French Benedictines in the Isle of Wight.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 40, 2 October 1902, Page 6

French Benedictines in the Isle of Wight.

A correspondent of a New York Episcopalian paper gives the, following particulars in regard to the exiled French Benedictines now domiciled on the Isle of Wight. He says: [ ha-\e had an opportunity of MSitmg Apuldurcombo, in thellsle of Wight where the Jkmedietmes from Solesmes are established. Thenwhole force amounts to 80 persons. Of these IS are pniests It is an ideal place for a monastery, two miles lrom Vent nor. situated on the slope of a well-wooded hill surrounded by a park of magnificent old trees 1 believe the property was Lord Yarborough's once, but' it has been much leduced m si/e. Till the monks took it, it had been an academy or school for \oung gentlemen It seems now to ha\e found \ery fitting use A suite of rooms on the giouud /loor has been con\erted into the chapel for the pnnci pal ofhees . a turther room is arranged with two or three altars as side chapels The refectory is at right angles with these on the same floor Above are the dormitories and other accommodation needed for the brethren. J was agieeably surprised to find m ilimi lim ( t ], r Prior; the same I>om lUaquereau whom I hajd \isited fi\ e \ears a,go a/L Solesmes. now promoted to be 1M ior of the Order It appears that they had been obliged, on leaMiig Solesmes, to send all he appliances for their printing work into Helgium, as it was too cumbersome to lining to England Now the work of editing is carried on at Apuldurcomhe and when le.idv for the I', ess c-op\c -op\ is forw «v ded to P.elgium The work had of coiuse, been interrupted foi n time, the i'nor went on to say, 1)111 "ad by no moans been stopped Their beautiful M>bev at Solesmes is at present m charue of iwo gendaiilK"s" il will be confiscated by the Cover, nnieut of Fi ance and sold Hut theie 'is no sadness amongst the monks They look forward r l hi-v are simply a ppl\ ing the olt-\eiilied saving, The blood of m.ihtvis is tho seed of the Chin eh

A good deal has been s.u'l of ihe repugnance felt at tlie ' in\asion. as it is termed, of Mom, in monastic bodies- into England l.asi \ ear the Channel islands passed special laws to pre\ent their localising themselves in Jeisev J took the oppoitunity of emfliming amongst the villagers how their advent to Apuldurcombe was considered • Cons,deied ' " was i] u . lrp i x _ ■• |_ ()|ll> hopo they iiwv stop for e\er TheY heli> e\eiv one, assist all the poor and charitable soeiel ies employ .ill the labor- on the countiv side* ,, M( i .yejooked upon as out best friends ' Yes, ' 1 said, " that is natui al for Hoinan Catliolics " Catholics ' ' was the lespons... there are onlvtwo here It is all — and Protestants nidifTei eiit h , that they help " Are then sei \ ices attended l>\ the people •> ' I asked Ci'ow ded ne\er any r oom for (at hoi us who may come from a distance or come late I hope they "ill st.v for e\,r," was the conclusion | All their oflices are earned on in the s.une quiet and matter-of-fact manner as at Solesmcs '