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 …
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 …
Feasts this Week
All are memoria unless otherwise stated.
During the Easter Octave no other Solemnities, Feasts, or Memoria are kept.
Week beginning 20th April 2025
Sunday
Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of the Lord
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Daily Reading from the Rule of St Benedict
CHAPTER 65: THE PRIOR OF THE MONASTERY
QUITE often it has happened that through the appointment of a Prior serious scandals arise in monasteries. There are people who get inflated with an evil spirit of pride, and thinking themselves to be second abbots they assume a dictatorship, foster scandals and cause dissensions in the community; this occurs chiefly in places where the Prior is appointed by the same bishop or by those abbots who appoint the Abbot himself. How ridiculous this procedure is can easily be seen, for from the very source of his appointment grounds are given him for pride, when his own thoughts suggest to him that he is exempted from the authority of his Abbot, ‘for you are yourself appointed by the same persons as the Abbot is’. By this are set in motion envies, quarrels, slanders, rivalries, dissensions, disorders, so that, while the Abbot and Prior are at variance with each other, the result is bound to be that their own souls are imperilled by this disagreement, and those who are under them go to perdition by taking sides. For this dangerous state of things those are primarily responsible who have brought about such a bad arrangement.
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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 …
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 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 …
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 …
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
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 …