Curzon Park Abbey
Encyclopedia
Curzon Park Abbey is one of three monasteries of nuns in the English Benedictine Congregation
.
convent at Feltham, Middlesex, founded by Father Ignatius on 24 June 1868. Feltham Priory, or Feltham Nunnery, was dedicated to Saints Mary
and Scholastica
(twin sister of St Benedict
).
The community spent 5 years in Feltham before moving to Twickenham, West Malling
and Milford Haven before settling in Talacre
, North Wales
in 1920, having been received into the Roman Catholic Church
in 1913. In 1921, the nuns were accepted as members of the English Benedictine Congregation
, thus inheriting a venerable tradition and a more deeply-rooted Catholic identity. The changes heralded by Vatican II
led to an increasing simplification in the style of monastic life. The present Community is responding to the call for renewal within the Church, and finding an authentic role in society today.
In July 1988 the community of nuns moved to a much smaller property in Curzon Park
, Chester
, where they also have a small retreat house. The main Abbey building is a converted late 19th Century mansion
constructed mainly of red brick. A chapel
was built on the Curzon Park Abbey site in 1997.
English Benedictine Congregation
The English Benedictine Congregation comprises autonomous Roman Catholic Benedictine communities of monks and nuns and is technically the oldest of the 21 congregations that are affiliated in the Benedictine Confederation....
.
History
It began as an Anglican BenedictineOrder 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...
convent at Feltham, Middlesex, founded by Father Ignatius on 24 June 1868. Feltham Priory, or Feltham Nunnery, was dedicated to Saints Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
and Scholastica
Scholastica
Scholastica is a saint of the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. Born in Italy, she was the twin sister of St. Benedict of Nursia....
(twin sister of St Benedict
Benedict of Nursia
Saint Benedict of Nursia is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students.Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at Subiaco, about to the east of Rome, before moving to Monte Cassino in the mountains of southern Italy. There is no...
).
The community spent 5 years in Feltham before moving to Twickenham, West Malling
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...
and Milford Haven before settling in Talacre
Talacre
Talacre is a village in Flintshire on the North Wales coast with large holiday caravan parks adjacent. It is near Point of Ayr on the west side of the River Dee estuary and has a sandy beach with dunes. The hills of the Clwydian Range behind the village form the eastern boundary of the Vale of Clwyd...
, 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...
in 1920, having been received into the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in 1913. In 1921, the nuns were accepted as members of the English Benedictine Congregation
English Benedictine Congregation
The English Benedictine Congregation comprises autonomous Roman Catholic Benedictine communities of monks and nuns and is technically the oldest of the 21 congregations that are affiliated in the Benedictine Confederation....
, thus inheriting a venerable tradition and a more deeply-rooted Catholic identity. The changes heralded by Vatican II
led to an increasing simplification in the style of monastic life. The present Community is responding to the call for renewal within the Church, and finding an authentic role in society today.
In July 1988 the community of nuns moved to a much smaller property in 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...
, where they also have a small retreat house. The main Abbey building is a converted late 19th Century mansion
Mansion
A mansion is a very large dwelling house. U.S. real estate brokers define a mansion as a dwelling of over . A traditional European mansion was defined as a house which contained a ballroom and tens of bedrooms...
constructed mainly of red brick. A chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
was built on the Curzon Park Abbey site in 1997.
Services
- Morning: daily 7.00 am
- Conventual Mass: Sunday 11.15 am, weekdays 8.00 am
- Midday: daily at noon
- Vespers: daily 5.30 pm
- Compline: daily 7.30 pm