Fr Eamonn Anselm Magrath, Rest in Peace, 25 January, 2014

Nunraw  1946 ─ 1967

Brentwood Diocese 1967 ─ 2013

R I P

FROM: William ...

Dear Father Donald,

Thank you for sharing with me the funeral of Fr Anselm. As Fr Abbot Mark's homily concludes, with his passing and that of Fr Stephen last February a chapter in the life of Nunraw closes - and, as it does - so too the old Abbey closes: I find that very poignant. It is almost as if Fr Anselm's funeral comes to mark the close of an era... and the event coincides with the memorial of the Cistercian Founders.

I suppose matters will be progressing with the transfer of the old Abbey to the new owner. Such finality, cutting the ties with the past.

It is perhaps during the Night Office most of all that these changes find their meaning, in the quietness and the stability of the daily life of the Community, in which the love of God shines in the darkness.

Thus, in much sadness, and yet with confidence in the eternal Providence of God.

With my love in Our Lord,

William 

Fr. Anselm 1947

FROM: Donald ...

Dear William,

Thank you of the so many interesting Email not yet caught up with.

Today we celebrated the Solemnity of the Citeaux Fathers.

Yesterday we had the unique funeral of the Monk (Nunraw) and Priest (Brentwood Diocese).

Fr. Mark has just sent me the panegyric - thus with the Attachments and maybe the whole story may piece together.

The family shared with us the Album of Pictures in the Refectory later. 

God love.

Donald

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   Monk                                       

     Fr. Eamonn (Anselm) Magrath

     

                                14.05.1918 – 13.12.2013

                                Priest 

  

Funeral Homily of Fr Eamonn Anselm Magrath              25 January, 2014

The Gospel (Luke 12: 35-40) tells us to be ready, to wait patiently for the Lord's coming.  I have never known anyone who has waited so patiently to meet his Master as has Fr Eamonn, our Fr Anselm. 

For the benefit of those who are not familiar with the details, Fr Eamonn died on 13th December.  We were expecting a funeral during the Christmas rush.  Then we were told that there would be a delay as it would take another 4 days for official permission to move his remains from England to Scotland.  Shortly after that the undertaker phoned to say that there was a further problem as Fr Eamonn had fallen in hospital before he died. There would therefore have to be a post-mortem.  With Christmas and the holiday period, weeks went by.  The next news was that his body had not yet been returned after the post-mortem.  It took another week or so before the death certificate and other documents were obtained and the journey north possible. 

I wonder if he would have been allowed some exasperation during that wait.  No doubt it increased his desire to be with God.  

In the beginning of Nunraw's history, Fr Eamonn, who took his middle name (Anselm) as his monastic name, came over with the very first of the founders from our mother house at Roscrea, Ireland.  In the early years at Nunraw he became the first Fr Master of the lay brothers.  As the M. C. he had to organise the liturgy for the main ceremonies at the abbey.  He was nothing if not meticulous, as can be seen in the chronicles he kept of the ongoing events at Nunraw.  

Fr. Anselm, hewing of stone

  There are photographs of him laying the stonework in the building of the new abbey.  There were no end to his talents.  He was a gifted carpenter, making, for example, the first of our choir stalls, to which Brother Antony later added in the same style.  Anselm seemed to be everywhere producing what was required for the growing numbers in the community in its heyday.  

While we were waiting for the return of his remains to Nunraw, the image that kept passing before my eyes was that of a bottle, with its message closed inside, thrown into the sea and left to the whims of the currents.  Now, finally, it has come to shore.  He has been found and ready for the remaining short distance to his final resting place.  

Anselm has been waiting a long time for the Master to come.  In the parable in today's gospel, he has been waiting and ready. The Master, as promised, has come.  He has put on his apron and ready to set him down at table and to serve him.  'Good and faithful servant' just about sums up the situation.  All his contributions to the Nunraw community, all the serving and caring among his parishioners in the diocese of Brentwood, have been recognised and can now be suitably acknowledged by his Lord and Master.       

Fr Master of the lay brothers, on his r. Abbot Camillus

Fr Anselm came with the first group to make the foundation at Nunraw.  Fr Stephen Murphy was, I think, the last of the founders to arrive a couple of years after Anselm.  Stephen died almost a year ago.  So, Anselm was both the first here and the last to go of that founding group.  It is a fitting conclusion to one period in the life of our community.  The lives and deaths of these two holy men, who may not have been martyrs, may yet be the seed from which a new generation of monks come to populate these buildings which has already nourished many monks' lives.  We pray that this wish comes true.  

May he rest in peace.                                                    
 Homily: Abbot Mark. Saturday 25 January 2014

Sr. Mary Anthony Levi R.I.P. Hyning

With sympathy and prayer with the Sisters at Hyning, after the real shock, as no one was expecting the death of Sister Mary Anthony.
In her great spirit, she is now ushering her sisters and brother to the faith in the glory if the eternal Trinity - (in our hearts on Holy Trinity Sunday).

Monastery of Our Lady of Hyning
http://www.bernardine.org/news.html

They say a week is a long time in politics and at the moment we can certainly sympathise with that view at Hyning this week. In the midst of the devastation in Oaklahoma, the shock of the attack in Woolwich, we were shocked by the death of Sr. Mary Anthony. Some of you will know by now that Sr. Mary Anthony died on Wednesday evening at 5:30 p.m. Her funeral will be at 2pm Friday 31st May. She was taken ill suddenly on Thursday evening and died on Wednesday 22nd May. On Monday we were told it would be a question of weeks but by late afternoon on Wed we were told it was very close. So it seems very sudden in the end. She leaves a massive gap in our community and in the wider community of oblates and guests. It's still hard for us to take in but the funeral has been confirmed for 2pm Friday 31st May at Hyning. The reception of the body is at 4:30 pm on Thursday 30th combined with evening prayer. There will be a special Vigils at 8pm focussing on her life. If you can't attend the funeral you are very welcome to attend the other services. It would be really helpful if people can let us know if they are attending so we can know for seating and catering purposes. If you need accommodation (limited places) please contact Sr. Mary Bernard at hyningbookings@yahoo.co.uk.

Sr. Mary Anthony Levi R.I.P.

The community count very much on your prayers at this time. She was very peaceful and full of faith right to the end. Once she realised that the Lord was calling her to Him, she said yes very simply and kept faithful right to the end. As headteacher and Superior at Slough, as a foundress in Africa and as Guest Mistress at Hyning for many years her impact has been immense and it has been a privilege for all of us to hear some of the stories people have been remembering about her. We count very much on your prayers at this time. People are welcome to sedn flowers or to make a donation to our community in the Congo, where Sr. Mary Anthony lived for several years.

You can also find our group on facebook, Bernardine Cistercians. We have 326 members! (4 joined this week so please add more!) Don't forget to join our group if you are on Facebook!

COMMENT: we celebrate Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto (20 Feb).

Dear William,
There are so many memories  and meetings with the late Fr. Stephen.
One centres on the find of the Blessed Jacinta picture.
And today ICN prompted us that

Tomorrow we celebrate: 

Blessed Jacinta and Francisco Marto (20 Feb).

Thank you for the conversation with Fr. Stephen;
"He loved 'best' the story of a young cowherd who had learnt to say those opening words, 'Our Father', a story that is told in the book "My Vocation is Love", Jean Lafrance, on St Therese of Lisieux."
I wondered where the book had disappeared. It did not appear in the shelves on SAINTS. After a couple of days later, there the book in the SPIRITUALITY category in the main Library.
As the coin found in the Gospel, it is all more valued to find "My Vocation Is Love."

Yours ...
Donald

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----- Forwarded Message -----
From: William ...
To: Donald ...
Sent: Monday, 11 February 2013, 18:52
Subject: Today and always

Dear Father Donald,

 ...

 Goodness - what a distressing time it has been for the Community....

The very sad goodbyes to dear Father Stephen will have been made. I stood beside you all at the time of the ceremony - the grave preparation photo providing the exact location. I have beside me a photo of him, and his later letters and his delightful 'scribbles' - which, when placed in order, are found to be truly deep and meaningful. It will be in the refectory in particular that you will all look after his place. ...

Your dream of the young face of Jacinta, identified to you these days later in the prayer card in Fr Stephen's missal quite fascinates me. I believe this to be most remarkable - the vision of the face of an angel. It quite absorbs me....

I recall his great delight in the appearance of Our Lady at Fatima, to which he often made reference. I think it had much to do with his identification to the innocent trusting faith of a child.

He loved 'best' the story of a young cowherd who had learnt to say those opening words, 'Our Father', a story that is told in the book "My Vocation is Love", Jean Lafrance, on St Therese of Lisieux. Fr Stephen wrote in my copy: "Page 123 How we had a good holy laugh over that! Fr Stephen" - the passage he was referring to begins with a question to St Therese: "What are you thinking about?" She replied, "I am meditating on the Our Father. It is so sweet to call God our Father!" The entry adds "... and there were tears in her eyes". And there were in Fr Stephen's. The story of the cowherd follows, and he wept with delight as he read it to me. The story is introduced with a narrative: "This story could be applied to Therese and to all those little ones to whom the mysteries of the kingdom are revealed". 

Your retreat will be underway. I wonder what the theme will be... Fr Farrell arrives with the community rising from a frightful bout of illness, to the funeral of one its members, within the week of the start of Lent. There is much of significance there for a retreat topic, indeed. I hope you will all be able to find refreshment and rest within the context.

Thank you for sharing with me - and for allowing me to share with you - in the sad event of Fr Stephen's death. I remember with such affection the ribbing and teasing between the two 'Stephen's' when they stood beside each other: Br Stephen with his eyes twinkling, Fr Stephen throwing back his head in laughter! Good, good memories.

Thank you Father.

With my love in Our Lord,

William

Stephen (Patrick Joseph) Murphy ocso

FEBRUARY 22 |  0 COMMENTS     PRINT

Cardinal O’Brien joins Cistercians to lay last remaining founder of Nunraw to rest

Cardinal Keith O’Brien joined the Cistercian community at Nunraw Abbey on Monday to pay tribute to the last founding member of the abbey. 

Nunraw Abbey OCSO. February 06, 2013 : Father Stephen (Patrick Joseph) Murphy was Born in 1924 in London, UK. He entered Mount St. Joseph Monastery in 1943, made solemn profession in 1948. Father was in his 89th year and had been in monastic vows for 68 years when the Lord called him.  

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Homily                     Funeral of Fr Stephen         11 Febrary 2013

Today we celebrate the life and death of our Fr Stephen who has been a gentle presence in the Nunraw community for over 60 years.

The members of the community are asked from time to time to write down any wishes they would have about their funerals among other things.  In the space given for the choice of hymns, etc., Fr Stephen wrote, perhaps with his tongue in his cheek, ‘Just silent prayer’.  This reminds me a little of the priest in the early days of the vernacular in the liturgy stemming from Vatican II.  He was not happy about losing his familiar Latin Mass.  His remarks about using English in the liturgy was, ‘Over my dead body!’.  So when it came to his funeral, the presiding priest recalled this and said, ‘So be it!’  To be fair to Fr Stephen, he did say that he was quite happy about whatever the abbot decided to do regarding his own funeral.

Whether we read the scriptures directly or as we pray them in the celebration of the Eucharist or the Divine Office, they are the key to eternal life.  They are also the nourishment that keeps us going till we get there. This seems all very simple, and they are part and partial of what made Fr Stephen the man and the monk that we knew.  But, it is not all as simple as we might think in Stephen’s case.

First of all, we knew he came from Roscrea in County Tipperary in the first years of the foundation here at Nunraw.  He was Irish.  What else, with a name like Patrick Murphy?  In fact this Irishman with the native Irish accent was born in London, albeit of Irish parents.  So he was not the genuine article!  Patrick was sent to Blackrock College for his education and, from there, eventually entered the community and given his new monastic name, Stephen. Within a few short years he joined the other founders at Nunraw.  It is very appropriate that Fr Richard, the abbot of Roscrea, has been able to be with us today for this Mass for this last founder of Nunraw.  As always, we are very pleased to have him with us.

Just last year, on a visit to Roscrea I met Fr Éanna, who was in the novitiate with Fr Stephen.  He told me that Stephen always had a copy of the New Testament in his hand.  I told Fr Éanna that, if that was the case, in his other hand would have been holding one of the books of P G Wodehouse.  In Fr Stephen were balanced the Word of God on the one hand and that fine writer of good English prose, humour and fun on the other.  We all knew that this fine specimen of a monk in our midst had a good sense of humour. 

In the final months, when we were pulling his leg, he would often say, accusingly, but with that familiar twinkle in his eye, ‘It’s no wonder it’s the way I am!’  And just a few days ago, someone remarking on Fr Stephen particular kind of jokes, said that God might already be warning him that if he didn’t restrain himself he might be sent back to Nunraw. 

On the coffin we have placed a copy of the scriptures - the love of his life; the rule of St Benedict – which was the rule of his life, and a priestly stole.  (There wasn’t a sufficiently well bound copy of one of P G Wodehouse’s books to put beside them.)

It may not have been known to many that Fr Stephen had to bear illness for most of his life.  He accepted that and yet managed to do a lot of little jobs that occupied his day.  He would take charge of little but necessary chores in our refectory in preparation for meals and he was the main producer of woollen socks for the community. 

In later years he spent a lot of his time welcoming visitors to the abbey.

In addition to feeding them with his spiritual thoughts, he would sometimes regale them the amusing and funny side of monastic life.  So, in spite of his long-lasting ailments, Fr Stephen gave health and cheer to others in their spiritual needs.  He who had ill health gave strength and help to those who were themselves needing support.  It was not unusual in the past couple of years to have people coming to see him or enquiring how he was keeping.  He had kind of effect on them.

During his declining health, especially over the past few months, the doctors and nurses gave unstinting help to relieve any pain he was experiencing.

On several occasions in the last months, when he was being given a cup of coffee and a biscuit, he would offer his carer the biscuit he had if he thought he didn’t have one himself.  It was the nature of the man.  That came from a long life of hardship and a great deal of suffering.  He could only have put up with that by not thinking too much about it and leaving his pain in God’s hands.  He accepted his bad health with good grace.  No doubt that is why he grew spiritually through it.  One effect of that was that people were drawn to him.

Fr Stephen had a great love of God and would say that all he wanted was to do God’s will.  He was more than ready to go when God called him in the end

As the Gospel says he who believes in the Son of God will be raised up to eternal life.  That is the story that has been lived out in the life of Fr Stephen.

May he now enjoy the new life of God in heaven.

Sancta Maria Abbey Nunraw                            

The Homily - Abbot Mark      

In celebration of Fr. Stephen Murphy OCSO

11 December 1924 - 6th February 2013  

Father
Stephen (Patrick) MURPHY OCSOof this community who died

on Wednesday 6th February 2013
in his 89th year and 
the 68th year of Monastic Profession.

Date of Birth                         11/12/1924

Entered Nunraw                    15/08/1943

Novice                                   19/09/1943

Temporary Profession           23/09/1945

Solemn Profession                 25/09/1948

Ordination                              01/05/1950

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COMMENT: Fr. Stephen RIP "O love that will not let me go"

Cemetery; after so much snow and rain, hope for a dry weekend

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Donald ...
To: Andy ....
Sent: Saturday, 9 February 2013, 10:22
Subject: Re: Fr. Stephen RIP "O love that will not let me go"

Dear Andy,

Today, busy events, we need to produce the Liturgy Booklet for Fr. Stephan.

Also our Annual  Retreat is to begin this evening.
Thank you Andy for the interest in the hymn.

Herewith is the lovely story of George Matheson's, as in Wikipedia;
---------------

One of his hymns, "O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go," has passed into the popular hymnology of the Christian Church. Matheson himself wrote of the composition:

"I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes, and equally sure that it never received at my hands any retouching or correction. I have no natural gift of rhythm. All the other verses I have ever written are manufactured articles; this came like a dayspring from on high." ^[1]

"O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go" was written on the evening of Matheson’s sister’s marriage. Years before, he had been engaged, until his fiancée learned that he was going blind—that there was nothing the doctors could do—and she told him that she could not go through life with a blind man. He went blind while studying for the ministry, and his sister had been the one to care for him through the years, but now she was gone. He was now 40, and his sister’s marriage brought a fresh reminder of his own heartbreak. It was in the midst of this circumstance and intense sadness that the Lord gave Matheson this hymn, which he said was written in five minutes..."

I trust you are advanced in successful convalescence.

God bless.

fr. Donald 

 P.S. Billy and Dick picture preparing the grave. 

Praying to keep dry for the burial. 

---

From: Andy ...
To: Donald ...
Sent: Friday, 8 February 2013, 21:50
Subject: Fr. Stephen RIP

Dear Donald and Nivard

Anne Marie and I were saddened to hear of the death of Fr. Stephen.

May God reward him for his long and dedicated service to his life of prayer.

I was interested in reading the words which you quoted on your blog from the communion  hymn used in the Mass for Fr. Stephen.

“I trace the rainbow through the rain, reminding again that dawn shall tearless be.” What hymn is this from? Is it from "O love that will not let me go".

God bless.

Andy and Anne Marie

 

Luke Harris ocso - d. 12 Dec 2012 Cistercian Pioneer in Cameroon

+ Necrology

DUNCAN BASIL, pen-name of the Cistercian Fr. Luke Harris, formerly ten years in the RAF. 

Illustration; “Joystick” in the thirty real-life incidents.

·        

Mount St Bernard

Thursday, 13 December 2012 11:53

December 12, 2012 : Father Luke Harris was born in 1918 in Birmingham (England). He entered Mount St Bernard in 1948, made his solemn profession in 1953 and was ordained priest in 1955. Father was 94 years old, had been in monastic vows for 62 years and 57 years a priest when the Lord called him. 

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----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Jude Tah ....
To: Nivard ...
Sent: Tuesday, 25 December 2012, 7:18
Subject: Happy Xmas 

Dear Nivard

                  It was great to hear from you.  I was just thinking of sending you one. God to know you are keeping well with Donald, the Lord is certainly good to him. At this end we are all up and about except the Abbot and the Prior are under the weather with colds.

 Were you able to show up at Luke's funeral? We had a funeral mass for here for him the say day he was laid rest at MSB and a handful of people turned up from Njindom despite the short notice on "Radio Evangelium", a radio network in the Ecclesiastical province of Bamenda, that is Buea , Bamenda, Kumbo and Mamfe.  

Have a lovely day.  

(Dom) Jude Tah ocso        

Bamenda Abbey, Cameroon

 

Archive: The Catholic Heralld

PAGE 10, 3RD JANUARY 1964

. ENGLISH MONKS PIONEER IN AFRICA

FOUR Cistercians who left

Mt. St. Bernard Abbey, Coalville, Leicester, three months ago, to start a new foundation at Mbengwi, West Cameroun, are preparing accommodation for nine more monks expected in March.

The pioneer group– Fr. Luke Harris and three Brothers – is at present living in temporary quarters at Mbengwi, where they have been given 288 acres of land for development. Fr. Harris is installing electricity and supervising the Brothers in the task of getting farmland under cultivation and starting the actual building work. It is planned to build a complete monastery. 'maintained chiefly by poultry and pig farming. The new arrivals in March will include a Brother from Uganda, a novice with three priests from Nigeria, and three English priests.

A novitiate for Africans will be opened in the summer. This is the second Cistercian foundation in the Federal Republic of Cameroun. The first was started in 1951 at Ohnut. East Cameroun.

When Fr. Luke and his pioneer band arrived at Mbengwi, they received a warm welcome from the chiefs and people. They had covered the last 300 miles of the journey "under their own steam". the three Brothers taking turns oil a farm tractor with trailer containing farm equipment. while Fr. Harris drove a Land Rover and trailer. Progress was often little more than eight miles an hour.

Fr. Luke Harris, his pen name: “Duncan Basil.

Book list published by St. Paul  

1.    Year of Mystery by Basil Duncan (Sep 1995)

2.    The Trinity at Home: A Family Likeness by Duncan Basil (11 Nov 1999)

3.    In a Nutshell by Duncan Basil and Gillian Elias (11 Nov 2000)

4.    Eyes on the Lord: View of a Contemplative by Duncan Basil (11 Nov 1994)

e-Newsletter Janauary 03, 2001 (TLIG News)  

www.tlig.org › English › News

3 Jan 2001 – In this mailing, a poem by Fr. Luke Harris OCSO is copied. Fr Luke is a Cistercian monk from a monastery here in the UK which Vassula has ...

    

The Two Hearts

03 January 2001 19:33

Prayer requests will, from now on, be copied at the end of forum mailings.

In this mailing, a poem by Fr. Luke Harris OCSO is copied. Fr Luke is a Cistercian monk from a monastery here in the UK which Vassula has visited more than once. Thanks to Catherine Keightley for forwarding this item. Catherine prefaced the item with the following: "Father Luke feels the poem might be too obsure for many but he really loves Vassula's writings, ponders them and spreads them far and wide."

I wrestle away with Vassula's books in that I love reading them....... she seems to be stressing especially the Three Persons, the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts and the Holy Spirit. So maybe the title of "True Life in God" can sum it up, thus-wise.

True Life can only be the (Life-giving) Spirit, the Torrent of Living water that flows to us through the blood of the Saviour's wounds and the tears of His Mother's as from a double cascade.....

This I tried to put into a poem but although it got a bit obscure, I

include it here............. The destination of this 'Golden River' is of
course Abba - cf end of the Apoc. "Come to the Father". All of which,
if it makes sense, is compressed into the title "True Life in God".

Here is the poem:

The Two Hearts

Dark the heart's cave
Till earthblind eyes
Adjust and ear
betrays splashing
Hidden Water.
Double a Cascade
High falling, first
>From Maid's
Immaculate heart
Far down, falling, falling
To Mercy's Sacred Pool
Of cool, forgiving Love.

Through speared
Cleft outpoured;
And my heart's cave
River swept, Abba-ward
By wave
of Living Water."

Fr. Luke Harris ocso