The monastery and School have been blessed this month with an extended visit from James Rudge and Francisca Berger, who will complete their mission this weekend. The couple offer the following note on their stay with us. We are grateful for all they have offered to our faith community, continuing a long and fruitful relationship with the Manquehue Apostolic Movement of Santiago, Chile. 

James Rudge and Francisca Berger on campus, January 2022

We have been visiting the Abbey for just under a month and it has been a fantastic experience. We have principally been supporting the lectio divina groups in the school, meeting with the lectio leaders and generally getting to know the students in the school. We have been incredibly taken aback by the kind welcome which we have received from everyone at the Abbey, students and faculty alike. This hospitality has enabled us to participate in many aspects of life here, from student life in the classroom, to attending sports matches, to taking part in pastoral activities and also sharing many moments of prayer with the monastic community. Our days have started with Mass in the Abbey Church, an excellent way to connect with God and be in communion with Him. We have also been attending Midday office and Vespers with the monks, continuing this connection throughout the day. We have also been very lucky to receive talks from members of the monastic community, strengthening our friendships and allowing us to learn from their experience. 

While visiting the lectio groups, we have been struck by the comments of many of the students, who have said that the lectio program in the school is a vital moment of peace in their busy schedules and an opportunity to communicate with God. We have been impressed how the students from most houses meet up regularly each week to share lectio. Their enthusiasm is very strong. When we arrived, we did not quite know what to expect of the school. We have had several friends visit the school previously who always spoke very highly of Portsmouth (and mentioned the cold weather!), but we were still surprised by the openness and commitment of the students to lectio, and the great sense of community present here at the Abbey. From power outages to bomb-cyclones, we have also been present during an eventful month at the school. And although the impact of Covid-19 was regrettable, with some students missing time in school, we were pleased that its impact did not prevent us from experiencing the full spectrum of student life here on campus. We were also able to make the most of some gloriously sunny days to visit the surrounding area, with highlights being trips to Boston and Newport. We also had the pleasure of receiving Daniel Hurtado, a fellow colleague from Santiago, for a brief visit to the school.   

Our experience has been memorable and we return to Chile with many happy memories and new friendships, which we are sure will continue for many years to come. Our hope is that the lectio groups within the school continue to flourish an remain important opportunity for students to encounter Christ in his Word.