Homily for the Feast of the Holy Cross, 14 September 2025 St. Cecilia’s Abbey Ryde (DBH)

 

The Son of Man must be lifted up, so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Today, on the Feast of the Holy Cross, with the whole Church, we turn our gaze towards Christ crucified, and towards the Cross on which he died.

22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year C – 31 August 2025

In last week’s Gospel (Luke 13:22-30) we heard our Lord’s response to those who found themselves locked outside the kingdom of heaven: “I do not know where you come from, depart from me all you workers of iniquity” (Luke 13:27)

Oblate residential Retreat August 2025

A most successful and well-attended Summer retreat took place at the Abbey from 2nd to 5th August this year 2025 (a month later than last to catch the higher temperatures!)

Sister Tamsin Geach OP gave the Retreat---three talks over two days bracketed by the arrivals day and departures day-- and Storm Floris!

MONASTIC EXPERIENCE WEEKEND 22-25 AUGUST 2025

This year's response to our Monastic Experience Weekend invitation was most encouraging. Those invited had to be single Catholic men, below the age of 40, practising their faith, and at least open to the idea of a possible monastic vocation. Over 30 young men applied: probably more than we have ever had before, for a single event of this sort.

Homily for Sunday 20C, 17 August 2025, Luke 12:49-53

I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!

In the plan of St. Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem, travelling with determination towards his Passion, Death and Resurrection. The first incident in that journey recounted by St. Luke is an unhappy attempt to enter a Samaritan village. There James and John ask if they should call down fire from heaven to burn these people up (cf. Gn 19:24). But Jesus rebukes them (Lk 9:54).

Storm Floris: Monday 4 August 2025

Our summer this year has been marked by scarcely broken hot sunshine. Actually for many of us the weather has been too hot, and too dry. But on Monday 4th August this tranquil calm was rudely interrupted. “Storm Floris”, as it has been named, was an unseasonable cyclone sweeping in from the Atlantic