Monday, 17 May 2021

Farnborough's Lost Vocations 1987 - Present

If The Lord Does Not Build The House.....

 


 
 

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns
Upon my liar's chair
Full of broken thoughts
I cannot repair
Beneath the stains of time
The feelings disappear
You are someone else
I am still right here

What have I become
My sweetest friend
Everyone I know goes away
In the end
And you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you hurt.

 https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/johnnycash/hurt.html

 

Erstwhile Brethren

 

Anscar Nielsen (Anscar) R.I.P.

David Higham (Placid / David) R.I.P. 

Mario Sanderson (Mario) R.I.P.

Robin Gibbons (Robert)

Leander Hogg (Leander) R.I.P.

David Southwell (Andrew)

Richard Hardy (Richard)

Michael Fava (Michael) 

David Cotter (Aidan)

Stephen Guest (Stephen 1987)

Alun Jones (Alun 1988)

Thomas Wood  (Thomas 1987)

Matthew Newton (Matthew 1988) 

William Dickie (Nicholas 1988) R.I.P.

John Berry (Raphael - 1994)

 Grant Ciccone (Sebastian - 1994)

Paul Cassidy (Daniel- 1994)
 
 Andrew McNeil (Andrew)

David Powell (David 2001)
 
 Jeffrey Steele (Jeffrey)

Alcuin Reid (Alcuin)
 
William Charlton (Aidan)

Tom Chambers (Maximilian)
 
  Dunstan Snape (Dunstan)
 
Raphael Foshay (Raphael)
    
Ryan Lister (Ephraem)
   
Matthew Jackson (Alban)
  
Aldo Tapparo (Anselm)
  
Joseph White (Joseph)
  
Stephen (Stephen)

Yannick (Yannick)
 
 Jean-François (Jean -François)
 
 Norbert (Norbert)
 
Eamon (Eamon)
 
Cailein (Cailein)
 
Donal (Donal)

Stephen Conway (Ambrose 2007)

 Liam Carpenter (Anselm)
 
Mark (Mark 2018)
 
Michal Skovajsa (Gorazd 2018)
 
Denes Takacs (Stephen 2018)

Francisco Razzari (Isidore 2018)

Baron Tivi (Ambrose 2018)

Charles Dillow (Charles 2020)

                                   

 

Aspirants

Victor L 

Simon H

 Craig D

 Richard F

Niall McCormack

 

We are trying to build a clearer picture of just how many people have joined and left the community since David Cuthbert Brogan / Abbot Cuthbert was a postulant.

 

Please get in touch to have your details included / amended above.







7 comments:

  1. Even allowing for a certain drop out rate there could have been a community of 20+ now. I think there are more: I did hear of three leaving either together or close to each other at the end of the nineties or beginning of the noughties.
    Certainly among other reasons one of my companions in the noviciate left because he got tired of being referred to (even to his face) as 'the dago', and the two of us collectively being addressed as 'children'. In fact Cuthbert used to make the revealing comment that he wouldn't be happy until Farnborough was a community of one.

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  2. I know Niall McCormack, but I did not know that he was once a member of Farnborough.

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    Replies
    1. Niall is in the list marked "Aspirant" or as a person is sometimes informally referred "A Nibbler!" His encounter with Brogan dissuaded him from joining Farnborough.

      Delete
  3. What? I am surprised with the sudden drop-out of their vocation. What then will be the future of this abbey. It will someday be deserted.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5nn-2FX3g0&pp=ygURZmFybmJvcm91Z2ggYWJiZXk%3D

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zcqUuRf3Ws

    Lots of vocations from these times.

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    Replies
    1. Sorry to say but better it be deserted and suppressed, if it cannot be credibly renewed, than it cause any more "Little Ones To Stumble." (Ref: Lk 17 v2)

      Delete
  4. Typing here is a Filipino man, and having read the list, I found out that one was a former member of that Abbey by the name of Baron Tivi. It is saddening to me because the Philippines make lots of vocations and in fact we are sending missionaries to Africa, some islands in Oceania, and even the U.S. And Mr. Tivi is labelled as "former." In connection with the postings in this blog, it seems that there is a problem with the present abbot. And the problem is the abbot himself. I cannot imagine how that abbot manage the abbey making others leave. We will also be hurt if Mr. Tivi was abused by the abbot. And if I may suggest to Mr. Tivi, it is better for him to just choose the Benedictines here in the Philippines. In fact, there are 4 Benedictine abbeys/monasteries here (2 from Subiaco-Cassinese, 1 from Sylvestrine, and 1 from St. Otillien).

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    Replies
    1. Greetings to the friendliest nation on earth, the wonderful filipino people!
      Your encouragement that Baron Tivi, in pursuing a Benedictine Vocation, might have been better advised to look at Monasteries in The Phillipines is shared by many of us who have been negatively affected by the regime at Farnborough Abbey. Those who have been groomed and abused can for a time be very protective of the institution and person (s) involved. Attempts to befriend Baron have led us to be concerned that he may not always have been truthful with us or those of us he is talking to (He blocked me on facebook) though what degree his actions can be seen as freely motivated is questionable. The more cynical might say he used Farnborough as a means of getting to the West. Last we heard he was studying business in Germany. However recently we discovered his name still listed in a Catholic directory and also comments by the Abbot on facebook might indicate his official inclusion, given the inflated number mentioned, because unless dispensed he remains for now a Simply Professed (1st / Temporary vows) monk of F'bro. We can only wait and see if he returns to Farnborough and in time makes Solemn Profession or if his vows lapse. I hope like you suggest, that should he feel he still has a Vocation, that he return to The Philippines to pursue that or live as a layman wherever he may. He needs and should have our prayers because whatever the virtues or otherwise of Baron's actions far more blame lies with the Church / Benedictine Hierarchy, firstly Abbot Brogan and then everyone with knowledge of and ability to prevent Abbot Brogan preying on the vulnerable. https://catholicdirectory.org/catholic-information.asp?ID=75871
      https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10159049478581631&set=a.10150369325046631

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