Religious Life in the House

Life in the House is underpinned by the Catholic and Benedictine ethos of the school and serves

to support the spiritual, moral and intellectual development of students as set out in the school’s mission statement. The Rule of St Benedict has provided the inspiration for many schools over the centuries and at Ampleforth we aim to share in that same tradition of, ‘establishing a school for the Lord’s Service’. (RSB Pro45) 15

The Rule and the Gospel guide and inform life in the House and key parts of this involvement with the Catholic Benedictine tradition are our daily Morning and Evening Prayer, as well as Mass in-House for different year groups. There is also Sunday Mass in the Abbey, participation in reconciliation services, and the annual House retreat. Our House chaplain, Fr Alexander, is in the House almost every evening and is always available for boys who want to have a chat. He also runs the Philosophy Society where the boys discuss a huge array of topics. Boys can be involved in the religious life of the House either as readers and as Eucharistic ministers in the 6th form. One of the House monitors each year is also the House catechist who, along with Fr Alexander, prepares boys (most often Second years) for confirmation.

Boys are also very welcome to attend any of the monastic offices in the Monks’ Choir in the Abbey church. The Schola Mass is at 8.30 pm on Fridays and Compline is at 8.15 pm every day.

As a House we also support the school’s charity, FACE-FAW, and students are invited to be

involved in other pastoral activities, most notably the Friendship Holiday and the Lourdes Pilgrimage, both at the end of the summer term.

The Arrival of Basil Hume Millennium Cross