On Sunday we finished our retreat, led by Fr Mark-Ephrem Nolan of Rostrevor monastery in Northern Ireland. It would be difficult to summarise his reflections without losing the great value that they held for us, but we are hugely grateful to him for the sharing of his experience with us. So in demand is he that his community have requested that he no longer give retreats. Fr Mark-Ephrem took an incarnational approach to his reflections, explaining how it is that we find God in the concrete circumstances of our life, and through our human nature itself. Flicking between the pages of life, the Gospel and the Rule of St Benedict, he read to us of his own experience and offered us new ways to pursue our own monastic vocations.
Monday and Tuesday were taken up by our annual Conventual Chapter, when we take time to meet and discuss important matters in the community. Although it is officially an annual chapter, in recent years we have held it over 3 sessions: one in summer, one in winter and one in spring. During our summer Chapter, we have two traditions. The first is to renew our vows during Mass. The homily from this Mass can be found here. The other tradition is to congratulate our Jubilarians. This year, Fr Aidan Gilman celebrated 70 years of clothing and 60 years of Priesthood, and Fr Leo Chamberlain celebrated 50 years of Priesthood.
Fr Aidan was clothed in 1948, ordained ten years later, and has spent the time since in various different places and roles. After completing his degree, Fr Aidan taught Biology in the school and later became a housemaster. But since he first read the Rule of St Benedict, his desire had always been to become a hermit. As a junior monk, he had been told to continue his studies and wait to see if this desire would develop into something more concrete later in his life. His opportunity came under Abbot Basil, who allowed him to live as a hermit locally on the moors. It was, he says, everything he hoped it would be, and it was this experience which allowed his relationship with God to develop in the most unique and wonderful way. Earlier in the year, on the anniversary of his ordination, Fr Aidan held a small gathering to celebrate, pictured to the right.
Fr Leo was ordained in 1968, and it was the priesthood which he felt was his primary calling, Ampleforth being the context in which he felt called to live this out. Fr Leo taught History, became a housemaster at a young age, and was then appointed headmaster of the school in 1992. After serving for a number of years in the school, Fr Leo was asked to become Master of St Benet’s Hall, Oxford in 2004. More recently, Fr Leo has served as Parish Priest of Easingwold, but due to health conditions is now resident in the Monastery Infirmary.
