Latest News From The Monks of St. Augustine's
8th December 2009 - Solemn Profession of Fr Thomas David Kolangaden OSB
During Mass on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Fr Thomas Kolangaden OSB of our Community made his Solemn Profession of Monastic Vows: a life commitment to the Benedictine vows of Stability, Conversion of Life, and Obedience.
The Abbot and Community were joined by many friends, parishioners, Religious, and members of the local clergy for the celebrations.
Fr Thomas who is originally from Kerala, India, has been with us since 2003, and for a number of years has been Guest Master in the monastery.
15th October 2009
News Release
Benedictine Monks of St Augustine’s Abbey, Ramsgate, Seek New Home.
The Benedictine Monks of St Augustine’s Abbey, Ramsgate, Kent, have voted to vacate the monastery in which they have lived for 148 years, and to relocate the Community. This follows a long process of discussion and discernment, and after taking professional advice.
The present Abbey, built in 1861, designed by Edward Pugin, the son of renowned Gothic-revival architect Augustus Pugin, can house 40 monks. The Community, which currently numbers eleven monks between the ages of 24 and 88, is no longer able to meet the Abbey’s considerable running and maintenance costs. The monastic Community, therefore, is now actively looking for a new property and location better suited to its size and requirements.
Dom Paulinus Greenwood OSB, the Abbot of St Augustine’s, commented: “We are united in our search for a new site which will enable us to live an authentic, balanced, monastic life of prayer, work, and study, according to the spirit of the sixth-century Rule of St Benedict, and to share that way of life with others who feel truly called to it. This is traditionally characterised by the daily celebration of Mass and the seven Liturgical Hours of the Divine Office, the reception of guests, manual work, and various intellectual pursuits. We look to promote the enduring values of Benedictine monasticism and plan to extend and develop our existing guest ministry to offer residential and non-residential hospitality to groups and individuals, both men and women. We also hope to offer structured retreats, educational courses and spiritual and intellectual study days.”
A new Abbey will need adequate provision for a church, land for market gardening, and other dedicated work areas, especially for producing the Community’s successful range of ‘Sanctuary’ products (honey, beeswax furniture polish, organic lip-balms and skin creams), and a shop in which to display and sell them. There is also a pressing need for a practical, user-friendly structure in which to house the Community’s large monastic library. Moreover, given that all these changes will involve considerable cost, the Community will shortly be launching a public appeal to help raise the necessary funds.
The Abbot and Community sincerely hope that whoever acquires the Abbey property will show sensitivity to its historical and architectural significance, and be mindful of its importance locally as part of the cultural heritage of the wider Pugin family legacy.
Further information will be posted on the ‘News’ page as and when it becomes available.
Registered Charity No. 245415 – Trustees of St Augustine’s Abbey, Ramsgate.
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Note: The first monks arrived in Ramsgate from the Italian monastery of Subiaco in 1856, and successfully evangelized much of the coastal region of Kent, establishing and, for many years administering, all but one of the existing Catholic parishes on the Isle of Thanet, whilst acting as chaplains to the locality’s numerous convents of nuns and Religious Sisters.
The monks also provided independent preparatory and secondary Catholic education in the area for 130 years from 1865 until the closure of The Abbey School and St Augustine’s College in 1995.
On 1st January this year the monks officially withdrew from all responsibility for the running of parishes.
13th - 20th July 2009 - Benedictine Juniors' Congress, Rome.
The youngest of our monks, Bro. Anselm Carpenter OSB, aged 24, flew to Rome on the 13th July to take part in a week-long international gathering of Junior Monks (i.e. those who have taken their first vows). The residential Congress took place at Collegio Sant' Anselmo, the Central Headquarters of the Benedictine Order, situated on the Aventine hill in Rome. The purpose of the Congress, which is held every few years, is to bring together young monks from all over the world in order for them to experience, at first hand, the geographical, linguistic, and cultural diversity of the Benedictine Confederation, while, at the same time, witnessing the riches of the common monastic tradition that unites them. Monasteries from every continent were represented. In the fierce heat of a Roman summer, the participants enjoyed a busy programme of liturgical celebrations, sight-seeing, excursions to places traditionally associated with St Benedict, and, of course, the culinary delights of Italian hospitality.
12th July 2009 - Annual Pigrimage in Honour of St Mildred of Thanet.
This year Fr Abbot was invited to preside and preach at the Mass in honour of St Mildred on Sunday 12th July 2009. This was a full, sung Pontifical Mass, celebrated in the beautiful church of St Mary the Virgin, Minster-in-Thanet. The Benenedictine monks and nuns of St Augustine's Abbey, Ramsgate and St Mildred's Priory, Minster Abbey, were joined by members of the local clergy, Religious Sisters, and many pilgrims and parishioners of the Thanet Deanery for this annual event.
Click here to view photos taken on the day.
25th May 2009 - St. Augustine's Monastery on Reuters
23rd May 2009 our new web-shop was featured on Reuters News Click here to see us!
26th April 2009 - Visit from Ann and Michael Kelly
On Sunday 26th April Michael Kelly, a former parishioner of St Augustine's Abbey, and his sister, Ann, an Old Girl of the Ursulines at Westgate-on-Sea, visited the monastery and the abbey grounds.
Michael spent 25 years working for the Royal Household and was awarded the LVO (Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order) for his service. Ann, who has just returned from India where she was assisting the Benedicitne Sisters of Grace & Compassion, was awarded the MBE for her missionary work in Barbados where she has lived and worked for over thirty years.
21st March 2009 - Golden Jubilee of Profession
On 21st March 2009, the Prior of the Monastery, the Very Rev. Dom Benedict Austen OSB, celebrated his Golden Jubilee of Monastic Profession: 50 years in vows.
The occasion was marked by a High Mass in the Abbey Church, followed by a champagne reception with buffet luncheon for family, friends, former parishioners, local religious, and members of the Thanet Deanery Clergy.
Click Here to view photos taken on the day.
