Ealing Abbey is home to a community of monks who live in service of God under the Rule of St Benedict. The monastery has been on its present site since 1897, having been founded from St Gregory’s Abbey, which was then at Downside in Somerset. Ealing Abbey is one of the monasteries in the English Benedictine Congregation.
The monastic life is one of payer and work (ora et labora in Latin). Although monasteries have traditionally been situated away from towns, this is not always the case. The life of an urban monk is different from that of a rural one, often having a greater involvement in local life. At the same time, there is still a withdrawal from the world, so that the monk can focus on the search for God.
The monks of Ealing Abbey run a large parish and a study centre, as well as several other activities, including prayer groups.