Monks during their retreat: July 2026
MONKS’ ANNUAL RETREAT, 2026
The monks ended their annual retreat today, 27th July. The retreat started last Monday, 20th July. It was moderated by Mother Maureen McCabe of Mount St Mary’s Abbey, Wrentham in United States. We are very grateful to her for the time she spent with us. It was indeed a wonderful time for us.
Below is the homily at the Mass for the end of the retreat.
“I will think that these parables of Jesus we just heard directly apply to us as we conclude our retreats, the monks and our sisters who have been on contemplative retreat for the past five days now. Do not presume that God did not talk to you, do not presume that you did not hear God in this one week or five days as the case may be. Whatever that God has said to you in the talks or in your meditations is like a mustard seed which can grow into a big tree where many can find shelter. What you have heard from the Lord this period is for your good and for the good of those you will meet as you leave this church. God has just planted a seed in you to grow. It is then your responsibility to nurture it. Anytime you have a serious encounter like this, God must have given you a serious responsibility. What is that responsibility that God has just given you? Find out, and do not overlook it, try as much as you can to carry it out.
Dear friends, it is a very special privilege to have a special time like this, to have a special encounter with the Lord, a special time to listen to Him. It is not a wasted time. Anytime spent in the presence of God or for God is not wasted, it cannot be in vain. A retreat time is a time of confrontation with ourselves, and in the process of this confrontation, we encounter God. As we have made good use of the time, let us jealously guard what God has given us, let us protect our weaknesses, let us create boundaries in our lives for us to retain the graces and blessings that God has poured on us this period.”
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The Nunraw Abbey community hosted the members of the Law Commission of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance.
They held their first meeting of the year in the community.
The members include: M. Eleanor of the Generalate, Dom Juan José of San Isidro (Spain), Dom Aelred of Bethlehem (Northern Ireland), Sr Elise-Mariette of Echourgnac (France) and Fr Benedict of Nunraw Abbey.
They arrived on Tuesday, 3 rd February and departed on Saturday, 7 th February. The community was very happy and grateful to them for their choice of the venue of the meeting.
On the 11th of February, Dom Malachias, the Abbot of Our Lady of Echt in Netherlands, and the delegate Father Immediate of Sancta Maria Abbey, Nunraw appointed Fr Benedict of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Angels Nsugbe in Nigeria the superior ad nutum of the community. Fr Benedict arrived in the community on the 1 st of February. The community welcomes him and wishes him a very happy and fruitful apostolate. We are also very grateful to Dom Malachias who arrived here on Monday, 9 th of February and left on Thursday, 9th.
Fr Leonard
REST IN PEACE, FR LEONARD NORMAN!
Fr Leonard was born on 24 th October, 1936. He entered Nunraw Abbey on 18 th September, 1956. He made his temporal profession on 26 th October, 1958 and made his solemn profession on 28 th October, 1961. Fr was ordained a priest on 29 th May, 1965.
Fr Leonard has been unwell for a long time but was transferred to a nursing home just about six weeks before his demise. He died on the 11 th of February and was buried on the 28 th of the same month. The funeral Mass which began by 12.00pmwas attended by a huge number of people, clergy and lay faithful. In the homily Fr Michael, one of the priests of the Abbey emphasized the faithful perseverance of Fr Leonard in his monastic vocation, and how “he really carried his cross and followed Christ”. According to him, his life should be a challenge and encouragement to all Christians especially, the monastics. We really thank God for the grace of perseverance given to Fr Leonard, who really bore a faithful witness to Christ in the monastic way of life.
May his soul and the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God restin peace, Amen!