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Downside has a
strong tradition of monastic life and prayer to
draw on, but things do not stand still. In recent
years, smaller numbers have helped to strengthen
the bonds of community life in the monastery. The
liturgical changes following the Second Vatican
Council introduced a long transitional period in
which the community decided to adopt English into
the singing of the Liturgy, while the traditional
plainsong was kept at Mass. Since 2000 there has
been further renewal of both the Office and the
Mass in the light of the current provisions for
the monastic liturgy.
The decision made early in the Twentieth century
to focus our parish work in the immediate surroundings
of the monastery has meant that our pastoral commitments
have not been felt as a source of conflict with
a common life in the monastery.
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We
hope that the Abbey Church and the opportunities
to welcome people to the monastery, especially
through the St Bede Centre, for talks and days
of recollection, offer a new opportunity to share
the grace and spirit of monastic life with the
local Church and community. The monastery can in
this way act as a resource for the spiritual needs
of the diocese as a whole.
The school is still a central part of our work. Monks
are still closely involved in the teaching and running
of the school, but as education has become more technical
and professionalised, we have come to see our role
more clearly as one to support the spiritual and
pastoral side of its life, as chaplains to pupils
and to staff, as well as fellow-workers with them
in this precious work of the Church.
Hospitality is another area where there have been
many developments in recent times. People not only
come as individual guests on retreat, but also a
number of groups can use the various facilities available
for conferences or talks.
In these and in other ways we try to render our service
to God as part of the mission of the Church to preach
the Gospel to the whole world, and share with all
the treasures of the knowledge of Christ.
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