Bugs, nuns et al
» In a sign of the nation's gradual emergence from lockdown, on Monday 13 July Fr Abbot sallied forth from the monastery to Oulton Abbey for a meeting of its trust and then heaed up for a few days in Ormskirk. On the Tuesday night he dined with Frs Godric, Boniface and Hugh.
» The nuns at Colwich Abbey are now affiliated with Stanbrook Abbey. The death at Colwich of Sr Monica a few weeks ago reduced that community to a number which meant the provisions of the Vatican decree Cor orans of 2018 now apply to Colwich. Let us pray that the new relationship will bear fruit for both communities.
» The resident community is still in discussion about opening Mass in the abbey church to the public. The abbey church is open for private prayer on Sundays from 3 to 4pm. Fr Peter hopes to have public parish Masses again from early August - please see the parish website for details. Most of the monastery's missions have already resumed, or are about to resume, Sunday Mass with a congregation subject to local restrictions, eg St Gregory's Stratford-on-Avon, Our Lady & St Joseph's Alcester, St Mary's Studley, St Anne's Ormskirk and St Elizabeth's Scarisbrick (from 26 July).
» Fr Gregory has been working on a "bug hotel" in the monastery garden. It is made from the large Leylandii tree which was felled earlier this year. With lots of different-sized gaps between the logs it provides a habitat for a variety of insects and smaller wildlife; already a toad and some native frogs have taken up residence. Hopefully, by the autumn it should be providing a home for several species.
