The first Worth Abbey Pilgrims event of the year took place on Saturday, with a very well attended and warmly received Lent talk delivered by Abbot Mark. Many people look forward to hearing Abbot Mark speak and places were in high demand. It was a joy to welcome so many guests for a morning of reflection as we begin our journey through Lent. If you were unable to attend you can watch the live recording here.
A touching collaboration between two Roman Catholic institutions has brought together a monastic community in the United Kingdom and a rural school in Australia to restore a cherished statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus.
Benedictine monks of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth responded generously when Michael Green, Principal of Mt Carmel School in Yass, New South Wales, sought help to repair his school’s damaged statue. The figure, deeply loved by pupils and staff, had lost its hands and feet after many years of wear.
Mr Green discovered online the story of a similar statue lovingly restored at the Chilworth monastery and, having exhausted options in Australia, reached out to ask whether the monks’ restored statue could serve as a model for recreating the missing parts.
Moved by the school’s dedication and the devotional significance of the statue, the monks agreed at once. With the support of specialist 3D scanning company Surfacescan of Ramsgate, UK, a detailed digital scan of the Chilworth statue was produced. This high resolution model will allow precise replicas of the missing hands and feet to be crafted in Australia, ensuring the restoration remains faithful to the original design and tradition.
Alongside the technical assistance, the monks offered their prayers and blessing for the project, remembering Mt Carmel School in their liturgy and asking God’s guidance for all involved.
For the school community in Yass, the restoration has become more than a practical repair. It stands as a living sign of the Church’s unity across continents, linking a small Australian school with a contemplative Benedictine community in Britain.
Once completed, the restored statue will continue to inspire prayer and devotion – now enriched by a story of faith, generosity and international cooperation. A brief video explaining what’s happening can be seen here:
As I sit down to write to you this month, the theme that has been stirring in my spirit is that of peace. Oh, how we need it at the moment. A day does not go by without hearing yet more news of division, anger, war, or conflict. It can feel almost too much for the soul to bear at times, can it not?
Last week I received an email asking to use the liturgical wheel I designed for our ‘Ora et Labora’ liturgical journal.
It was a delight and pleasure to be able to share it. I thought others may also find this resource helpful, so I attach below the liturgical wheel and seasonal variations in case they may be of use to you or your ministry/parish.
If you do use them for anything I would love to know, do feel free to drop me an email, please however do not use them for commercial purposes.
Offered with care, David
Many people discover that a regular practice of meditation brings a deep sense of peace — but also that it can be hard to sustain alone.
Meditating with others provides the learning, support and connection that helps a regular practice take root.
The School of Contemplative Life host free online sessions every Saturday from 08:30–09:30 (UK time) and Wednesday from 20:00–20:45 (UK time). Each gathering includes a short teaching, 20 minutes of silent meditation, and space for shared reflection. They’re free, open to all, and you’re very welcome to join. Just come as you are.
I don’t know about you but I have been inundated with emails over the past few days offering me quick fix solutions to help me enter 2026 as the “best version of me possible”.
A Rule of Life is not only relevant to the monastic tradition (as evidenced in St Benedict’s rule): the principles can be used by anyone who is concerned about how they live their lives and then provide markers and guidelines, inspired by the Spirit, to help them on their journey towards God and discipleship.
As we prepare to share with you the Ora et Labora journal for 2026, I want to offer you a small window into one of its daily features: the readings from the Revised Common Lectionary. Each day within the journal, you’ll find the Scripture passages appointed for that day.
Here you can find an overview of any feast or Saints day in March 2024 along with the daily readings from the ‘Revised Common Lectionary’.
Tuesday 19th March – Saint Joseph
Sunday 24th March – Palm Sunday
Thursday 28th March – Maundy Thursday
Friday 29th March – Good Friday
Saturday 30th March – Holy Saturday
Sunday 31st March – Easter Sunday
A note on the Revised Common Lectionary
The daily readings expand the range of biblical reading in worship and personal devotion by providing daily citations for the full three-year cycle of the Revised Common Lectionary. These readings complement the Sunday and festival readings: Thursday through Saturday readings help prepare the reader for the Sunday ahead; Monday through Wednesday readings help the reader reflect on and digest what they heard in worship.
The Jesus Prayer is a simple prayer
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
The tradition of the Jesus Prayer goes back to the “prayer of the mind,” recommended by the ancient monks of the Egyptian desert.
