News from the Priory

Br Scott led a retreat for the Postulants from the Cape Town Diocese Fellowship of Vocation. The group attended our chapel prayers, and the Brothers and Rev Wilma met with them individually for conversation about their vocational journeys.

We also interacted with a group from the York Archdiocese in the UK who were in SA to strengthen the link with the three Anglican dioceses in the Western Cape. They joined us for some chapel prayers and we shared conversation with them around a meal.

We attended a gathering of Volmoed residents over soup and bread for conversation around the experiences of life at Volmoed and concerns about the future. It was a time of strengthening the sense of being community together.

May 2023 NewsRead More »

A VYLTP Taizé Youth Day was held at Volmoed on the Saturday before Palm Sunday. Brs Edwin & Josias participated throughout the day in various ways, while Br Scott led a workshop on an aspect of prayer in the afternoon. All the Brothers attended the evening prayer around the cross together with the young people.

Palm Sunday was of course the beginning of Holy Week. In Br Daniel’s absence, we appreciated Rev Wilma’s availability to preside at the Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday observances. Serghay & Yohane of the Volmoed staff helped Brs Edwin & Josias create the altar of repose in the smaller chapel for use after the Maundy Thursday service in the evening.

It was good to have John de Gruchy with us to preside at the Easter Vigil which began in the darkness on Easter Sunday morning. John then celebrated at the joyful Eucharist which followed while the sun rose after the Vigil.

April 2023 NewsRead More »

Life during the past month or so was unusually full for the Brothers at the Priory. Our monastic choir was also unusually full, with seven of us joining in song and chant during chapel prayers for much of the time.

The main feature was the visitation by Br Robert James, the Superior of our Order. He arrived from the US on Monday 23 January and stayed until Saturday 18 February. This was the first time he was able to return to Volmoed since the start of the pandemic, and it was good to have him with us in person for conversations about our life and work and about our future. While here, Br Robert taught novitiate classes on aspects of liturgy, and also had fruitful discussions with the monastic community on this topic.

February 2023 NewsRead More »

Volmoed welcomed a substantial number of guests during the festive season. As a result, our Christmas and New Year’s Day (on which we observe the Feast of the Holy Name) chapel celebrations were well attended with many joining us for coffee/tea and confections afterwards. We are pleased to be able to offer hospitality in this way. Our monastic community brought the old year to a close in fellowship with several of the residential Volmoed community and friends on New Year’s Eve.

January 2023 NewsRead More »

Edwin Kriel was received into our Order as a Postulant here at St Benedict’s Priory on Thursday 1 September. The postulancy is a six-month period of deeper discernment which is also the beginning of the process of monastic formation. We are very pleased that Edwin has joined our community and ask you to pray with us that the blessing will be mutual. Edwin comes to us from Worcester in the Western Cape.

A New PostulantRead More »

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