Mass marks Ampleforth foundation

BY CHRISTINA WHITE
THE PRIESTS and people of the diocese of Middlesbrough gathered at the cathedral church on Wednesday evening for a special Mass to mark the 200th anniversary of the foundation of the Benedictines at Ampleforth College.
The Mass and the supper for the community which preceded it, were organised at the instigation of Bishop John Crowley who has established close links between the monks of Ampleforth and the diocese.
Bishop John Crowley was the first secretary to the late Basil Hume, a former abbot of Ampleforth, when he was appointed to the archdiocese of Westminster. Since his consecration as bishop, he has been instrumental in bringing the community of Ampleforth and the diocese together at three key events: the chrism Mass held on the Tuesday of Holy Week, the pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady at Mount Grace and an annual celebration at Ugthorpe to mark the life of the famous recusant Fr Nicholas Postgate who died in 1679 and is regarded as the great priest figure of the diocese.
Dom AJberic Stacpoole said the anniversary Mass was a very welcome gesture. "It's rather nice really. We live within a diocese and it is good for the diocese to have a religious order present. When Basil died it was John Crowley who gave the main address. He's half a Benedictine really and whenever he does things our abbot goes along and is half a bishop. There are very close ties between the community and the diocese."