Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2013 | Page 138

ISLAND LIFE

News inside Quarr Abbey
At the beginning of the New Year,
Père Xavier Perrin was appointed to
succeed Father Finbar Kealy as Prior
Administrator when the latter returned
to Douai Abbey in May.
Père Xavier is a monk of the Abbey
of Sainte Anne of Kergonan in
Brittany, which is another house of the
Solesmes Congregation. Père Xavier
arrived at Quarr in April to work
alonside Fr. Finbar for a time before
becoming our new Superior.
Fr. Xavier is in admiration of all that
has been achieved here at Quarr in the
last few years and has been impressed
by the comprehensive nature of the
plans developed under Fr. Finbar. He
now brings to Quarr his own gifts and

Fr. Xavier

experience to guide and share in the
prayers and works of the brethren and
our generous employees and friends.
Fr. Xavier has also welcomed the
arrival of the Friends of Quarr to
the Abbey, whose Chairperson, Dr.
Rebecca Ashton, a retired GP, oversees
fundraising events on behalf of the
Abbey. The Friends were launched
in May at a successful reception
held in the stable courtyard of the
Abbey, which is to become a visitors'
information centre, and will be part
funded by an award to the Abbey
from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The £2,000,000 which the Heritage
Lottery Fund awarded to the Abbey is
138

www.visitislandlife.com

Some of the recently arrived interns at Quarr Abbey

There are many
areas of interest to
see for visitors
for The Two Abbeys Project. Along
with the new visitor’s centre that is to
be built there will be improvements
made on the landscaping, with a
circular walk to allow visitors of all
abilities to be able to appreciate some
of the woodlands and allow for an
alternative access route to the ruins
of the old abbey. Fund raising by the
Friends will help to raise an initial
£200,000 to support the HLF award.
The purpose of the Friends is to
spread the word about Quarr and
support the monastic community's
vision for the future.
There are many potential roles
for those joining the Friends, such
as volunteering in the bookshop or
activities such as gardening, coppicing,
painting and using special expertise
such as IT skills and fundraising.
We have recently welcomed four
interns as part of our internship
programme here at the Abbey. Our
internships give young men aged
18 to 25 the possibility of living

in the monastery for two months,
following a way of life similar to that
of the monks and learning about the
Bened