August 2007 Diary Notes

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6 August 2007 was the Feast of the Transfiguration.

9 August 2007 was the Feast of St Theresa Benedicta of the Cross [Edith Stein] (1891-1942). St Theresa Benedicta of the Cross, a Carmelite nun and convert from Judaism, died in Auschwitz on 9 August 1942. She was canonized by Pope John Paul II on 11 October 1998, who called her " a symbol of the dramas in Europe in our time". St Theresa Benedicta of the Cross is one of six patrons or patronesses of Europe, named in 1999 by Pope John Paul II: the others are St Catherine of Sienna, St Bridget of Sweden, St Benedict, St Cyril and St Methodius.

10 August 2007 was the Feast of St Lawrence, the Patron of Ampleforth.  St Lawrence [sometimes spelt Laurence]  was a Roman martyr in 258AD.  Br Philip Rosario was ordained to the diaconate. This day is also the 399th anniversary of the refounding of the community in the monastery and church of St Lawrence at Dieullouard in Lorraine - community life had begun with the First Vespers of St Lawrence on the evening of 9 August 1608.

11 August 2007 was the Feast of St Clare, Cofoundress of the Poor Clares, and first Abbess of San Damiano.  At the Conventual Mass, Fr Wulstan Peterburs prayed for the Community of Poor Clares that were responsible for the printing of the choir office books for Ampleforth Abbey in 1976, a community then at Darlington and now in the Midlands. Fr Wulstan was offering the Mass for the furtherance of the Cause for Beatification of John Henry Newman

At the Community Mass in the Abbey Church on 11 August 2007, the celebrant Fr Wulstan Peterburs recalled that this was the Feast of St Clare, Cofoundress of the Poor Clares, and, and first Abbess of San Damiano, who died on this day, 11 August 1253. Fr Wulstan said that this day was also the anniversary of the death of John Henry Newman (1801-1890) who had died on 11 August 1890.  Fr Wulstan said that at noon on this day Mass was been offered at the Birmingham Oratory for the beatification of Newman, and that "this Mass was been offered for the same intention". There is a stature of the Venerable John Henry Newman JHCN at Ampleforth, in the small garden outside the monks refectory.

 

12 August 2007 was the day of the annual pilgrimage of the Diocese of Middlesbrough to the shrine of Mount Grace near Osmotherley. There had been some heavy showers, even as pilgrims climbed to Mount Grace saying the rosary. But soon after 3pm as the celebration of Mass began, the weather was fine and by the end of Mass it was a fine sunny afternoon with a warm sun and a clear sky. As the Diocese has no bishop at this time, the Abbot of Ampleforth, ABBOT CUTHBERT MADDEN was the main celebrant, and perhaps eight to ten other Ampleforth monks concelebrated or were present for this Mass of the Assumption. Fr Abbot said that we would have several intentions in mind, including the prayer of the Diocese for a new Bishop, and our prayer for Bishop John [Bishop John retired through ill health]. Also present were PETER SCROPE (E73) and Penny from Great Ayton - it was their family that rediscovered the lost shrine admist the brambles in 1946.

14 August 2007 was the Feast of St Maximilian Kolbe (8 Jan 1894-14 August 1941) died in Auschwitz, having volunteered to die in place of a stranger. He was canonized in 1982. He is the patron saint of drug addicts, political prisoners, families, journalists, amatuer radio, prisoners and the pro-life movement. Pope John Paul 11 declared him "Patron Saint of our Difficult Centrury"

15 August 2007 is the Feast of the Assumption.

For the Catholic Church in England and Wales 15 August is now one of those rare celebrations…a Holyday of Obligation that hasn’t been moved conveniently to the nearest Sunday! So 15 August remains 15 August: the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven, celebrating both the happy departure of Mary from this life by her natural death and her assumption bodily into heaven. The day, the year, the manner of Our Lady’s death is immaterial, for the focus of the Assumption is not on this life, but on the life to come, the promise of eternal life. LK

on the feast of the Assumption in 2006 “Caught up in daily activities we risk, in fact, to think that here, in this world in which we are only passing through, is the ultimate goal of human existence. Instead, Paradise is the true goal of our earthly pilgrimage. Mary is an example and support for all believers: she encourages us not to lose confidence before the difficulties and inevitable problems of every day. She assures us of her help and reminds us that it is essential to seek and think of ‘the things above, not those of the earth’. How different our days would be if they were animated by this perspective!”  (Pope Benedict XVI 15 August 2006)

30 August 2007.  Bishop Augustine Harris, Bishop of Middlesbrough 1978-1992, died 30 August 2007. Ampleforth is within the Diocese of Middlesbrough. Thus Bishop Augustine Harris was a regular visitor to Ampleforth for ordinations, confirmations and other events.

 

 

       

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