Fw: [Dom Donald's Blog] Newminster Abbey Northumberland

Most interesting,

Donald, Br Aiden and I travelled south to the north of England, one hour and a half drive, in glorious weather. But there was a short shower just after the Mass as we walked back to the parish church.

Left: Bishop S. McGuiness, Principal Celebrant, Dom Donald with the Pilgrims. The Walk from the Church in Morpeth to the Site of Newminster could be describe as the Obstacle Pilgrimage, a long pathway including five or six kissing-gates or styles. I was amazed by the walking of one 90 year old lady with sticks among so many elders and also small children. Quite an achievemnt marking the historic event. Right: Within the claustal site, only covering was for the group of the Deaf School. After returning to the St. Robert of Newminster Church of Morpeth, there was a warm welcome to the visitors to the Marque for copious refreshments. The Church itself is a very interesting building. There is a glorious collection of Saints in the Church, the twelve and Apostles and the statues of St. Joseph and St. Benedict. My question was to ask everyone where was St. Robert. Eventually, Fr. John Cooper, PP., lead me and two priests from Germany, to show me the treasures of his Church. Saint Robert of Newminster is rather hidden in a colured window in the side of the Apse. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& --

Easter Joy

May Easter Blessings

Fill you and yours

With Peace and Love

This

Joyful Easter Time

Alleluia!!!

Easter Friday

Dear Friends,

Easter Greetings from all here at Nunraw!

Good news! On Palm Sunday I printed the last page of the master copies for the Antiphonary. Well not quite, the printer started from the last page but after some pages the ink cartridge dried up. I guess I can expect this sort of thing to happen if I work on Sunday!

Good Friday. I’m sorry for the delay in keeping you up to date. However I’ll not send this off until next week in order to give you my impressions of the Holy Week and Easter liturgy here. It is fascinating for me and you might find it interesting. On his return from Nsugbe, in January, Dom Raymond said that their liturgy was out of this world, far better than Nunraw, he modestly added. I suppose he would say the same of Bamenda? The singing here is not bad considering their fewness of numbers. Most of the monks certainly give out their voices.

Most of the community are also involved in liturgical functions. One of the priests acts as cross-bearer! Today, Donald was celebrant and took Christ’s part in the reading of the Passion, At the Prayers of Intercession, The deacon read the introductory paragraph and then the celebrant sang the prayer. This arrangement made life easier for the celebrant. The Abbot played the organ. A lay woman was narrator and a Poor Clare nun took the part of individuals. The congregation took the part of the crowd. During the reading, at certain points, the Refrain of the Good Thief was sung and repeated by All. It was very impressive. The church was packed. Fifty Guests, resident for the weekend, swelled the ranks. Only the celebrant and readers made full prostration at the ‘Eloi lama sabachthani’. The community need the cooperation of the Faithful, but it does give a great sense of solidarity and homeliness in God’s House. Hymn books etc. are provided on Sundays and Feasts. On Holy Thursday the Celebrant washed the feet of monks and a group of lay people, including men, women and children, but not priests. We were not in bare feet, fortunately, as there is still ice on the puddles! Alas! On waking up for the Easter Vigil at 10 pm I woke up with a bad cold. Thus I missed the Easter Vigil that I so much wished to attend.

I’ve been preparing the master copies for printing but, alas, I do not have the ‘Psalms and Third Nocturns for Feasts’. Nor do I have the ‘Ordinary of the Mass’. I think Br Luke sent me one or other of these, or maybe both, but neither have reached me??? If they are ready, please send me hard copy by post, also by email attachment and flash drive or floppy diskette. Only two computers here have floppy drives and neither are reliable so a flash drive is the best option. I will forge ahead hoping that the missing items will arrive in reasonable time. The Bishop’s House will know if some missionaries are going on home leave.

It is a great relief to have finished the editing and be able to follow the Paschal liturgy with a free mind. I was looking forward to attending the Paschal Vigil but when I woke up at 10.00 pm I had my first cold since my arrival so I had to stay put. The weather turned bitterly cold and we had a white Easter Sunday with plenty of snow and sleet. With renewed Good Wishes for Paschal Time and Pentecost to you and all the Brethren. With St Bernard, ‘I miss you all but you only miss one of the family’!

Yours in the love of Our Risen Lord

Br Nivard

4th April. PS. Spring time at last with a fine warm week. We have begun to reduce our winter clothing. However they are still on hand as snowy showers are expected on Sunday!

No news from Bamenda Abbey, no emails, no blogs and no web site update. I do hope your Internet is OK or soon will be. I'll also send this by snail mail to be sure. N. My Blog address: www.fathernivard.org.uk/

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Feast of St John The Evangelist

Introduction to the Mass. Feast of St John the Evangelist.

See, Believe, Rejoice

1 John 1: 1 - 4

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That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life, the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing this that our joy may be complete.

And in the Gospel we see how John, who reached the tomb first, also went in. He saw and believed.

John believed because he had seen, heard and touched. But we have not seen, so John gives us his testimony of all this. Why? He did so because he wants us to have union with him and the Apostles. This union or fellowship is with the Father, with Jesus and with the Holy Spirit, the family of the Holy Trinity.

He tells us these things so that his own joy will be complete and ours also. This peace and joy is a gift from God. We must treasure it, protect. This joy is deeper than our deepest darkness. We may only know it by its fruits, like falling into a blissful, restful, sleep at the end of a trying day. It is the best antidote to the ‘After Christmas Blues’. Even our good sisters and brothers in the world are happy to escape from the boredom of Christmas parties and superficial joys. Our Guest House is over-booked for the New Year by people seeking the peace and joy that lasts. Here in the monastery this joy increases our enjoyment of the innocent joys of Christmas, music, videos and rich food, (brandy soup, gorgonzola etc.!).

This union with God includes our fellowship in God’s Kingdom, a kingdom which comprises the Church Triumphant in Heaven, the Church Suffering in Purgatory and the Church Militant on Earth. Our life here below is a warfare. The devil tempts us night and day but God’s power is greater than Satan. The key weapon against Satan is humility, especially our repentance for sin and our sinfulness.

As we begin this Holy Mass we are blessed because we are aware of our need for God’s mercy. But we also pray especially for those who stand in most need of God’s limitless mercy.

Holy Souls - waiting for our petitions

All Souls, Nunraw, 01 Nov. 07

Today we have the yearly commemoration of all the Faithful Departed. Their bodies lie buried but their souls live on.

The Church Suffering is part and parcel of yesterday’s feast of All Saints, the Church Triumphant. With ourselves, the Church Militant, we all form an extended family. We need each other and can help each other. The people in heaven don’t need our prayers but we should not take it for granted and stop praying for the dead.

Offering Mass for the Holy Souls in Purgatory is the most effective way we can help them to enter heaven a little more quickly.

Many mystics, even today, are continually aware of their presence. It seems that they like to hang around us, human beings, to receive any little help we can give them, even if only to sprinkle them with holy water. At times they also help our Guardian angel to keep us out of harm’s way.

It is a holy and wholesome act to offer sacrifice for the departed but it is also useful to pray to them for our own needs, as we do to the saints.

Veneration for the ancestors is deeply embedded in most cultures. In the monastery we toll the bell when a brother dies. In Bamenda we know immediately when a neighbour dies. The drums start up and the guns go off intermittently for several days.

As we pray for our dear ones who have gone before us let us repent of our sins and so prepare for our own departure.

PS. My cousin, Liam, has introduced me to the beautiful hymn, 'They are waiting for our petitions'. It is most moving.

On Friday, for the first time, I was present at my cousin Rita's Cremation. The parish priest was waiting at the door of the small well furnished chapel plus an organ. The atmosphere was quite homely and reverent. But there was no cross or other religious symbol as it is used by people of other faiths and atheists etc. The coffin was placed on the 'stage', oriented with the feet towards a shuttered opening in the centre of the back wall. The priest said the usual prayers that are said at the graveside ending up with the 'Our Father'. We stood up to sing the 'Hail, Queen of Heaven' and as we did so the curtains moved slowly to close the coffin from our view. We forgot to look up for the puff of smoke. The ashes would be taken by the family and placed in the family grave. I am told that cremations are now more common than burials. It is not as yet common in West Africa. It was a worthwhile experience. Picture: Our Lady Queen of Purgatory.

Witness for Christ

27^th Friday, Year 1 12 October 2007

In today’s Gospel Jesus tells us to rejoice that our names are written in heaven, not because we work miracles and drive out demons. He continues by saying that he who is not with him is against him. And elsewhere Jesus says, “Those who are not against us are for us”.

The martyrs are Christ’s witnesses par excellence. Yet we too are called to witness to Christ every moment of every hour.

Every Christian begins the day with the morning offering. Thereby he stands up for Jesus before the host of heaven if not before the world.

As monks, our morning offering is the Divine Office of Vigils, (of Readings), which we begin at 3.30 a.m.

When I was a junior at Mt St Bernard Abbey, Abbot Finbar of Mt Mellery, visited us every year. He once told us the story of an elderly monk. He told the monk it was time he stopped attending Vigils. So he should stay in bed. Low and behold, next morning, the good man appeared in choir. Later in the day he asked him why he came to Vigils. He replied, “Oh yes, Rev Father, I stayed in bed but I couldn’t sleep. So I went to choir and I had a grand sleep. He preferred to sit in those uncomfortable choir stalls rather than remain in his warm bed.

Abbot Charles enjoyed attending our Vigils here in Nunraw. During his five years at the Generalate in Rome, the thing he missed most was not having Vigils in choir.

I think most of us have similar feelings about attending Vigils however difficult it may be to rise from bed on a cold morning.

It is our joy to rise and stand up for Christ. “They also serve who only stand and wait”, (Milton?).

Sts John Brebeuf, Issac Jogues & Companions, Martyrs

28^th Friday of the Year. 2007-10-19

Sts John Brebeuf, SJ, Isaac Jogues, SJ and Companions

In the Gospel Jesus tells us of our heavenly Father’s love and care for each one of us. “The hairs of your head have been counted. Are you not worth more than hundreds of sparrows?”.

Some years ago we listened to the Life of St Isaac Jogues being read in the refectory in Bamenda. We were astonished at the many similarities between the American Indian culture and that of the African culture.

African culture today is predominantly Western. However the traditional culture is still very strong, both the good points and the not so good. Tribal warfare is still going on even between Christian tribes.

St Thérèse also knew the life of St Isaac, the Jesuit missionary and martyr in North America. She had a great devotion to him and had a picture of him in her cell. So when she wanted to join in the Carmelite foundation in Vietnam she did so with her eyes wide open to the hazards of missionary life. Providence ordained that she remain at home and suffer the terrible dark night of the soul. This is an experience that we all have whether we are missionary or contemplative. As we all know she is now co-patron of the missions with St Francis Xaviour.

Our mother used to attend the Carmelite Church in Dublin and had a great devotion to St Thérèse. I suspect this had a lot to do with our missionary vocations.

I thought I had sacrificed my missionary vocation when I entered Mt St Bernard. But when I arrived there and saw two African priest oblates I had a premonition that I might end up on the missions after all. I had been slated for South Africa where I would have met my aunt, a Sister of Mercy.

You might say I have enjoyed the best of both worlds.

Truly the story of St John, St Isaac and companions is most inspiring. The same is true of St Brendan, the Irish navigator monk, whose name I took at baptism. He discovered America six centuries before Columbus. St Isaac followed in Brendan’s footsteps but went much further inland.

All for the Glory of God.

Installation news and pictures

NEW ABBOT FOR THE CISTERCIAN ABBEY MBENGWI

On Tuesday the 6^th of August 2007, Dom Charles Arde-Erzoa Amihere was elected as the new Abbot of the Cistercian Abbey Mbengwi. He takes over from Dom Jude Tah Forcham who ended a six year term of office on the same day. The elections were conducted by Dom Joseph Delargy, Abbot of Mount Saint Bernard Abbey Leicester England, assisted by Mother Margaret, Abbess emeritus of St Justina's Monastery Abaikiliki in Nigeria.

The Installation of Dom Charles took place on the same day in the Chapter Room of the Monastery.

In installing Dom Charles Dom Joseph congratulated the community for its maturity in electing an African Abbot in place of another African. This he said, was a sign of the progress the monastic life is making in Africa. He also congratulated Dom Jude for what he has done to the Abbey in the past six years. He said the successful election of a new Abbot was the sign of a successful Abbacy of Dom Jude. He finally congratulated Dom Charles for his election and called on the community to give him the necessary support to govern well. The new Abbot then made the profession of faith, pledging to follow the mind of the church in the administration of the Monastery. He was then given a pectoral cross, the keys and seals of the Monastery, to take up command of the affairs of the Monastery. Then he took the Abbatial Chair in Chapter and all the professed monks of the Monastery in order of seniority came up and knelt before him and pledged obedience. The documents of the installation were then signed and the community moved to church where Dom Charles took the Abbatial stall and the Te Deum was sung to praise God for the success of the election. The Abbatial blessing to be done by the Archbishop of Bamenda will be done later.

Dom Charles was born on 17^th April 1950 in Ghana. He did his secondary and high school education in Ghana between 1966-1973 when he proceeded to St Peter's Regional Major Seminary at Pedu, Cape-Coast Ghana where he did philosophy and 2 years of theology. In 1976 he came into contact with monks on a visit to Togo and desired being one himself. Since there were no monasteries in Ghana, he applied and was accepted to join Newark Abbey in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. When he was preparing to travel to the U.S. he met a Ghanaian priest who was starting a monastic project in Ghana. Br Charles joined the new diocesan monastic foundation in 1978. In1979 he was sent to Bamenda for monastic formation to return home to Ghana to help in establishing their own Monastery. In 1981, he made first profession and went back to Ghana in 1984. The monastic project in Ghana was not successful and so in 1988, Br Charles decided to return to Cameroon to join the Cistercian Monastery in Mbengwi. He had to start afresh the monastic journey he began 10 years earlier with another canonical novitiate in September 1988. After the second novitiate, he took his temporary vows in October 1989 and final vows in February 1993, and was ordained priest in 2001 by Archbishop Paul Verdzekov.

In 1996, Dom Charles was appointed Assistant Novice Master and subsequently went for a course at the Catholic University of Angers in France in 1997. On his return from studies, he was appointed Superior Ad nutum of the Cistercian Monastery at Koutaba. In 1999 he returned to Bamenda to assume the same responsibility, a position he held until 2001. At the Cistercian Order's General Chapter of 2002 he was elected Councilor at the Abbot General's Council in Rome where he was till his election on the 6^th of August as Abbot of the Cistercian Monastery Mbengwi.

We ask you to keep him and the community in your prayers.

Br Luke-Kingsley Ake