Monks at Quarr Abbey

Each Benedictine monastery has its own site and history, culture and traditions, which constitute its special identity.

We are Benedictine monks

We are disciples of St Benedict. We let our lives be shaped by his Rule and his paternal wisdom.

We belong to the Solesmes Congregation

Among the 19 congregations which are part of the Benedictine Order in the world, the Solesmes Congregation (founded 1837 at the Abbey of Solesmes, in France) is characterised by:

  • a stress on a dignified celebration of the divine liturgy, with the use of Gregorian Chant and Latin;
  • a contemplative orientation: the monks have no pastoral works such as parishes or schools or missions, but their lives are dedicated to the praise of God in divine worship accompanied by a contemplative seeking for God through personal prayer, reading of the Word of God (lectio divina), exploring the theological and mystical traditions of the Catholic Church, daily manual work in the enclosure of the monastery, and hospitality;
  • a special grace of fidelity to the See of Peter and to the person and the teachings of the Popes.

We are heirs to a long monastic tradition

Old Quarr Abbey was founded in 1132, became a Cistercian monastery in 1147 and was suppressed at the Reformation in 1536. New Quarr Abbey was built in 1907 by the French Benedictine monks of Solesmes who were exiled on the Isle of Wight from 1901 to 1922. The present community, which became independent in 1937, is heir to nearly 900 years of monastic influence at Quarr and more than 1000 years of monastic life at Solesmes.

We acknowledge a twofold mission and charism

We answer a personal call to a life partly secluded from the ordinary activities of the world in order to allow for a contemplative search for God, on the basis of a lifetime commitment. We are open to welcoming young men rooted in their Catholic faith from all over the world who are ready to dedicate their hearts to Christ and to lead a life of missionary presence of praise, intercession and contemplation at the service of the Church and the people of the British Isles.

We offer a generous hospitality to all who are in search of peace and reflection, spirituality and encounter with God. To them, we propose the message of hope and salvation in Jesus Christ as professed by the Roman Catholic Church.