Scots' feast

The Benedictine convent of Dumfries marks its centenary in style, writes Felicia Houssein
FOR the Benedictine Nuns of Dumfries, the birthday of Our Lady marked the centenary of the very first Mass to be celebrated in their Priory Church of the Immaculate Conception — but this year with a difference: the Feast was celebrated in their newlyconsecrated Church.
It was in 1880 that Marcia, Lady Herries, a member of the Constable-Maxwell family, was inspired to build a monastery on Corbelly Hill, where in the 16th century the contents of nearby Lincluden Abbey had been burnt at its dissolution. Three years later she invited the Benedictines of the Blessed Sacrament in Arras (France) to introduce Perpetual Adoration, in reparation for the dissolution of so many abbeys in the Border Country, and to pray for Dumfries and the whole of Scotland.
The arrival of the nuns was, however, delayed by Lady Marcia's death, and it was her son who welcomed them in the summer of 1884, almost a year after the first Mass had been celebrated.
Because of the pre-conciliar rules whereby the Church had not been consecrated, no particular celebrations marked its centenary year. So it was with a great sense of history and tremendous thanksgiving that the Solemn Dedication of Dumfries Priory Church took place on Saturday, September 6. Heads of other Benedictine families from more distant parts of Scotland — the Abbots of Pluscarden, Fort Augustus and Nunraw (Cistercian) — together with several clergy of the diocese, gathered with Bishop Maurice Taylor of Galloway for a most movingly beautiful ceremony of Dedication and concelebrated Mass.
In his homily the Bishop said: "To dedicate a building is, of course, to dedicate the people who use the building, because the church building should always be for us a sign of the Church itself, and the Church is made up of people. In a special
way, therefore, this church building is a sign of the Benedictine Sisters here in Dumfries, and the renovated church building is a sign of the renovated Community here in Dumfries — or perhaps one should say the renewed Community . . ."
"A community that uses a church is not to be seen as a group of people who might use a bus or a plane in order to be taken from one place to another, from earth to heaven. You, as a community of Dumfries are more than passengers, more than sheep. Our Lord did not want to exhaust the riches of our relationship with Him: and you know, my sisters, that you are called by God, gifted by God, you are enabled by God to be active in his work of building up the Church ... Let the celebration of the Eucharist that takes place here every day be a daily dedication of yourselves."
In a letter dated September 12, 1881, Lady Herries wrote: "I hope before I die . to see Our Lord (in the Blessed Sacrament) exposed for everyone who comes to adore Him. Do ask for me that we may have Exposition in Dumfries, for those outside as well as inside the Convent. My great desire is to propagate devotion among the people."
Her wish is now being fulfilled. There is daily Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and monthly Night Adoration for the laity. A faithful local congregation is gathering around the sisters, day by day joining them in their Liturgy and Eucharistic Adoration. An upper floor of the Priory has been renovated to provide pleasant accommodation for those seeking a short time of rest, silence and prayer.
Members of all denominations are most welcome to Cridhe na Sithe (pronounced Cree na Shee-a), or Heart of Peace. Enquiries to Mother Simon, OSB, Priory of the Immaculate Conception, 28 Maxwell Street, Dumfries IDG2 7AW, Scotland. (Tel: Dumfries 65509).