Aelred Carlyle
Encyclopedia
Aelred Carlyle, O.S.B.
(1874-1955) founded, around 1895, the first Anglican Benedictine
community of monks.
Born Benjamin Fearnley Carlyle, he was educated at Blundell's School
. In 1892, he commenced medical training at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London. He did not complete his medical training. Instead, influenced by the Oxford Movement
of the period, he embraced a vision of monastic
life as he envisioned it having been followed in the Middle Ages
, full of ritual
and tradition. A charismatic
individual, Carlyle succeeded where others had failed in having the vision of such a life within the Church of England
approved by the Archbishop of Canterbury
. By 1895 he had established a community of monks under his leadership, taking monastic vows
under the monastic name of Aelred, assuming the role of abbot
.
After several moves, Carlyle's community was established on Caldey Island
, South Wales
in 1906. When the Caldey Island community came into conflict with the Bishop of Oxford
in 1913 over conformity to Anglican practices, Carlyle and most of his monks became Roman Catholic. They were only the second such group to be received in a corporate manner into the Roman Catholic Church, the example having been set by the Society of the Atonement
(Franciscan) in the U.S. several years earlier. Due to financial pressures, the community moved to Prinknash Park, Gloucestershire
in 1928.
It established daughter communities at Saint Michael's Abbey, Farnborough
in 1947, and Pluscarden Abbey
the following year.
While still a member of the Church of England, Carlyle served as canonical visitor
to two Benedictine communities of nuns. The first, the Community of SS. Mary and Scholastica
, founded in 1868 in Middlesex
, also became Roman Catholic in 1913, and now resides at Curzon Park
, Chester
.
The second, originally named the Community of the Holy Comforter, had been an active Anglican sisterhood founded in 1891, but adopted the enclosed
Benedictine life under Carlyle’s inspiration in 1906. This community remained Anglican and has resided at Malling Abbey
since 1916, replacing the other community which had moved to North Wales
after their reception in the Roman Catholic Church.
After some years as Abbot of Caldey, Carlyle was exclaustrated in 1921 and released from his Benedictine vows in 1935. He worked for many years as a missionary priest in Canada. Upon his retirement in 1951, he returned to England and became a conventual (i.e., residential) oblate
at Prinknash Abbey. In 1953, he was allowed to renew his solemn monastic vows. When he died in 1955, he was a full member of the community he had founded sixty years earlier.
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
(1874-1955) founded, around 1895, the first Anglican Benedictine
Order of St. Benedict (Anglican)
There are a number of Benedictine Anglican religious orders, some of them using the name Order of St. Benedict . Just like their Roman Catholic counterparts, each abbey / priory / convent is independent of each other...
community of monks.
Born Benjamin Fearnley Carlyle, he was educated at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
. In 1892, he commenced medical training at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London. He did not complete his medical training. Instead, influenced by the Oxford Movement
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy...
of the period, he embraced a vision of monastic
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
life as he envisioned it having been followed in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, full of ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
and tradition. A charismatic
Charism
In Christian theology, a charism in general denotes any good gift that flows from God's love to man. The word can also mean any of the spiritual graces and qualifications granted to every Christian to perform his or her task in the Church...
individual, Carlyle succeeded where others had failed in having the vision of such a life within the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
approved by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
. By 1895 he had established a community of monks under his leadership, taking monastic vows
Religious vows
Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...
under the monastic name of Aelred, assuming the role of abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
.
After several moves, Carlyle's community was established on Caldey Island
Caldey Island
Caldey Island lies south of Tenby in Pembrokeshire, Wales.The island is home to a small village, but is best known for its monastery. Caldey Island is separated from the mainland by the Caldey Sound which is 1 km to 2 km wide between Caldey Island and the coast of Pembrokeshire...
, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
in 1906. When the Caldey Island community came into conflict with the Bishop of Oxford
Bishop of Oxford
The Bishop of Oxford is the diocesan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Oxford in the Province of Canterbury; his seat is at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford...
in 1913 over conformity to Anglican practices, Carlyle and most of his monks became Roman Catholic. They were only the second such group to be received in a corporate manner into the Roman Catholic Church, the example having been set by the Society of the Atonement
Society of the Atonement
The Society of the Atonement, also known as the Friars and Sisters of the Atonement or Graymoor Friars and Sisters is a Franciscan religious congregation in the Latin Rite branch of the Catholic Church...
(Franciscan) in the U.S. several years earlier. Due to financial pressures, the community moved to Prinknash Park, Gloucestershire
Prinknash Abbey
Prinknash Abbey is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery situated in the Vale of Gloucester in the Diocese of Clifton, near the village of Cranham....
in 1928.
It established daughter communities at Saint Michael's Abbey, Farnborough
Saint Michael's Abbey, Farnborough
Saint Michael's Abbey is a Benedictine abbey in Farnborough, Hampshire, England. The small community is known for the quality of its liturgy, which is sung in Latin and Gregorian Chant, its pipe organ, and its liturgical publishing and printing...
in 1947, and Pluscarden Abbey
Pluscarden Abbey
Pluscarden Abbey is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery located in the glen of the Black Burn about 10 kilometres south-west of Elgin, in Moray, Scotland...
the following year.
While still a member of the Church of England, Carlyle served as canonical visitor
Canonical Visitation
A canonical visitation is the act of an ecclesiastical superior who in the discharge of his office visits persons or places with a view of maintaining faith and discipline, and of correcting abuses by the application of proper remedies.-Catholic usage:...
to two Benedictine communities of nuns. The first, the Community of SS. Mary and Scholastica
Curzon Park Abbey
Curzon Park Abbey is one of three monasteries of nuns in the English Benedictine Congregation.-History:It began as an Anglican Benedictine convent at Feltham, Middlesex, founded by Father Ignatius on 24 June 1868...
, founded in 1868 in Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, also became Roman Catholic in 1913, and now resides at Curzon Park
Curzon Park
The Chester suburb of Curzon Park is a highly attractive residential area South of the River Dee situated within easy walking distance of the ancient Roman and medieval city walls, just across the famous Grosvenor Bridge. Part of the Curzon & Westminster Ward, the Curzon Park area is well known for...
, Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
.
The second, originally named the Community of the Holy Comforter, had been an active Anglican sisterhood founded in 1891, but adopted the enclosed
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
Benedictine life under Carlyle’s inspiration in 1906. This community remained Anglican and has resided at Malling Abbey
Malling Abbey
St. Mary’s Abbey is an abbey of Anglican Benedictine nuns, located at West Malling, Kent, England.-History:The manor of West Malling was given by King Edmund to Burhic, Bishop of Rochester in 946. The land was lost to the church...
since 1916, replacing the other community which had moved to North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
after their reception in the Roman Catholic Church.
After some years as Abbot of Caldey, Carlyle was exclaustrated in 1921 and released from his Benedictine vows in 1935. He worked for many years as a missionary priest in Canada. Upon his retirement in 1951, he returned to England and became a conventual (i.e., residential) oblate
Oblate
An oblate spheroid is a rotationally symmetric ellipsoid having a polar axis shorter than the diameter of the equatorial circle whose plane bisects it. Oblate spheroids stand in contrast to prolate spheroids....
at Prinknash Abbey. In 1953, he was allowed to renew his solemn monastic vows. When he died in 1955, he was a full member of the community he had founded sixty years earlier.