Ealing Abbey
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| Ealing Abbey | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Founded | 1897 |
| Contact particulars | |
Ealing Abbey is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastic foundation in West London, England, and part of the English Benedictine Congregation.
Contents |
[edit] History
The monastery at Ealing was founded in 1897 from Downside Abbey, originally as a parish in the Archdiocese of Westminster. It was canonically erected as a dependent priory in 1916 and raised again to the rank of independent conventual priory in 1947. Finally, in 1955 it was elevated to the status of an Abbey by Pope Pius XII.
[edit] Apostolate
One of the main apostolates of the Abbey is running a major parish in Ealing centred on the Abbey Church of Saint Benedict where both the parish and monastic liturgies take place.
The other major work of the Abbey is running St Benedict's School, founded as Ealing Priory School in 1902 by Dom Sebastian Cave. This is an independent day school for boys and, since 2007, girls at both the junior and senior levels. There is also a small co-educational nursery. Since 1987 the Abbey has engaged a lay headmaster for the Senior school having previously provided the headmaster from foundation.
The monks of Ealing also run the Benedictine Arts and Study Centre (BASC) which was opened in 1992. The centre, based in the Abbey grounds, provides adult education and formation in Christian spirituality, theology and liturgy, with officially validated courses.
The Abbey is home to the Ealing Abbey Choir of boys' and men's voices, which sings at the Sunday Conventual Mass and appeared in the BBC television programme Songs of Praise in 2005.
[edit] Monks of Ealing
The most distinguished monk at Ealing has been Dom Bernard Orchard OSB, the biblical scholar.
Ealing Abbey was the home (1959-1970 and 1974-1977) of Dom John Main OSB, a proponent of Christian meditation, whose methods are now fostered by the World Community for Christian Meditation.
In April 2006 civil damages were awarded jointly against Dom David Pearce and Ealing Abbey in the High Court in relation to an alleged assault by Dom Pearce on a pupil while teaching at St Benedict's School in the 1990s, although criminal charges were dropped.[1]
[edit] Abbots
The following monks have served as Abbot since elevation to the status of Abbey on 26 May 1955:
| Tenure | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 to 1956 | Dom Charles Pontifex | Formerly prior of Ealing Priory; resigned following a car crash; died 1976 |
| 1956 to 1967 | Dom Rupert Hall | Headmaster of Ealing Priory School 1939-1945; died 1974 |
| 1967 to 1991 | Dom Francis Rossiter | |
| 1991 to 2000 | Dom Laurence Soper | |
| 2000 to present | Dom Martin Shipperlee |
[edit] References
- ^ Alleged Assault Ealing Times April 13, 2006
