Friday, August 01, 2008

Oxford #3 The Abbot and the Prior





I like these photographs of the Abbot of Lagrasse, who celebrated the final Mass, with Fr Hugh Allen who is just about to open a new Premonstratention Canonry in Chelmsford.
This is a photograph of L'Abbes Bede and Alex, two French worker priests of the newly founded SSPVI. They are wearing their newly approved habit "de travaile". They have an incredibly successful, yet onerous, ministry amongst the textile workers of Cliche.

12 comments:

Mulier Fortis said...

It was indeed a splendid occasion... and I was very happy to have the chance to chat before Mass.

I now think I need one of those ferry-cloak thingies, yours looked awfully good...

;-)

Anonymous said...

Pere Alex & Pere Bede have transformed the lives of poor unfortunate women in this part of Paris by giving them a new sense of purpose.
God bless them for their courage and sense of outrageousness of injustice.

Anonymous said...

The Abbot and the Prior - beautiful pictures father! They both look quite young - hope for the future!!

David

Anonymous said...

I am pleased to say that we are developing a new apostolate to train the homeless in essential needlework skills, and weavecraft. The stitching of maniples (Which make good oven gloves) will also be a priority. Pere Alex

Pastor in Monte said...

The Abbot and the Prior, of course, do not belong to the same congregation, despite the whiteness of their habits (in all senses of the words, naturally). The Prior belongs to an order with a great history, the Abbot to a very recent foundation. But it is nice to see them together, and very edifying to see the Prior asking a blessing.

Fr. Gary V. said...

What is the religious order of the abbot? I know the the other priest is a Norbertine Prior.

Fr Ray Blake said...

The Abbot is superior of the Canons of the Mother of God

Anonymous said...

What a laudable and selfless enterprise Pere Alex and Pere Bede are embarking upon.
No doubt their apostles will soon have the skills to be able to produce not only oven gloves, but also further items of the priestly garb and millinery so admired by all when worn by les deux peres - whether at leisure or, indeed,en travaille.

Anonymous said...

I was interested in your comment that the Nortertines are opening a new canonry in Chelmsford. Do you have any more details? I used to live there many years ago - hence the connection.

Anonymous said...

SSPVI?

I assume that isn't the joke "Society of Pope Paul VI to preserve the ICEL translation of 1974" mentioned on the Hermeneutic of Continuity!

Anonymous said...

In answer to Tom, Bishop McMahon of Brentwood has asked us to take over two parishes in Chelmsford (Our Lady Immaculate and Holy Name). Some of the confreres will mover there at the beginning of October. Please keep us and all the parishioners of Chelmsford in your prayers.

Fr Ray, they are lovely pics but the camera obviously does lie - I look like some enormous Baked Alaska!! The Abbot is a wonderful man and it was a privilege to ask for his blessing.

O.P.I.

Fr Hugh

Anonymous said...

Fr Hugh - my prayers are with you. Our Lady Immaculate was our parish for a few years. There are good people in that parish, some of whom I know would have very much enjoyed the events at Merton.

Wishing you every blessing in your new and existing apostolates.

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