Echo of a Loved Voice Reveals the Personal Letters of Abbot Anscar Vonier for the First Time.

A newly published book, Echo of a Loved Voice, offers a rare and intimate insight into the life of Anscar Vonier, Abbot of Buckfast Abbey from 1906 to 1938, through a collection of personal letters translated from the original French and published together for the first time.

The letters trace Vonier’s journey from his boyhood in Germany to his early years at Buckfast Abbey, before recounting the dramatic shipwreck off the coast of Spain that would profoundly shape his life and faith. Writing with honesty and reflection, Vonier reveals the personal struggles and spiritual convictions behind a public life marked by leadership and vision.

Following this defining event, the letters chart Vonier’s role in rebuilding Buckfast Abbey from its ruins, guiding the monastic community through the challenges of the First World War, and establishing himself as a respected preacher and author of influential theological works.

Each chapter of Echo of a Loved Voice is introduced with contextual notes, helping readers understand the historical and personal background of the correspondence. The book is richly illustrated with photographs of Abbot Anscar and his world, alongside extracts from the Buckfast Annals, selections from his published writings, and personal recollections from a lifelong friend.

Together, these elements create a moving portrait of a remarkable figure and offer a powerful reflection on faith, resilience, and leadership during a time of profound upheaval.

Buy a copy here.

Beekeeping: A Practical Guide for Considerate Beekeepers

By Martin Hann and Clare Densley

Buckfast Abbey beekeepers Clare Densley and Martin Hann have released a new book inviting readers to take a thoughtful and science-led approach to working with honey bees.

Published by The Crowood Press, Beekeeping: A Practical Guide for Considerate Beekeepers moves beyond standard beginner manuals to explore the behaviour and needs of bees in greater depth. With an emphasis on kindness, observation and understanding the bees’ natural instincts, the book encourages a more harmonious and sustainable style of beekeeping.

Clare explains, “Rather than writing another step-by-step manual, we wanted to help beekeepers see the world from the bee’s perspective. When you understand why bees behave as they do, everything about keeping them becomes more rewarding.”

The book took two years to complete and features original photography by the authors, along with historic images from the Abbey’s long beekeeping tradition.

About the Authors

Both based at Buckfast Abbey, Clare and Martin are experienced beekeepers and respected voices within the beekeeping community. They are regular speakers across the UK and contributors to the national beekeeping magazine BeeCraft.

Available from the Buckfast Abbey Gift Shop and online via Amazon, eBay and other booksellers.

Inside the regular monastic guesthouse where male guests come to stay, there is one corridor, which is set aside for those who are discerning a monastic vocation at Buckfast. For those who want to explore becoming a monk at Buckfast we usually ask them to stay as a regular guest in the monastic guesthouse. Then if the idea of becoming a monk still appeals to them, they can stay for a longer period than the week usually permitted in the guesthouse. During that the time, they attend the daily prayers in the Church with the monks and eat in the refectory on a table little closer to the monks than the ordinary guest. They would be expected to do small jobs in the monastery, or depending on the weather, outside in the grounds.

We have recently had two such guests, both of them expressing a wish to desire the community. Due to the decent weather and because of the time of year, they have been assisting in the picking of summer fruits, some of which were destined to become ingredients for the various jams as part the Monk’s Kitchen range.

As they were also here during the period of the Summer Fair, they also agreed to help out at the beer and beef stall, assisting the in the selling of our range of jams, chutneys and chocolates. For those whose memories go back that far, they were the ones in the white coats. They may have expected the small jobs in the quiet of the monastery, but helping out with public in the hustle and bustle of the Summer Fair was an entirely different, but they did find it an enjoyable, experience and gave them a positive view of life here at Buckfast Abbey.

WeBelieve Festival – A Weekend in Birmingham

Following our first outing to London earlier this year, Fr Gregory, Fr Andrew, Ben Davies and I travelled to Oscott Seminary in Birmingham to represent Buckfast Abbey at the WeBelieve Festival, “a Festival of Catholic Life celebrating the Jubilee Year of Hope.”

The event welcomed thousands of Catholics from across England and Wales, and we were heartened by the sheer diversity of the Church on display. There was a genuine sense of joy and conviction throughout the weekend, a shared hope that ran deeper than any differences in style or expression.

Many visitors spoke warmly about Buckfast Abbey, sharing fond memories or plans to visit. Even among those familiar with the Abbey, few realised just how much we offer -from monastic retreats and hotel stays to our historic grounds, monastic produce, and the exciting launch of the Buckfast Institute. We had a number of sincere enquiries about monastic life, and a great many about visiting, staying, or returning.

As with our visit to London, we came away from Birmingham encouraged and energised. There was a genuine sense that something new is beginning in the life of the Church here in Britain. Attendance is rising, especially among the young, and there is a quiet boldness stirring, rooted not in novelty, but in a deep love for Christ and His Church. As Monsignor John Armitage reflected in his Sunday homily, this may well be the beginning of a new chapter in the Church’s story on these isles: a renewed confidence, a fresh flowering of faith, and a hope set firmly in the Resurrection.

At WeBelieve, we glimpsed that the church is not just memory, it’s a seed. Breaking soil once again with roots deepening quietly. Christ is still loved, and from that love something monumental begins.

Hamish Gregory