The resident Priory Community - From left to right: Fr Martin Gosling (Parish Priest), The Rt Rev Paul MacMahon (Prior) and Fr Ian McLean

The History and Charism of the Order of Prémontré

The Priests and Brothers of the order of Prémontré have over 870 years of experience and tradition behind them. The Canonry of Our Lady of England (Canonry is our word used to describe an independent abbey or priory), is part of an Order that is among the oldest in the Catholic Church. The Order of Prémontré was founded 1121 by Saint Norbert of Xanten (Germany). Saint Norbert, a friend of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, is known both as the Apostle of the Blessed Sacrament and of Peace. Saint Norbert founded his order in the valley of Prémontré about 11 miles south-west of Laon. The site was a desolate wilderness, but the name of Prémontré was soon to become well known and famous throughout Christendom.

This accounts for the various names by which the Order is known: Norbertine Canons after the Order's founder; Premonstratensian after the place where the Order was founded; and the Canons Regular after the legal title given to those religious who celebrate the Divine Office in common and who have adopted the religious life as a means of perfection in their priestly life and ministry.

The Canons of Prémontré came to England in 1143 and, at the Dissolution of the Monasteries in England by Henry VIII, had 33 abbeys and 2 nunneries. The last house, the Abbey of Eggleston, in North Yorkshire closed in 1539.

After an absence of 333 years, the order came back to England. The first foundation was made at Crowle in Lincolnshire in 1872 by Father (later Abbot) Martin Francis Geudens, who came to England from the Abbey of Tongerlo in Belgium.

Norbertines are religious priests who follow the Rule of Saint Augustine and their own Constitutions, and take the three vows of Poverty, Celibacy and life in common under Obedience.

Ministry and Service

Community: Where we work as a team with the support of those who are "of one mind and heart in God". (from the Rule of Saint Augustine)

Liturgy: Our daily life is centred on the celebration of Mass and revolves around our daily Conventual Mass and the Divine Office which, joined to private prayer and meditation. forms the essence of the contemplative aspect of our way of life.

Apostolic Work: Our contemplative religious life is shared with our sisters and brothers, the people of God, in all forms of pastoral work but, in obedience to the Holy Father and under the pastoral guidance of our bishops, we give preference to the more pressing needs of our Church in the modern world. We are, as our Order's motto declares: "Prepared to do any good work". The missionary spirit of Saint Norbert has been a marked feature of our Order since the very beginning in 1121.

The Blessed Sacrament Chapel in the Priory church

Formation Programme

In Our Lady of England Canonry, Storrington, the formation process distinguishes four stages:

• The Postulancy, during which the aspirant gets to know us, our charisms, our work and where we actually work, and we also get to know them. We accept candidates who are of normal intelligence and good health. We judge each application on its merits but, as a rule, only accept candidates who have completed their secondary education and are aged 21-45 years. If the Prelate's Council approve of the aspirants application he will then proceed to the next stage - the Noviciate.

• This begins with the reception of the White Habit of the Order usually around the 8th of  September, the Feast of the Birthday Our Lady. During the one year novitiate (which can be prolonged for another year), the novice is incorporated and integrated into the life of the community. He has formal classes from the Novice Director and learns about religious life by actually living it.

• During the third period, and if judged suitable, the candidate will make a temporary commitment by making vows for three years. He then commences studies for the priesthood at some centre of theological formation. Our non-priest-brother candidates may also pursue a similar course of studies or further training in some trade or profession. This third stage concludes with Solemn Profession for life after which the newly professed Canon passes onto stage four:

• In which he prepares for his future ministry which is presupposed by his act of affiliation and incorporation into the life and apostolic pastoral ministry of his chosen canonry. In consultation with the Prelate and those responsible for his training, he prepares himself for a life of ministry which, for the clerical candidate, finds its completion in ordination as priest.

Shrine statue of Our Lady of England in the Priory church

Norbertine Experience

Almost 900 years have built up a Norbertine tradition. This is based on five main principles:

• The Principle of Common Prayer. This is especially true in our liturgical Prayer of the Church (the Divine Office) and the Eucharist. Saint Norbert is " The Apostle of the Blessed Sacrament", and Norbertines witness to the reality of the presence of Christ among us in prayer and the Mass.

• The principle of self-emptying service. Norbertines are willing to give up personal advantage for the good of the community. We work together and seek to build up not only the Church, the Body of Christ, but also the community with whom we live.

• The principle of collegiality. By this we have a firm commitment to government by consultation to interdependence in decision making.

• The principle of subsidiarity. Decisions which can be made by a local community are done so. Each canonry is independent and lives and works in its own local area under the guidance of its own superior. The work done in Britain, the USA or the Third World is consequently different but all of us are at the service of the Universal Church.

• The principle of complementarity. All Norbertine priests, brothers, sisters and associates work together and share their talents in order to enrich the whole Christian community. All of us, together, share with others the Good News of Jesus Christ.