During Holy Week many of the CR brothers will be out in parishes across the country.  However, Holy Week in Mirfield still happens…and how!  Every year the College staff, Fr Peter, Fr Ben, M Jennifer and M Rowena, preside at the liturgies and the students welcome guests for the week, many of whom are exploring the possibility of ordination in the future.  It is also possible to accommodate some guests with those brothers who remain in Mirfield.

If you would like to join the staff and students of the College, living alongside them, please contact hscott@mirfield.org.uk or 01924 490441.  The College suggests a contribution of £30 per day (to include all meals and accommodation) but asks that you still get in touch if you have limited resources.

If you would like to explore the possibility of staying with the Community, please contact the Guest department on 01924 483346 or guests@mirfield.org.uk.

In February I spent one week at St Matthias, Trier. February was not as cold as last December, when George, Simon, Marc and I were together there, but it was still a challenge walking through the open cloister to Church. The monks had their cowls. I had only a scarf to keep my ears warm. But it was lovely to be there. All eleven brothers were there, from Valerius and Clemens in their very fit 80s to Daniel and Simeon at the other end. Their novice Samuel also was visiting from the Huysburg where he normally lives. It was nice to see Ansgar who was their Abbot for 24 years and is now Abbot President of their Benedictine congregation. I knew Ansgar and the older brothers (old as me!) from my first visit there in 1973.

I was there chiefly for a rest and to try and work up my German. The worship is well done in German and Latin. Morning prayers start at 5.45 am, an hour earlier that Mirfield. Some brothers work in town; all seem very busy during the day, yet the place is quiet and peaceful. It is a good place for retreat if you can look after yourself. In summer, the surroundings are beautiful with the Mosel just 100 yards away. In winter, I stayed inside!

I realised my visits to Trier no longer feel ‘ecumenical’, in that we don’t feel as if we belong to different churches. We are simply brothers who share a long history, who know each others’ secrets, who have laughed together, grieved together and prayed together. To have this kind of unity in our divided Church is an amazing gift from God. Our question now is, how can we share this with others? Gifts are to be shared. This is a gift the Church needs. Later this year some Anglican Bishops will meet some German Bishops at Trier. Then we must find other ways to bring our two churches into this unique relationship. I found myself saying often, as Peter said on the Mount of Transfiguration, “It is good, Lord, to be here.”

Nicholas CR

This year’s CR Festival Day will be on Sunday 9 July. It will include the re-hallowing of the Community Church as the culmination of a weekend of celebration of the Community’s 125^th anniversary. We will welcome the Bishop of Norwich – also our Visitor – to lead the service.

Festival Day is preceded by a quiet afternoon for CR Companions on Friday 7 July and a day for CR’s supporters and wider family on Saturday 8 July. Following a midday service and lunch on the Saturday, there will be an opportunity to hear from brethren and others what the future holds for the Community, and our guests, and for the site as a whole.

All are welcome to come along to these events, and there will be the opportunity to stay overnight. We are always pleased to welcome parish groups, so do consider joining us – particularly for Festival Day.

Details of the weekend are (still) being finalised and will be available on this website in the (very) near future. Please put the dates in your diary, though – and do contact guests@mirfield.org.uk or 01924 483346 if you would like to come.

On a gloriously sunny Saturday at the beginning of February I headed to Bishopthorpe in York, to join Peter CR at the Archbishop’s residence for the Step Forward Young Vocations day. Step Forward is an event for young people aged 18-30yrs, in the very earliest stages of discerning a vocation to priestly ministry.

It was a day to gather with diocesan directors of ordination to discover more about the discernment process, and to hear from Ordinands and the Principals of Cranmer Hall, The College of the Resurrection and St Hild College. As well as stories about life in different training institutions, speakers were able to explain the different modes of training, with time throughout for participants to share in prayer and reflect on what God may be calling them to. It was a great privilege to spend time with those at the very earliest stages of discernment,  including some who had yet to share this sense of calling with anyone else!

The College is committed to praying regularly for all vocations events and we would invite you to join us in this intention.

Lucy Sullivan, Ordinand CoR