by Melinda Heathcote
Michael and I visited the Chemin Neuf Community in Storrington, to meet the members and find out something about their work.
The Chemin Neuf Community was born in 1973 in Lyon, France. Seven young people who were involved in a charismatic prayer group felt called to share some kind of common life together. One of them was a Jesuit priest, Laurent Fabre; another was thinking about becoming a Carmelite. They began as a celibate community but then grew to include married couples.
Fr Laurent was inspired by the text from Acts 2:42 “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship,
A Visit to Chemin Neuf, Storrington
in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” His vision was of a community for lay and ordained, men and women, celibate, single or married who felt called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to share their possessions. All members of the Community also commit to work for the visible unity of the Church.
The Storrington members were very friendly and welcoming, and ready to answer any questions we might have. The married couple, Fr Saba and Samar Al Andary, live in the building. He is a priest of the Maronite tradition which is in full communion with the Catholic Church. The other couple are Felicity and Charles Hadley who live nearby as full members of Chemin Neuf Community. They are Anglican and Charles is a priest.
Just before our visit, the house (which is held on a 50-year lease from the Norbertines) had been full of families and young people for a weekend of prayer and healing. The rooms we saw were the main dining room / sitting room and the library, plus the cloisters which are looking bright and attractive with comfortable chairs and plants and a lovely view of the garden. The house will accommodate up to 25 people staying overnight, or more if they are young people.
Chemin Neuf’s other house is at Sclerder Abbey near Polperro in Cornwall, given by the Carmelites. And the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster entrusted the parish of Cockfosters in north London to the care of the Community.
The community holds a weekly prayer meeting on Tuesday evenings at 7.30pm (excluding July and August) during term times. They also give Quiet Days (December 4th is the next one) and welcome individuals and groups for private retreats. Their principal activity is to give the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius at the Priory and also at their other house in Cornwall near Polperro. Another important mission is their work with couples and their children, a programme of renewal of faith and deeper intimacy called the CANA mission. You can access their programmes at www.chemin-neuf.org.uk
The Community, which is present in over 30 countries world-wide, and is recognised by the Vatican, aims to offer bridges of friendship and reconciliation wherever there are differences of faith, colour, gender, class or ideology. By living together and by sharing the call to live and proclaim the Gospel, they hope to be witnesses to our Lord’s prayer in John 17: “that they may all be one.”
The grounds of the Chemin Neuf Community in Storrington
