New chapter in the hospitality of Ampleforth Abbey

Cardinal blesses entrance to Alban Roe House

A new chapter was opened in the hospitality apostolate of Ampleforth Abbey on 19 March, when Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, travelled to the Benedictine monastery in North Yorkshire, to bless Alban Roe House, a retreat and visitor centre which has been extensively refurbished with the help of a generous donation. The building brings together residential accommodation, a Tea Room, Shop and Visitor Centre, all of which opened to the general public today.

The blessing on the Solemnity of Saint Joseph was preceded by the celebration of Mass in the Abbey church, attended by more than 100 invited guests including employees and volunteers, contractors who had worked on the refurbishment project, representatives from local parishes, and staff and students of Ampleforth College. More than 800 people also followed the Mass on live stream. Cardinal Nichols presided and celebrants included the Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey, Abbot Robert Igo OSB, Bishop Patrick Drainey of Middlesbrough, Bishop John Arnold of Salford, and members of the monastic community.

In his homily, Cardinal Nichols recalled bringing a group of sixth-form students from Wigan to Ampleforth in 1973. "For the youngsters", he said, "it was an eye-opener. Some had never been away from Wigan, never experienced the pitch black of night without street lights, never sensed the spirit of prayer of the monastic Divine Office. Nor, more importantly, had some ever experienced the unconditional welcome they received from this community".

Referring to the qualities of Saint Joseph, the Cardinal referred to the special protection he gave to Mary and Jesus. "So too, here at Ampleforth," the Cardinal continued, "there is great care now exercised for the protection of the young and vulnerable. May I suggest that this Feast Day is such a suitable moment for the blessing of this new House, in which visitors will learn about the God-given dignity of their lives; in which they will grow in the deep spirit of listening for the prompting of God in their lives and the willingness to follow God's call; and in which they will be welcomed into a safe and life-enhancing environment. May St Joseph always give his blessing and protection to this new venture."

After the Mass, people made their way to Alban Roe House, a short walk from the monastery and church. There, while the Litany of Saints was sung by the monastic community, the Cardinal, the Abbot and some of the monks blessed rooms on the different floors of the building. Following a buffet lunch served in the Tea Room, guests were invited to tour the refurbished building.

The history of the building dates back more than 100 years. The first headmaster of Ampleforth College, Fr Edmund Matthews, appointed in 1903, felt the need for a preparatory school, but, as is recorded in the book Ampleforth & Its Origins: "Catholic preparatory schools in the south tended to dissuade parents from sending their sons to the savage north". Undeterred, the monastic community chose a site for such a school at the west end of the campus and the first sod was cut on the feast of St Laurence, 10 August 1914, six days after the first shots of the Great War were fired, and the work was eventually completed in summer 1916. For more than 70 years the building served as a preparatory school for Ampleforth College. In 1993, following the re-location of the prep school, the building was renamed Alban Roe House and became a centre for youth groups and others visiting Ampleforth, particularly groups from other schools using the old dormitory accommodation. Leading retreats for school groups from across the North of England provided a new focus in ministry and over the last 20 years the monastic community has welcomed to Alban Roe House thousands of young people from Catholic schools, enabling them to discover and experience something of the monastic life.

In October 2020, Ampleforth Abbey Trust received a significant, generous donation to develop the Ampleforth Retreat Centre project and enable Ampleforth Abbey to become a vibrant centre for retreats and for Christian life and formation in the north of England and beyond. The donation expressly desired to see the expansion of the hospitality apostolate to young people and to those who may not be able to afford such experiences as Ampleforth is able to offer.

Work on the refurbishment of Alban Roe House began in October 2021 and was completed in February 2024. The accommodation has been modernised with seven dormitories for school groups and ensuite rooms for group leaders and retreat guests. There are also recreation and activity spaces, and larger spaces suitable for exhibitions, conferences, training, and corporate / community events.

At its east end, Alban Roe House also includes a Visitor Centre, Tea Room and Shop. The refurbished visitor experience consists of four main interpretation rooms providing an engaging and interactive experience themed around Ampleforth's history and the monastic life. Refreshments will also be available in the Tea Room, open seven days a week from 10am - 5pm, and gifts, including Ampleforth produce and goods, spiritual books and devotional items, can be purchased in the small retail outlet located in the Shop within the Tea Room and Visitor Centre.

In his introduction to the blessing of Alban Roe, the Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey explained that when the event was first being planned the Trust's Executive had approached him to ask if, among his contacts, he knew of anyone "big" who could perform the ceremony. "That was a great lesson in humility", he said. What a wonderful coincidence that the blessing occurred just over 50 years after a young Fr Nichols brought those sixth-form students from Wigan to experience the prayer and welcome of the monastic community. Cardinal Nichols said in his homily: "I pray that the flow of youngsters to this new centre will become a flood, enabling many, many people to share the experience of my small group all those years ago. In these days we speak much about a Church of deeper communion and mission. Alban Roe House is surely a fine expression of these aspirations being put into practice."

If you would like further information about hospitality and retreats at Ampleforth Abbey please visit the website www.ampleforthabbey.org.uk/ or contact retreats@ampleforthabbey.org.uk / 01439 766089