Ealing Abbey

Ealing Abbey is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastic foundation in West London, England, and part of the English Benedictine Congregation.

History

The monastery at Ealing was founded in 1897 from Downside Abbey, originally as a parish in the Archdiocese of Westminster. It was canonically erected as a dependent priory in 1916 and raised again to the rank of independent conventual priory in 1947. Finally, in 1955 it was elevated to the status of an Abbey by Pope Pius XII.

Apostolate

Parish

One of the main apostolates of the Abbey is running a major parish in Ealing centred on the Abbey Church of Saint Benedict where both the parish and monastic liturgies take place. The Abbey is home to the Ealing Abbey Choir of boys' and men's voices, which sings at the Sunday Conventual Mass and appeared in the BBC television programme Songs of Praise in 2005.

School

A major work of the Abbey is running St Benedict's School, founded as Ealing Priory School in 1902 by Dom Sebastian Cave. This is an independent day school for boys and, since 2007, girls at both the junior and senior levels. There is also a small co-educational nursery. Since 1987 the Abbey has engaged a lay headmaster for the Senior school having previously provided the headmaster from foundation.

Benedictine Study and Arts Centre

The monks of Ealing also run the Benedictine Study and Arts Centre, which was originally suggested in 1986 by Abbot Francis Rossiter and opened in 1992 by Abbot Laurence Soper. The...
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