Fr. Chris Monaghan CP is an Australian Passionist Priest and Scripture Scholar. He did his further studies in Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical College in Rome in the 1980's. There he became a friend of our Fr. Abbot, who studied with him at the same time. The two also went on together, after Rome, for yet further studies in Jerusalem.

During a visit here in January, Fr. Chris gave a series of Scripture lectures to the community. He focussed mainly on St. Matthew's Gospel, which is being read on Sundays in this liturgical year.

Unfortunately his visit coincided with a gastric virus epidemic, of which he himself was first victim. So his audience was usually a good deal fewer than might have been expected.

Fr. Chris is also a beekeeper, and a notable photographer. While with us he took some very fine pictures of Pluscarden and its environs.

He is President of the Yarra Theological Union in Australia; he also engages in pastoral work of various kinds, and in the giving of retreats.