Submitted by Val Hiscock on
On the afternoon of the 9th March 2019 eleven members of the Order and the Companionate of Merit travelled to the ancient Priory Church of St Mary’s Abergavenny for a Lenten Retreat. Our hosts were the Revd Canon Mark Soady, Vicar of St Mary’s and Area Dean of Abergavenny, and the Revd Thomas Bates SSC, Curate of St Mary’s.
The resident Historian of the Priory, Sir Trefor Thomas CBE, QPM, former Chief Constable of Hertfordshire and former HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, gave us a fascinating and most interesting tour of the Priory. His many humorous asides were greatly appreciated by those present. The tour concluded with afternoon tea in the Priory refectory.
Our joint Commandery Chaplain, the Revd Canon Brendan Clover SChLJ, MMLJ, led the Lenten meditation. This was a thoughtful reflection, in nine parts, on Horatius Bonar’s hymn ‘I heard the voice of Jesus say, Come unto me, and rest; Lay down, thou weary one, lay down thy head upon my breast’. All those present greatly appreciated the Canon’s address.
The afternoon concluded with the Vicar and Curate, assisted by the girl’s section of the Priory Choir, singing Evening Prayer in quire.