About the dream

About the dream

Christian men and women, and missionary monks and nuns have throughout the centuries been filled with hope and the desire to make a difference to the lives of those among whom they live and so to make a better world.

Many Christians arrived and settled the green land of England in the first half millennium after Jesus Christ. The first Christians probably arrived with the Roman armies and the first monks came from Ireland and Rome.

They didn’t share the religions of the original inhabitants of the island. Christ helped these new arrivals live and proclaim their ancient yet different faith in the God of Israel and in the Word made Flesh, Jesus Christ – these early English Christian monks and nuns wanted to make the world a better place.

We too – can live like them today, in ways appropriate to our time and culture –
we too – can make a difference!

Simon Sinek: “How great leaders inspire action”  buff.ly/1fdNx34 

Today, as their respond to new social and community realities, the monks of Ealing Abbey want to make a difference to the lives of those among whom they live. They are considering ways in which they can give the fruits of the Benedictine tradition of life and prayer to those among whom they live in Ealing.

We could dedicate a space where people can
meet and learn from one another,
meet and learn from different cultures and faith perspectives,
explore different spiritual traditions,
to safely learn from our human experience and
to live the eternal values embodied in the lives and communities of our monastic forebears. That would indeed challenge the status quo and make a difference. The whole world would be a better place.

Fr Abbot Martin Shipperlee has suggested to the monastic community that it develop and pilot a course in human development and spiritual leadership (as many monasteries do) for the benefit of the monastic community’s own well-being. The course would later be offered collaboratively in one of the monastery properties for the public with the community hosting the course. This will involve teaching, hospitality, workshops, work placements.

During 2014 this experimental website will be dedicated to a presenting 1. The process of our discovering and deciding. 2. what we intend foster in ‘The Space’. 3. We want to invite others to gather in a safe space in order to learn from one another.

live for today – trust for more – love for ever                                   

We hope to offer programmes of study: we need faculty and accreditation
We hope to offer residential experience: we need finance and supervision

This page is in development

© Ealing Abbey, copyright 10 March 2014