Sharing the common life

We all work together in the running of this fairly busy place, sharing the practical tasks needing to be done. Individual brethren hold particular responsibilities in areas such as maintenance, the grounds, meals, finance, worship, guests, care of the sick and elderly, music, the library, the College, the Mirfield Centre, the Fraternity of the Resurrection, novice training.

Guests

A major work is the receiving of guests and visitors. Individuals come regularly to talk with a brother, others to spend a day or two in this very different environment, individuals and groups come on retreat, sharing in our worship and meals. Many others take advantage of teaching and courses we offer.

Sharing the fruits of our worship

Brothers often go elsewhere, in this country and sometimes abroad, to preach and teach, to help lead missions or retreats. The Community has continually engaged in the public arena: an outstanding example of that was our part in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Today the Mirfield Centre runs day events and courses concerned with Christian education and the interface between Church and society. One significant area at the moment is developing adult Christian lay education on an ecumenical basis. Another is inter-faith work in the locality.

Some of the brethren teach at the College of the Resurrection, and some are involved in its daily running. For over 100 years the College has offered ordinands a rare opportunity to discover how monastic life can help understand what it is to be a parish priest today.

There is a significant international and ecumenical dimension to the Community’s work. Our long involvement in Southern Africa is now evolving into new forms; we also have strong links with the Romanian Orthodox Church which frequently sends priest, monks and students to Mirfield (and also maintains a parish based in our Community church); we have many connections with religious communities in Europe and other parts of the world, especially through our covenant relationship with the Abbey of St Matthias in Trier, Germany.