Our Monks - Douai Abbey: The Monastery of St Edmund, King & Martyr

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Our Monks

Who we are
The monastic community of Douai Abbey currently numbers 21 monks, though not all of them are resident in the monastery. Some monks live in the parishes we serve, while others serve the Church in other roles. Below you can see the members of the community and some, but not all, of what we do. List updated on 6 September 2024.

Right Rev. Paul Gunter was elected abbot on 11 May 2022. He remains secretary for the Department of Christian Life & Worship of the bishops' conference.
Very Rev. Gabriel Wilson is claustral Prior, Novicemaster and beekeeper, and sits on the abbot's council.
Right Rev. Geoffrey Scott is titular abbot of Lindisfarne and Parish Priest of Alcester (Warks). He serves as Librarian, Archivist and Juniormaster, congregational annalist, and president of the Catholic Archives Society.
Right Rev. Edmund Power is titular abbot of St Albans and resides in Rome, where he is Procurator General for the English Benedictine Congregation, and director of priestly formation at Collegio Sant' Anselmo.
Fr. Benjamin Standish is Subprior of the monastery, and assists in the Woolhampton parish and on the guest team.
Fr. Gervase Holdaway is Oblate Director, leader of retreats, and manager of our bookshop.
Very Rev. Godric Timney is Cathedral Prior of Worcester, and is Parish Priest of Ormskirk and Scarisbrick  (Lancs). He is vicar for religious in Liverpool archdiocese.
Fr. Peter Bowe is Sacristan, director of the pastoral programme and assistant Guestmaster.
Fr. Austin Gurr is Parish Priest of Andover (Hants).
Fr. Oliver Holt is preparing to become Parish Priest of Stratford-upon-Avon (Warks).
Fr. Alexander Austin is preparing to become Guestmaster of the monastery.
Fr. Francis Hughes is Parish Priest of Kemerton (Gloucs), and sits on the marriage tribunal for Clifton diocese.
Fr. Richard Jones is Parish Priest of St Davids and Fishguard (Pemb), and is editor of the Ordo for the English Benedictine Congregation.
Fr. Alban Hood is Parish Priest of the monastery parish of Woolhampton.
Fr. Benedict Thompson is Parish Priest of Studley (Warks).
Br. Christopher Greener, a deacon, is monastic Infirmarian and assists from time to time in our pastoral programme.
Br. Simon Hill, a deacon, is assistant to the bursar, and looks after the community's cars.
Fr. Hugh Somerville Knapman is Procurator and Master of Ceremonies, and serves on the abbot’s council, and as webmaster and publisher for Weldon Press.
Br. Aidan Messenger is assistant sacristan and assistant master of ceremonies, and is pursuing studies at Blackfriars, Oxford.
Br. Tobias Flynn is a novice, and shortly to make his first profession of vows. He is particularly active in the gardens.

 DIVINE OFFICE & MASS
- in the abbey church -
0620 - Matins & Lauds (English)
0745 - Weekday Conventual Mass
[1030 - Sunday Conventual Mass]
1250 - Midday Office (English)
1800 - Vespers (Latin, Gregorian Chant)
2000 - Compline* (English)
*No public Compline on Sundays
VISIT US
Douai Abbey
Upper Woolhampton
Reading, Berkshire
RG7 5TQ, United Kingdom

Visitor Enquiries: 0118 9715 399
Manoeuvres
Published by - 06 Sep 2024
Updated event information
Published by - 26 Aug 2024
Vale Fr Boniface, and other news
Published by - 21 Jul 2024
Vale, Fr Finbar
Published by - 15 Jun 2024
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