Early Winter Update
» On 3 December a group clergy from our diocese of Portsmouth, in company with their Bishop Philip Egan, were at Douai for a day of recollection led by Abbot Cuthbert Brogan of Farnborough. The same day, Fr Finbar represented the community the funeral at Cold Ash of Sr Paddy Brady FMM who had died just short of her century. An indomitable character, her funeral was well attended.
» The next day the local primary schools gathered for their annual carols' concert in the abbey church. Earlier in the day Fr Gabriel discovered that two of our call ducks had disappeared from their pen. Since there was no sign of animal activity foul (!) play by humans is suspected. A highly specialised sort of theft, it leaves a few questions being raised.
» On Friday 5 December Fr Abbot collected from Oxford the theological library of Dr Tony Cross, recently dead. May he rest in peace. Later that day a group of our oblates arrived for a weekend retreat led by Fr Gervase.