News from St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Abbot Paulinus' Silver Jubilee Thanksgiving Appeal for Monastic Vocations 2026

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 22:33:01 GMT

Supporting young men from poorer parts of South America to discern a Benedictine vocation through accompaniment, travel and pastoral care

In 2026, the monks of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth near Guildford in Surrey mark a year of thanksgiving shaped by both community and continuity.

At its heart are several significant milestones in the life of the current Abbot, Abbot Paulinus Greenwood OSB: the 30th anniversary of his monastic profession and the Silver Jubilee of his priestly ordination. These coincide with 15 years since Benedictine monks returned to Chilworth, restoring a living tradition of prayer, stability and hospitality that now touches several hundred people each year.

For Abbot Paulinus and the Monastic Community, these anniversaries are not occasions for personal celebration. Instead, they have become an opportunity to give thanks by looking forward, not back.

Over recent years, Abbot Paulinus has been closely involved in accompanying young men in poorer parts of South America who feel drawn to Benedictine life. Their faith is often strong and their desire sincere, but for many, the practical realities of poverty make discernment impossible. Travel costs, distance from families and the absence of pastoral accompaniment mean that genuine vocations can simply fade away.

This project exists to change that.

The appeal supports the accompaniment of vocations: funding travel, pastoral visits and practical support so that young men and their families can explore a possible calling with care, freedom and dignity. It allows time for listening, prayer and discernment - the Roman Catholic Benedictine way - without poverty being the deciding factor.

This Year of Thanksgiving therefore becomes an act of hope. It is a way of honouring Abbot Paulinus’s milestones by supporting what has always mattered most to him: the future of monastic life and the careful nurturing of vocation.

All who support this work do so freely and without pressure and are remembered daily in the prayer of the monks of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth.

Our hope is to raise £6,000 to support six months of vocation accompaniment. Thank you if you feel able to help.

At the heart of the appeal is a simple conviction:

A genuine calling should never be lost to poverty.

PLEASE DONATE HERE....thank you.

TAKE THE QUIZ: Could you be a Benedictine monk?

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 18:50:20 GMT

Could you be a Benedictine monk at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth?

Take this quiz to explore whether monastic life might be your calling! This is just a sample of what you are likely to be asked if you make a serious enquiry about becoming a monk with us.

Before you begin: Are you eligible?

To enter the Benedictine monastic life at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth, you must meet the following criteria:

✅ Male and baptised and confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church

✅ Over 18 years of age (we welcome enquiries from all adult age groups)

✅ In good physical and mental health

✅ Have a sound basic education, good English language ability and stable work experience

✅ Able to work cooperatively as part of a team

✅ Free of debts and family obligations

For applicants from outside the UK:

✅ Please start your discernment at monasteries where you live

✅ You are still very welcome to ask to visit us and stay in our Monastic Guesthouse for a short time

✅ You will need to arrange and pay for your travel and visa

For all applicants:

You should be prepared to take time to discern your monastic vocation and to get to know our monks and vice versa. This means several visits over time staying in our Monastic Guesthouse. You are encouraged to visit other monasteries too.

For serious monastic vocation enquiries, further and much fuller requirements will be needed in due course, for example more testing, checks, relevant permissions and references.

If you meet these requirements, continue below to explore your suitability for Roman Catholic Benedictine monastic life at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth........note down how many of the letters A, B or C you answer.

THE QUIZ

1. Do you feel drawn to a life of prayer and contemplation?

A) Yes, I desire a deeper relationship with God.

B) Somewhat, but I enjoy a more active lifestyle.

C) Not really, I prefer a fast-paced and social life.

2. How important is community life to you?

A) Very important—I value deep relationships and mutual support.

B) I like community, but I also need personal independence.

C) I prefer to live and work alone.

3. Are you comfortable with a structured daily routine?

A) Yes, I thrive in a disciplined environment.

B) I like some structure, but I also need flexibility.

C) I prefer spontaneity and dislike routines.

4. Do you find joy in service to others?

A) Absolutely! Helping others brings me fulfillment.

B) I like helping, but I also want personal recognition.

C) I prefer focusing on my own ambitions.

5. How do you feel about taking vows of stability, obedience, and conversion of life?

A) I see them as a path to true freedom in Christ.

B) I understand them, but I’m unsure if I could commit fully.

C) They seem too restrictive for my lifestyle.

6. Do you have a strong desire to grow spiritually?

A) Yes, I long to deepen my faith and relationship with God.

B) I’m interested in spirituality but not sure about monastic life.

C) I don’t think spirituality plays a big role in my life.

7. Are you open to God’s will, even if it leads you somewhere unexpected?

A) Yes, I trust in God’s plan for my life.

B) I’d consider it, but I like having control over my future.

C) I prefer to follow my own ambitions and plans.

8. How do you feel about silence and solitude?

A) I find them refreshing and a great way to hear God’s voice.

B) I appreciate them sometimes, but I also need social interaction.

C) I dislike being alone and need constant activity.

9. Are you willing to let go of personal ambitions for the sake of God’s calling?

A) Yes, I trust that God’s plan is greater than my own.

B) I might struggle, but I would consider it.

C) I prefer to pursue my own dreams and goals.

10. Do you enjoy singing and chanting prayers as part of worship?

A) Yes, I love praising God through chant and liturgy.

B) I don’t mind it, but it’s not my favorite way to pray.

C) I’d rather pray in my own way, not in a structured format.

11. How do you feel about manual work, such as gardening, cooking or cleaning?

A) I see it as a joyful and prayerful way to serve.

B) I don’t mind it, but I wouldn’t want it to be my main focus.

C) I’d rather do intellectual or leadership-based tasks.

12. Would you be willing to live without personal possessions and luxuries?

A) Yes, I believe simplicity leads to freedom and holiness.

B) It would be difficult, but I might be able to adjust.

C) I enjoy my possessions and wouldn’t want to give them up.

13. How do you handle obedience to authority?

A) I respect authority and believe in humble obedience.

B) I can follow authority, but I also like having my own say.

C) I don’t like being told what to do.

14. Do you long for a deeper relationship with Christ through daily Mass, the Divine Office, and personal prayer?

A) Yes, I desire to dedicate my life to prayer and the sacraments.

B) I like prayer, but I need variety in my spiritual life.

C) I prefer a more casual approach to my faith.

15. Do you feel called to a life of stability in one place?

A) Yes, I find joy in committing to one community and way of life.

B) I like stability, but I also enjoy traveling and new experiences.

C) I prefer change and movement rather than settling in one place.

Scoring System

Mostly A – You may have a calling to the monastic life!

You are drawn to prayer, community, and service. Why not visit St Augustine’s Abbey in Chilworth? A retreat or vocational visit could help you discern your path.

Mostly B – You might be called, but further discernment is needed.

Consider making a retreat to deepen your understanding of monastic life and see if it aligns with your heart’s desires.

Mostly C – Monastic life may not be the best fit for you.

However, God calls each of us in different ways. Stay open to His guidance in your journey of faith! Coming to stay with us on retreat could help you discern your path.

Come and see: find out here about staying in our Monastic Guesthouse for a short while.

Any questions? Please ask here .

Further information about Catholic vocations can be found here .

Published on 15 February 2025 by St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Another new novice monk received at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 14:29:22 GMT

With the grace of The Holy Spirit

A quiet but deeply significant moment unfolded at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth on Friday 17 April 2026, as Br Ambrose was formally received into the Noviciate in the presence of the entire Benedictine monastic Community.

The simple yet powerful rite, held within the monastery Chapter Room marked Br Ambrose’s official entry into the Benedictine way of life. Surrounded by the monks with whom he will now live, pray, and work, he took this next step in a journey of discernment that has led him to commit more fully to the vows and rhythm of monastic life.

The Noviciate is a crucial stage in Benedictine formation, typically lasting one to two years. During this time, Br Ambrose will deepen his understanding of the Rule of St Benedict, immerse himself in the daily cycle of prayer known as the Divine Office and continue to discern his vocation within the stability and structure of the Community.

The ceremony itself reflected the essence of Benedictine spirituality marked not by grandeur, but by reverence, humility and quiet joy. In receiving the novice, the Community also renews its own commitment to the monastic life, recognising that each new vocation is both a gift and a responsibility.

Speaking after the ceremony, a member of the Community noted the encouragement that new vocations bring: “Each man who comes forward reminds us that the call to the monastic life is still alive. It strengthens the whole Community.”

The reception of Br Ambrose comes at a time of growing interest in monastic life at Chilworth, with a number of recent vocations emerging from within the UK. The Abbey, set in the peaceful Surrey Hills, continues to attract men seeking a life centred on prayer, stability and service to God.

Visitors are welcome throughout the year to experience the rhythm of Benedictine life at the Abbey, which remains open daily for Mass and the Divine Office. Those discerning a vocation are encouraged to explore the possibility further, including through the Abbey’s online discernment resources ( please see here ).

As Br Ambrose begins his noviciate, the Community entrusts him to God’s grace by taking one more step in the long Benedictine tradition of men seeking God in prayer, community and silence.

Caravaggio’s Two Suppers at Emmaus - Public Lecture

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:19:29 GMT

Saturday 23 May 2026, 1030-1200 at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Caravaggio’s Two Suppers at Emmaus - Public Lecture

A fascinating public lecture at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth will explore one of the most dramatic moments in Christian art through the work of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.

In this illustrated talk, Father Raphael Daley will compare the two celebrated paintings of the Supper at Emmaus , examining how Caravaggio revisited the same biblical moment at different stages of his turbulent life and artistic career.

Reflecting on the paintings, Fr Raphael explains:

“In reflecting upon these two important paintings, it is hoped that a more complete understanding of the post Resurrection event may be gained, looking at how the great master painter of the early 1600s loads his work with significance and how his emphasis shifts in portraying the same event after the dramatic turn in his own life.”

The lecture will explore how Caravaggio’s mastery of light, gesture and symbolism reveals the instant when the disciples recognise the risen Christ. By placing the two works side by side, the talk will uncover how the artist’s interpretation becomes deeper, quieter and more reflective after the dramatic upheavals that marked his later life.

The talk will be given by Father Raphael Daley, currently resident at the Abbey. His theological studies at Durham University, Blackfriars Oxford and the Pontifical Athenaeum of Sant’Anselmo in Rome were complemented by graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome in Painting and History of Art, giving him a rare combination of theological and artistic insight.

Saturday 23 May 2026, 10.30am–12 noon
Assisi Room, St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth, Guildford GU4 8QR

Tickets: £10 per person
After 4 May: £15 per person

A small booking fee applies.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK

Advance booking essential via www.ticketsource.co.uk (search “Chilworth Abbey”). Spaces are limited owing to the room size.

Visitors will also experience the peaceful setting of St Augustine’s Abbey in the Surrey Hills, a living Benedictine monastery where guests are warmly welcomed to encounter the quiet rhythm of prayer and reflection that has shaped monastic life for over 1,500 years.

Image credits: Caravaggio, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Find your nearest UK Benedictine Monastery or Convent: a complete directory with Q&As

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:32:56 GMT

Find inner silence and ancient wisdom

I f you’re looking for inner silence, clarity, ancient monastic wisdom or something deeper than everyday life offers, a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery or convent is one of the most grounded places you as a member of the public can go.

This is the complete UK directory (from Deo est Gloria ) now combined with direct websites, practical guidance and clear next steps so you can actually act on it.

These special places are living Roman Catholic communities of prayer from different Benedictine congregations and many welcome you to join the religious in prayer. Several offer guesthouse facilities, retreats, public talks plus events and some cater for tourism. A number follow the monastic tradition of making and selling products. Check each website first to find out what is available to the public and what is not.

And if you are travelling outside of the UK, there are very many active Roman Catholic Benedictine monasteries and convents all over the world.

ENGLAND

Bedfordshire

Monastery of Christ Our Saviour, Turvey (Monks)
Website: https://turveymonks.org.uk/
Priory of Our Lady of Peace, Turvey Abbey (Nuns)
Website: http://www.turveyabbey.org.uk/

Berkshire

Douai Abbey (Monks)
Website: https://www.douaiabbey.org.uk/

Devon

Buckfast Abbey (Monks)
Website: https://www.buckfast.org.uk/

East Sussex

Grace and Compassion Benedictines, Brighton (Nuns)
Website: https://www.graceandcompassionbenedictines.org.uk/

Gloucestershire

Prinknash Abbey (Monks)
Website: https://www.prinknashabbey.org/

Greater London

Ealing Abbey (Monks)
Website: https://ealingmonks.org.uk/
Tyburn Convent (Nuns)
Website: https://www.tyburnconvent.org.uk/

Hampshire

St Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough (Monks)
Website: http://www.farnboroughabbey.org/

Herefordshire

Belmont Abbey (Monks)
Website: https://www.belmontabbey.org.uk/

Isle of Wight

Quarr Abbey (Monks)
Website: https://www.quarrabbey.org/
St Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde (Nuns)
Website: https://www.stceciliasabbey.org.uk/

Kent

Minster Abbey, Ramsgate (Nuns)
Website: https://www.minsterabbeynuns.org/

North Yorkshire

Ampleforth Abbey (Monks)
Website: https://www.ampleforthabbey.org.uk/
Stanbrook Abbey, Wass (Nuns)
Website: https://www.stanbrookabbey.org.uk/

Somerset

Downside Abbey (Monks)
Website: https://www.downsideabbey.co.uk/

Surrey

St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth (Monks)
Website: https://www.chilworthbenedictines.com/

West Sussex

Worth Abbey (Monks)
Website: https://worthabbey.net/

NORTHERN IRELAND

County Down

Holy Cross Abbey, Rostrevor (Monks)
Website: https://www.benedictinemonks.co.uk/

SCOTLAND

Moray

Pluscarden Abbey (Monks)
Website: http://www.pluscardenabbey.org/

North Ayrshire

Tyburn Benedictine Nuns, Largs (Nuns)
Website: https://www.tyburnconvent.org.uk/

Why visit a Benedictine monastery or convent?

Because it cuts through the noise.

You’ll find:

Structured daily prayer (Mass + Divine Office)
Sung and said prayer - sung by some communities in Latin Gregorian Chant
Real silence - not background quiet
A rhythm of life unchanged for 1,500 years
Space to think clearly again
Some offer retreats, public talks and events

This is not theory. It’s lived reality.

Questions & Answers

Do I need to book to visit?

No for Mass or prayer - usually just turn up
Yes for retreats, talks or overnight stays

Can anyone visit?

Yes. You don’t need to be Catholic.
But you do need to behave like a guest in a place of prayer.

What happens when I visit?

You join quietly:

Mass
The Divine Office (daily prayer throughout the day)
Personal reflection

No pressure. Just enter and observe.

Can I stay overnight?

Many monasteries and convents offer guest accommodation:

Simple rooms
Quiet atmosphere
Shared prayer times

This is not a hotel - it’s participation in monastic life.

Is there a cost?

Day visits: normally free
Stays/events: donation or fixed fee

You are supporting the monastery or convent.

How do I choose where to go?

Keep it simple:

Pick the nearest
Or choose monks vs nuns
Or choose one with a guesthouse

Then book as necessary and go.

Can I explore becoming a monk or nun?

Yes. If the thought keeps returning, don’t ignore it.

GOD GIVE YOU PEACE

Chilworth Abbey hosting series on ‘The Mystery of God’ by Bishop Robert Barron

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 17:07:15 GMT

A session on a Saturday morning every month at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

NEW DATE FOR PREVIOUSLY CANCELLED TALK (was 14 February 2026), now Saturday 30 May 2026, 10.30am-12.20pm at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth (Assisi Room): £10 per person. Advance booking only owing to very limited room space.

Session 6: The God Who Is Love

BOOK HERE NOW

St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth is hosting a thought provoking six part faith formation series this autumn and winter, presented by Benedictine monk Fr John Seddon OSB. The programme, titled “The Mystery of God: Who God Is and Why He Matters”, is based on the acclaimed series by Bishop Robert Barron.

The sessions take place monthly on Saturday morningsand are designed to delve deeply int o key questions of belief, atheism and the nature of God in the modern world. We meet in the Assisi Room at the rear of the monastery. Free car parking is available.

The programme is as follows:

Session 1 (Sept 13): Atheism and What We Mean by ‘God’

Session 2 (Oct 11): The Paths to God

Session 3 (Nov 15): The Divine Attributes

Session 4 (Dec 6): Providence and the Problem of Evil

Session 5 (Jan 10): Exploring the Trinity

Session 6 (May 30): The God Who Is Love (new date)

Each session will run from 10:30 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. with tea and coffee provided. Attendees are encouraged to arrive in good time and to engage in the discussion and reflection that follows each presentation. The Divine Office of Sext takes place in the Abbey Church from 12.30pm-12.40pm to which members of the public are very welcome to attend.

Booking is essential, with a fee of £10 per person per Saturday. A small booking fee applies. Owing to limited meeting room space and considerable demand from a growing number of people to attend, please kindly note that no ticket will mean no entry to the talk. Thank you for your understanding.

BOOK HERE NOW

The series promises to be both intellectually enriching and spiritually nourishing, offering participants a deeper understanding of the Christian vision of God.

How to get to St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth: click here .

All funds raised will support the monks in their work.

St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth: Visiting, Prayer, Retreats, Vocations, Benedictine Life & FAQs

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 19:42:49 GMT

Your frequently asked questions answered

St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery near Guildford in Surrey, open every day of the year for Mass, the Divine Office and prayer.

Visitors are welcome to join the monks, stay in the monastic guest house, attend public events and explore Benedictine life. You don't have to be Roman Catholic to visit or stay with us.

Rooted in the teaching of St Benedict (c.480–547) , the Abbey continues a 1,500 year monastic tradition that has shaped Christian prayer, community and culture across Europe and the world.

What is St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth?

St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth is a living and contemplative Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery in the Surrey Hills near Guildford - not a parish church , but a place dedicated to monastic life.

The monks live under the Rule of St Benedict , a Sixth Century guide to life centred on:

prayer
work
silence
hospitality
community

The monastery is not enclosed, the monks do not have to be silent all of the time and all of them are very much in contact with the outside world.

This rhythm, often summarised as Ora et Labora (“Pray and Work”), continues today much as it has for over 1,500 years.

The Abbey church is open to the public for prayer throughout the year, every day of the year without fail from 5.30am to 8.50pm.

What is happening at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth today?

St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth is a small Benedictine monastery comprising 10 monks plus a number of potential monks that is growing strongly in many areas of its life and mission.

Despite its size, the Abbey is experiencing clear momentum:

new monks and increasing vocation enquiries
a growing number of guests in the Monastic Guest House
a regular and increasing weekly congregation drawn from the public
an expanding programme of public talks, events and study mornings
increasing online engagement and worldwide awareness into the thousands of people
online prayer requests in their several hundred every year
monastery online shop sales all over the world
rising support for the life and future of the monastery
the monks actively seek and receive public feedback for their guesthouse and shop so as to improve

Through a strong digital presence and the personal experience received by many when connecting with the monastery, the Abbey reaches far beyond its physical size.

Visitors frequently remark on the Abbey’s energy, strong sense of community and confident leadership , all rooted in the Benedictine tradition.

What is a typical day like for a Benedictine monk?

A monk’s day at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth follows a structured rhythm shaped by the Rule of St Benedict:

early rising for Vigils (before dawn)
regular periods of communal prayer throughout the day (Divine Office)
Holy Mass
time for work (manual, intellectual or pastoral)
periods of silence and personal prayer
time for rest
shared meals taken in a spirit of reflection
evening prayer and Compline before rest
monks receive days off and holidays

This balanced life of prayer, work and community has remained fundamentally unchanged for centuries.

Is St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth open to the public?

Yes. Members of the public are always welcome to join the monks in prayer in the Abbey Church.

No booking is required for Mass or the Divine Office.

Please get in touch online if you'd like to have Confession.

What are the Mass times at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth?

Daily Roman Catholic Mass:

9am Monday–Saturday
10am Sunday

St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth is one of the few churches not to ask for a collection during Mass.

Coffee with the monks follows Sunday Mass in the Assisi Room.

Occasional Spanish speaking Mass is also offered - please enquire.

What type of Mass is celebrated at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth?

Mass is celebrated in the Roman Catholic Ordinary Form (“Novus Ordo”) , not in the Extraordinary Form (Tridentine Latin Mass).

At Chilworth:

Mass is offered facing East (ad orientem)
The Introit, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion and Ordinary are sung in Latin
The remainder of the Mass is in English

This creates a reverent form of worship rooted in tradition, while remaining accessible.

What is the Divine Office?

The Divine Office is the daily cycle of prayer prayed by Benedictine monks.

It sanctifies the day through psalms, Scripture and chant.

Members of the public are welcome at all offices.

What are the daily prayer times at the Abbey?

Members of the public are always welcome to join the monks in prayer.

Divine Office:

Vigils: 5:50am–6:30am (Saturday 8:00pm for Sunday)
Lauds: 7am–7:25am
Terce: 8:40am–8:50am (8:30am Sunday)
Sext: 12:30pm–12:45pm (12:45pm Sunday)
None: 1:35pm–1:45pm
Vespers:
6pm–6:30pm (weekday)
5:30pm–6pm (feasts/solemnities)
Compline: 8:30pm–8:50pm

Is Latin used at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth?

Yes. Latin has a living place in the prayer and liturgical life of the Abbey.

At Chilworth:

Gregorian Chant in Latin is used in the Divine Office
Latin is sung in the Mass Propers
Traditional Latin prayers are part of monastic life

Mass itself is celebrated in English in the Ordinary Form.

Latin is not required for participation, but many find it deepens prayer and expresses the unity and continuity of the Church.

Can visitors hear Gregorian Chant at Chilworth?

Yes. Gregorian Chant is regularly sung in both the Divine Office and the Mass.

Is there Adoration at the Abbey?

Yes. Members of the public are welcome.

Friday: 8:00pm–8:45pm
Sunday: 4pm–5pm

Is there online prayer from the Abbey?

Yes.

Divine Mercy Hour (online):
3pm–4pm daily

Can I ask the monks to pray for me?

Yes. The monks at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth receive prayer requests from across the UK and around the world.

Many hundreds of prayer requests are received each year, and all are remembered in prayer.

Where is St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth?

Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth
Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR

5 miles from Guildford
Close to the Surrey Hills
Walking distance from Chilworth station
Free parking available

How do I get to the Abbey by train?

Travel to Chilworth railway station. The Abbey is a short walk.

Connections include Guildford, London, Reading and Gatwick Airport.

Can I stay at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth?

Yes, by arrangement and donation.

The Monastic Guest House offers a simple, prayerful stay within a living Benedictine monastery.

What is it like to stay in the Monastic Guest House?

A quiet, structured and prayerful experience for adult men and women.

Guests are expected to:

join the monks for prayer
respect silence
enter into the monastic rhythm of life

The accommodation is very basic and limited to four bedrooms. Advance booking is essential and stays cannot always be guaranteed.

Does the Abbey run retreats, study days or public events?

Yes. The Abbey runs regular talks, study mornings, cultural events and spiritual days.

Booking is usually required due to limited space.

Is there a regular meditation group?

Yes, an ecumenical lay meditation group meets regularly.
Wednesday evenings in the Assisi Room, followed by Compline.

How do I become a Benedictine monk at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth?

The first step is to visit and to keep visiting.

Keep knocking at the door, do not be deterred.

Vocation discernment begins with a stay in the Guest House and develops over time.

Who can apply to become a monk?

Catholic men who feel called to monastic life, with:

maturity
good health
a genuine desire to seek God

What happens on a vocation visit?

A short stay sharing daily monastic life, including prayer, meals and work, allowing mutual discernment.

What is the Rule of St Benedict?

A Sixth Century guide to monastic life written by St Benedict, shaping:

prayer
work
humility
stability
obedience
community

It remains one of the most influential spiritual texts in Western Christianity.

What is Lectio Divina?

A slow, prayerful reading of Scripture, central to Benedictine spirituality.

Why is silence important?

Silence creates space for God and supports prayer, reflection and inner stillness.

What does “Ora et Labora” mean?

“Pray and Work” - the foundation of Benedictine life.

What is a Benedictine Oblate?

A lay person who lives Benedictine spirituality in daily life while remaining in the world.

Can I become an Oblate?

Yes. The Abbey welcomes those drawn to Benedictine spirituality and who want to live it in their lay life at home.

What public talks and events are offered?

Regular talks on faith, art and spirituality, usually in small groups.

What do donations support?

The life and mission of the monastery, including:

buildings
monks
hospitality
vocations

Can I volunteer?

Yes. Volunteers are welcome to support the Abbey’s work.

What is the history of the Abbey?

A historic Catholic site now home to a Benedictine community of the Subiaco Cassinese Congregation. The monks have been at Chilworth since 2011, prior to that at Ramsgate in Kent since 1856. From 1892-2010, Franciscan Friars were based at Chilworth.

Does the Abbey have a shop?

Yes. Handmade monastic products and gifts are available online. We are best known for our monk made beeswax skin creams and lip balms plus Chilworth Rosary Beads.

Can pilgrims and walkers visit?

Yes. The Abbey welcomes visitors from the Pilgrims’ Way and beyond.

How do I contact the Abbey?

St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth
Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth
Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR

Phone: +44 (0)1483 899360

Monastery “running out of rooms” - Abbot signals expansion as vocations rise

Sat, 11 Apr 2026 16:02:16 GMT

Those discerning a monastic calling are encouraged to come forward while opportunities to visit and stay remain available

Monastery “running out of rooms” - Abbot signals expansion as vocations rise

Chilworth, Surrey, UK - A small Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery in Surrey has revealed it is running out of rooms for new monks and enquirers, prompting both an urgent appeal to would be vocations and early plans to expand accommodation.

The Rt Rev Dom Paulinus Greenwood OSB, Abbot of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth, said:

“We now find ourselves in the enviable position of running out of rooms for monks and potential vocations. We are now exploring the possibility of converting our ample attic space into four or five en suite cells for future vocations.”

The Abbey says the recent increase in interest has quickly filled its limited capacity - a rare development in contemporary monastic life. The present community comprises 10 monks, together with a member from Latin America, reflecting both stability and a modest international dimension.

Notably, the Abbey confirms that the recent spate in vocations has been largely home grown within the UK, suggesting a renewed domestic interest in monastic life rather than reliance on overseas candidates.

In response to the pressure on space, the Community is now actively considering converting attic space into additional en suite cells, a practical step to accommodate future enquirers while maintaining the integrity of monastic life.

Alongside this development, the monks are issuing a clear message: “Do not delay.” Those discerning a monastic calling are encouraged to come forward while opportunities to visit and stay remain available.

However, the Abbey is equally candid about the realities of religious life. Vocation discernment typically takes several years, involving repeated visits, spiritual direction and gradual testing within the Community. It is not a quick or impulsive decision.

The monks also stress that current levels of interest can fluctuate. Periods of strong enquiry may be followed by quieter times, and not all who express interest ultimately pursue the path to monastic profession.

For that reason, the Abbey frames its message carefully: urgency in taking the first step, but patience in the journey that follows.

The Benedictine approach remains rooted in the tradition of “come and see,” inviting men to experience firsthand the rhythm of prayer, work and communal life centred on the search for God.

For now, the situation at Chilworth reflects both encouragement and constraint - a growing interest in monastic life within the limits of a small, 15 room monastery, now actively considering modest expansion.

The Abbot’s message, however, is unmistakable: act while the call is present but expect the path to unfold slowly and seriously over time.

Discover the meaning of the Roman Catholic Mass - public talk series

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:35:02 GMT

Join our seven part series of talks

Discover the meaning of the Roman Catholic Mass - public talk series

BOOK HERE NOW

Join Benedictine monk Fr John Seddon OSB for a powerful seven part series exploring the beauty, meaning and mystery of the Roman Catholic Mass, based on Bishop Robert Barron’s acclaimed teachings. Members of the public of all faiths and none are welcome.

Saturdays 10.30am–12.20pm
Assisi Room, St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth, Guildford GU4 8QR

27 June 2026 - A Privileged Encounter
25 July - Called out of the World
29 August - God Speaks our Story
26 September - Responding to God
31 October - Preparing for Sacrifice
21 November - The Real Presence Creates Communion
19 December - Final session - Eucharist: Sacred Meal, Sacrifice, Real Presence

Fr John will add his own references to how Mass is celebrated partly in Latin at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, where we celebrate Roman Catholic Mass in the Ordinary Form, or 'Novus Ordo', not in the Extraordinary Form (i.e. not a Latin or Tridentine Mass). However, Mass is offered facing East on the altar used before the liturgical changes in 1960s. We sing the Introit, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion and Ordinary in Latin. The rest of the Mass is the vernacular, which is in English.

Free coffee, tea and biscuits in the Assisi Room every day of the talk from 10am.

Ticket price £12 per person per Saturday. A small booking fee applies.
Advance booking essential (owing to very limited space). Sorry - no tickets on the door.
Book now at www.ticketsource.com (search “Chilworth Abbey”) Join our online waiting list if we are sold out.
Free car parking.

All proceeds from the talks support the monks in their work. Thank you for your support.

BOOK HERE NOW

Enhance your visit (taking place in the Abbey Church):

Holy Roman Catholic Mass with the monks: 9am–9.45am
Coffee in the Assisi Room 10am

Visit our monastery shop in the Assisi Room and buy monk made and other products without postage charges: click here to browse our many shop items .
Divine Office: 12.30pm (10 minutes)

St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth is a living and growing Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery.

How to find St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth: click here

Heaven in the Hills: How a hidden English Benedictine monastery helped spark “Undaunted Joy” in Shemaiah Gonzalez’s soul

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 15:48:14 GMT

Available on Amazon

Heaven in the Hills: How a hidden English Benedictine monastery helped spark “Undaunted Joy” in Shemaiah Gonzalez’s soul

GUILDFORD, UK — American author and essayist Shemaiah Gonzalez has released her latest book, Undaunted Joy: The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight, a luminous collection of essays exploring joy as a resilient and sacred force. What many readers may not expect is that the book’s spiritual heart was partly formed during her transformative stay at a quiet, active Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery nestled in the English countryside—St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth, just outside Guildford.

In three of the book’s most moving essays—Joy of Wandering, Joy of Compline and Joy of the Sabbath—Gonzalez vividly recounts her first time at the Abbey, where the rhythm of monastic life, the lyrical chant of psalms and the slow beauty of the Surrey Hills left an indelible imprint on her inner world.

“My inner dialogue was changing,” she writes in Joy of Wandering. “The psalms, which I was spending hours a day praying with the monks, were becoming part of my inner cadence.”

Amid foggy footpaths and ancient oak trees, Gonzalez found not just solace but a reorientation of the soul. Her long walks through Surrey’s countryside became both prayer and pilgrimage, gradually revealing the vital link between joy and love.

“I was discovering on those long prayerful walks how much love is intertwined with joy. How knowing I am loved and believing I am loved, opens me up to Joy. This was fortifying.”

Her reflections culminate in Joy of Compline, where she describes a moment of communal worship that transcended the ordinary, lifting her into the realm of the eternal.

“I had not expected such overwhelming emotion… But I had spent the week praying seemingly alone and was now brought to beautiful fruition in this sea of song. I had a foretaste of heaven.”

Finally, in Joy of the Sabbath, Gonzalez captures the tender mystery of Benediction. When the Abbot unexpectedly sprinkled her with holy water alongside the monks preparing for rest, she felt wrapped in divine care.

“He would not forget me, and I felt the sweet water splash against my forehead. I made the sign of the cross, and gratitude for the Lord’s protection.”

Gonzalez’s Undaunted Joy is not simply a guide to happiness; it’s a testament to joy as a spiritual discipline, nurtured in silence, beauty and belonging. Her time at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth echoes throughout the work, a reminder that joy can be cultivated—even in the quiet cloisters of monastic England.

As readers around the world open her new book, they too may find themselves beckoned toward this revolutionary act of delight.

Undaunted Joy by Shemaiah Gonzalez is available on Amazon here .

St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, UK: 31 May 2025

Tell us about your stay in our monastic guesthouse

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 19:04:24 GMT

Please help us learn and improve - thank you.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE OUR SURVEY

Welcome to the Guest Experience Survey for the Benedictine Guest House at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and feedback with us. Your experience and insights are invaluable in helping us continue to enhance the serene and spiritually enriching atmosphere that we strive to offer to all our guests. All feedback is anonymous.

By participating in this survey, you are helping to shape the future experiences of visitors to our Abbey, ensuring that we meet and exceed expectations in service, hospitality and spiritual fulfilment. We value your candid feedback, which will be instrumental in supporting our ongoing commitment to providing a special contemplative environment.

Please rest assured that your responses are confidential and will only be used for the purpose of service enhancement. The survey will take approximately 5-7 minutes to complete. Thank you in advance for your valuable input and for being a part of the Benedictine Guest House community. Thank you. God give you peace.

Organ music during April 2026 at Holy Mass

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:35:56 GMT

Members of the public are always welcome

ORGAN MUSIC AT HOLY ROMAN CATHOLIC MASS

April 2026 at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Sunday Mass is at 10am, daily Mass is at 9am

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ALWAYS WELCOME

2nd April (Maundy Thursday)

Before Mass: Erbarme dich, mein Gott (BWV 721) : Herzlich tut mich verlangen (BWV 727) - J.S.Bach

Offertory: Ubi caritas - Julie Ainscough

No recessional organ music

3rd April (Good Friday)

No organ music

4th April (Easter Vigil)

Offertory: Christ ist erstanden (BWV 627) - J.S. Bach

Recessional: Incantation pour un jour saint - Jean Langlais (1907-1991)

5th April (Easter Sunday)

Before Mass: Variations sur un Noël (Now the green blade riseth): theme and variations I, III, VI &VIII - Marcel Dupré (1886-1971)

Offertory: Christ ist erstanden (BWV 627) - J.S.Bach

Recessional: Choral-Improvisation sur le 'Victimae paschali' - Charles Tournemire (1870-1939)

12th April (Second Sunday of Easter)

Before Mass: Fantasia on 'Christ lag in Todesbanden' (BWV 695) - J.S.Bach

Offertory: Variations on 'O Filii et Filiae - Jeanne Demessieux - (1921-1968)

Recessional: Offertoire 'O Filii et Filiae' - Jean-François Dandrieu (1684?-1740)

19th April (Third Sunday of Easter)

Before Mass: Schmücke dich, O liebe Seele (BWV 654)

Offertory: Adagio (from Toccata, Adagio & Fugue, BWV 564)

Recessional: Prelude ( from Prelude & Fugue in G major, BWV 541)

All organ music is by J.S.Bach

26th April (Fourth Sunday of Easter)

Before Mass: Trio Sonata no.6 (BWV 530): ii) Lento

Offertory: Schafe können sicher weiden (from BWV 208)

Recessional: Prelude & Fugue in A major (BWV 536)

All organ music is by J.S.Bach

The Abbey Organist is Dr Julie Ainscough

Benedictine Monk to Lead 2026 Pilgrimage to Mexico - In Honour of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Wed, 18 Mar 2026 18:35:40 GMT

Join this special 9 day pilgrimage to Mexico from 6 to 14 October 2026

Benedictine Monk to Lead 2026 Pilgrimage to Mexico – In Honour of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The Benedictine community of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth , is delighted to announce that Fr John Seddon OSB , a monk of the Abbey, will lead a 9 day pilgrimage to Mexico in October 2026 , visiting the world-famous Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe .

Departing London Heathrow on 6 October 2026 , the pilgrimage will include visits to key sacred and cultural sites in Mexico City and Puebla , with comfortable accommodation in 4 star hotels on a half-board basis. The cost is £1,947 per person (twin sharing) , inclusive of flights, transfers, meals, and entrance fees.

Organised by All Saints Travel , this journey offers pilgrims an opportunity to deepen their faith through prayer, fellowship, and exploration of one of the most significant Marian shrines in the Catholic world—under the spiritual guidance of a Benedictine monk whose gentle wisdom and teaching are cherished by many.

Bookings can be made via https://www.allsaintstravel.co.uk/ (tour reference MX111) or by contacting Caroline on 07494 339 442 .

Early booking is advised.

MORE INFORMATION in detail

9-Day Pilgrimage to Mexico 2026

‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’

6th – 14th Oct. ‘26

Departing London Heathrow

only £1,947

per person (twin sharing)

9 days / 7 nights

Half board buffet breakfast and evening dinner in 4 star hotels

Led by Fr John Seddon

Organised by Caroline tel. 07494339442

PRICE INCLUDES

Twin room sharing; return flights from London Heathrow with British Airways; in-flight meals, check-in luggage 23kg + hand carry; 5 nights in Mexico City 4* hotel; 2 nights in Puebla 4* hotel; half-board (breakfast & dinner); touring coach including airport-hotel transfers; entrance fees as per itinerary; UK airport taxes; travel pack 2 weeks prior to departure; ATOL protection.

NOT INCLUDED

Single room supplement; lunches; travel insurance; gratuities; any personal expenses.

HOW TO BOOK

Submit a booking form via the ALL SAINTS TRAVEL website:

https://www.allsaintstravel.co.uk/ by 20th Jan. ’26 to get the best price possible. Then pay the non-refundable deposit of £400 to confirm your booking. Final balance to be paid 2 months prior to travel.

Deadline of booking at this price: 20th January 2026.

PAYMENT BY INSTALMENTS

Pilgrims are welcome to pay in instalments up until two months before the departure date. Instalments can only be paid once ALL SAINTS TRAVEL has received the deposit payment.

Please see the payment options details below.

Simply call the ALL SAINTS TRAVEL office on 01793 881166 to pay with a debit card (Please note that they do not accept Mastercard debit card/ or credit cards).

ALL SAINTS TRAVEL's office hours are Mon – Fri 10:00hrs – 16:00hrs

Alternatively, you are welcome to pay via bank transfer using the details below:

Account Name: All Saints Travel Ltd
Bank: HSBC
Account Number: 91536087
Sort Code: 40-43-34

When making a payment, please use the booking identification reference (starting with AST0...) and/or your surname as the payment reference.

ALL SAINTS TRAVEL will issue an invoice after each payment is received, providing a breakdown of the outstanding balance until full payment has been made.

Thank you.

LISTEN to Chilworth's Benedictine monks sing GREGORIAN CHANT

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 21:37:03 GMT

Be mesmerised by this ancient and beautiful form of prayer, sung for centuries and still sung today

Here are Fr Abbot and Fr John singing the Gloria from Mass on 15 August 2021 at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, UK. Listen here

Fr Abbot sings the Responsorial Psalm at Holy Mass at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, UK on Sunday 15 August 2021, the Feast Day of the Assumption of Our Lady. Listen here

Be mesmerised by these monks signing Gregorian Chant at the Divine Office of Vigils on the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady on 15 August 2021 at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, UK. This part is the Solemn Tone of the 'Salve Regina', a hymn to Our Lady. Listen here

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND SUNDAY 10AM MASS and 9am daily Mass at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth.

Could you live by Benedictine values?

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:13:13 GMT

Stay in our Monastic Guesthouse for a few days to find out

BENEDICTINE VALUES

Benedictine values are a set of principles and ideals that guide the way of life of Benedictine monks and nuns, as well as individuals and institutions influenced by the Benedictine tradition. These values are derived from the Rule of St. Benedict, a guidebook for monastic life written by Saint Benedict of Nursia in the 6th Century. Here are some of the key Benedictine values:

Prayer: A commitment to a life of communal and personal prayer, seeking a deep connection with God and fostering spiritual growth. Monks meditate of the word of God in Sacred Scripture through 'Lectio Divina'.

Stability: A dedication to staying in one community, embracing a sense of place and rootedness, and cultivating lasting relationships.

Obedience: A willingness to submit to the will of God, expressed through obedience to the Abbot or Abbess and the communal life of the monastery.

Humility: A recognition of one's limitations, a modest and unassuming attitude, and a willingness to serve others selflessly.

Work: A belief in the dignity of labour and the value of engaging in meaningful work as a means of serving God and contributing to the wellbeing of the community.

Hospitality: A practice of welcoming and receiving all with kindness, compassion, and respect, recognising the presence of Christ in every person.

Community: A commitment to living in harmony with others, fostering a spirit of unity, mutual support, and genuine care for one another.

Simplicity: A preference for simplicity of life, detachment from material possessions, and a focus on the essentials, avoiding excess and unnecessary distractions.

Balance: A pursuit of balance between prayer, work, study, and rest, recognising the importance of maintaining physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.

Listening: A practice of attentive listening, both to God and to others, valuing silence and allowing space for reflection and discernment.

These values serve as guiding principles for living a contemplative, balanced, and purposeful life, emphasising the importance of seeking God and striving for holiness in all aspects of daily existence.

To book a room in our Monastic Guesthouse (paid by donation), please give plenty of notice, read more here and email Dom Andrew to ask: domandrewmcneill@gmail.com

Latin prayer and Chant at Chilworth

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 22:13:23 GMT

Latin remains a sacred language of chant and contemplation

At St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth, Latin has a living place in our prayer and liturgical rhythm because of its deep roots in Benedictine tradition and the wider Roman Catholic Church.

Latin was the principal language of Western Christianity for well over a millennium and became the language of Scripture, theology, liturgy and monastic life. The Rule of St Benedict itself was written in Latin and successive generations of monks have prayed, studied and chanted in Latin as a way of connecting with that long heritage.

Although the Second Vatican Council encouraged the use of the vernacular in the liturgy (mostly the English language in the UK), it also asked that Latin be preserved especially in Gregorian Chant and in monastic prayer life, particularly in Benedictine communities. Latin expresses the timeless nature and unity of the Church’s worship and links us with the universal Church across centuries and cultures.

At Chilworth, Latin is prayerfully present in the Gregorian Chant of the Divine Office , in sung Latin chants for Mass propers (Introit, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion and Ordinary) and in the traditional Latin prayers before and after monastic meals. At the same time, Roman Catholic Mass is offered in English in the Ordinary Form, at an East facing altar - a reverent form of worship that is clearly distinct from a Latin or Tridentine Mass in form. Latin remains a sacred language of chant and contemplation , not a requirement for participation but a gift that many find deepens their prayer.

Help us improve - take our Monastery Online Shop Survey now

Sat, 21 Feb 2026 12:01:17 GMT

You kindly buy hundreds of our products every year......can we improve?

Your views genuinely shape what we offer next. Every response helps us improve our Monastery Online Shop for everyone who visits. Click here to give your views . Thank you.

St Augustine’s Abbey 15 Years at Chilworth: A Living Benedictine Legacy

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 23:16:08 GMT

Get involved with your local Benedictine monastery or convent

GET TO KNOW YOUR LOCAL BENEDICTINE MONASTERY in 2026

St Augustine’s Abbey 15 Years at Chilworth: A Living Benedictine Legacy

St Augustine’s Abbey, Ramsgate (1856–2011) | St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth (2011–present)

WAYS TO PRAY WITH THE MONKS

• Daily Mass
• Daily Divine Office
• Confession
• Adoration
• Online Divine Mercy Hour
• Events that bring the public into shared prayer

SPIRITUAL LIFE & LEARNING

• Develop your prayer life
• Practise Latin prayers and explore the beauty of Latin devotion
• Learn from monastic wisdom
• Live the Rule of St Benedict as inspiration for daily Christian living
• Become a lay oblate

VISITING & SACRED MUSIC

• Stay in the monastic guesthouse to experience the 1500 year Benedictine rhythm
• Meet the monks and learn about their life
• Listen to monks singing Gregorian chant
• Enjoy Abbey organ music
• Meet fellow members of the public drawn to monastery prayer
• Join the ecumenical Christian meditation group

SUPPORTING THE MONKS & THE ABBEY’S FUTURE

• Pray for the monks
• Show support by attending daily prayer
• Tell others about the Abbey
• Buy monastic products made with care and gratitude
• Volunteer your skills
• Become a fundraiser for the Abbey
• Encourage monastic vocations with patience, trust, and discernment

SKILLS TO SHARE IN SERVICE

• Church reading

• Painting and decorating
• Gardening

• Fundraising
• Cleaning
• Sewing
• DIY jobs

• Other practical or professional skills offered in goodwill

GET TO KNOW OTHER BENEDICTINE MONASTERIES AND CONVENTS

Click here to find your nearest Benedictine monastery and convent.

St Augustine’s Abbey, Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR | chilworthbenedictines.com

St Benedict's wisdom for common human problems

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 15:34:24 GMT

What is sustainable for real human beings?

Below are common human problems and how St Benedict would typically respond, drawing on the wisdom of the Rule of St Benedict . Though written for monasteries, Benedict intended it as a school for the Lord’s service which are practical, humane and deeply relevant to everyday life.

1. Anxiety, restlessness, overthinking

Benedict’s response: Stability and rhythm

Stay where you are; don’t flee discomfort impulsively.
Anchor the day in prayer, work, meals and rest.
Trust that peace grows from faithfulness, not constant change.

“Stability is the cure for the anxious soul.” (Benedictine insight)

2. Pride, ego, and self importance

Benedict’s response: Humility practised daily

Accept correction without defensiveness.
Put community needs before personal preference.
Let actions speak louder than status.

Benedict’s famous 12 steps of humility are a ladder downward toward freedom.

3. Conflict, resentment, and division

Benedict’s response: Reconciliation before sunset

Speak directly, calmly, and truthfully.
Never let bitterness harden overnight.
Value unity over winning arguments.

Silence is preferred but never at the cost of charity.

4. Burnout and exhaustion

Benedict’s response: Moderation in all things

Balance prayer, work and rest.
Adjust expectations for the weak and the overburdened.
Reject extremes—ascetic heroics are discouraged.

Benedict is strikingly anti-burnout.

5. Loneliness and isolation

Benedict’s response: Belong to a community

Life is meant to be shared, not endured alone.
Listen deeply; be present rather than impressive.
Hospitality heals both guest and host.

“All guests are to be welcomed as Christ.”

6. Anger and impatience

Benedict’s response: Pause, pray, restrain

Control speech before emotion controls you.
Step back rather than strike back.
Anger unchecked corrodes the soul and the community.

7. Fear of authority or misuse of power

Benedict’s response: Servant leadership

Leaders must consult widely and listen attentively.
Authority exists to serve, not dominate.
The strong must adapt themselves to the weak.

This is radical leadership - still ahead of its time.

8. Meaninglessness and lack of direction

Benedict’s response: Seek God in ordinary life

Holiness is found in fidelity, not novelty.
Small acts done well matter eternally.
Perseverance reveals meaning over time.

9. Over talking, noise, distraction

Benedict’s response: Silence with purpose

Speak when it builds up, not to fill space.
Silence sharpens listening - to others and to God.
Stillness is not emptiness; it is readiness.

10. Judgmentalism and harshness

Benedict’s response: Mercy with structure

Correct with gentleness, not cruelty.
Always leave room for repentance and growth.
Remember your own frailty.

St Benedict’s underlying genius

Benedict doesn’t ask: “What is ideal?”
He asks: “What is sustainable for real human beings?”

His vision is:

Realistic, not romantic
Disciplined, not rigid
Demanding, but deeply compassionate

How to donate digitally to St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:14:50 GMT

Thank you very much for supporting us

You can kindly donate to St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth using our Digital Collection Plate which takes credit and debit cards.

The device is at the back of the Abbey Church to the immediate left of the Confessional, as pictured.

You can also use the device online here

Thank you very much for supporting us.

UK Benedictine Monks assist Australian school in restoring statue of Our Lady and Child

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:08:18 GMT

A touching international collaboration between two Roman Catholic institutions

UK Benedictine Monks assist Australian school in restoring statue of Our Lady and Child

A touching collaboration between two Roman Catholic institutions has brought together a monastic community in the United Kingdom and a rural school in Australia to restore a cherished statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus.

Benedictine monks of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth responded generously when Michael Green, Principal of Mt Carmel School in Yass, New South Wales, sought help to repair his school’s damaged statue. The figure, deeply loved by pupils and staff, had lost its hands and feet after many years of wear.

Mr Green discovered online the story of a similar statue lovingly restored at the Chilworth monastery and, having exhausted options in Australia, reached out to ask whether the monks’ restored statue could serve as a model for recreating the missing parts.

Moved by the school’s dedication and the devotional significance of the statue, the monks agreed at once. With the support of specialist 3D scanning company Surface Scan of Ramsgate, UK, a detailed digital scan of the Chilworth statue was produced at the end of January (2026). This high resolution model will allow precise replicas of the missing hands and feet to be crafted in Australia, ensuring the restoration remains faithful to the original design and tradition.

Alongside the technical assistance, the monks offered their prayers and blessing for the project, remembering Mt Carmel School in their liturgy and asking God’s guidance for all involved.

For the school community in Yass, the restoration has become more than a practical repair. It stands as a living sign of the Church’s unity across continents, linking a small Australian school with a contemplative Benedictine community in Britain.

Once completed, the restored statue will continue to inspire prayer and devotion - now enriched by a story of faith, generosity and international cooperation.

Watch a short video to show what went on here .

The picture above shows (left) a representative from Surface Scan holding a 3D scanning device. He is standing next to Fr John Seddon OSB, monk of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth.

Watch again: BBC TV documentary 'Heaven Made' 2022

Wed, 28 Jan 2026 18:46:14 GMT

A unique insight into Benedictine monastic life at Quarr Abbey, Kylemore Abbey and St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

HEAVEN MADE AT CHRISTMAS: BBC Television 2022:

With thanks to the BBC and Ben @benn02

Episode 1 - watch here

In this beautiful festive series, we go behind the walls of religious orders across England and Ireland to meet Benedictine nuns and monks who for centuries have devoted themselves not just to prayer and work but to keeping ancient crafting traditions alive. These bookbinders, brewers, chocolatiers, soap makers, and potters are joined on their heavenly production lines by local artisans and volunteers. Together they create beautiful hand-made gifts that truly are Heaven Made, sharing the true meaning of Christmas with us at this special time in the Christian calendar.

In this first episode we join the Benedictine sisters of the magnificent Kylemore Abbey on the West Coast of Ireland to meet Sister Genevieve and the team of nuns and lay staff who are busy making their sought-after Christmas hampers. In the Chocolate House, it is a tense time for new employee and chocolate novice Veronica, who has been tasked with creating a centrepiece for the hampers, a box of 12 individual chocolates that must meet the exacting approval of chief chocolatier, Sister Genevieve. Meanwhile Sister Jeanne, a former mathematician and chemist, explains how her Christmas creations are about more than chocolate, hidden in each handmade star is a Christmas blessing.

The monks at St Augustine’s Abbey in Chilworth, Surrey are also gearing up for the festive season. Brother Simon, a postulant (or monk in training), is busy producing one of their latest products that they’re hoping will be a big seller at Christmas, Rosary beads.

And on the Isle of Wight at the neo-gothic, red brick Quarr Abbey, within an area of outstanding natural beauty, veteran monk Father Gregory works with tenant farmer, Matt Legg to ensure their onsite restaurant is well stocked with their local meat in time for the Christmas menu.

Episode 2 - watch here

At the glorious Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight, we meet Father Gregory, who has been a monk here for the last 57 years. Like generations of monks before him, Father Gregory oversees the manufacture of their most popular products - Abbey Ale and Abbey cider. But with the demands of the divine office - the hours of the day set aside for prayer - he needs to enlist the help of estate manager Matt Noyce to meet their Christmas deadline.

Just over 60 miles away, it is a busy time at St Augustine’s Abbey for Father John and Brother Simon, who need to erect their traditional Nativity scene. But without the original instructions to help them, will they be able to complete the task?

Meanwhile, at the stunning Kylemore Abbey on the west coast of Ireland, Sister Genevieve and her team of nuns and staff are busy producing their bestsellers for the Christmas rush – Kylemore soap and the famous Kylemore fuchsia-design pottery. But will this heavenly production line be able to keep up with the festive demand?

Episode 3 - watch here

The Benedictine nuns of Kylemore Abbey on the west coast of Ireland embark on a new business venture, embracing the ancient craft of beekeeping to produce honey with a special flavour unique to the abbey.

For centuries, the traditional clothing worn by monks has been a black habit. At Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight, Brother Matthew, a monk in training, receives his very first habit, created by seamstress Julia, a lay person at the abbey.

At St Augustine’s Abbey in Chilworth, Surrey, Father John is preparing to leave the sanctuary of the abbey to source ingredients for his latest beauty product, a scented lip balm.

See what our Abbey Shop shoppers say

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 16:19:48 GMT

We are very grateful for your feedback - thank you

RECENT CUSTOMER TESTIMONIALS buying from the Benedictine monastery online shop at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, UK - we ship worldwide

Many 'Sanctuary Products' we sell are carefully handmade at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth.

Thank you for supporting us

VISIT OUR ONLINE SHOP HERE

WATCH BBC TV's 'HEAVEN MADE' DOCUMENTARY (2022) about our monastic product making here

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Hand and Skin Cream

This product is as good as ever - many thanks!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

This cream has a strong beautiful scent of lavender. It absorbs into the skin well.

Verified feedback on Glass Standing Celtic Cross

Lovely item, well packed, fast and efficient delivery. Wonderful calligraphy for handwritten address on parcel!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

This product is my favourite hand and skin cream. The quality is first class and it is made from the best ingredients. The lavender fragrance is beautiful and very relaxing.

The monks always provide prompt, personal service and I am very grateful to them.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal 3.5 cm

Beautiful medal with great leaflet detailing the symbolism, history and significance of the medal.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Delicate fragrance and ‘feeds’ the hands.

Verified feedback on Illuminated Metal Plaque /St.Anthony of Padua

Thanks very much beautiful plaque well PLEASED.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Lemon Beeswax Lip Balm

I really liked it, the lip product is very good, I loved it, I was also very happy with my scapulars. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

I’m as pleased as ever. I love the hand and skin cream. It’s a must for me these days because it’s so good.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Lemon Beeswax Lip Balm

It is a great product; nice texture and works well.

Verified feedback on Glass Standing Celtic Cross

I absolutely love the Celtic Cross. I just wish I’d ordered more to use as gifts for First Holy Communicants or for children to be Baptised.

As usual, St Augustine’s came up top of my list for value for money and especially quality.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Received well. Beautifully wrapped with useful enclosures. Thank you so much!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Excellent hand cream. No more dry hands and a little goes a long way. Also the smell is not overpowering. And it doesn't leave the skin greasy after using it. Very good moisturizer too. Thank you.

Verified feedback: Black Rosary

I got the rosary Fr John and love it. Wearing it now. Many thanks.

Verified feedback on CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - SMALL/black

Hello. The rosary beads are wonderful, I recommended them to my friend and he bought two himself. They were well packaged too. Thank you so very much and may God bless you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Love it use it most days and have recommended it to others and my daughter keeps using it. Love it thank you; it is special that you would take time to make this.

Verified feedback on CHILWORTH CORDED ROSARY BEADS - multi-coloured: large

It was great. Thanks for the beautiful rosaries.

Verified feedback on CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - blue and purple

Yes, I am very happy with the colours and the workmanship of them! I probably would have ordered the smaller ones if I had known how long they would be. Thank you for asking! Peace and many blessings.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I absolutely love the Honey and Rose Hand and Skin Cream. I use it on both my face and hands, and the delicate fragrance of rose and honey is truly authentic. It leaves my skin feeling beautifully silky and soft. This may be my first purchase, but it certainly won’t be my last. Thank you!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

Brilliant. My sister says she is addicted to the cream. God bless.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Frankincense

I was delighted with my purchase especially the Sanctuary balm with frankincense . The medals were for gifts, one for someone on need of support and one for a devout blind lady who has a difficult life.

She wants to keep the medal in her pocket . She can trace the design with her fingers. They are so reasonably priced. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Lovely Aroma. Feels luxurious.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Very happy with my order - as always. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Really Lovely Cream, the aromas last for a good while the product itself leaves your skin feeling refreshed and moisturised.

Verified feedback on The Green Scapular

Hi, yes I was very pleased with the green scapulars and will be ordering more in the future.

A couple of days after they arrived, I had them blessed by my local Pius X priest. So yes, I am happy with my purchase.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I gave the products as gifts. One of the recipients said her hands felt immediate relief after the season’s cooking and washing up.

Easily absorbed, non greasy and it smells wonderful too! Thank you, I will be buying more.

Verified feedback on Illuminated Metal Plaque of the Divine Mercy

Absolutely beautiful A gift for my son and he loved it!

Verified feedback received by email 26 December 2025

I ordered Beeswax Lip Balms, several creams and Beeswax polish. I gave them as Xmas presents. The people who I gave them to absolutely loved them. Cream was a favourite of my Sister. My favourite was the Cinnamon and Frankincense Lip balm. Reminded me of Midnight Mass with the blessing of Frankincense. Have yet to use the polish on my Furniture.

A happy and prosperous new year with the Honey Bees.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

I love the cream as it is quickly absorbed and smells heavenly! I have given away two pots of the hand cream and will order more when I have used up mine.

Verified feedback on The Guest House Collection - hand made bracelet - 17cm

Thank you for your email. I bought the bracelet, a St Benedict medal and some lip balm. All are excellent and much appreciated. God Bless.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Hand and Skin Cream

Today I received the creams; a great relief to myself as these are a gift to a friend. Thank you so much these will be greatly received - thank you so much.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Thank you again for the timely delivery and usual top quality creams. Hope you all have a peaceful and happy Christmas.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Beeswax Lip Balm - Natural

I have been using the 'organic, natural, beeswax lip balm' for years. No more dry, chapped lips. No artificial taste. Suits me perfectly. So, thank you.

Verified feedback on Illuminated writing Christmas Cards

Beautiful Christmas Cards. I'm really pleased with my purchase. An excellent price and good quality. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Hand and Skin Cream

This was a repeat order of an excellent product. Many thanks

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Frankincense & Cinnamon Beeswax Lip Balm

Lovely product, feels great and a great price. Will shop again thank you.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Orange Beeswax Lip Balm

As always, my lip balm arrived quickly (& fitted through the letter box), and the lip balm is the best I've ever used.

Verified feedback on Maddona and Child Holy Water Font. 5"

I'm very pleased with it I bought it as a gift for our daughter she was delighted with it I would definitely buy again.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Great service, and a great product, yet again, from great people. Thanks again.

Verified feedback on Walnut Wood Crucifix 10"

This beautifully made crucifix is exactly what I have been searching for. I would recommend it to anyone. Thank you.

Verified feedback on Birthstone Rosary: February

Beautiful Rosary beads bought as a gift for my granddaughter.

Verified feedback on Burgundy Wood Corded St Benedict Rosary

Thanks so much for great service and a lovely rosary; also my thanks for it being blessed. Always happy to do busininess with the monastery.

Verified feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Excellent polish, smells great too.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

Beautiful product ��

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

5 out of 5 thank you so much. Exactly what I was looking for and very reasonably priced. Thank you and God bless.

Verified feedback on Blue Capped Glass Rosary

Beautiful, thank you. Blessings.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

Beautiful product arrived in quick time daughter loves this.

Verified feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml
Very good product.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Oh, I absolutely love it. I will 100% be back for more. Thank you.

Verified feedback on The Green Scapular

Thank you very much!!! My feedback is excellent!!! Thanks for all!!! God bless you. Salve Maria.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Frankincense & Cinnamon Beeswax Lip Balm

Dear Frs, the products were well packed sealed and received on time. I purchased quite a lot of lip balms to distribute it to family and friends and everybody loved it.

Appreciate the hard work and sincerity of selling genuine products. Thanks.

Verified feedback on Sand Corded Rosary: small

Thank-you got the lovely sand cord rosary - and for the blessing card that you enclosed! A wonderful thought…

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Really pleased with my order, exactly as seen on website. Excellent service. Thank you.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Thank you dear Brothers for the prompt despatch of the beautiful St Benedict Medals. It is such a comfort to have it with me blessed by yourselves.

I have given one to my brother and old friend Catherine all who treasure this unique gift too.

God Bless you and all your spiritual work.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

A heartfelt thank you for your fantastic service and the items that were ordered and delivered. It meant a lot to me that you took your time to bless my St Benedict medals.

I look forward to shopping again soon. Godbless you all at the Monastery.

Verified feedback on Teaching Christ wooden icon cross

Absolutely beautiful Icon Cross, sits lovely In view on our bookshelf. Arrived really quickly too.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Excellent, as usual.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

It was a fast delivery and the St Benedict Medals are of beautiful quality. There was a little bite explaining the origin of the Medals and the prayers. As well there was a handwritten note and they have been blessed. I am positively surprised and would be ordering anytime again.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I am very happy with the creams and beautiful Rosary bracelet that I ordered recently. Very prompt service too. Thank you.

Verified feedback on Walnut Wood Crucifix 10"

Hello, the Crucifix is exactly as described, it was well packaged, and arrived quickly.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

This lavender hand and skin cream is absolutely beautiful. All natural ingredients, with a wonderful aroma, which is so relaxing, and the cream is so gentle on the skin. Excellent personal service, as always. Many thanks for your lovely products, made with such care. God bless.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

The medal was just what we needed. It is beautifully made and we appreciated the handwritten note which accompanied the purchase. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Excellent. Podiatrist favours the use .

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Hi Father, I am loving my medal, I wear it everyday. It reminds me to be mindful of Christ. Great prices on all items too. Have a blessed day.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Orange Beeswax Lip Balm

Perfect, well packaged and on time, soothes the lips brilliantly and with a slight aroma of orange. Excellent!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

This and the lip balm(s) arrived in the time stated and are rather good. When finished I may buy more!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

Love the skin cream. Sent one as a gift to a friend and she loves it too. So pleased with these. Keep up the great work! Thank you.

Verified feedback on Risen Christ Wooden Cross Icon

Thank you all so much for the care taken in preparing and delivering my order. The Risen Christ Wooden Cross is just beautiful and exactly as described.

Thank you all again. I will definitely be ordering again in the near future.

Verified feedback on Our Lady of Good Counsel pillar candle

Beautiful candles had to post abroad one of many of my sister's Saints whom she prays daily to. Gratefully received.

Verified feedback on Our Lady wooden icon cross

Hello, the item is lovely and is a gift for a lady who celebrate 90 years old. I have not given it yet, but it will please. Thank you for your help with my order.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Beeswax Lip Balm - Natural

Fantastic product. Thank you for the brilliant product.

Verified feedback on Holy Water bottle

Thank you Brothers, will use again. God Bless.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Thank you for your great products. I have purchased both the Honey & Rose and the Natural hand and skin cream for myself and a family member. We were both very impressed by the quality and the effectiveness of the cream especially for very dry skin. I have also purchased the Organic Orange and Beeswax lip balms for myself and as gifts and can say without a doubt that these are better than many of the same type bought elsewhere. Thank you very much. I will be purchasing again the future. God Bless.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

I was very happy with my ordered items, I was especially touched by the enclosed letter informing me that my St Benedict's medal and cross had been blessed with a prayer which I found very comforting and encouraging indeed at this difficult time. Thank you all for your service to and for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Frankincense & Cinnamon Beeswax Lip Balm

I really recommend this Lip Balm. I use it every night and it is really non-greasy and effective. Lovely mild fragrance. Have purchased several times for own use and gifts.

Verified feedback on 'God bless the Man' Wooden Cross

Will give 5 stars. It is light in weight and easy to read.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Peppermint Beeswax Lip Balm

Thank you for a wonderful product and excellent service. The packaging, scent and texture of the lip balm are lovely and it moisturises the lips really well.

Thank you also for blessing the other items I purchased.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Thank you very much for supplying this beautiful medal. I am very pleased with it and the quick postage. I appreciate the blessing it received as well.

Verified feedback on Own a Limited Edition Print of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth – and Support the Future of Monastic Life

It’s absolutely beautiful, love it very much. Thank you.

Verified feedback on Madonna and Child Holy Water Font. 5"

Thank you so much for all we have ordered we are so happy with it many thanks.

Verified feedback on Ceramic Celtic cross Holy Water Font

Excellent service as usual and it's always lovely stuff when it arrives. The Ceramic Celtic cross is beautiful

and it was nice of Father John to bless it for my sister. I’m sure she will like it and it will look well with the green Rosary beads I also got her last year.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Frankincense & Cinnamon Beeswax Lip Balm

I love this lip balm, it isn't greasy, and is easily absorbed & long lasting. My young grand children liked it so much I had to give them a spare pot!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

This cream is lovely. It has the perfect amount of scent so it is not too powerful or overbearing. The texture of the cream is perfect for quick spreading without being too thin. It leaves my very dry hands feeling great, as well being a perfect body cream. I will definitely buy it again.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

It is always a pleasure to order and then to receive and use your excellent skin cream, it is very good for old people such as myself, aged 95. Thank you.

Verified feedback on Glass Standing Celtic Cross
This item is beautiful I love it and will be buying another one. Thank you for stocking it

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

My buying experience was wonderful. I was very pleased with the medal and that Fr John took time from his busy schedule to bless the medal too. Kindest regards and God Bless.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Love the cream!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

Product remains as good as ever and is much liked by both my wife and I (should that me?). So, 5 stars and many thanks.

Verified feedback on Celtic Cross. Silver finish

Hello, a very nice Celtic Cross, in a nice gift box, I got it for my son he was very pleased with it :)

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Beeswax Lip Balm - Natural

Thank you, the lip balm is lovely. It came quickly once ordered. I use it 3 or 4 times a day.

Only one little issue, I don't find it straightforward to locate on your sales website. But that's probably me!

Verified feedback on Chilworth Abbey Hand-Crafted Rosary Beads

Hello, the rosary beads were well packaged and arrived safely. They are well made and perfect in use.

Verified feedback on Celtic Cross Breastpin

Thank you for the lovely Celtic Cross. My son died last year. He wore a Celtic Cross. I gave the ones you sent to the people who supported me in my hour of need. I really appreciate how quickly you sent them to me. Once again, thank you.

Verified feedback on Large Holy Water Bottle 6"

Great Product and Thank you Father John for your kindness and prayers.
5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️��

Verified feedback on Glass Standing Celtic Cross

Very happy thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

My husband said that he loves this face cream. It has really benefitted him. He will definitely be ordering some more face cream as soon as he can!!

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Excellent prompt service. Item as described and with the added bonus of a blessing and prayer �� from Father John. Brilliant. God bless.

Verified feedback on Risen Christ Wooden Cross Icon

Dear Ms/Sir, the Icon arrived beautifully packed and the person I gave it to for Christmas was very pleased with the Icon of the Resurrection. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Peppermint Beeswax Lip Balm

Love this would buy more.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Superb!!!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

This cream is the perfect night time nourisher. I would like a bigger pot if that were possible. Meanwhile I continue to order three at a time. Please keep going!

Verified feedback on Green Glass Rosary with Crystal Ring

Hello to all the Brothers at St Augustine’s, I was so very happy with the items I ordered from your shop especially the beautiful green Rosary. I am so impressed with the quality and the little sparkly ring around each bead truly reflects the light and beauty of Our Lady. Sending you all the warmest of regards and most heartfelt thanks.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Dear Sir, the St Benedict medals are beautiful - I am giving them to family members, some of whose commitment to the faith is still developing, hence I got the coloured medals in the hope they would appreciate them more. One of your priests blessed them as I requested - many thanks. Wishing you all a holy and happy Christmas.

Verified feedback on Miniature Nativity Set

I absolutely love my miniature nativity set - I don’t have a lot of room for Christmas decorations so this lovely set is perfect for a small shelf I have.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

First class service, as ever, from St. Augustine’s. This product is excellent, with a beautiful fragrance. The cream is rich and smooth, but not at all greasy, and provides just the right level of moisturising. I love supporting the monks in their work, and they are so kind, providing a personal service not often seen nowadays. Very grateful for all their beautiful products. Highly recommended.

Verified feedback on August Birthstone Rosary

Hi there at St. Augustine’s, Chilworth, many thanks for the very swift service and delivery of the Peridot Rosary. It arrived safely and I have to say it is just perfect the Peridot Green colour and the quality for the price is exceptional. I will definitely be dipping into your catalogue and range of items from time to time. Take care …… Peace and Love

Verified feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Always great Polish and lip gloss, delivery was fine.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Very happy with price, delivery and quality.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

Brilliant product and great quality. Thank you!!

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Lemon Beeswax Lip Balm

Fantastic balm. Great for the lips, brilliant on minor burns and cuts. Family in America and Ireland have taken my pots!!

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Orange Beeswax Lip Balm

As always, delivery is quick, and the lip balm is excellent. I always have a pot of it in my handbag, and another on my bedside cabinet. It's the best lip balm I've ever used.

Verified feedback on CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - mauve/light purple

I really love my light purple rosary - the colour is lovely and I like the feel of it when praying, the knots are distinct and easy to feel in your fingers. Thank you!

Verified feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

I love the bees Wax the house smell wonderful after I have used it on the tables. I’m so glad I found your site. Thank you

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Beautiful product quickly delivered, will be buying again soon

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

Thank you very much Fr John, great service as usual. Keep up the great work you do.

Verified feedback on The Green Scapular

Thank you so much for the Green Scapular, it is perfect.

Verified feedback on Glass Rosary, Crystal with Crystal ring

I am very pleased with my order and the service provided.

I intend on buying from St Augustine's Abbey again.

God Bless.

Verified feedback on Our Lady of Perpetual Succour - laminated wooden picture

Beautiful picture - delighted with purchase.

Verified feedback on Our Lady of Perpetual Help Triptych Plaque in Wood

Stunning Triptych - exquisite decoration & refined design.

Verified feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Fabulous quality polish with gorgeous scent.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Beeswax Lip Balm - Natural

Fantastic as always. I continue to recommend it to my friends. Always packed beautifully and sent very quickly.

Verified feedback on CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS: red/black LARGE

Love my Rosary Beads, thank you ��

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

Dear Monks, The Skin Cream is very good, and as it's from the Abbey it's even better ! When I run out l shall order more. With best wishes and prayers

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Recipients are very happy with the products. Thank you for sending them so promptly. God bless.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Love the cream and really helps with my dry skin. Great scent too.

Verified feedback on Ceramic Celtic cross Holy Water Font

I was extremely happy with the water font, it came in time for my Dads birthday and he was delighted with it. He had one as a child in his family home and this is the first one he’s had in approx 80 years. He uses it everyday and was very touched by the birthday card you sent him. Thank you so much.

Verified feedback on The Holy Family pillar candle

My candles were beautiful, they give you a 5 star services, i will shop here again.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Excellent natural product as I have bought few times before. I will purchase it again soon. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Peppermint Beeswax Lip Balm

This is a lovely product, obviously made with care and the very best ingredients. It has a delicate aroma and is perfect for keeping lips moisturised.

Verified feedback on CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - SMALL/black

Lovely handmade rosary, big enough for a small one, obviously made with love, thank you. . Would like more colours in small please. Perhaps white.

Verified feedback on CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - SMALL/black

Lovely handmade rosary, big enough for a small one, obviously made with love, thank you. . Would like more colours in small please. Perhaps white.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Great product, with gentle and lovely smell. Would recommend to others.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

The cream is absolutely fantastic. I love the small and the texture. I actually use it on my face too! Highly recommended.

Verified feedback on Large St Benedict Medal

Hi All, Thank you very much for the medals and other sacramentals and accommodating my requests.
You did very well. The purchases arrived quickly and well packaged. Many Thanks.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Thanks for this. The cream is brilliant. Shall come back for more when this lot is used up.

Verified feedback on Small Holy Water Bottle

I’m very happy with the product you delivered and they were delivered quickly. They’re beautiful.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

Brilliant product !

Verified feedback on Sun Catcher of The Sacred Heart

Items ordered were beautiful and arrived quickly.

Thank you.

Xx��

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

The Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream is a wonderful moisturiser for the skin and applied sparingly, has a very pleasant smell of lavender. I have since purchased three more tubs , which could be given as presents to some friends.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Beeswax Lip Balm - Natural

Thank you.

The order arrived, after a second attempt! I had been informed of delay

The lip balm is just right for me

Verified feedback on St Benedict - wooden painted cross

Hello, the wooden cross is lovely just what I hoped for and more. Very happy with the purchase . Thank you, kind regards.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Lemon and Aniseed Beeswax Lip Balm

Hi and thank you so much for the lip balm! It's great quality and I love the fact you do not use seed oil. I'm local and have walked past and around a little of the monastery before a long time ago .. outside at least. Would love to be able to visit and even if there would be the chance to pray there, this would be a blessing. I wish all of you well for the New Year. May the Lord bless everyone of you and may all of you be filled by Holy Spirit, in preparation for the year before us. I trust that all are well in the monastery and as fellow brother in Christ I wish you God speed and every blessing.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

I bought this and some lip balms for my daughter for Christmas. She absolutely loves the product. Even more so because they are hand made using your own natural products. Thank you very much.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

Hi, Everyone loved the cream and balm. Would buy again, and we love the fact it’s handmade by Monks. I watched it on tv with my mum one Sunday morning, and we talk about it when I visit her.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

Good afternoon, thank you very much for your email and for such amazing service. The products are really good quality and delivery was prompt - thank you!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

A very good product. Quick delivery as well, which is always a plus. Merry Christmas.

Verified feedback on The Green Scapular

Thank you so much for these wonderful gifts from Our Lady. I have used most already and I am ordering more today. And I can see the graces of conversion are beginning to work!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

Hello, Such a great cream. I have sensitive skin and cannot take any kind of chemical scent. It also soaks into the skin really fast and I can feel the difference. I use it mainly as a night cream because it's so rich. Love it.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Excellent as usual.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I love the consistency of the cream and it has helped my skin to be fed and moisturised. Has a pleasant smell and rubs into your skin smoothly with out leaving a greasy feel. I use the Honey and Rose as I find my skin reacts very well with it. I would recommend using this cream, you will not regret the purchase.

May I also add it was pleasant shopping from the abbey and when I received my parcels the address was written by hand in Calligraphy which I was so pleased to see and have treasured this. So much nicer than seeing a computer print out label and the service was very quick and received it by post very quickly. I give this product 10 out of 10. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

Fantastic as always Father!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Fabulous cream. I bought my first pot at the Blackheath Fair and was hooked. I’m now on my 3rd pot having used it on my hands and feet. Gorgeous smell and really moisturising.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I love this rich, yet light textured hand cream. It sinks into my very dry hands quickly, leaving them very soft. I use it on my feet too. A little goes a long way, so a pot lasts me for ages. Best wishes, & thank you for making such lovely products (your lip balm is the best I've ever used).

Verified feedback on feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Beeswax Lip Balm - Natural

As usual, I am very satisfied with your product which I have ordered for several years now. Thank you, Father John for your continued hard work.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

I have now bought so many of these gorgeous little pots. They are the best hand cream you can buy. I wouldn’t use anything else and they make great presents.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

I’m absolutely delighted with the Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream which I ordered. I have had dry skin on my nose for the past few months but after only a couple of days using the cream it has disappeared and the skin is nearly back to normal. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I received my order so quickly so thank you. This cream smells beautiful and really works well into my skin. It leaves a lovely silky sheen and works well for my skin.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Fantastic! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Use it all day at work, it absorbs quickly and is lovely and nourishing. Thank you so much will be purchasing more soon ��

Verified feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - red

Dear Sir / Madam, I greatly enjoy praying using the monk-made rosary provided and shipped by you. It’s been a great blessing for me and my family.

Thank you! 5 star review.

Verified feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - black

Hello to everyone at the Monastery - I'm delighted with the knotted rosary I purchased from you recently - it's strong and well-made, and a lot bigger than expected! I like it a lot, I love a larger rosary and it doesn't tangle either - plus it arrived really quickly too. Many thanks and God bless you all!

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Frankincense & Cinnamon Beeswax Lip Balm

Dear St Augustine's Abbey, I am a serial purchaser of this lip balm. I use it myself and have given as a gift. It is effective and has a beautiful delicate scent. I apply it on a daily basis and can highly recommend the product.

Verified feedback on Risen Christ Wooden Cross Icon

Thank you for your excellent service and for the beautiful and inspiring artefacts. The crosses have served as gifts for various family members.

With thanks and with our prayers for the success of the Abbey.

Verified feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

We are very happy with the beeswax polish. It has given a beautiful, soft shine to the furniture. It is pleasant and light to work with. We like that it doesn't leave a chemical smell in the room after it has been applied to the woodwork, as some commercial polishes do. Well done Chilworth on making an excellent product and selling it at a fair price. Thank you.

Verified feedback on skin creams and Chilworth Rosary Beads

Hi, I just wanted to say thank you for sending the skin creams. They arrived super-fast and they smell divine. I am so pleased I found your shop. The cream is really light and blends in so well. I also ordered rosary in blue and the detail is stunning.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

Skin cream and furniture polish both excellent products (furniture polish especially, for use on splendid Mouse-man oak plant stand celebrating our Ruby Wedding Anniversary). Free bonus skin cream much appreciated. Exemplary service and speedy delivery. Thank you very much!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

Excellent customer service. I love this cream - a little goes a long way and my skin looks so much better for it.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I have bought this product several times and it never disappoints. When the jar is opened, there is a lovely fragrance…a natural fragrance. The product feels silky and applies smoothly to the skin, and it is absorbed quickly leaving the skin smooth and smelling delicious it is designed for use on the hands and body, but I have used it as a facia nlight cream with good results. It seems to me that the prayer of the monks, as they prepare this product, is passed on to the buyer I love it and will continue to use it. Thank you so much for a wonderful product, prepared I am sure with prayer.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

As always the hand and skin cream is excellent and smells lovely! It's great to use day to day and take on holiday, and is low cost for such a quality product.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream

My biggest dilemma is which skin cream I like the best! All are so just lovely. I have had them all and still can’t decide. At the moment I am using the vanilla one which is just so brilliant. Thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

It is a wonderful cream for dry skin. I highly recommend it and have used it before and will use it again. I am a repeat happy customer. The whole family enjoys it.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Lovely face cream, glad I splashed out on 3 for 2 offer!

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Hello, My Medals came in good condition and on time.

And I believe you are praying for my family as I requested. I am going to get more Medals for my family in the coming month. Thanks so much for your prayers and love. May the good Lord be kind unto you always. God bless you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

I really love this skin cream. It is light and delicate and provides a good all day and/or night cream and has now replaced my previous creams. (I am almost 70 years old so I am glad to find a cream that suits an older skin but think it is great for younger pelple too. I really like the lavender scent and get a tiny hint of it every so often for the first couple of hours after I’ve put it on. I am particularly pleased that all the ingredients are natural and I think this is so much better for my skin. I am so pleased I discovered this cream having seen the work of the monks on their television programme a year or so ago. I am really pleased to be able to support the community in some small way. I have also got the frankincense and cinnamon lip balm which is great too. Best wishes to you all, and thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Product very good delivery very good

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Wonderful, easy to apply and the protection lasts for ages. Great on all ages of hands!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Excellently customer service, delivery and product!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

My second feedback as I have had numerous orders. I just LOVE this skin cream, it blends so well into my skin. I particularly like the little tub they come in too, it is so much better than a tube. I have bought for presents to give friends who are equally thrilled with your product.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Orange Beeswax Lip Balm

Dear All, Once again very good product and service - keep up the good work.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I am delighted with the face cream and the polish. Thank you so much for such wonderful products and for your very efficient service.

Verified feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Excellent polish at a very good price.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

Excellent quality.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal

Wonderful - thanks ever so much!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Yes, I am completely satisfied with the cream. That’s why I ordered three pots. In my opinion, you should change the label to read face cream rather than hand cream as it is so light and delicate. Call it light as a feather, like Hildegard of Bingham’s music.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Possibly the best skin cream ever.

Thank you for the items sent — feedback on products

Dear Fr. John, the products I ordered from Chilworth arrived today, in no time at all from when I ordered them, and they are super. Thank you! I’m especially delighted with the small aqua/white rosary. It is beautiful, and I greatly appreciate the skill and devotion that have gone into the making of it.

Verified feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - blue

So very pleased with my rosary beads. I bought a second set and sent to Italy as a gift. Every time I see or hold them I am reminded that they were made with love. x

Verified feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Brought polish initially from Buckfast abbey, it was excellent, so I tracked the polish down to Chilworth as I came to the end of a tin. Very happy with polish, nice lustre, speedy delivery. Fair price. Totally happy with my transaction.

Verified feedback

Good Afternoon Fr John and Team at St Augustine’s Abbey, I am very grateful for all the Goodies you sent to me, I absolutely love all the products that you sell. Please keep up the good work I’ll be back for more soon.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Frankincense & Cinnamon Beeswax Lip Balm

Dear Sanctuary Products/St Augustines, I am very happy with this lip balm which l use myself and have also bought as gifts. The texture is soothing and scent gentle. I would happily recommend your product

Verified feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - black

I ordered the Rosary Beads for someone else, she is absolutely delighted. We both appreciate the care that has gone into making them.

I have been very impressed with all the items that I have ordered from you.

Verified feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - multi-coloured

Thank-you so much for the rosary beads - absolutely lovely, and I use them daily!

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Orange Beeswax Lip Balm

Thank you very much for the beeswax lip balm. It is delightful and I love using it.

Verified feedback on various Sanctuary Products

I have been meaning to get in touch, Your products are amazing! They smell heavenly (sorry for the pun) but they do smell very clean and fresh and I use them every day, I love the fact that you use essential oils in them as they are very uplifting and I will be coming back to purchase some more tomorrow (As it is payday).

I have bought 3 of the Rosary’s from you the Camouflage one is in my workbag, I wear the Red, White and Blue one everyday and this one I pray the Rosary as much as I possibly can and with wearing it is a constant reminder to pray so its all good. And the third I gave to my best friend. I am so happy that I am able to buy products from you it genuinely makes me happy. Thank you very much.

Verified feedback on 25ml Santuary Organic Lemon Beeswax Lip Balm

This lip balm is great, it helped my dry, chapped lips. The cost is very reasonable.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I first saw your Abbey on YouTube and found it so interesting. I decided to buy your skin cream after watching you make it, and I just love it. I have since ordered every type and I am addicted! My hands are always dry but after using your cream the skin is nourished and looking so much younger than my 74 years! I am now giving my store to friends who commented on my hands appearance so I will need to order more!

Thank you. God be with you all.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream
Thank you very much for your excellent service. The face creams smell wonderful, and I was also very pleased with the polish. I will be coming back for some more soon, I think! All good wishes.

Verified feedback on Wooden wall hanging Lamb of God cross. Made in Italy.
A lovely powerful piece I often look towards while praying also the rosary I especially enjoy , they give a great amount of comfort ��

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream

I buy the Sanctuary Natural Skin Cream regularly as it feels lovely on my face and hands. It is a good price for a pure and natural product and highly recommend it.

Verified feedback on Ceramic Celtic cross

Lovely, very reasonably priced gift.

Verified feedback on St Benedict Medal
Hi, Thank you my husband was really pleased with the medal. Good Customer Service��

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Aniseed Beeswax Lip Balm

Great product, lovely subtle flavour and consistency, bought one for myself and a couple as stocking fillers!

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Beeswax Lip Balm - Natural

This lip balm is wonderful. My sister bought me some in the summer, and I had no hesitation in ordering 2 more pots recently. I use it daily, and it's non greasy, keeping my lips soft and moisturised. It's perfect.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I bought quite a lot of it, having watched it being made on the tv documentary. The

delivery was very swift and the packaging lovely. I wish that I'd ordered more, as I ordered some for myself and have given it as an extra gift.

I love the philosophy behind it as it was made with skill, love and prayer.

I'll order more next year.

Verified feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - black

Good afternoon, I was very pleased with my corded rosary beads, it's nice to have a rosary beads that even I cannot break.

Regards and best wishes to all the community.

Verified feedback on a big mix of different products bought as Christmas gifts

Received my items quickly and everything was packaged wonderfully. The prices are very reasonable and it is clear that those at St. Augustine's Abbey truly care for their customers. Would most definitely shop again!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream
Excellent service. Parcel promptly received, and first class products. Will use St. Augustine’s shop again, and highly recommend.

Verified feedback on Nativity Plaque in Wood with golden highlights
It’s beautiful thank you.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream
Thank you so much for a gorgeous cream which I am using as my daily face cream.

The cream is light, is easily absorbed into the skin and does not leave any film, and I love the fact that it is all natural ingredients. It works not only as well as any cream I have bought over the counter, but better. The scent is delicate and natural. I’m hooked! Thank you for a great product which I am really pleased to have found.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream
Excellent product, excellent service. Well done.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream
Excellent product. Best I've used.

Verified feedback on 'Our Lady of Perpetual Help' framed image
Thank you, everything was perfect and the elderly recipient who grew up in France with the same picture in her home is delighted.

Verified feedback on Holy Trinity Icon Cross on Wood with golden highlights.
Top class item, with super-fast delivery. God bless these people.

Verified feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Beeswax Lip Balm - Natural
We are always very pleased with the Lip balm from the Abbey which came very quickly.

Verified feedback on 'Angelus' framed image
Delighted with my purchase, now occupying a wall in my living room. Promptly delivered, too.

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream
We love the range of creams and lip balms and have made many purchases. Delivery can be a few weeks sometimes.

Verified feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - SMALL/black
The lip balm I purchased is some of the best lipbalm I have ever used, I apply it in the morning everyday and have not have dried lips since! I will certainly be buying more in the future. The rosaries I purchased are lovely and very well made. It feels extra special that the monks hand make them. Thank you so much!

Verified feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream
My original order was really a case of offering support to the Abbey, but when I tried the cream it was evident that the product was exceptionally good. It is very reasonably priced, it has such a pleasing floral aroma and what is best of all, a little goes a long way.

Valerie's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream
Delighted as always. Great product at a great price.

Gwen's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

The honey & rose skin cream has a lovely fragrance , it’s a great moisturiser nice & light on the skin. I recommend this product especially if you have sensitive skin as I do. This is as my first purchase & I was very impressed at how quickly the cream arrived. Many thanks.

Lesley's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream
Lovely product with a gentle fragrance, has a very light texture so it doesn't feel too thick and heavy on the skin. Very happy. �� many thanks.

Mary's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - multi-coloured
Thank you very much for the lovely Rosary I bought. I loved how well it is made especially handmade by Father John one of the Monks.

It’s big enough for comfortable easy handling especially if you have problems with your fingers. This will be the fourth one I’ve bought for myself and family.

Patricia's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream
I am always delighted with this brand of hand cream and have recommended it to my friends in our parish.It is extremely creamy and spreads wonderfully and I adore the perfume of roses and honey. Thank you so very much. God bless you all.

Evelyn's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream
Hi! I would give this product a 5 star review! It’s really moisturising and it smells lovely and whenever I use it it makes me smile because I think of the great lives the monks are living for Our Lord! Thank you ��

Antonia's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Vanilla hand and skin cream
Just love this cream. Makes my skin feels soft, and non-greasy.
I personally can’t recommend this product highly enough.

Bravo St Augustines’ ��

Mary's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - Silver Birch (green/silver)
I was amazed with my four handmade Rosary Beads made for me. Father John couldn’t be more accommodating to my requests.

The Rosary beads were incredibly made and mean a lot to me because of being made by a Monk. I didn’t have to wait long and was kept informed by email all the way. Thank you so much Father John and everyone who was involved. My 91 year old mother who lives in Ireland was so happy with the hard work that has gone into the Rosary Beads.

Allison's feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml
The product is excellent and arrived very quickly. Very pleased. Thank you.

Daniel's feedback on Benedictine Yearbook 2022
Very prompt and efficient from ordering to delivery.

Timothy's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - Silver Birch (green/silver)
Hello, I’ve been asked to give my feedback which I am more than happy to do. I love all of the Chilworth products that I have bought, the rosaries have such a beautiful simplicity and it is so evident that they have been prayfully made, the consistency across everyone I have bought (for me my wife & daughter) has been perfect, I love them. I also really enjoyed the coconut hand cream that was on offer, I love the coconut scent - I don’t often use hand cream, but this cream has literally been a God send! Thanks for all you do ��

Karol's feedback on 25ml aniseed lip balm

I wanted to write to thank you for the two lip balms I received. I was a bit wary of the aniseed one to be honest, but I am now absolutely addicted to it – and keep it with me, even around the house!, constantly! It is such a subtle flavour, just right, and the texture a little softer and smoother than a lot of proprietary lip balms which is perfect. Not only is it a joy to know that the proceeds from the balms goes to support the monastery, but it is also a delight to use! I shall be ordering more soon!

edback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Thank you - I am very pleased with my purchases. The face cream has a lovely perfume; the lipsalve - I like the fact it is genuinely natural; the furniture polish I will give to a friend. I also like the simple logo and presentation. Having been inspired to order after seeing the tv programme, I was attracted by the knowledge that there is no ‘factory’ but the items are made by people in an almost domestic environment. Good people who are not driven by commercial motives but enjoy their work as part of the Benedictine way. All good wishes.

Kay's feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Thank you your polish is amazing I love it, it worked lovely on my special chair. Thank you. Many blessings to you all

Teresa's feedback on Ceramic Celtic cross

A lovely affordable item, that now sits beautifully on the wall of my kitchen. May I also add that I bought 2 sets of knotted Rosary Beads - they mean so much more to me, knowing how they were made. I cannot remember the name of the person who made them, but please pass onto him my thanks. He is kept in our prayers when they are used.

Paddy's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - red

Beautiful, excellent product, loved by the three people who I gave them to as gifts. Father, I was not just impressed with the beautiful beads but also the price and the speedy service. I think you could charge more, especially now I’ve got mine !

Thank you,

Paul's feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml
promptly delivered. Thank you. I will order again. I have been using your beeswax when I clean a chapel ... and the nuns like it too!

Sylvia's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

I love the organic ingredients in this cream with a hint of lavender fragrance, it feels so soft and nourishing on the skin but not greasy.

Andrew's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - black

Great service and a very organic, tactile product. Thank you.

June's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - SMALL/red

Beautiful piece of delicate handicraft. Much appreciated as gift by recipient. The patience involved in making these beautiful rosaries is testament to the meditation which accompanies them. Many thanks.

Joan's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - SMALL/aqua and white

The rosary beads are amazing. I love them so much.

Anne's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream
Love the cream. I use it on cuticles.

Jean's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Lovely hand cream lovely fragrance will definitely buy again.

Jane's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

Excellent service and beautiful cream. Very pleased. Thank you.

Joan's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I loveit! The speed of delivery was excellent. I only discovered you guys from the BBC programme Heaven Made at Christmas, it was wonderful!

Moira's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Coconut hand and skin cream

Hi, as per usual the service was excellent as is the hand cream. My two daughters love it so it was a stocking filler.

The cream rubs in so quickly and makes your hands feel wonderful.

gain for the speedy response to my order.

Graham's feedback on Ballpoint pen (black ink) - red casing

Excellent service.The Christmas cards were lovely too.

Linda's feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Simply the best wax polish I’ve ever used, smooth, beautiful fragrance

and polishes everything superbly. Thank you dear Monks, from Linda

Catherine's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

This is one of the best skin creams I have bought. Rich and creamy with a lovely smell that isn't over powering or smells of chemicals like so many do. Great value for money, I will definitely be buying again.

Tony's feedback on Celtic knot wall cross. Pewter finish

The crosses were beautiful and are blessing my kitchen and living room...the rosary beads are close to my heart....many thanks and blessings to the whole family at Chilworth.

Tim's feedback on orange lip balm

Just a quick note to say how pleased we are with the quality of your orange lip balm and that we will be purchasing more for Christmas presents. Happy Christmas to you all at the Abbey. Many thanks.

Patricia's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I love these products and often share them around with friends and family. They are very pure and gentle on the skin. I just wish they came in bigger sizes.

Barbara's feedback on 12 gold stamped and embossed Christmas cards

Very happy, thank you, they are beautiful cards. I'm also very pleased with the lip balm.

Anne's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - multi-coloured

Beautifully made and I love it. I also bought a purple one for my friends and she loves hers as well. PAX.

Linda's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I love this cream and this has reminded me to order some more. The cream is a light texture and lightly fragrant. I’d love it to smell a little more Rosy! Thank you dear Brothers and God bless you all.

Carol's feedback on 12 gold stamped and embossed Silent Night Christmas cards with envelopes

Thank you so much for the very prompt delivery of these very beautiful cards. I am one delighted customer!

Just a little suggestion - perhaps you could invest in some tiny stick-on address labels so that recipients would see where the cards have come from, so they'll know where to go for next year's Christmas cards.

Angela's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - multi-coloured

Hello.Thank you for the beautifully made cord rosary beads. They arrived from the Abbey in approximately three weeks to Australia. Faster than parcels I have ordered within my own area. Would definitely recommend product and service. Thank you.

Andrew's feedback on Teaching Christ wooden icon cross

+Pax. Beautiful products, very competiverly priced and delivered swiftly. A nice shopping experience. Thank you.

Graham's feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Excellent product and excellent service, thank you.

Ronald's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Coconut hand and skin cream

So pleased with both products!

Des' feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Received with many thanks. Good product at a very reasonable price, packed well and delivered on date promised.

Will highly recommend. Thank you.

Geoffrey's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - red

Absolutely loved the rosary beads. They are beautifully made. I kept one for myself and sent one to my friend in Ireland. She was equally happy with her rosary. Thank you.

Pamela's feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Brilliant polish. Bought to clean our church chairs and all other wood. Smells lovely. They look so nourished, cared for and loved now. Thank you.

Matthew's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Thanks for sending the order through so quickly. The lavender skin cream smells beautiful and better than any commercial cream that I have used. It is easily absorbed, non greasy and very soothing.

Cathy's feedback on Bees Wax Polish 100ml

Thank you, again for the lovely polish, sharing it with my family and friends.

Carol's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - multi-coloured

Hello, The Rosary Beads are indeed colourful and sturdy. Very creative and innovative to use the multi-coloured cord in this way. Also, the shipping was expedient and convenient - I received my package here in Canada either on or before the estimated date (can't just recall exactly when). Thanks for the follow up.

Christine's feedback on Monk-made cord CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS - Silver Birch (green/silver)

I gave this beautiful rosary to my Father for his 93rd birthday. As a young man and father he introduced us to a love for woodlands. He also loves saying the rosary and the idea of a silver birch hand knotted rosary I think will appeal to him. I hope so!

Natalie's feedback on 25ml Sanctuary Organic Aniseed & Lemon Beeswax Lip Balm

Perfect!!!

Stephen's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

Fabulous product - very high quality!

Leon's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Lavender hand and skin cream

This cream and lip balm are excellent quality. I do suffer from dry skin and this cream really does make a difference. The texture is very light and non-greasy which easily absorbs in to the skin. I will certainly be purchasing this again. Thank you and blessings to you all.

Patricia's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Honey & Rose hand and skin cream

I am very pleased with the order. Surprised it arrived so quickly. Have just started using the face cream and find it soothing and pleasantly moisturising. Full marks for service, quality and value for money. Thank you very much.

Steve's feedback on 50ml Sanctuary Coconut hand and skin cream

I have stocked up a bit on your creams, but my three daughters have taken a fancy to them so I will probably need to order more soon. The Coconut cream is my favourite and seems to work well in this hot weather which is good.

VISIT OUR ONLINE SHOP HERE

Join our lay ecumenical meditation group at the Abbey: Wednesdays 7.30pm-8.15pm

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 19:14:16 GMT

We meet in the Assisi Room at the rear of the monastery

COME and experience ECUMENICAL CHRISTIAN MEDITATION

You are welcome to join the CHILWORTH ECUMENICAL CHRISTIAN MEDITATION GROUP, Wednesdays 7.30pm to 8.15pm (UK time) live in person at in the Assisi Room behind St Augustine's Abbey, Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford GU4 8QR. We meet most weeks of the year except for school holidays.

A period of quiet meditation for all Christian denominations and none. No need to book. Typically, around ten or more lay people attend from all ages and backgrounds.

There is also the opportunity for those attending in person to join the Abbey's Benedictine monks for the Divine Office of COMPLINE in the Abbey Church at 8.30pm to 8.50pm immediately afterwards, normally notated with sung Gregorian Chant and concluded with a blessing by Fr Abbot for all present with holy water.

HOW TO FIND US: click here

There are two entrances by road to the monastery from Sample Oak Lane. Going up the hill from Chilworth railway station, please turn right at the first road entrance marked by a large Crucifix up the hill to the Abbey Church. Parking is freely available there. Then, please take the footpath to the rear of the monastery until you reach the statue of Our Lady at the end of the paved path. The Assisi Room is through the rear entrance door next to Our Lady, first right once you are inside the building.

We have three DIVINE MERCY offerings for you to join

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:39:13 GMT

Inspired by St Faustina

Divine Mercy at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Run by SALT - St Augustine's Little Tent

Three ways to join our Divine Mercy offerings:

1 - Join us online for daily Divine Mercy Hour 3-4pm - as recommended by Saint Faustina

2 - Join us online every third Saturday of the month 10.40am to 4.10pm for our Divine Mercy Recollection Retreat (Holy Mass, Praise and Biblical Worship, Teaching, Healing prayers, Divine Mercy Hour 3-4pm)

ONLINE LOG IN via Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81057416793?pwd=K0tDSXNDNTZHUXZmU3pnMmJRVDNnQT09&fbclid=IwAR3eZkSoP_Q9NSG2s0qs_jiEVmMIWQMUYvpR5kJ39y0Bj0ADTlE2IagD3rQ#success

Meeting ID: 81057416793

Password: 1000

3 - Join us in person at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth every third Saturday of every third month of the year 10.40am to 4.10pm (Feb/May/Aug/Nov). A full programme including Holy Mass and Divine Mercy Hour on the day is published separately. St Augustine's Abbey, Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR

No need to book. All are free to attend. Donations are welcome : https://donate.mydona.com/st-augustines-abbey-chilworth

HOLA: UK & Latin America: help sponsor monks from near and far

Sun, 28 Dec 2025 21:39:22 GMT

You can help preserve Benedictine monasticism into the future

Benedictine monks at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth are continuing their outreach for monastic discernment across the UK, Europe and Spanish speaking Latin America, offering men the opportunity to experience the Roman Catholic Benedictine rhythm of monastic life in the Surrey Hills near Guildford in southern England.

In the past year, three men from the UK have joined the Community as monks - a prayerful and encouraging sign of renewal, hope and growing interest in Benedictine life. The Abbey gives thanks for this, recognising that every vocation is a grace, patiently matured in God’s time. And, in addition, one longstanding potential monk is returning to us from Latin America.

Becoming a monk is neither quick nor easy. It is a path of discernment, formation, testing and conversion of life that takes many years - before solemn profession is reached. The journey unfolds gradually under the wisdom of the Rule of St Benedict and the guidance of the Abbot. It requires perseverance, prayer, study and above all a deep surrender to God’s will.

The invitation to explore monastic life at Chilworth remains beautifully simple in its first step: to stay initially in the Abbey’s monastic guesthouse or noviciate, sharing the daily rhythm of prayer, work, silence and community without obligation. Men come to do this from all over the world, sometimes visiting several monasteries, countries and communities along the way including within the UK, across Europe, throughout the Americas and elsewhere as part of their wider vocational discernment. Chilworth welcomes this fully, understanding that authentic discernment is not exclusive, but a process of listening for God’s voice wherever it may lead.

Alongside vocational outreach, the Abbey continues a flourishing pastoral mission. Spanish-language Mass is now a growing part of its liturgical life, warmly attended by Latin American natives living locally in Surrey and the South of England. Candidates who come to discern monastic life also use their time to improve their English, supporting their personal and spiritual development.

A six month residential discernment stay at Chilworth for a potential monk carries an approximate cost of £5,000 per monk, covering essential needs including travel, accommodation, food and formation support. Time spent discerning within the monastery is unpaid, offered freely in the spirit of Benedictine hospitality and vocational accompaniment.

Fr Abbot concludes simply:

“We pray to the Lord for divine assistance.”

Your generosity supports this mission of welcoming and accompaniment - sponsoring monks near and far, strengthening pastoral outreach, nurturing authentic vocation discernment and helping secure the long term monastic future for our monastery and others - always according to God’s will.

All donations to help St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth pay for a potential visit, Gift Aided if possible, can be made here

If you would like to contact Fr Abbot about the initiative or arrange your own fundraising event to support our new monks, please get in touch here

Yes, Benedictine monks give and receive Christmas presents

Fri, 26 Dec 2025 18:47:14 GMT

Only after Midnight Mass and Christmas Day Mass

Yes, Benedictine monks give and receive Christmas presents

As a possible online first and within the bounds of the Rule of St Benedict, we can let you know that, yes, after Midnight Mass and Christmas Day Mass, Christmas gifts are exchanged by and with our Benedictine monks in our community, with family and sometimes with friends and benefactors - always simply, gratefully and without excess . These are not possessions to cling to, but signs of affection, charity and shared joy.

At St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth , Christmas gifts are received with profound gratitude.

Whether it is something handmade, something useful, a book, a kind note, or even a modest token of chocolate, we accept each gift as an expression of goodwill and fellowship. We are especially grateful for gifts that support our life of prayer, work, hospitality and service .

Monks also take delight in giving presents - to one another, to those they love and to those who support our monastic mission. For us, the heart of gift giving is never the price tag, but the intention, the gratitude and the blessing of community .

This Christmas, we want to say a sincere thank you to all who remember us.

In a world that often feels hurried and divided, even the smallest gift reminds us that we are part of a much larger human and spiritual family.

For every kindness, we are truly grateful.

You are remembered in our prayers.

The Benedictine Monks of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth, Surrey, England

PLEASE PRAY for the repose of the soul of Mary Anne Alliott - RIP 18 Jan 1892

Sun, 30 Nov 2025 18:36:54 GMT

The original funder of our Abbey Church and monastery

We give eternal thanks to Mary Anne Alliott, who died 134 years ago on 18 January 1892, and funded the building of our Abbey Church and monastery buildings, which were then intended as a Franciscan Friary and parish church.

The foundation stone for our Abbey here in Chilworth was laid in 1890 when the Victorian building was built as a Franciscan Friary, which the location remained until 2010. The architect of the now Grade II listed Benedictine Abbey Church and monastery was F. A. Walters, who also designed St John's Seminary at Wonersh and Buckfast Abbey. The overall cost of building the church and Friary (about £7,000) was met from a bequest of Mary Anne Alliott, an aunt of Father Arthur Wells, who is regarded as the founder of the Friary.

The first Friars took up residence in 1892. While most Franciscan friaries are to be found in urban settings, this friary was built in a relatively quiet place to be the Novitiate for the order. Every friar spends his first year of Franciscan life as a Novice, and the purpose of that year is to make a break with the previous way of life, and to embrace the new way of living. In those days, novices did not generally have holidays or meet with their families, although they did write, and could receive letters.

Since 1892, therefore, for the next hundred years or so, every man who had entered this particular branch of the Franciscan Order had spent his first year at Chilworth.

In 1945, the Friars were asked to take on the pastoral care of a newly formed Catholic parish, largely a rural area between Guildford and Dorking. They had already been celebrating Mass and other Sacraments for small groups of Catholics in the area.

From then on, a small congregation gathered at the Friary on Sundays and since the 1970s the congregation grew to a full church for the main Mass on Sunday morning. A highlight for many parishoners and visitors, somewhat to the pleasant surprise of many, was the annual Franciscan Mass for the blessing of animals. Local legend talks very fondly of horses, dogs, cats, pet rabbits and more attending in large numbers with their human owners.

Another chapel was built at Gomshall and opened in 1964 to accommodate parishioners at that end of the parish.

It may be of interest to hear of one small claim to fame in which the Friary rejoiced. The music publisher Joseph Larway visited Chilworth when his brother, Edgar, was in the Community. With him was the composer, Albert Ketelby, and it is said he was inspired to compose his well known 'In a Monastery Garden' light classical piece on that occasion.

For many years, the Friary, apart from the church, was 'enclosed', which meant that members of the public were not allowed in to the residential areas, except for maintenance work or emergencies. With the growth of the parish and the renewal of the life of the friars after the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, efforts were made to open up the Friary, so that it became a sort of pastoral centre for the parish and for other groups who wanted to come for meetings or quiet days. It was at this time that the annual Garden Fête was launched, first as a parish social celebration but later as an important fundraising event for the Friary, parish and other charities. Some of the major refurbishment work of recent years has been partly funded in this way.

The early 2000s sadly saw the numbers of Friars decline in the United Kingdom and generally in Western Europe. This fact, taken with the ageing of many of the brethren, had led the Friars on more than one occasion to review their commitments, and to withdraw from Friaries.

All the Friars were invited to take part in a period of discernment and prayers and eventually the Minister Provincial, who is in charge of the Friars in the United Kingdom, together with his Council, decided that the Friars would withdraw from Chilworth. This decision was made early in 2010 and in the same year, the Friars left the Friary for good. A sad day indeed for many, many people.

Prayers continue to this day for the dear Friars and their Order. They are still very actively interested in encouraging men to become Friars; please visit http://www.friar.org Over 80 deceased Friars are buried at the St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth and their graves are marked by simple white wooden crosses in the humble Franciscan tradition, now cared for by their living Benedictine monk successors. May those who have died rest in peace.

In 2011, the Bennedictine monks from St Augustine's Abbey, Ramsgate in Kent move to the vacant Friary at Chilworth where they establish their community. The monks very much welcome members of the public to visit and pray with them every day of the year although they do not run a parish.

NEW: "THE GUEST HOUSE COLLECTION"

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 21:01:22 GMT

New at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

NEW: "THE GUEST HOUSE COLLECTION" at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

At St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth, guests often find that quiet work and reflection go hand in hand. The Abbey’s monastic guesthouse offers a space for stillness and renewal - and out of that atmosphere, a new initiative has grown: The Guest House Collection.

Each item in the collection is handmade by guests staying at the Abbey. Their work is shaped by the Benedictine rhythm of Ora et Labora - Pray and Work - and reflects the values of simplicity, peace and mindful craftsmanship.

The project supports the Abbey’s wider community of Benedictine Associates, promoting creative talent and practical skills in an environment of prayerful collaboration.

You can explore and purchase items from the collection here .

The Guest House Collection - Prayer. Stillness. Renewal.

Eucharistic Adoration

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 22:34:28 GMT

Fridays 8-9pm and Sundays 4-5pm in the Abbey Church: all are welcome

Join us in the Abbey Church at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

From Cloister to Calm: A Benedictine Gift for the Body and Soul

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 16:38:27 GMT

Now used by local wellness spa

In the quiet rhythm of our days at the Benedictine monastery of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth near Guildford, the bees hum among the wildflowers of the Surrey Hills and their wax becomes a simple blessing shaped by our hands, offered in prayer and now shared through a gentle partnership with Natural Light Surrey Wellness Spa based at the Holiday Inn in Guildford: https://natural-light-surrey.com

Our monk made beeswax skin creams and lip balms , prepared in the Abbey workshop, are now being used in Natural Light’s restorative treatments and offered for sale in their spa. Each pot is the fruit of the Benedictine way - ora et labora, “pray and work” - combining natural purity with the quiet care born of monastic life.

We are grateful that these small creations, made in silence and peace, can help others find calm and renewal.

Meet St Benedict: the Father of Western Monasticism

Sun, 28 Sep 2025 18:02:42 GMT

Don't forget that there are a number of active Benedictine monasteries to visit in the UK, Europe and the world

A Noble Beginning

St Benedict was born around 480 AD in Nursia , a small town in central Italy. He came from a noble Roman family and was sent to Rome to study in his youth. But what he saw there - moral decay, political corruption and spiritual emptiness - left him disillusioned. Sensing that God was calling him to something deeper, Benedict left behind wealth, status and ambition to search for silence, solitude and truth .

Subiaco: Silence, Solitude and Spiritual Power

Benedict retreated to the wilderness of Subiaco , about 40 miles east of Rome. There, in a hidden cave above a steep ravine, he lived for three years as a hermit, unknown to the world, sustained only by prayer and the occasional gift of food lowered to him by a monk named Romanus.

His spiritual depth soon attracted others. Disciples gathered, seeking his wisdom and leadership. But not everyone welcomed his firm commitment to discipline and holiness. One community that invited him to become their abbot later tried to poison him - but according to tradition, a raven flew in and took the poisoned bread away, saving Benedict’s life.

The First Monasteries and the Growth of a Vision

Benedict went on to establish twelve small monasteries in the Subiaco valley. In time, he left Subiaco and moved south to a mountain called Monte Cassino , where he founded a new monastery that would become the centre of his life’s work and the birthplace of a movement that would shape Christian Europe.

The Rule of St Benedict: A Radical Way to Live

At Monte Cassino, Benedict wrote what became his most enduring gift to the world: the Rule of St Benedict . Not a rigid legal code, but a deeply humane, spiritual, and practical guide to living in community under the love of Christ.

The Rule balances prayer, work and study , and stresses humility, obedience, hospitality , and mutual service . It recognises the weaknesses and dignity of each person, and has guided countless communities, monastic and lay, for over 1,500 years. You can read it here .

Death and Legacy

St Benedict died peacefully around 547 AD , standing in prayer before the altar, supported by his fellow monks. His twin sister, St Scholastica , a holy woman and foundress of women’s communities, had died shortly before him.

Benedict was soon venerated as a saint . In 1964 , Pope St Paul VI named him Patron of Europe , recognising how Benedictine monasteries preserved faith, learning, culture and agriculture during the upheavals of the early Middle Ages.

St Benedict’s Life at Chilworth today

At St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth , we are part of the great Benedictine tradition. We follow the Rule of St Benedict, praying the Divine Office seven times a day, living in community, offering hospitality, and seeking God in all things.

Benedict’s ancient wisdom is as relevant today as ever for those hungry for meaning, peace, and a deeper relationship with God.

And don't forget that there are a number of active Benedictine monasteries to visit in the UK, Europe and the world.

Come and See

If you would like to learn more, come for a retreat, attend prayer or explore a possible vocation , we warmly invite you to visit us.

St Benedict’s way of life might be calling you too.

Image credit: Fra Angelico, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Our Lady and Child statue lovingly restored

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:03:18 GMT

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Found at the rear of our Roman Catholic Benedictine m0nastery of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, outside the Assisi Room, our public meeting room, visitors cannot miss this striking statue of Our Lady and Child. It is near impossible not to recite the Hail Mary when passing. Now, thanks to the dedicated love of one of our resident potential new monks, the statue has been lovingly restored.

Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Welcome to Br Paul, our new Novice monk

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 20:32:25 GMT

At St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

It is with God’s grace that we welcome Brother Paul (pictured right) to the Monastic Community at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth. Br Paul was clothed as a Novice earlier this week.

Experience Monastic Silence at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth

Sat, 13 Sep 2025 18:49:20 GMT

"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)

Experience Monastic Silence of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth
"Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)

In a world that never stops, where noise overwhelms and distractions abound, there exists a sanctuary of peace. At St Augustine’s Abbey, a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery near Guildford, the rarest gift awaits you: profound silence. Here, within the embrace of stillness, the voice of God becomes clear.

Discover the Power of Silence

A Historic Place of Prayer
For well over a century, the Abbey Church has been alive with daily prayer, a spiritual cornerstone since 1892. Described by the BBC as a “prayer powerhouse,” it was born of Mary Anne Alliot’s deep devotion and remains a beacon of faith, peace, and grace.

A Timeless Monastic Tradition
Step into a rhythm that has endured for over 1,500 years. The Benedictine way offers a sacred cadence of prayer, work, and contemplation, guiding the soul toward God’s eternal presence.

Opportunities to Encounter Monastic Silence

Daily Meditation and Prayer
Join the monks at 5:30 PM daily for silent meditation, leading seamlessly into the sublime beauty of Vespers at 6:00 PM . For those seeking a later encounter, experience the serenity of Compline at 8:30 PM , accompanied by a holy water blessing from Fr Abbot.

Weekly Eucharistic Adoration
On Fridays from 8:00 PM to 8:45 PM , enter the transformative stillness of Eucharistic Adoration. Watch, wait, and feel the profound grace of The Lord’s presence.

A Space for Personal Reflection
The Abbey Church is open daily, offering a serene haven for personal prayer and quiet contemplation, from the break of dawn until late evening.

Silent Retreats
Escape the demands of the world with a stay at our monastic guesthouse. Immerse yourself in days of silence, prayer, and reflection, allowing your spirit to be renewed in God’s peace.

Listen with the Ear of Your Heart

The silence of St Augustine’s Abbey is more than the absence of sound; it is the presence of God. Come and let this sacred stillness embrace you, guide you, and renew your soul.

God is waiting for you in the stillness. Are you ready to listen?

Listening with the Ear of the Heart: A Guide to Benedictine Monastic Life and the Rule of St Benedict

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 12:32:09 GMT

Sources of further information for the casual to more serious discerner

Listening with the Ear of the Heart: A Guide to Benedictine Monastic Life and the Rule of St. Benedict

Whether you are simply curious about monastic life or discerning a vocation to the Benedictine way, the Rule of St Benedict continues to speak with surprising relevance to the human heart. Written in the 6th Century, this timeless text forms the spiritual and practical foundation of Roman Catholic Benedictine monasticism - a life rooted in prayer, work, community and listening deeply to God.

This annotated bibliography brings together essential commentaries, devotional reflections and scholarly resources on the Rule of St. Benedict, along with key writings on lectio divina , the contemplative reading of Scripture that lies at the heart of monastic spirituality. Also included are online tools and formation materials, making it accessible whether you're a casual inquirer, an oblate, or a man seriously exploring monastic life.

Each title here opens a different window into the Benedictine tradition - some offer accessible introductions, others delve deep into Scripture, history or spiritual practice. May this collection guide you gently but firmly toward that still point where “Christ is preferred above all,” and where monastic wisdom offers clarity, stability and peace in a noisy world.

Rule of St Benedict: Commentaries

Rule of St. Benedict Chittister, Joan, O.S.B. The Rule of Saint Benedict: Insight for the Ages. New York: Crossroads, 1992, 2002.

de Waal, Esther. Life-Giving Way: A Commentary on the Rule of Saint Benedict. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1995.

Dumm, Demetrius, O.S.B. Cherish Christ Above All: The Bible in the Rule of Benedict. New York: Paulist, 1996.

Fry, Timothy, O.S.B., ed. RB80. The Rule of St. Benedict. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1981.

Kardong, Terrence, O.S.B. Benedict's Rule: A Translation and Commentary. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1996.

Stead, Julian, O.S.B. St. Benedict's Rule for Beginners. New Rochelle: New City Press, 1993.

Taylor, Brian. Spirituality for Everyday Living: An Adaptation of the Rule of St. Benedict. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1989.

Tvedten, Benet, O.S.B. Share in the Kingdom: A Commentary on the Rule of Saint Benedict for Oblates. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1989.

Vest, Norvene. Preferring Christ. A Devotional Commentary and Workbook on the Rule of St. Benedict. Trabuco Canyon, CA: Source, 1991.

The Rule of St. Benedict Library. Primary and Secondary Sources. Ed. Scott Rains. CD-ROM. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1999. [Contains RB80, Kardong's commentary and translation, Latin and English bibles, Rule of the Master, De Waal, Life-Giving Way, Early Monastic Rules. A powerful study aid.]

The Life of Saint Benedict (Gregory the Great, Dialogues, Book II).

Gregory the Great, The Life of Benedict, Adalbert de Vogüé, com., Hilary Costello and Eoin de Bhaldraithe, tr. Petersham, MA: St. Bede, 1993

Books on Lectio Divina

Casey, Michael, O.C.S.O. Sacred Reading: The Ancient Art of Lectio Divina. Ligouri, MO: Triumph Books, 1997.

Colombás, Garcia M., O.S.B. Reading God: Lectio Divina. Schuyler, NE: BMH Publications, 1993.

Hall, Thelma. Too Deep for Words: Rediscovering Lectio Divina. New York: Paulist, 1988.

Magrassi, Mariano, O.S.B. Praying the Bible: An Introduction to Lectio Divina. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1998.

Pennington, Basil, O.C.S.O. Lectio Divina: Renewing the Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures. New York: Crossroad, 1998.

Vest, Norvene. No Moment Too Small: Rhythms of Silence and Reading. Kalamazoo: Cistercian, 1994.

Online Resources for Oblates

Academic Resources About Saint Benedict - www.osb.org/gen/bendct.html (by the late Abbot Jerome Theisen, OSB)

Rule of Benedict -- www.osb.org/rb/ (by chapters or as daily readings; you can have it mailed to you automatically each day; Leonard Doyle translation)

Dialogues, Bk II (Life of St. Benedict by Gregory the Great) -- www.osb.org/gen/ (old translation somewhat updated; available in smaller files with index)

American Monastic Newsletter -- www.osb.org/aba

General information -- www.osb.org/gen/ (links to saints, lectio divina, geographic database and addresses)

A complete course in early monastic history: www.scourmont.be/studium/bresnard

Spiritual Resources Daily Reflection -- www.sja.osb/slp/ (by Don Talafous, OSB)

Liturgy of the Hours online -- www.universalis.com

Readings and Psalm Cycle for Liturgy of the Hours from Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, KS-- www.mountosb.org/LOH/

Lectio divina -- www.osb.org/lection/

Listening and Responding: Benedictine Spirituality in Non-Monastic Contexts by Wil Derkse - www.stthomas.edu/cathstudies/logos/derkse.html

Various topics: www.osb.org/cist/melleray

Excellent prayer site by Irish Jesuits -- www.jesuit.ie/prayer/

Oblates Oblate Formation -- www.osb.org/obl/

St. Vincent Archabbey, PA -- Oblation Formation Manual -- www.osb.org/sva/obl/

St. Andrew's Abbey, CA -- What It Means to be an Oblate;

Oblate Constitutions - www.valyermo.com/oblates1.html

Oblates of the World Community of Christian Meditation (Laurence Freeman, OSB, Monastery of Christ the King, London) -- www.wccm.org.obl01.htm

WITH MANY THANKS to Sr Mary Benedict of St Cecilia’s Abbey, Isle of Wight for her kind inspiration.

Younger seekers flee the chaos of the digital world instead turning to ancient Benedictine wisdom for meaning, balance and peace

Sun, 06 Jul 2025 09:30:56 GMT

Come and See

Younger seekers flee the chaos of the digital world instead turning to ancient Benedictine wisdom for meaning, balance and peace

In a world consumed by constant noise and digital distractions, a growing number of younger individuals are finding themselves searching for something deeper. The rush of modern life, amplified by the relentless pace of online culture, has left many yearning for real meaning, perspective and a sense of inner peace.

That’s where we come in. At our Benedictine monastery and others across the UK, we are seeing an inspiring rise in younger male and female guests - individuals who are choosing to step away from the chaos and embrace the ancient, proven rhythms of monastic life. They’re seeking the timeless wisdom of our Benedictine tradition, looking for a life rooted in stability, prayer and simplicity -an antidote to the overwhelming noise of today’s digital and generally challenging age they live in.

More and more, young seekers are visiting our monastic guesthouse at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth near Guildford, staying for a few days in exchange for a donation and finding the stillness, peace and perspective they’ve perhaps been longing for. This isn’t just happening here - it’s a growing trend reported across other Benedictine monastic communities. Many monasteries are welcoming young people who are rediscovering the profound balance that ancient monastic life offers for both the lay person and those seeking the religious life.

If you know someone searching for balance, meaning or a moment of silence amidst the frenzy, we invite you to share our story. We open our doors to all who wish to step away from the chaos and immerse themselves in the tranquility and spiritual depth that the Benedictine way of life offers.

To explore the possibility of a retreat or guest stay with us, click here

Come, reconnect with ancient wisdom and find the peace and balance that has sustained seekers for centuries.

GOD GIVE YOU PEACE +

St Augustine's Abbey, Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR United Kingdom

Visit us online at www.chilworthbenedictines.com

With prayer and love: new icons of St Benedict and St Augustine arrive

Thu, 29 May 2025 17:49:55 GMT

Sacred works for St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

On the Feast Day of St Augustine, 27 May 2025, St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth received two beautiful hand painted icons of St Benedict and St Augustine of Canterbury. These sacred works of art were commissioned last year and have been many months in the making.

The icons were created by Mrs Jodie Ripley, a talented iconographer and parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Haslemere. Her dedication and craftsmanship are evident in the detail and reverence captured in each piece. We are deeply grateful to Jodie for her work, which will now serve as a source of inspiration and devotion for all who visit the Abbey.

Chapel, chanting and chips by Max Bayliss, The Critic Magazine

Sat, 24 May 2025 15:46:24 GMT

12 May 2025

You can read the article in The Critic Magazine by Max Bayliss here

Unplug digitally and immerse yourself in monastic life

Fri, 23 May 2025 17:07:54 GMT

Stay for a few days in our monastic guesthouse

Unplug at the Abbey

For those seeking silence in a speaking world

Come, dear soul, your screen glow fades,

Your restless thumb begins to tire;

You've wandered wide through glowing mazes,

Yet yearn for something higher.

The world keeps buzzing — fast, unkind —

With every ping, your thoughts grow thin.

But hush... within the cloistered stillness,

A deeper voice begins to sing.

St Augustine’s calls — not loud, but low,

A whisper wrapped in Surrey's green.

The Abbey gates don’t shout or flash —

They open to a gentler scene.

Put down the phone. Turn off the feed.

Let silence thread through thought and breath.

Come taste the rhythm monks have kept —

A pattern deep, that leads to rest.

Their bells are not for likes or trends,

But mark the hours to pause and pray.

They chant not tweets, but psalms of gold,

Sung slowly into light each day.

Saint Benedict, with lantern bright,

Still guides the seeking, restless soul;

His Rule, both firm and deeply kind,

Leads hearts back home, and makes them whole.

You will not scroll, but you will see —

The sky uncluttered, crisp and wide.

You’ll hear your own thoughts, clear again,

With no algorithm to decide.

Walk the woodland path in silence,

Where leaves don’t beg for hearts or shares.

Kneel beside the monks in stillness —

Let the Spirit meet you there.

The world may wait — it always does —

But this retreat is not escape.

It’s tuning in to real connection,

To grace, to love, to holy shape.

A digital detox, yes — and more:

A sacred pause from noise and speed.

Not just to rest your weary senses,

But find out what your spirit needs.

Come stay a while at Chilworth's Abbey —

Where ancient peace still softly flows.

Where silence isn’t empty space,

But where God speaks, and goodness grows.

ST AUGUSTINE'S ABBEY, SAMPLE OAK LANE, CHILWORTH, GUILDFORD, SURREY GU4 8QR

Find out about staying in our monastic guesthouse here .

PLEASE EMAIL DOM ANDREW to ask to stay in our monastic guesthouse for a few days: domandrewmcneill@gmail.com

A Brotherhood of Peace: Living joyfully together at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth

Wed, 21 May 2025 18:56:24 GMT

Keep up the good work dear brethren

Nestled in the serene Surrey Hills near Guildford, St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth is a radiant beacon of peace, prayer and joyful community life. Within its cloistered walls, the Benedictine monks live out their sacred vocation with a profound sense of unity and love, each monk contributing to the rhythm of monastic life. Under the gentle and steadfast leadership of Fr Abbot, every monk is encouraged to live fully the Rule of St Benedict — embracing prayer, work and mutual service with heartfelt devotion.

Daily life at the Abbey is marked by the harmony of silence and song, contemplation and happy camaraderie. But it is the simplicity of their shared life that reveals its deepest joy. Whether chanting the Divine Office, tending the garden or caring for guests and one another, every act is imbued with quiet dignity and prayerful care. The monastery kitchen, often a place of bustling community spirit, is no exception.

As Fr Abbot lovingly recounts: “When Dom John, our main monastery cook, is away on leave, the rest of the monks take it in turn to prepare lunch and supper for the other Brothers. Here are Fr John and Brother William today in the kitchen cooking lunch.”

Such moments reflect the essence of Chilworth’s Benedictine heart — a life where even the most ordinary tasks become extraordinary acts of love. Visitors and retreatants often leave with a deep sense of peace, inspired by the warmth, humility and unwavering joy that fill this holy place.

Keep up the good work dear brethren.

Own a limited edition print of the Abbey and support future monastic life

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 20:58:04 GMT

Please support us by buying a print - thank you

Own a Limited Edition Print of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth – and Support the Future of Monastic Life

Chilworth's Benedictine monks are thrilled to offer a unique opportunity to own a limited edition print of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth—capturing the beauty and sacred presence of our Abbey Church in exquisite detail.

All proceeds from the sale will go towards Fr Abbot's determined efforts, with the Lord's will, to recruit more potential monks to consider joining the Benedictine life.

Lovingly drawn by local Guildford based artist Ian Copp, each print shows the north side of our historic Grade II listed Abbey Church , where, since 1892, generations have passed through the Church's mellow sandstone walls to worship.

Why This Print is Special:

✔️ Exclusive & Collectible – Each print is individually numbered
✔️ Blessed by the Abbot – Once purchased, your print will be personally blessed by Rt Rev Dom Paulinus Greenwood OSB, Abbot of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth .
✔️ A Meaningful Contribution – Every purchase directly supports our mission to recruit new monks and preserve the Abbey for future generations .

About the Print:
��️ Beautifully detailed artwork capturing the Abbey’s historic charm
�� 12” x 10” (30.5cm x 25.5cm) high quality colour print on art paper (landscape, mounted, unframed)
�� Exact reproduction of the original drawing

�� Price: £50 + P&P (we ship worldwide: see our website for shipping rates). Additional donations are welcome here

Order Now:
�� Online: Purchase here now
�� In Person: Contact us to arrange payment and collection: click here

�� Questions? Reach out to us: Get in touch

�� Can’t buy a print but want to help? You can make a donation to support our mission here .

Thank you for your support in keeping St Augustine’s Abbey a thriving place of faith and devotion.

Ask the monks to pray for you

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 19:00:06 GMT

Need Prayers? Ask the monks at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth

Need Prayers? Ask the monks at St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth

If you or a loved one are in need of spiritual support, the Benedictine monks of St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth are here to pray for you. Rooted in a centuries old tradition of prayer and contemplation, the Roman Catholic monks welcome requests from all who seek comfort, guidance or healing. Whether facing personal challenges or offering prayers for others, you can entrust your intentions to their daily devotions. To submit a prayer request, visit the monastery’s website .

Members of the public are welcome to pray with the monks: Sunday Mass 10am, daily Mass 9am, Daily Divine Office seven times daily (often sung in Ancient Gregorian Chant).

St Augustine's Abbey, Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR

Discover the wisdom of the Rule of St Benedict

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 23:30:55 GMT

We warmly invite you to spend some time with the Rule of St Benedict

Discover the wisdom of the Rule of St Benedict

We warmly invite you to spend some time with the Rule of St Benedict. It’s a profound guide to living a life rooted in prayer, humility and love of God and neighbour. Whether you’re seeking spiritual wisdom or simply a deeper sense of peace, there’s much to discover in its pages. We’d be blessed to have you read along with us.

You can read the Rule of St Benedict here .

Play the weekly Guildford Lottery and support us and other local causes

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 22:51:50 GMT

Tickets cost £1 each

You might like to try playing the Guildford Community Lottery thereby supporting St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth.

Weekly tickets cost £1 each and, if you choose us, 50 pence per ticket goes to us and 10 pence to other local causes.

Details about prizes and how to buy tickets from the Guildford Community Lottery can be found here .

Thank you!

Venid a nuestra Santa Misa ocasional de habla española, celebrada por el Padre Abad

Sat, 08 Feb 2025 12:49:40 GMT

Come to our occasional Spanish speaking Holy Mass

Venid a nuestra Santa Misa ocasional de habla hispana, celebrada por el Padre Abad. Utilice el formulario de contacto de nuestro sitio web para saber cuándo.

Puedes comprar tu libro de oraciones en español / inglés en nuestra tienda online aqui o en persona .

Become actively Catholic locally: join the Guildford KNIGHTS OF ST COLUMBA

Wed, 25 Dec 2024 21:24:51 GMT

Help us support our local Catholic Church and further the Faith

KNIGHTS OF ST. COLUMBA – GUILDFORD & DISTRICT COUNCIL 551

WHO ARE WE?
A group of gentlemen in the Catholic lay community who are dedicated to support the Mission of the Church.
Present throughout the UK with around 3,000 members and 200 local Councils.
The Knights of St Columba are members of the International Alliance of Catholic Knights.
An Order that follows the Social Teachings of the Catholic Church and who work for the moral and social welfare of our communities.
Active in helping the spiritual and faith development of young people through both local and national initiatives.
Active fundraisers, for example Missio £85,000; Mary’s Meals £275,000; Wells for Africa £280,000 and £100,000+ for local charities.
WHY JOIN US?
Fundraise for local and national charities, and help ‘make a difference’.
Work alongside like-minded men in Faith, Family and Fraternity.
Meet new people and establish friendships that will last a lifetime.
Bring help to others and find solace yourself with activities which enhance your spiritual life.
Campaign for the Sanctity of Human Life, Social Justice, the Poor, the Developing World, and more.
Be part of a greater voice working in Faith, Family and Fraternity towards a greater good.

‘Actions speak louder than words: Let your words teach and your actions speak.’ St Antony of Padua
Discover the Guildford and District Knights of St. Columba
Are you a Catholic man looking for a sense of belonging, a way to deepen your faith, and a chance to give back to your local community? Look no further! Council 551 of the Guildford and District Knights of St. Columba welcomes you with open arms. Email us now to find out more: guildfordknightsofstcolumba.com Click here
Supporting Our Faith : As Knights, we are committed to providing unwavering support to our local Catholic church, helping it thrive and continue its vital work.
Fundraising with Purpose : Our fundraising efforts are not just about collecting donations; they are about making a real impact. Join us in organising fundraisers that benefit our church, our community, and those in need.
Engaging Public Talks : Our public talks programme offers opportunities to engage in meaningful discussions about our faith, spirituality, and the challenges facing our world today.
Growing Together : Many of our members have found that their journey with the Knights of St. Columba has led them to become better Catholics. It's not just about giving – it's about personal growth, spiritual development, and forming lifelong bonds with like-minded men. Together, we've discovered a profound sense of purpose and belonging.
We work with all Catholic churches in the Guildford, Woking, West Byfleet, and Godalming areas as well as the Benedictine monastery of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth.
We meet at 8pm on the third Monday of every month in the hall of St Pius X Catholic Church, 10 Laustan Close, Merrow, Guildford GU1 2TS

Email us now to find out more: guildfordknightsofstcolumba.com Click here

And the Abbey's most popular video by far is.......

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 20:03:16 GMT

The Abbey Church hand pulled bell calling everyone to prayer

It's a 25 second practice video to capture the sound of the Victorian hand pulled Abbey Church bell at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, calling everyone to prayer and it has already had over 3,300 views/listens online..... turn up the volume and click here to enjoy it. You can watch our other videos here . What other videos would you like to see?: Contact us here and suggest one.

Get the Abbey habit

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 14:08:49 GMT

Don't delay, book a stay

GET THE ABBEY HABIT

Did you know that you can dip into Benedictine monastic life for a few days by staying in our guesthouse at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth? You might be considering becoming a monk so don't delay, book a stay....... TAKE THE QUIZ: could you be a Benedictine monk? Answer 15 questions here .

Dom Andrew - pictured - welcomes your booking. It's free to stay (donations welcome) without obligation. Email: domandrewmcneill@gmail.com

What's the public benefit of a contemplative order like ours?

Sat, 14 Sep 2024 20:34:52 GMT

Benedictine monk Fr John Seddon OSB tells us more in this short video

Watch the short video here

Monastic Forum - your questions answered

Sat, 29 Jun 2024 21:41:24 GMT

Common questions answered about monasticism

MONASTIC FORUM - for answering your questions

QUESTION 1 - 'Where do your Matins Musings' readings come from, apart from the Bible?'

As monks, the daily readings we follow, are not the ones priests read, contained in the Roman Office books, but a longer, two year cycle of readings, in a series of books called 'A Word in Season'. This gives us, as contemplative monks, a richer and more comprehensive study of scripture and a wider selection of authors who have commented on the scripture passage of the day. As you can see from our recent contributions in Matins' Musings, we are now reading the book of Judith and are enjoying understanding how God acts to 'raise up the lowly.' On 28 September 2020, we had insights from a great French 20th century theologian, Jean Danielou, who wrote an excellent book on how God acts in human events, 'The Lord of History'.

QUESTION 2 - Freedom and the monk - is being a monk like being incarcerated (a lay person asks)?

Many would perhaps see my life as lived in a voluntary prison, where freedom is non- existent.

I certainly feel free, so I began thinking why my experience of monastic life is so different from outside perceptions.

I suppose my faith in God and my desire to be united to Him forever is the key to understanding why I feel free.

I want God, and every aspect of monastic life; choral prayer seven times a day, daily Mass, study, meditation, living with and serving my brethren, all help me on the path to God, because they constantly help me to love God and my neighbour.

God gives us free will so that we can take action and be responsible for it.

In this way we shape our life. We become what we do. Good acts make us good, bad make us bad.

I believe the best good acts I can make are those which will bring me to God. A monastery offers me those in spades, therefore I not only feel free here, I am free, content and happy.

The Psalmist says to God, 'They are happy who dwell in your house, forever singing your praise'.

By Fr John Seddon OSB, Benedictine monk at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, UK

QUESTION 3 - 'The Call' - what do you do when you feel GOD calling you to the monastic life?

Well, the only way ahead is to test whether the call really is from God or not. See 1 John 4:1

St Benedict implies that the idea is usually persistent, not an idea readily dismissed from your mind. When you share the idea with others and they try to dissuade you, it does not discourage you. Difficulties from your family and friends are there to test the strength of the idea of vocation!

Next, you need the courage to contact a monastery and ask to stay as a guest. The community will be assessing you as soon as they know you are seeking a possible entry but you need to assess them too. Ask yourself, 'Are these brothers going to guide me God, whom I seek?'

Do I see them living the life St Benedict wants his monks to live?

What sort of life is that?

Well, seeking God is the first criteria St Benedict establishes for someone wanting to be a monk. Not being a great preacher or teacher or singer or craftsman; these can be specialised in elsewhere, in a monastery, you seek God.

In the monastery, we are in choir together seven times a day plus Mass. You have to want to praise God from morning till night if the life is going to make you happy.

This is St Benedict's second criteria, to be keen about what he calls 'the Work of God' - frequent, daily, worship of Him. Praising God, with the brethren, using all 150 psalms every week, plus singing for Mass.

The third criteria is obedience. St Benedict believes that obedience to the Abbot is just a very useful and fast way to become holy, because Jesus followed the same path. 'I came not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent me'. The monk does the same, only to the Abbot.

The fourth criteria is being willing to do those humble chores around the house, to take one's turn cheerfully - cooking, cleaning, etc. It's basically being patient and loving in all circumstances. It's learning to put aside ego and self interest day by day and becoming humble.

Of course, you should also see them bearing charitably with each other's faults and failings, as St Benedict commands in Chapter 72, which is the jewel of his teaching. Worth reading often.

If you see them trying to do that, as best they can, in the monastery you visited, ask to speak to the Novice Master.

One last thing, read up on St Benedict and monastic spirituality, before you visit. There is masses of information online.

May God guide you to Himself.

Visit us online at www.chilworthbenedictines.com and feel free to ask questions and arrange a visit soon after Covid-19.

QUESTION 4 - On requesting a prayer by the Benedictine monks at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

If you ask the monks to pray for you or your intentions (this is mostly done via our website), this is what happens:

Fr Abbot checks the website every morning for any new requests for prayer. He prints and then reads them during our daily meeting after Mass called a 'Chapter Meeting'.

All the brethren then include the requests in their personal prayer and meditation during the day.

At our evening community prayer, called 'Vespers', in the Church, the requests are again laid before God during the intercessions which conclude the prayer.

How does this prayer work?

Asking God our Father for our needs is what Jesus does now in the sanctuary of heaven. Jesus always makes intercession for us. So teaches the letter to the Hebrews. The Holy Spirit also intercedes, 'with sighs too deep for words'.

As monks, we follow this example of intercession in our own sanctuary in Chilworth, which the Father hears, as he does Jesus and the Spirit.

We believe in God's mercy. Therefore, we ask, not least because we are members of Jesus' body, the Church, spread now worldwide.

St Paul tells us to pray for others as well as ourselves, even enemies. The Church's intercessions knows no boundaries, so ask what you will!

You can also request a Mass to be said. Make a donation on the website and mention this when you make your request. It is possible to ask for Mass on a particular day, but in any case you will be told when it can be offered for your request.

QUESTION 5 - What exactly is St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth and what does it do for the benefit of others? It seems to be a mix of traditional, evangelical and ecumenical, what does each mean?

St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth is a place maintained specifically for those whom God calls to seek and find the love of Christ through prayer and fraternal sharing in community.

The benefit to others is the witness our life provides to the Gospel and its power to transform us into loving human beings.

Society rejects the Gospel and often lives destructively, witnessed in the failure to address ecological problems, the frequency of wars, and the every day reality of terrorism.

Monastic life, well lived, is the answer to Society's problems and shows the world how to live together in peace.

The monastery is a place of healing for the human heart, which is the source of Society's evil and deceit. Healing the heart only happens by living the Gospel together.

God is Three in One, a communion of divine persons. Jesus' prayer to his Father, for all who follow Him, the night before His Passion was, 'May they be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me'.

Trying to live like this, we are evangelical.

We are also traditional in our promotion of Gregorian Chant as a way of worship which speaks deeply to the soul of Christ's love for us. We believe its subtlety and beauty draws people to God. We also celebrate Mass in the ordinary form, but turned east, so that priest and people all face the same direction, as was done from of old.

We are ecumenical in that we pray for the unity of all Christians, again so that the world may believe in the Christ whom the Father sent to the world for its salvation.

But the most effective contribution we can make to ecumenism is by living the Gospel ourselves: by 'preferring nothing to the love of Christ', so we can share His love together, which is the centre of our life, healing and growing together in Him.

QUESTION 6 - What's it like to be in love with GOD? How does it happen?

Am I 'in love' with God? The answer must be, 'No', not in the usual understanding of being 'in love'.

To be 'in love', as usually understood, for me, refers to erotic love between two people. That wonderful, tumultuous feeling that surges through you, when you meet some one and you know you must connect with him or her. It is expressed best by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet.

ROMEO: But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?

It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!

See how she leans her cheek upon her hand!

O that I were a glove upon that hand,

That I might touch that cheek!

Here Romeo's love, while true and sincere, concentrates on Juliet's beauty and demeanour. However, for their loves to grow and deepen together, both must transform their being in love to simply love.

So, what is love, pure and simple?

St Paul defines this love as 'patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.' 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8

If Romeo and Juliet had not died tragically young, and had been able to develop their love during their, hopefully, long lives; by bearing with each other's faults and bad habits; in patience and kindness, then their love would have become true and strong, not merely the weak, surface attraction that being 'in love' can be.

For me, God's love is as St Paul defines it. How could it be otherwise, given His endless patience and kindness with my slow progress in patience and kindness; and in all the things that He is and I am not, as yet, but I hope I make progress towards, daily.

The 'work shop', as St Benedict puts it, where this progress in love takes place is the monastery. The tools used are 'good works' done for God and my brethren.

But I can only do these 'good works' by receiving, daily God's grace, which is His Life, by reading God's Word and eating His Body and drinking His Blood daily.

In this intimate exchange of God's life and my life, I receive the knowledge that I am unconditionally loved by Him, even when I fail, trip up and make a mess of things. His love is mercy, after all.

Therefore, God's love is far more than being 'in love' with Him.

God's love is called 'agape' in Greek, and He loves, as St Paul has described for us in 1 Corinthians, in the way that we all need to be lovedmost of all: a way far beyond being 'in love'.

When does this begin or 'happen' as the questioner has put it?

When you believe in Jesus. When you accept “Jesus Christ loves you; he gave his life to save you; and now he is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free you.” as Pope Francis puts it.

This is why God's love for us is so far beyond being 'in love' with us.

Who, among all the people I have loved and have loved me, gave his or her life for me? Only Jesus.

Not only does He give His life for me, He unites Himself to my being in a way far more intimate than any two human beings can ever achieve.

In fact He is nearer to me than I am to myself, because as St Paul says. 'In him we live and move and have our being'. Acts 17:28

Nicholas Cabasilas in his Life in Christ expresses it this way, 'God's love so far surpasses any human love that the union into which he draws His lovers is beyond all human comprehension and will bear no comparison whatever.'

QUESTION 7 - What prevents someone from getting to know and love God?

First, you might ask yourself about your basic attitude towards God. 'Do I want to trust Him or to test Him?'

Trust is difficult for us all. The difficulty is that we cannot see God: He hides.

Pope Francis recently gave a very profound reason why God hides.

It is because His love for us is chaste.

This means, according to the Holy Father, 'Chastity is freedom from possessiveness in every sphere of one’s life. Only when love is chaste, is it truly love.

In contrast, when love is possessive, it becomes control.

So, God lets us go our own way, because our love for Him cannot be forced out of us, for then it would be control. But by reading this article God is already tugging at our heart, to bring us back to Himself.

Even though God hides from us, because of the chaste, nature of His love, He watches us with infinite love, not as a policeman to catch us out; but as a patient, merciful Father.

It is worth reminding ourselves of these facts constantly, to develop a trusting attitude to Him. God is all seeing, all knowing and all loving, but chaste; and therefore hidden.

But if He is all seeing and knowing, He knows and sees our past, present and future, when we can see only a tiny fraction of the present, and only from our own perspective.

The big picture is hidden from us, just as God is, but He sees it and knows it and is creating it now.

If we stay on our own, rejecting God, we have very little to guide us through life, without it ending in disaster.

So testing God, by living as if He does not exist is never a good idea.

When Adam sinned by stopping trusting God, he tried to hide from God in the garden. But God said, 'Where are you?'

Not because He he could not see Adam. The question was deeper. 'Where are you in relation to Me?'

What prevents me from getting to know God? My decision to go my own way, by myself.

In contrast, Jesus never lives alone; but absorbed in His Father's love.

QUESTION 8 I know monks are supposed to love study and learning, but can too much study be harmful to mental equilibrium?

Thank you for your question.

The solution to this question of study and whether it is harmful is simply balancing study with the other monastic activities of prayer and work. Of course, too much study is harmful to one's mental equilibrium but its useful to always keep an eye on how you are feeling mentally and then turn to working with your hands. Your mind then has a chance to absorb the latest ideas, as your hands are engaged manually.

Strangely, it is study which can be first to get pushed out of a monk's life. He has to pray and certain tasks have to be done, so it is very easy for him to say, 'I will study tomorrow'. This is bad because study feeds prayer and helps you work well at your tasks, with a mind focused on Christ.

If you balance these three aspects, your monastic life goes well. Problems arise when one aspect predominates for long periods.

QUESTION 9 What sort of Mass takes place at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth?

When we came to Chilworth ten years ago, we had just read in the Refectory, while we at supper, The Spirit of the Liturgy, by Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Some of us had been very moved by his advocacy of celebrating Mass facing East, in that book.

Visiting Chilworth for the first time, we were all overwhelmed by the beauty of the church, not least because of the spaces it provided for celebrating a worthy liturgy. It also possessed an imposing altar, intricately carved in marble, facing East.

A modern altar facing the congregation had also been installed; which it was quickly decided to give away to another group, who were in need of it.

Also, permission was quickly sought to restore the floor of the church to its original condition; by removing the platform which had supported the modern altar.

The floor was then cleaned and polished, as a result of a very generous benefactor; revealing its beautiful parquet patterning, particularly in the oak and teak on the three altar steps, which were then newly carpeted in red.

So, from the first public Mass celebrated by us at Chilworth, we faced East. This changed our practice from Ramsgate; which faced the people.

Was the reason simply aesthetic? No, most of us agreed with Pope Benedict, that priest and people should all be facing in the same direction and following the ancient practice of the Church. A tradition which powerfully shows, that because the Mass makes present the Lord; not only of history but also of the cosmos, it is appropriate that everyone faces and prays towards the place where the sun rises.

We do not, however, celebrate Mass in the Extraordinary Form, sometimes called Tridentine. Mass is in the Ordinary Form, with Introit, Alleluia, Offertory, Communion and Ordinary all sung in Latin Plainsong settings.

The Prayers and Readings are all in English.

QUESTION 10 Through the keyhole - who lives in the monastery at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth and what do they do every day?

We are ten monks living at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth.

Monastic lives are made up of three activities: prayer, study and work. As St Benedict advises in his Rule at Chapter 48 on the Daily Manual Labour.

1 Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brothers should have specified periods for manual labour as well as for prayerful reading. 2 We believe that the times for both may be arranged as follows: 3 From Easter to the first of October, they will spend their mornings after Prime till about the fourth hour at whatever work needs to be done. 4 From the fourth hour until the time of Sext, they will devote themselves to reading. 5 But after Sext and their meal, they may rest on their beds in complete silence; should a brother wish to read privately, let him do so, but without disturbing the others. 6 They should say None a little early, about mid-way through the eighth hour, and then until Vespers they are to return to whatever work is necessary. 7 They must not become distressed if local conditions or their poverty should force them to do the harvesting themselves. 8 When they live by the labour of their hands, as our fathers and the apostles did, then they are really monks. 9 Yet, all things are to be done with moderation on account of the fainthearted.

In terms of prayer, we gather in choir eight times a day from early morning (5.45 am) until early evening (8.45 pm). Two half hour periods of private prayer, in the morning and evening are added to this, to practise lectio divina or sacred reading. Other pages on the Website give more detail about this.

Outside prayer and reading, time will be spent doing the necessary household chores of cleaning, laundry and cooking and shopping. We all have specific duties to run the library, the guest house, the refectory, the archives, the bursar's office, preparing and selling our monastic products, composing music and texts for the prayer offices or composing talks and sermons to be delivered during Mass or study days or via Zoom. Some brethren are studying intensively in preparation for taking their monastic vows or the priesthood or take extra specialised courses to benefit themselves or the community.

By Fr John Seddon OSB, Benedictine monk at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

THE BOOK OF SAINTS by Dom Basil Watkins OSB of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 19:08:32 GMT

The Book of Saints - a comprehensive biographical dictionary - Bloomsbury

Now fully revised and updated, The Book of Saints is a comprehensive biographical dictionary of saints canonised by the Roman Catholic Church. It contains the names of 10,000 saints, including all modern ones, with significant information about their lives and achievements.

The Book of Saints - a comprehensive biographical dictionary (8th revised edition, 2016) by Dom Basil Watkins OSB of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR United Kingdom. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, ISBN: HB: 978-0-56766-414-3

Copies available to buy from good bookshops.

The design of a Benedictine monk's habit explained

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 18:38:39 GMT

Each part of the habit has a special meaning

Message from the active Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth near Guildford, UK - you are welcome to visit and stay in our monastic guest house: click here

I personally view the habit as a powerful way of communicating the values I hold as a monk. These are my own thoughts which may have been influenced by reading and may or may not be accepted by other monastics.

The tunic is in black which is the same cast as the soil, (humus in Latin). Wearing this, is a good way of reminding myself of my humanity which is created from the earth, which should reject pride and live, therefore, in humility. Pride made Adam fell away from God's friendship in Genesis 6. Consequently, humility is St Benedict's foundation stone to Gospel living. See the Rule of St Benedict, Chapter 7.

The belt circles the waist and is a sign of the conversion of life the monk vows to follow. The belt stops the tunic from flowing about the body in an unruly way. In the same way, conversion of life is allowing the daily life of the monastery and its interactions with God and the brethren to encircle the monk and slowly, over a life-time, change him into a saint.

The hooded scapular rests on the monk's shoulders (scapulae in Latin) and over the tunic and belt. Jesus said 'shoulder my yoke and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart.......my yoke is easy and my burden light.' Matt 11:28-30 It is not difficult to see this light piece of material as deeply symbolic of Christ's command. The monk makes a vow of obedience to his Abbot, to imitate Christ who came to us, not to do His own, but His Father's will and so redeem us from our sins. By his obedience, the monk shares in this redemption in a real way, as part of the Body of Christ.

The hood is used most effectively in prayer as a way of focusing on Christ and repelling distractions. Symbolically, it makes you look straight ahead on the path to the kingdom of God, not looking to the left or the right for paths that lead him away from the goal.

So the monastic habit eloquently reminds the monk every moment of the way he should be living to fulfill his vows. Ps 61:8

In choir, when we are worshipping God, over the habit we wear the cowl. This is a cone shaped garment, reaching to the feet, with long wide sleeves and a large pleat in the back. More traditional cowls have 73 pleats for every chapter of St Benedict's Rule. It is largely used to keep the monk warm in a cold church, but is also a powerful reminder of his total dedication to the worship of God and and of God enfolding the monk in love. The monk receives the cowl at his solemn profession, when the cloak he has worn during his novitiate and years of simple profession is laid aside, and the Abbot clothes him symbolically in Christ. This graphically and visually makes present the monk's Baptism, now to be lived very publicly as a consecrated religious, witnessing to the coming Kingdom of God.

By Fr John Seddon OSB, Benedictine monk

St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, United Kingdom

Find out more about our Abbey Organist

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 21:24:56 GMT

Thank you to Dr Julie Ainscough for all she does for us

Find out more about our Abbey Organist here: https://julieainscough.com

Read about our prayerful product making in the FT

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 14:15:36 GMT

Please share

BEAUTY, BY HOLY ORDER. Financial Times, 18 November 2023: click here to read this fascinating article

HOLA: OUTREACH LATIN AMERICA - help sponsor a Benedictine monk

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 12:27:55 GMT

Thank you

HOLA: OUTREACH LATIN AMERICA: HELP SPONSOR A POTENTIAL BENEDICTINE MONK

Please donate to OUTREACH LATIN AMERICA here

Chilworth's Benedictine monks are further developing links with countries in Spanish speaking Latin America in a bid to attract men interested in joining the Benedictine monastic life to experience this for up to six months at the monastery of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth in the UK.

Without wanting to detract from vocations in more Catholic populated countries, Fr Abbot is considering ways in which the UK and countries in Latin America can all use the initiative to benefit from interest in new monastic vocations. If the trial is successful, consideration could be given to creating a Chilworth Benedictine Monastic Foundation in Latin America.

This is nothing new for St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth. The Abbey has been forging links with Spanish speaking America for almost ten years now with its first visitor from Chile staying with the monks in 2014. But efforts are now being stepped up.

What's more and back in the UK, whilst Guildford and surrounding areas are home to may Spanish speaking natives of North, Central and South America, there's a growing demand at Chilworth for Spanish speaking priests to help nurture the Catholic faith. The Abbey regularly holds a Spanish speaking Mass which is increasingly well attended.

In recent months, Fr Abbot, a fluent Spanish speaker, has continued to interview a handful of candidates from South America and one is already in place for his temporary monastic experience at Chilworth as part of a Religious Worker Visa in the UK. Candidates are also expected to use their time to improve their English.

In the meantime and, as always, men from the UK, Europe and closer to home are more than welcome to apply. The best way to do this is simple: come and stay in our monastic guesthouse for a few days and experience Benedictine monastic life without obligation.

Fr Abbot concludes: "We pray to the Lord for divine assistance."

Each monk costs around £5,000 for a six month stay to cover travel, food and other costs. Time spent by the visitors in the monastery is unpaid.

All donations to help St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth pay for a potential monk to visit, Gift Aided if possible, can be made to Outreach Latin America here

Thank you.

If you would like to arrange your own fundraising event to support Outreach Latin America, please feel welcome to get in touch with Fr Abbot here

Drop in for half an hour's silence on your way home from work

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 15:33:33 GMT

Join the monks and visitors in silence before 6pm Vespers weekdays

Here, some of our monks, visitors and people on their way home after work join together at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth and sit simply being quiet, praying, meditating, being still and being with God at 5.30pm every weekday before the Divine Office of Vespers starts at 6pm in the Abbey Church.

Join us for daily Divine Office - just dip in and out

Sat, 19 Aug 2023 20:24:20 GMT

Sung by the monks

D IVINE OFFICE is available daily to the public in the Abbey Church at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth:

- VIGILS 5.50am - 6.30am (Sunday Vigils at 8.00pm on Saturdays)

- LAUDS 7.00am - 7.25am

- TERCE 8.40am - 8.50am (8.30am on Sundays)

- SEXT 12.30pm - 12.45pm (12.45pm on Sundays)

- NONE 1.35pm - 1.45pm

- VESPERS 6.00pm - 6.30pm

- COMPLINE 8.30pm-8.50pm

Pray - Study - Work: how our shop contributes to our monastic life

Sun, 06 Aug 2023 17:44:49 GMT

Benedictine monk Fr John Seddon OSB explains in this short video

Prayer - Study - Work: how Chilworth's Benedictine monks live their monastic life

Prayer - Study - Work: watch this short video which shows how monks making and selling beeswax beauty products for their Abbey Shop helps create the important balance needed in their monastic life at the Catholic Benedictine monastery of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth in the glorious Surrey Hills near Guildford.

Featuring Benedictine monk Fr John Seddon OSB, with filming by Brian O'Connell, the reel explains how one moment the monks are carrying out their absolute daily priority of praying, as monks have done for centuries, often in Latin. Then, when they are not in prayer, they fit in everything else that's needed in their daily life - including going online to sell the products they have made worldwide using ulta modern mobile technology. The contrast here between the ancient and the modern is very evident.

Watch the short video here .

Chilworth's Benedictine monks welcome members of the public of all faiths and none to pray with them: Daily Mass is at 9am, Sunday Mass is at 10am. Divine Office is seven times daily. The Monastic Guesthouse has four bedrooms and is open for Abbey visitors wanting to experience the rhythm of monastic life, those on retreat and men thinking of becoming a monk. Visit the monks online at http://www.chilworthbenedictines.com

What sort of Mass takes place at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth?

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:03:28 GMT

Why do we celebrate Mass facing East?

What sort of Mass takes place at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth?

A modern altar facing the congregation had also been installed; which it was quickly decided to give away to another group, who were in need of it.

Also, permission was quickly sought to restore the floor of the church to its original condition; by removing the platform which had supported the modern altar.

So, from the first public Mass celebrated by us at Chilworth, we faced East. This changed our practice from Ramsgate; which faced the people.

The Prayers and Readings are all in English.

Become a Benedictine Oblate at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Thu, 27 Jul 2023 11:08:07 GMT

The life of a Benedictine Oblate might be for you

Become a Benedictine Oblate at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Are you interested in deepening your prayer life?

Would you like to be part of the wider Benedictine community?

Does the Rule of St Benedict inspire your way of living?

The life of a Benedictine Oblate might be for you.

An Oblate is a lay person or a person of ordained ministry, who lives the Rule of St Benedict in their daily lives under the spiritual guidance of the monastery.

If you are a Catholic and interested in becoming an Oblate at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, contact the Oblate Master via our website .

St Augustine's Abbey, Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR

Confession at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 20:13:49 GMT

Please send us a message to arrange this for you

The Sacrament of Reconciliation ("Confession") is available at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth for individuals in person, by appointment only; please send us a message here if you would like to arrange this.

Join the monks for Sunday 10am Mass

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 19:58:47 GMT

With coffee afterwards

Daily Mass is at 9am, Sunday Mass is at 10am. Members of the public are always welcome.

IN A NUTSHELL: St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth - all you need to know

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 14:50:45 GMT

For members of the public

WELCOME to St Augustine’s Abbey, Chilworth

WWW.CHILWORTHBENEDICTINES.COM

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW at a GLANCE: LOOK WITHIN

We are a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery and Abbey Church

The Abbey Church is OPEN to MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC for prayer 365 days a year – all faiths and none are welcome. PILGRIMS are WELCOME.

We do not run a parish but everyone is welcome.

HOLY CATHOLIC MASS TIMES

Sundays 10am (followed by 11.15am Coffee with the monks in the Assisi Room)

Weekdays (Mon- Sat) 9am

Misa en español - tenemos una misa católica de habla española ocasional

Please check our website for holy days, Easter and Christmas.

DIVINE OFFICE – every day, 7 days a week

Sometimes sung in GREGORIAN CHANT

5.30am-6.30am VIGILS (Sunday Vigils at 8pm on Saturdays)

7.00am-7.25am LAUDS

8.40am-8.50am TERCE (8.30am on Sundays)

12.30pm-12.45pm SEXT (12.45pm on Sundays)

1.35pm-1.45pm NONE

6.00pm-6.30pm VESPERS (5.30pm on Saturdays & Sundays)

8.30pm-8.50pm COMPLINE with holy water blessing

DIVINE MERCY HOUR (3-4pm daily) – online

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION : Fridays 8-9pm, Sundays 4-5pm

CONFESSION by request – please get in touch

MONASTIC GUEST HOUSE for Abbey visitors and those on retreat:

Please book well in advance by email domandrewmcneill@gmail.com

CATHOLIC STUDY DAYS and HEALING DAYS – please see our website

CHILWORTH LAY ECUMENICAL CHRISTIAN MEDITATION GROUP –

Wednesdays 7.30pm-8.15pm Assisi Room and online

Our BENEDICTINE ABBEY SHOP is in the Assisi Room at the rear of the monastery and on our website. As seen on BBC TV, BUY our monk-made CHILWORTH ROSARY BEADS and our monk-made organic beeswax skin creams, lip balms & furniture polish and more…

Please ask Fr John for access – call 01483 899360

BECOME A BENEDICTINE OBLATE or MONK? Please get in touch.

St Augustine’s Abbey, Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth,

Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR, United Kingdom

TELEPHONE: 01483 899360

Visit us online at www.chilworthbenedictines.com

G O D G I V E Y O U P E A C E

Chilworth's Camellias symbolise undying, eternal love

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 11:17:13 GMT

As seen flowering today in our monastic garden

Camellias grow in our garden here at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth as shown in the photographs here. Fr John learned today that the flower was named after the Jesuit botanist, Father Georg Joseph Kamel. He practised botany in the 1600s for healing remedies.

Why have two varieties of Camellias been planted here at Chilworth in the past?

Well, maybe the answer lies in the unique nature of the Camellia.

When any flower dies the petals and calyx separate. But with the Camellia petals and calyx fall away together.

Therefore, the Camellia symbolises undying, eternal love.

Which beautifully speaks of Christ's love for us.

+ + +

Thanks to Independent Catholic News for publishing this story here .

BECOME A BENEDICTINE MONK........are you being called?

Sat, 11 Mar 2023 20:09:52 GMT

Act now and stay with us for a few days to find out more

B ECOME A BENEDICTINE MONK........are you being called?

If you have been thinking and praying about becoming a Benedictine monk and remain undecided, act now and arrange to come and stay in our Monastic Guesthouse for a few days to get a feel for monastic life without obligation.....Dom Andrew (pictured) awaits your email: domandrewmcneill@gmail.com

A prayer for your vocation

Lord, help me discern my vocation.

Lord my God, my loving Father, you have made me to know you, to love you, to serve you and thereby to find and fulfil myself.

I know that you are in all things and that every path can lead me to you, but of them all there is one especially by which you want me to come to you.

Since I will do what you want of me, I pray that you send your Holy Spirit to me: into my mind to show me what you want of me; into my heart to give me the determination to do it and to do it with all my love, with all my mind and with all my strength.

Amen

St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, UK - a living Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery

PILGRIMS and walkers/cyclists are welcome to pray here

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 23:37:49 GMT

Chilworth's Benedictine monastery is close to The Pilgrims' Way/North Downs Way

The modern day monks at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth - a living Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery - are keen to welcome pilgrims to their daily Mass and prayer, sometimes celebrated in sung Latin Gregorian Chant, as monks have done for centuries. Members of the public of all faiths and none are always welcome to pray with the monks (or just be still when the monks pray), 365 days a year.

Pilgrims travelling along The Pilgrims' Way from Winchester to Canterbury and those along the North Downs Way are less than one mile away from the monastery when they reach St Martha's on the Hill near Guildford and a number of them call by throughout the year to attend Mass, to pray and to say hello. Those wanting to experience monastic life at arm's length sometimes ask if they can stay in the Abbey's Monastic Guest House, which always needs booking very well in advance.

Daily Holy Mass takes place at 9am Monday to Saturday with Sunday Mass at 10am (followed by coffee with the monks and Congregation). Divine Office prayer takes place seven times daily.

The nearest landmark to the monastery is Chilworth railway station, which is a short walk away.

St Augustine's Abbey, Sample Oak Lane, Chilworth, Guildford, Surrey GU4 8QR Tel: 01483 899360 www.chilworthbenedictines.com

Click here for our location map

Click here to email us

Visit us online at www.chilworthbenedictines.com

BUEN CAMINO

IMMERSE YOURSELF in the rhythm of monastic life - we are OPEN for you to stay in our Guest House

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 21:04:53 GMT

We are OPEN to book now - members of the public welcome

Guests are very welcome...

Immerse yourself in our daily rhythm of monastic prayer as Benedictine monks have done for hundreds of years......OUR MONASTIC GUESTHOUSE IS NOW OPEN TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, male and female. The Guest House is very basic and modest.

Read more here .

Please book by emailing Dom Andrew at domandrewmcneill@gmail.com

Please consider donating for your stay here and kindly email us here to confirm that you have made a donation, if you have made one - thank you.

PLEASE BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE OF YOUR INTENDED STAY; sadly, it is usually not possible to meet last minute requests.

Eulogy for Abbot Laurence O'Keeffe OSB

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 19:39:43 GMT

Given at his funeral on 24 August 2022

Abbot Laurence O'Keeffe OSB died on 12 August 2022 and his funeral took place at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth on 24 August 2022. Watch the video of his Eulogy given at the funeral by Rt Rev Dom Paulinus Greenwood OSB, Abbot of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth.

Here are the words of the Eulogy in full:

Abbot Laurence was a Londoner, and he was very proud of the fact. However, owing to the exigencies of war, his parents had been evacuated to Oxford, and so it was there that he was born, Anthony John O’Keeffe, on 15th July 1943.

After the war, the family returned to London, to Eltham, in the South-East of the capital.

He was educated at Shooters Hill Grammar School in Woolwich, where he showed an interest in, and flair for, languages, both classical and modern, an aptitude which would later extend to biblical, especially semitic, languages.

As a young man he was a committed member of the Anglican Church, later describing himself as a ‘Prayer-Book Anglican’, and had initially intended to enter the Anglican ministry. However, at the age of 17, while still in the Sixth Form, he was received into the Roman Catholic Church.

Wishing to explore and deepen his new-found Catholicism, he made contact with a Benedictine monastery in Ramsgate on the Kent coast, and took part in an Easter Retreat that they were offering. This was the beginning of his discernment of a vocation to the Religious Life, and, more specifically to the Benedictine life.

But his parents were so set against the idea of their son’s entering a monastery that they refused to give him their permission. He was still only 18 years old, and, back then, in 1961, the legal age of majority was 21. Undeterred, he left school, and entered the Civil Service as an Executive Officer, working for the next three years in the Department of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

In 1964, at the age of 21, he was now free to pursue his monastic vocation. He entered the Novitiate of St Augustine’s Abbey in Ramsgate, making his Religious Profession a year later. He began his theological studies first under the Jesuits at Heythrop College, which was then located near Oxford, but subsequently transferred to Douai Abbey near Reading, where a monk who taught him Scripture encouraged him to pursue his interest in the Bible. He completed his studies for the priesthood at the Benedictine Athenaeum of Sant’ Anselmo, in Rome, and was duly ordained priest in 1970.

Having already begun to study Greek and Hebrew in the monastery at Ramsgate, he was sent by Abbot David Parry to the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome to enrol for the Licentiate in Sacred Scripture , where, for three years, he was able to deepen his already considerable knowledge of the Bible, and take courses in some of the more specialised languages of the Ancient Near East, such as Aramaic, Syriac, Akkadian, and Ugaritic. So impressive was his grasp of Hebrew by now that he was asked by his Professor to teach the language to a group of English-speaking students during his final year. He successfully completed his Licentiate in 1974, with a dissertation on the language of suffering in the Book of Psalms.

On his return to England, he began teaching in the monastery school which had recently relocated to Westgate-on-Sea, initially in the Prep School, at first combining this with the post of Lector in Sacred Scripture at the Franciscan Study Centre in Canterbury. In later years, he taught Latin to junior classes, and Religious Studies to the Sixth Form.

His love of the theatre, and, especially Shakespeare, led him to direct and produce the school play, involving boys of all ages, as well as the girls of the neighbouring Ursuline Convent school. His connections with the Royal Shakespeare Company enabled him to travel to Stratford to hire authentic costumes and props from the wardrobe department there for use in his own productions. He would also organise regular coach trips to London for the boys and staff to see Shakespearean plays at the Barbican.

In the 1980s, under Abbot Gilbert Jones, he was made Prior and Novice Master, while still commuting from Ramsgate, several days a week, to teach in the school. He led a busy life, and in addition to his work in the monastery and school, he set up a weekly Bible Study Group in the parish on Thursday evenings, explaining the Scripture Readings that would be read at Mass the following Sunday. A practice that he introduced in recent years in the local Parish of Cranleigh-Bramley.

Despite his involvement in many varied activities, he always adopted a disciplined approach to his spiritual life of personal prayer, lectio divina , and his passionate and ongoing study of the Bible. Having completed his degree in Rome, he set about studying the whole of Old Testament in the original Hebrew, reading a small section each day, and looking up any unfamiliar vocabulary in the relevant dictionaries and lexica, and recording his findings in a series of notebooks – one for each separate Book of the Bible. This painstaking work took him 15 years to complete, and, when he’d finished the Old Testament, he began to do the same with the New Testament – 27 books and letters in koine Greek. A massive undertaking, and a huge commitment, but one which gave him an enviable knowledge of both the content and origins of Sacred Scripture.

Abbot Laurence had always been a popular and entertaining Retreat Preacher to monks and nuns, and was also involved in programmes of Ongoing Formation for secular clergy, but in the 1990s his teaching skills were put to even wider use, when he was invited to become a Tutor and occasional Lecturer at the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, an international Catholic College which offers courses up to undergraduate and postgraduate level.

In 1996, on the retirement of Abbot Bernard Waldron, he was elected Abbot, and not long after became involved in the academic training of candidates for the Permanent Diaconate, giving lectures in Scripture at St John’s Seminary in Wonersh, just round the corner from here, to students from a number of Dioceses. He would make the two-hour drive from Ramsgate to Guildford, early on Sunday mornings, never imagining that, a few years hence, he would himself be living in the monks’ new home in the very same town.

One afternoon, in the summer of 2005, while in Rome to attend the Abbatial Blessing at the monastery of St Paul’s Outside the Walls, he was involved in a serious road accident. One of two speeding motorcyclists crashed into him a hurled him through the air, leaving him unconscious in the middle of a busy road. He was taken to hospital, where he remained for three weeks, having sustained a broken leg and ribs, and with severe bruising to his head and face. He was lucky to be alive.

Only a few hours later, an article about the accident appeared in the leading Italian evening newspaper.

When he returned to Ramsgate, he began a long convalescence and rehabilitation in the monastery’s infirmary wing. Then, two years later, while undergoing some routine medical tests before surgery to remove the metal plate that had been fitted in his injured leg in Rome, it was discovered that he had other more serious health issues, including diabetes, low kidney function, and sarcoidosis, for which he began to be treated.

A year later, owing to ill health, he resigned as Abbot, having served his Community in that office for 12 years. He spent some months at Quarr Abbey on the Isle of Wight assisting the then Superior with the spiritual welfare of the monastic Community there. On his eventual return to Ramsgate, he continued, as far as his health would allow, as an active member of the Community, contributing to its work and apostolic activity.

The move from Ramsgate to Chilworth in the winter of 2011 presented a challenge to a number of the monks, and I think Abbot Laurence was rather reluctant to move. But he very soon adapted to our new setting, and quickly got to know the area and the people. He continued, for a number of years, to give retreats, both locally and further afield.

The steady deterioration of his eyesight due to macular degeneration obliged him to give up driving once and for all, and, about six months ago, he began daily kidney dialysis here, ably administered by two of his Brethren who had received special training. He was then diagnosed with lymphoma, and underwent a course of chemotherapy, but his overall condition quickly worsened, and after spending three months in the Renal Unit of St Helier Hospital in London, he died late in the evening of Friday 12th August.

Anyone who knew Abbot Laurence will testify to his warm, jolly, infectious personality; his sense of humour, and gift of friendship. He will be remembered as a gifted teacher and communicator, who used his knowledge and love of the Bible to unlock its mysteries, and to share its riches with others.

May he rest in peace. Amen ! Wednesday 24th August 2022

When I am weak, then I am strong

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 17:37:13 GMT

Watch a repeat of the Homily from Sunday 10am Mass on 12 September 2021

You can watch the short video here

How to give your Personal Testimony as a Christian

Sun, 19 Jun 2022 17:04:40 GMT

Watch Fr John Seddon OSB in this interesting insight

H ow to give your Personal Testimony as a Christian by Benedictine monk of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth Fr John Seddon OSB - watch here

A very special welcome to GUILDFORD u3a

Fri, 22 Apr 2022 19:36:44 GMT

Group visits (pre-booked) are welcome

What a delight for us on 22 April (2022). We were really pleased to welcome over 20 members of the Guildford University of The Third Age (u3a) who visit religious places as part of their chosen activity.

The group asked lots of questions of Dom Andrew, who gave a talk to the visitors in our Grade II Listed Victorian Abbey Church. What it's like being a monk took top slot for the main area of questioning and many were interested to learn that the Abbey Church is open to the public daily 365 days a year for Mass and Divine Office. You are all welcome to visit again!

Group visits to St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth are welcome (pre-booked) for a talk in the Abbey Church. Donations are welcome for this. Please get in touch via our website contact form.

A steady flow of people pray alone privately here....and we love this happening

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 19:56:04 GMT

The Abbey Church is open 5.30am-8.50pm daily, 365 days a year

We have had a steady flow of a few people praying alone and privately in the Abbey Church most days, which isn't uncommon....please feel welcome to pray in this place.

G O D G I V E Y O U P E A C E

Look within: become a Benedictine monk at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth?

Sat, 19 Mar 2022 20:55:53 GMT

THE CALL' - WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FEEL GOD CALLING YOU TO THE MONASTIC LIFE?

TAKE THE QUIZ: could you be a Benedictine monk? Answer 15 questions here .

Well, the only way ahead is to test whether the call really is from God or not. See 1 John 4:1

Do I see them living the life St Benedict wants his monks to live?

What sort of life is that?

In the monastery, we are in choir together seven times a day plus Mass. You have to want to praise God from morning till night if the life is going to make you happy.

Of course, you should also see them bearing charitably with each other's faults and failings, as St Benedict commands in Chapter 72, which is the jewel of his teaching. Worth reading often.

If you see them trying to do that, as best they can, in the monastery you visited, ask to speak to the Novice Master.

One last thing, read up on St Benedict and monastic spirituality, before you visit. There is masses of information online.

May God guide you to Himself.

Search our website, read carefully our vocations information and feel free to ask questions and arrange a visit soon, which is a good way of experiencing monastic life at arm's length and without obligation. You can book a room in our Monastic Guest House here.

Through the keyhole - who lives in the monastery at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth and what do they do every day?

Thu, 03 Mar 2022 20:40:51 GMT

Learn more about monasticism at Chilworth

We are nine monks living at St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth.

Monastic lives are made up of three activities: prayer, study and work. As St Benedict advises in his Rule at Chapter 48 on the Daily Manual Labour.

The Tablet's Online Editor is welcomed

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 19:04:24 GMT

Thank you to this leading Catholic publication

W e were really pleased to welcome Ruth Gledhill, Online Editor at The Tablet, to St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth on 11 February 2022. She's pictured here with Fr John as she spent time finding out more about our Benedictine monastery and how we operate.

What prevents someone from getting to know and love God?

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 19:17:40 GMT

"OH BROTHER! - The Chilworth monks taking on beauty's big brands"

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 19:26:41 GMT

Surrey Life magazine - September 2021

What fascinating and well written articles in SURREY LIFE MAGAZINE (September 2021 edition), including one about Chilworth's Benedictine monks, which you can read here.

WELCOME from Rt Rev Dom Paulinus Greenwood OSB, Abbot

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 23:44:42 GMT

GOD GIVE YOU PEACE

Welcome to St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Thank you for finding your way to St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, UK - a home of Benedictine prayer, ancient wisdom and open doors. Our greatest joy is simple: welcoming the public to pray with us.

Every day, the Abbey Church is alive with a rhythm of worship that has shaped souls for fifteen centuries and continues here in the Surrey hills with undimmed devotion.

You are warmly invited - whatever your background, belief or story - to join us for:

Daily Mass at 9am

Sunday Mass at 10am

The Divine Office , sung seven times each day (a shared cadence of psalms, chant, silence and praise)

Many first time visitors tell us the same thing: they came out of curiosity and stayed for the peace. If you have never experienced sung prayer in both English and Latin, carried by Gregorian Chant, you will discover a form of worship that feels both timeless and urgently needed today.

Gather. Learn. Reflect.

Alongside our daily liturgy, we host a full calendar of well loved public events, including:

Catholicism study mornings with coffee, conversation and teaching that welcomes both Catholics and those exploring the faith
Regular study mornings on Catholic belief, spirituality and practice
Cultural evenings and talks, exploring literature, music, history, poetry and the great questions of God, meaning and community
Special themed events throughout the year, blessed by the Abbey’s unique setting, fellowship and hospitality

These gatherings share the same spirit as our prayer: thoughtful, rooted, unhurried, welcoming and open to all.

Ancient Wisdom. Present Hope.

Our life follows the Rule of St Benedict, a guide to living well written around 1,500 years ago, offering wisdom in stability, balance, humility, community, work, prayer and peace. In an age of noise, haste, distraction and uncertainty, St Benedict’s invitation to listen with the ear of the heart speaks with startling freshness. This ancient monastic wisdom is not a museum piece - it is a living compass, more relevant now than ever, as many visitors including a significant number of young people tell us.

The best way to experience it is not to read about it, but to taste it in real time.

Stay. Pray. Reset.

For those wanting to step more deeply into this tradition, we offer a Monastic Guest House, open to the public year round by donation. Here, visitors come to:

-Pause and pray within a working monastery

-Experience daily Mass and the Divine Office as part of their retreat

-Find spiritual renewal and perspective

-Explore the enduring wisdom of St Benedict in a lived setting

-Discern a vocation, deepen their prayer or simply rest their soul for a while

People travel to us from across Britain and around the world, drawn by the same hope: a desire for peace, spiritual grounding and a place where God feels near.

A Community of Prayer

We are an active and energetic growing Community of ten Benedictine monks (Order of St Benedict) plus a number of potential monks, part of the Subiaco Cassinese Benedictine Congregation, founded in 1856 in Kent and present in Chilworth near Guildford in southern England since 2011. Our mission is prayer and contemplation, supported by monastic work, study and community life. We make and offer a small range of handmade Abbey goods including beeswax skin creams, furniture polish and Chilworth Rosary beads and we serve the wider Church through preserving Benedictine monasticism, study and writing.

One Guiding Heartbeat

Prayer is our beginning, middle and end. But it is not prayer for us alone. It is prayer for the world, shared with the world, for the world.

So come when you can. Stay when you need. Pray when you arrive.

May God bless you and give you peace.

Rt Rev Dom Paulinus Greenwood OSB

Abbot of St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

28 December 2025

The Rule of Saint Benedict

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 14:08:58 GMT

Read the Rule of Saint Benedict

You can read the full Rule of St Benedict here .

Visitor comments about St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:03:30 GMT

What members of the public say about their visit to St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth

"A really warm, friendly cross section of people, young and older, both on the altar and in the congregation."

"An increasing number of families seem to attend. For music lovers, the Gregorian chants and superb organ-playing lift the mass to another level. A very special and spiritual place to be."

"The Abbey is very beautiful and peaceful, the perfect place to relax and meet the peace of the Lord."

"I would recommend Chilworth Abbey to anyone considering a retreat experiencing the monastic life. This place is very special indeed."

"I have stayed at the abbey quite a few times now and always found it a very tranquil and peaceful place. The church is lovely - very prayerful, and the guest master is very welcoming. Highly recommended!"

"An oasis of total serenity and deep goodness in an otherwise mad world."

"One of the most tranquil places I’ve ever experienced."

"Beautiful Catholic Church in a tranquil setting run by Benedictine monks."

One recent visitor loosely described their visit to St Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth as being to the place where God returns for a rest after a hard day's work.

....................You can see more reviews on Google reviews.

H ave a look at what outside organisations say too:

Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Augustine%27s_Abbey,_Chilworth

Tripadvisor

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186390-d14800412-Reviews-St_Augustine_s_Abbey_Chilworth-Guildford_Surrey_England.html

Chilworth Together

https://chilworth2gether.org.uk/chilworth-benedictine-abbey/

Yell

https://www.yell.com/biz/st-augustine-s-abbey-guildford-7325488/

Guildford Community Lottery

https://www.guildfordlottery.org/support/st-augustines-abbey-chilworth

Explore Churches

https://www.explorechurches.org/church/st-augustine-abbey-chilworth

Blackheath Village Directory

http://www.blackheathsurrey.co.uk/friary.html

Guildford Dragon news

https://www.guildford-dragon.com

https://www.guildford-dragon.com/2020/06/23/notice-chilworths-benedictine-monks-selling-lockdown-surplus-skin-products/

https://www.guildford-dragon.com/2020/11/06/pevsner-editor-visits-chilworths-benedictine-st-augustines-abbey/

https://www.guildford-dragon.com/2021/01/01/notice-chilworth-rosaries-follow-a-tradition-of-monks-making-local-products/

Roman Catholic Diocese of Arundel & Brighton

https://www.abdiocese.org.uk/diocese/church-finder?location=guildford-st-augustine-s-abbey-guildford-surrey

Faith Companion magazine

https://www.thefaithcompanion.co.uk

Chilworth Together

https://chilworth2gether.org.uk/chilworth-benedictine-abbey/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/ChilworthBenedictines/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/chilworth_benedictine_monks_uk/

UK Religious Life

http://www.ukreligiouslife.org/male-monastic-communities/

Yelp

https://www.yelp.co.uk/search?find_desc=st+augustine%27s+abbey+chilworth&find_loc=London&ns=1

The Lay Community of St Benedict

http://www.laybenedictines.org/links-2

Blackheath Village Archives

https://www.blackheathvillagearchive.com/the-abbey

You well

https://you-well.co.uk/visiting-guildford/#abbey

Slow Travel

https://www.slow-travel.uk/post/abbeys-and-monasteries-visit-uk?fbclid=IwAR3PalEsWk89l3gyyJOpi0Se4hmZLVCaZtQjIBv25eqMh4iW2gvOuwmkqlE

London Evening Standard

https://www.standard.co.uk/shopping/esbest/christmas/best-gifts-for-gardeners-b971852.html?fbclid=IwAR1egfcs7fLZv2lBASr6m_-S53gdDndHMeJk-iSVSIzA9bhxYs6o5URx5CI

Monastic Retreats

http://www.monasticretreats.co.uk/portfolio-item/st-augustines-abbey-chilworth/

Daily Telegraph

https://digitaleditions.telegraph.co.uk/data/899/reader/reader.html?fbclid=IwAR0WPpQeB0nIyPKv6epVvvPHOXd8U68AcGSQxxhJTWIvvNNVOBG5dLFTums#!preferred/0/package/899/pub/899/page/124/article/278783

The Times

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/news-in-pictures-friday-march-4-2022-s3tblgtr0

Independent Catholic News

https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/45030

Monastic Prayer

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 20:07:26 GMT

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MONASTIC PRAYER

You can find out more about monastic prayer, especially Matins and our new series of Matins' Musings, with Fr John Seddon here in his video.

________________________________________

'Doing to Being: Choosing Chilworth'

Thu, 01 Jul 2021 19:53:19 GMT

Enjoy this by Fr John as we are blessed to celebrate being ten years at Chilworth

From Ramsgate to Chilworth - Doing and Being: A Personal Reflection

By Fr John Seddon OSB, Benedictine monk

When I entered Ramsgate in 1983, we ran two schools: St Augustine's College and The Abbey School, four parishes, and served, with daily Mass, five convents. The Community was divided between the monastery at Ramsgate and the schools at Westgate-on-Sea.

Some monks commuted daily, to teach and then celebrate a convent Mass in the ninety minutes left after school and before Vespers. For a teaching monk, living at Ramsgate, a typical day proceeded in this way. After Matins and Lauds at 5.45 am, Mass would be sung at 9.00 am. One preached regularly at this before going to teach. Then followed the twenty minute journey across the Isle of Thanet, being the eastern-most part of Kent, to arrive at school as the lay teaching staff were having mid-morning coffee. After a hasty drink, you began your teaching day.

Classes were usually prepared, and marking done in none-teaching periods, because there was no time for this when you returned to the monastery in theevening. Sext was recited by the few monks able to gather in the School Chapel, before lunch. Afterlunch, it was back to teaching until 4.30 pm, when you left promptly for the convents. I remember vividly, the sometimes hair-raising journeys around Thanet, as two priests tried to meet the convent deadline of 5.00 pm, hurriedly vesting and then composing oneself for Mass. The next deadline was 6.00 pm Vespers at the monastery. On the journey back, we often broke the speed limit and, arriving just as the bell rang, we would hurry through the famous tunnel, connecting church and monastery. Praying the psalms, often inspired heartfelt thanksgiving, for missing the car that had loomed as we attempted to overtake another. Not infrequently the rueful aside, 'The angels are on our side, Father', would have been uttered during the journey.

The monastic horarium was inevitably influenced by this daily schedule. When I began monastic life, Matins and Lauds were sung together and Mass was at 7.30 am. The Divine Office was comparable in its brevity to the Roman Office, the psalms being chanted over four weeks. Lectio was referred to occasionally, but the reality, in the short time one could scrape together for nourishing the soul, was 'spiritual reading'. The Kitchens were run and property maintained by employees. The school and parishes dominated everything. I often thought, as a novice and said more frequently as I grew to love my life as a monk, that I felt priority was invariably given to the Schools, then to the Parishes and Convents, then to monastic life in Community. This was nobody's fault. If you run a school, boys have to be taught, staff have to be paid, buildings have to be maintained.

The very dependability of the monastic Community, always ready to obey and work themselves to a standstill, meant they drew less attention than the daily problems arising from schools and parishes. It was a fact of monastic life as lived at Ramsgate and Westgate, and had beensince the erection of these schools and parishes, well over a century before.When Abbot Bernard Waldron was elected, much work was done endeavouring to rotate monastic life around the horarium and life in Community. Discussion groups were formed and the result was a step in the right direction. Two obligatory half hour periods for lectio were inserted into the timetable, Mass was moved from 7.30 am to 9.00 am, None was introduced, as was an evening recreation before Compline. However, with the schools and parishes and convents still in full swing,monastic centrifugal force did not work quite so well as in the solar system. Work still dominated: therefore, the liturgy, lectio, and Community life revolved around it. Naturally, vocations did not stay. Because of this, decline had already begun well before 1983, with the giving to the Diocese of someof the parishes we had erected over the years, and now, because of decreasing numbers of monks, could no longer run. Margate, Cliftonville, Broadstairs, Minster, Birchington, Westgate on Sea followed each other, to the Diocese. This became the pattern. As a crisis loomed, we reacted by

closing a parish and then, finally, closing the Schools, no longer only because of a lack of personnel, but because of financial necessity.

While day pupils were increasing and parents praisingthe schools' caring but firm environment, the boarders were decreasing, therefore, more trips were made, by the Principal, to far flung countries, to woo parents into sending the boys who would keepthe school solvent. Given the existence of the Ursuline Covent School, in our vicinity, the duplication involved, when we began to introduce girls into the lower school, seemed a rather desperate measure.Nevertheless, the closure of the school came as a shock to everybody apart from the Community, who had been debating it for some time.

Financially, it could no longer be sustained by us. We still mourn its loss, however much, as I feel, it was a drain on and distraction to our monastic lives.With the end of the schools, came the years when the Lord had clearly told us to look differently at our life, by taking away this dominating area of our work, and yet, inevitably, we found it very difficult to stop behaving as if we still had all those apostolates. It felt like being sucked into a 'black hole'. Looking back, we were going through a process of bereavement and part of that process was the denial that any change had really happened. Therefore, the remaining parishes, convent Masses, giving retreats, all became the new means of distracting us from, 'the one thing necessary'. In an attempt to build on existing expertise, I and another monk were sent off to qualify as state teachers. In those days, you could teach in a private school without a teaching qualification, as I haddone for five years, since my ordination on 1990. Our salaries would be a source of income and help maintain the monastery.

Again, another draining schedule was undertaken for a year, as we kept up monastic observance, while driving to our college in Canterbury and then to the schools in Kent where we cut our teeth on the State education system. Instead of the comparatively serene classroom encounters we had had for five years in our school, disruptive children were now the norm. Despite this, I am pleased to say, I qualified as a teacher. I still find teaching children satisfying, if only it were not, for me, so incompatible with being a monk. When the year was over, I found myself in hospital, unable to deal with an infection because I was so run down, then, developing pneumonia, I convalesced for three months, to my considerable relief. More improvements to the liturgy had been made, by adopting the ordering of the psalms over oneweek, according to Fuglister, but it was still not a recipe that worked, because, with the ghosts of our apostolic past still haunting us, it meant we had begun working with a beautiful jewel, but in thewrong setting. However, the time for correcting it was at hand, when money spoke. It became clear that twelve monks living in a monastery made for forty was foolish both monastically and certainly financially. Reactions, as they had been with the closure of the school, were inevitably sad and sometimes angry.

The employment of a Public Relations Consultant did much to facilitate the announcement of our relocation.The new setting for the monastic jewel of liturgy, work and lectio, all balanced beautifully, came quickly. Debate about a move was not protracted, as financially, it was no longer possible to live in the way we were. Soon we became united, although enormously sad to leave the monastery where Ramsgate monks had resided for over 150 years. Suitable properties were not easily found. Fr Abbot and Fr Dunstan were beginning to show signs of house hunting fatigue, when the phone call from the Provincial of the Friars Minor came to suggest a viewing of Chilworth. From the first moment it was seen as ideally suited to our requirements by some members of the Community, by others as the best on offer, but it was not Ramsgate. Surrey could not offer the sea, nor was it the urban setting, in which we had worked.

Communal visiting of the site on a number of occasions helped encourage us all. What encouraged me most was a sense of the guiding Word of God. At the morning Mass before the Chapter to vote on a move from Ramsgate, the Prophet Haggai had exhorted us to begin building the Second Temple. Then at Sext, celebrated at Chilworth on the last visit before voting to move there, again Haggai's voice was heard, promising that, 'In this place I will give peace'. This filled me with a 'peace passing all understanding'. I am therefore quite certain Our Lord wants us to be at Chilworth and if we are faithful, the glory of the Second Temple will surpass the old. Facing us was a monumental move, but for all our misgivings, it was accomplished efficiently, with help always on hand when it was needed. The necessary refurbishments required to turn very small cells for postulant friars into liveable cells for older men, some of whom were sick, were paid for from the sale of our rare books, antiques, and church plate. We received adverse criticism for this, but the ability to live the monastic life at Chilworth for all the brethren was paramount. Urgent measures needed ready money. It was a hard but necessary decision.

Of course there have been pressures to do as the Friars did. Neither we nor the diocese desire to run Chilworth as a Parish. We are simply a praying presence of men, aiming to be wholly dedicated to God. However, it has probably taken us until quite recently for us all to feel content with our new life and surroundings, with a new ministry that very much emerges from our monastic life, rather than one that inevitably dominated that life, as teaching did. We have changed, as yet, little of the daily nuts and bolts of our life as lived at Ramsgate. The Horarium remains the same. The two half hours of lectio, morning and evening also remain as a minimum. Sanctuary Enterprises continues, with its products of honey, polish, lip balms and skin creams. We employ no one. Outside engagements occur in response to requests. A steady stream of guests come to our small guest house. Funds are being gathered to build a library and guest house, combined, on the pitch where novice friars once played football. The aim is to create a life of balance. A jewel of equal facets that reflects the light of Christ serenely, beautifully and truthfully, because it seeks 'first the kingdom of God', having been pruned by the Lord of the distractions that were so dominating, they became ends in themselves. We were like Martha 'worrying and fretting about many things' and missing 'the one thing necessary.' A spacehas been created to practise purity of heart in the daily battle with the eight evil thoughts, which Evagrius delineated and Cassian developed and St Benedict bids us practise under his humane gaze,that we may grow in knowledge of God and of ourselves.

Now like Mary, we need the courage to sit still and be that which the Lord has called us to: monks who really do prefer nothing to the love of Christ.

Altar linen & albs handmade in Mexico and recommended by Fr Abbot

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 19:46:01 GMT

Please share - thank you!

Fr Abbot has a friend in Mexico �� who produces hand-made altar linen and albs using traditional craftsmanship. The Abbey in Chilworth has just received a beautiful altar cloth from this man, and it will be used for the first time at 9 am Mass on 13 May 2021 the Solemnity of the Ascension. If anyone is interested in commissioning something from the same workshop in Mexico, please send enquiries via our website contact us page https://www.chilworthbenedictines.com/contact-us

What's it like to be in love with God?

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 12:09:38 GMT

How does it happen?

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE IN LOVE WITH GOD? How does it happen?