in the Abbey Church at Ealing Abbey. This is an opportunity to come and pray for those have been abused. The Mass has been organised by HOPE, a group which meets regularly to look at the signs of …
The Easter Triduum is the most important time in the Church’s year. It runs from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper to the Easter Vigil. The Triduum (‘three days’) is really one long liturgy from Thursday to Sunday. The Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and then waiting and praying on Holy Saturday receive the crowning glory …
Please note the times of Sevices over the Christmas period. All services are also live-streamed. The Abbot and all the monks wish you all a happy and holy Christmas. Tuesday 24th December – Christmas Eve Please note there is no 6 pm Mass today. 6 am Matins 7 am Monastic Conventual Mass 7:35 am Lauds …
The First Sunday of Advent 2024 sees new Scripture readings at Mass. Although the Bible verses used haven’t changed, some of the words have. Some people will think, ‘About time, too,’ while others will complain that there was nothing wrong with the old readings. The reasons for the change go to the nature of the …
The monastic community is on its annual retreat from 19th to 24th August. This is a time for the monks to go deeper into prayer so that they are better able to carry out their roles in the parish and community. Jesus told His apostles, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest …
Brother Bede will be ordained as a deacon on Saturday 29th June 2024. The service will be in the Abbey Church and will start at 1 pm. Bishop Paul McAleenan, an auxiliary bishop of Westminster, will be presiding. The service will be available on livestream. Diaconal ordination has long been one of the stages to …
The Easter Triduum is the most important time in the Church’s year. It runs from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper to the Easter Vigil. The Triduum (‘three days’) is really one long liturgy from Thursday to Sunday. The Last Supper, the Crucifixion, and then waiting and praying on Holy Saturday receive the crowning glory …
The Annunciation celebrates Christ’s Incarnation. Every year we celebrate The Annunciation on 25th March. This year (2024), however, we don’t; instead we celebrate The Annunciation on 8th April. We also postponed The Annunciation in 2013, 2016, and 2018, and shall do so again in 2027, 2029, 2032, and 2035. In each of these years, March …
A few weeks ago, on the Feast of St Scholastica, Brother Bede was instituted as an Acolyte. As with his earlier institution as Reader, this is one of the stages on the path to the ordained ministries of Deacon and Priest. Brother Bede, if it is God’s will, will be ordained to the Diaconate later …
A Discussion on the Meaning of Forgiveness inspired by Simon Wiesenthal’s book “The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness” In his book The Sunflower Simon Wiesenthal recounts a moral dilemma that he faced during the Second World War. The dilemma centres around ‘What is Forgiveness?’ He recounts the circumstances of the dilemma and …
On 6th January Abbot Dominic instituted Brother Bede as a Reader in the Church. This ceremony is part of the preparation for ordination by all priests and deacons. The institution as Reader is a short and simple ceremony but a significant one. What is a Reader? In the Catholic Church ‘Reader’ is a ministry or …
These are the times for the services in the Abbey Church. Ealing Abbey Christmas Services 2023 are slightly different from the usual services. Since Chrismas Eve is on Sunday, the usual Sunday 7 pm Mass is replaced by a Vigil Mass at 8 pm. There is a Matins service at 11 pm, followed by carols, …
The O Antiphons refers to the Magnificat antiphons at Vespers during the last week of Advent. This is the culmination of the Advent time of preparation for Christmas. Advent is divided into two unequal parts. The first part looks forward to the second coming of Christ at the end of time, whereas the second part …
On 4th December, the Feast of St Barbara, Fr Timothy travelled to North Acton to bless two statues of St Barbara. The statues were then placed in tunnels. This strange-sounding behaviour is part of an ancient ritual carried out in tunnels the world over. These tunnels are part of the new HS2 (High Speed 2) …
The Language of Beauty at the Service of the Church: Pilot for Diploma in Iconographic Techniques The Christian Art Studio of Ealing Abbey is pleased to announce enrolments for a diploma course in iconographic technique, starting in January 2024. Initial enrolments: November 2023 Pilot start date: Friday 5 January 2024. 3 hour weekly class 11.30am to …
The monastic community is on retreat this week from Monday evening, 21st August, until Saturday morning, 26th August. This is a time when we try to step back from our usual day-to-day activities in the parish and our other works, focussing on our relationship with God. For a reflection on why monks need a time …
In 1964 Pope Paul VI declared St Benedict Patron Saint of Europe, with his Feast on 11th July. Traditionally, this is the date he was born. Pope Paul VI noted that St Benedict started a movement that had a profound effect on the Christianisation of Europe. Ealing Abbey and its parish are both dedicated to …
All images on the page are copyright the Catholic Church of England and Wales. On Sunday 18th June His Beatitude Cardinal Archbishop Louis Sako, the Patriarch of Baghdad, celebrated Mass at Ealing Abbey. The Mass was part of a 10-day visit to the UK by the patriarch, organised by Fellowship and Aid to the Christians …
The Easter Triduum, from the evening of Maundy Thursday until Vespers of Easter Sunday, is the most important time in the Christian calendar. From the commemoration of the Last Supper until the Resurrection the liturgy follows the Passion, death and Resurrection of Christ. On Maundy Thursday we join the apostles in the Upper Room for …
How many days are there in Lent? We all know that – it’s 40. Or is it? Lent starts on Ash Wednesday. There are four days before the First Sunday of Lent, then six weeks of Lent. That gives 46 days, not 40. But Sundays don’t count, so if we take off the six Sundays, …
There are drop-in prayer sessions at the Benedictine Study Centre, 74 Castlebar Road, every weekday morning. These sessions, led by a monk of Ealing Abbey, are a chance to experience some aspects of Benedictine prayer. There are three separate parts each day; come for any one, two, or all three. Monks have been immersed in …
At Christmas, even the monastic routine changes a little. Here are the Mass and other prayer times in the Abbey Church for the Christmas period. Saturday 24th December (Christmas Eve) 6:30 am Matins 7:00 Mass 7:35 Lauds 9:15 Monastic Conventual Mass 3:00 pm Blessing of the Crib 6:00 Vespers 8:00 First Mass of Christmas 11:00 …
Towards the end of September I put a message on this website saying it would be offline for a few days. It is now Christmas and the website is only just back online. In Psalm 89 we pray, ‘To your eyes a thousand years are like yesterday, come and gone, no more than a watch …
The monks of Ealing Abbey renewed their vows at the Monastic Conventual Mass at 9.15 on Saturday 27th August. This ceremony is the culmination of the Community Retreat, which ran from Monday 22nd August to Saturday 27th August. Each year the monks have a community retreat and renew their commitment to the service of God. …
22nd-27th August 2022 Why do monks need to go on retreat? Surely their whole life is one of prayer? The purpose of the monastic life is to search for God. When a Novice or Junior monk applies to make temporary or solemn profession, the letter to the Abbot states, ‘I … desiring to seek God …
At the General Chapter of the English Benedictine Congregation we welcomed three communities of nuns into the EBC. This more than doubles the number of convents of nuns in the English Benedictine Congregation and also increases our global reach, all three houses being located overseas. General Chapter ran from 11th – 21st July, at Buckfast …
The Ealing Abbey website is being updated.
New prayerful reflections on the Catechism of the Catholic Church
All the Abbots and Delegates of the monasteries and convents of the English Benedictine Congregation are meeting for the EBC General Chapter. This is usually held every four years; the current Chapter had to be postponed owing to Covid restrictions. General Chapter is an opportunity for all the houses in the EBC to debate how …
Benedictine Institute Ealing Abbey New groups beginning after Easter 2022 Meeting together monthly Led by a member of the monastic community For many people an occasional or regular shared prayerful reading of the sacred scriptures is helpful. For the insights of others may bring light and life. The group must be small enough and harmonious …
At Canterbury St Dunstan established schools and built and restored churches, offered patronage to visiting scholars from Europe, and both promoted and practised the crafts that he had learned both in his youth and in his later years (including organ-building and bell-making) and he corrected the books in the cathedral library. for more, please follow this link
