From September 2004 we have been running Abbotswick, the Diocesan House of Prayer for Brentwood Diocese. It was a providential gift when Bishop Thomas McMahon asked us to accept this apostolate, as it provided us with the balance needed between prayer and mission to live according to our charism.
This can be seen in our weekday timetable:

07:15 An hour's Eucharistic Adoration

08:20 Morning prayer

09:15 Mass

10:00 Work

13:30 Lunch

14:30 Personal time for Rest and Study

16:45 (Wednesdays and Saturdays) Fiat Rosary is said together

17:00 Evening Prayer followed by an hour's silent prayer in a place of one's choice (room, chapel, garden…)

18:20 Work

19:30 Supper

20:30 'Chill out' time

21:30 Night Prayer

We usually attend Mass in a nearby church but on Thursdays we are lucky to have it 'in house'. Visiting priests will often say Mass for us as well. This and various apostolic activities eg youth meetings, missions, needs of guests mean that the timetable varies occasionally.

Monday is a day off when the House of Prayer is closed. We use the time to rest, visit family and friends, have a community outing or do our monthly desert day. Each of us has an extra day each week to dedicate more time to studies of one sort or another. Apart from an annual 8 day retreat we also have a four day hermit experience twice a year, one in the autumn and one in the spring.

See also :: A word from Bishop Thomas McMahon

Abbotswick in the Summer

Abbotswick in the Winter