Cardinal Vincent Nichols celebrated Mass with the Diocesan Clergy and the Buckfast Monastic Community on the Feast of St. Cuthbert Mayne. St Cuthbert Mayne is a Patron of the Diocese. He was born near Barnstaple in Devon. He was an Anglican Clergyman when he became a Catholic and later studied for the priesthood at Douai, and was the first of the seminary priests to suffer martyrdom. Following a time ministering in Cornwall he was captured and hanged at Launceston for being a Catholic priest, on 29th November 1577.
The Grange Restaurant at Buckfast Abbey held a Coffee & Food Fair - in association with Voyager Coffee.
Father Christopher was ordained with Father Benet on 15th September 1957, the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Two day conference - Fatima 100 Years Later. HE Cardinal Burke gave the keynote address. The photographs show Bishop Mark of Plymouth and Abbot David with the Cardinal and also the celebration of a Pontifical Low Mass on the two days of the conference.
Launch of the book “Buckfast Abbey – History, Art and Architecture”, written to celebrate the millennium of the Foundation Charter granted in 1018 AD.
Father Benet, the Sub-Prior, celebrated his 60th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination on 17th September 2017. He was ordained the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, 15th September 1957.
The new Care Home at Oulton Abbey was blessed by Abbot David on Wednesday 6th September. In the 20th century Buckfast supplied five chaplains for the Benedictine Nuns of Oulton and we continue our association with Oulton to this day. The Care Home in the former school was opened in the 1980s. The buildings were no longer up to the standard required thus a new care home was built in the grounds of the Abbey. As a point of interest the Abbey Church was the first church designed by Edward Pugin when only 19 years old. He was the son of A W Pugin.
Locally sourced produce available in the Abbey grounds. The event organised by The Grange, the restaurant adjacent to the Abbey Church.
Diocese of Plymouth at Buckfast - Prayer and Inspiration forMission. Photographs show the Vigil which started at 23:30, followed by Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, then Dawn Mass on Sunday morning celebrated by the Bishop at 05:30.
The celebrant was the Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt. Rev. Mark O'Toole. The Jubilarians were: DIAMOND - Fr Keith Collins, Fr Patrick Conlon, Fr Michael Downey, Fr Benet Conlon OSB of Buckfast, Fr Christopher Delaney OSB of Buckfast; GOLDEN - Fr Patrick Kelly, Fr David Mead; SILVER - Fr Mark O’Keeffe, Fr Kristian Paver, Fr John Rice.
The Devonshire Association 155th Annual Conference at Buckfast, 4th June 2017. The first photograph shows, on the left the immediate past President, Dr. Todd Gray MBE with the present President, David Fursdon, Lord Lieutenant of Devon. Other photos show Abbot David with Peter Beacham OBE, Executive Chairman; Father Christopher giving a tour of the Abbey Church and Brother Daniel showing some of the vestments in the Abbey Sacristy.
A new statue of Our Blessed Lady was blessed on Pentecost Sunday - 4th June 2017. The statue is modelled on the part medieval statue of Our Lady of Buckfast in the Abbey Church. The statute was carved by Isabel Coulton who lives in the parish of Buckfast. She is shown in the photographs being interviewed by the BBC.
The Royal Horticultural Society 2017 - Malvern Spring Festival The garden setting is a tranquil scene. At the heart of the garden is a stag in a glade of silver birches drinking from a pool. Around this scene is a meandering path suggesting a river bed. The motto of the Abbey is taken from psalm 41/42: “As a deer longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for you, O God.” The name Buckfast means ‘land of the deer’ and the Abbey is on the banks of the River Dart. The garden commemorates Buckfast Abbey’s upcoming millennium. The Buckfast Garden won thr RHS Show Garden SILVER MEDAL and also the BEST IN SHOW from the public vote.
Catholic Women's League Pilgrimage 2017. The Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt. Rev. Mark O'Toole celebrated the Mass in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Abbey Church.
The new organ for the Abbey Church arrived at the end of April. Construction will continue for some months. Information about the new organ can be found at the Abbey Website on the Music page at: https://www.buckfast.org.uk/ruffattiorgan
