When St Benedict wrote his ‘little Rule for beginners’ (RSB 73.8) in the 6th century, he explicitly stated that he wanted to ‘establish a school for the Lord’s service’ (RSB Pro. 45). The rule of St Benedict written some 1,500 years ago, addressed a society in a state of turmoil and change like ours. The Rule’s clarity, common sense and spiritual integrity are a beacon now just as they were then.
Our mission is to share with parents in the spiritual, moral and intellectual formation of their children in a Christian community with which their families may be joined in friendship and prayer for the rest of their lives
‘All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me’. (RSB 53.1)
For Benedict and his monks, the monastery is genuinely a ‘School’ – a place of personal and spiritual growth. For the monk, learning is a life-long process of ongoing formation in the love of God and love of neighbour. It is in this, perhaps, that we as teachers share most fully with our students, since we travel the same road.
Stability is one of the three monastic vows all Benedictine monks profess. Once a monk has joined the Community he has joined for life, and we seek to share this sense of “belonging” with all who come here. Some families entering are making their first contact with Ampleforth while others are already connected; several generations may have been in the same house and taught by the same teachers, married in the Abbey Church or had their children christened by members of the Community. All are to be welcomed as Christ.
Each morning, the Community prays for all those who live and work in our schools. Many students ask prayers for their families and friends, while many past students and their families rely on the prayers of the Community when things go wrong in their lives. Contact with the stable monastic core of the Abbey can act as an anchor in times of both joy and of sorrow. Our mission is to educate the young in the tradition and sacramental life of the Church and to encourage each towards a joyful, free and self-disciplined life of faith and virtue ‘Nothing is to be preferred to the Work of God’ (add reference43.3)
Adolescents often question faith and need to evaluate their commitment to the life of the Church.
The monastic community try to share what they have learned about prayer and the practice of the faith. Every student, whether Catholic or not, is encouraged to form a habit of prayer. All students attend the Sunday High Mass in the Abbey Church each week. All students can attend Monastic Office and the daily Monastic Mass.
Morning and Evening Prayers take place in the Houses each day, in addition to regular, more intimate celebrations of Mass, often in small groups with monk-Housemaster or house Chaplain. There are regular penance services for each House as well as other devotions appropriate to the liturgical year – the Rosary, the Stations of the Cross, etc. and there is an annual House Retreat.
Some participate in other ways by serving in the Abbey, or through their music at the weekly Schola Mass or in the more occasional services sung by the Schola, the Ampleforth Singers and the Girls’ Schola of St Martin’s Ampleforth.
The Christian Theology department offers a full course of teaching throughout the School, allowing each student to come to an informed understanding of faith. We provide a supportive environment in which each student feels free to ask questions and be taken seriously in their search for faith, knowing they are not alone in their quest.
The Monastic Community stands as witness to committed Christian life and prayer that becomes part of an every-day reality for all.
The search to understand and to practise the faith corresponds to our second monastic vow, Conversatio morum. For the monk this means a day-by-day adherence to the pattern of life described in the Gospels and in the Rule. This pattern of discipleship is for all Christians, not just monks, and it is along this path to holiness and happiness that we seek to guide all our students. As Benedict himself writes ‘As we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the paths of God’s commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love’ (RSB Pro. 49). Our mission is to work for excellence in all our endeavours, academic, sporting and cultural. We ask each student to give of their best. We ask much of the gifted and we encourage the weak. Each is taught to appreciate the value of learning and the pursuit of truth ‘The Abbot must arrange everything so that the strong have something to yearn for, and the weak nothing to run from’ (RSB 64.19)
True Community is made not by ‘clones’ but by individuals who choose to share their gifts. This allows each person to flourish and grow in unity. As St Benedict says, ‘the Abbot must know what a difficult and demanding burden he has undertaken … serving a variety of temperaments, coaxing, reproving and encouraging them as appropriate. He must so accommodate and adapt himself to each one’s character and intelligence that … he will rejoice in the increase of a good flock’ (RSB 4.31-32). This is a task for the whole staff – not just the Abbot or the Headmaster.
Benedict continually lays down the challenge of mutual service, care of the sick or the young, and of giving help in trouble. He cares for the weak: Let those who are not strong have help that they may serve without distress’ (RSB 35.3) or ‘additional help should be available when needed, so that they can perform their service without grumbling’ (RSB 53.18).
The Rule helps us with the order of school life by legislating for challenging circumstances, dedicating a whole chapter to the subject of “impossible tasks” (RSB 68). When someone is faced with a ‘burdensome task or something he cannot do’ they should try it, and only if it is really found to be impossible should they ask to be relieved of the burden. In such challenges we seek to support and guide our students, and it is often in these difficulties that we see them grow most quickly.
Above all we want to encourage all to achieve the fullest potential that God has granted them, utilising all their talents to the full benefit of all. The efforts of all our staff are directed to this common goal, that ‘we may do now what will profit us forever’ (RSB Pro.44) Our mission is to help Ampleforth students grow up mature and honourable, inspired by high ideals and capable of leadership so that they may serve others generously, be strong in friendship and loving and loyal towards their families
‘Let the Abbot recognise that his goal must be profit for the monks, not pre-eminence for himself … He should always let mercy triumph over judgement, so that he too may win mercy … He must hate faults but love the brothers … let him strive to be loved rather than feared’ (RSB 64)
This passage outlines clearly the ideals of leadership and community that Benedict sets before us. . These phrases are a challenge to all our staff and also for our students who must learn to shoulder responsibility both in the House and in the School. The basis of all authority within our communities is a shared sense of responsibility for each other, and for our own actions with regard to each other; as Benedict writes: ‘the Abbot must know that anyone undertaking the charge of souls must be ready to account for them’ (RSB 2.37).
Benedict establishes the monastery as a place in which responsibility can be properly shared. In the same way within each House and the School at large, there are a variety of ways in which authority can be shared between staff and students, decisions reached and student initiatives fostered with staff support. Everyone can contribute to building a community that benefits everybody.
Benedict places a very high value on Obedience, the third of the Benedictine monastic vows. This virtue is based on the example of Christ. ‘I have come not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me’ (John 6:38, RSB 5.13) the same Christ who taught his disciples to pray ‘Thy will be done as it is in heaven’. (Matthew 6:10). Benedict is very clear, however, that obedience should be mutual – given not only to those in authority but to all out of respect and love for one another: “Obedience is a blessing to be shown by all, not only to the Abbot but also to one another as brothers’ (RSB 71.1). When a community is based on such mutual respect, mutual tolerance and recognition of the value and giftedness of the others around us, it is truly a Christian Community.
Benedict’s own mission statement is still cherished in both Monastery and College. It is perhaps best, then, to let him have the final word:
“Just as there is a wicked zeal of bitterness which separates from God and leads to Hell, so there is a good zeal which separates from evil and leads to God and everlasting life. This, then, is the good zeal which all must foster with fervent love: They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other (Rom.12:10), supporting with the greatest patience one another’s weaknesses of body or behaviour, and earnestly competing in obedience to one another. No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else. To their fellow monks they show the pure love of brothers; to God, loving fear; to their Abbot, unfeigned and humble love. Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ, and may he bring us all together to everlasting life.” (RSB. Chapter 72) | 
