Page 5 - LOTN Issue 45

DIOCESE
Fr Martin Birrell celebrates

25 years of monastic vows at

Pluscarden Abbey

n the feast of the Assumption, Fr. Martin Birrell being ordained for the
celebrated 25 years of monastic vows at Pluscarden Diocese of Aberdeen at
OAbbey, in the presence of a somewhat restricted St. Mary's, Inverness, in
congregation, which nonetheless included his brothers March 1979.
Timothy and Peter, and his monastic brothers and some He was assigned
friends. for a while as curate to the Cathedral, under Canon Charles
Fr. Martin was long drawn to monastic life, and before that, McGregor, then, back to Inverness, under Canon Duncan
perhaps, to the Church. He consulted the late Fr. Maurus Stone, who left a lasting influence.
who suggested a spell of missionary activity in Africa, whither As Parish Priest in Dingwall, he established St. Martin's
the then James Birrell set off, and there became a Catholic church in Ullapool, and later was parish priest of Our Lady of
Christian. Aberdeen at Kincorth, in Aberdeen. In all these places he left his
He wanted to be a monk, so came to Pluscarden, but kept mark and inspired love and devotion. But his heart never ceased
to hanker for monastic life, so eventually Bishop Mario agreed
that once he'd served the diocese fifteen years, he might return
to Pluscarden, like the Patriarch working seven years for each of
his spouses...!
Returning to Pluscarden he received a monastic name –
Martin – and although already a priest, began his novitiate. In
the Abbey over the years he has fulfilled many roles, besides
the central task of praising God in choir. Currently his chief
task is caring for the monastery's Oblates, spiritual associates
throughout the world. He is also responsible for maintaining
the Pluscarden Calendar of Everlasting Remembrance, keeping
it up to date with the names of the living and the dead inscribed
in it for the prayers of the monks. This is besides his work as
Stipendiary, responsible for Mass-offerings and, if this were not
enough, he also takes his turn in the kitchen, demonstrating
Fr Martin with brothers Timothy and Peter originality and energy in the dishes he cooks up, and sharing in
all the other humdrum activities of the monk.
hearing "the beat of a different drum", and so eventually left
and went to seminary at Drygrange, where he studied, before Fr. Giles Conacher

Boring preliminaries promise a rocky start

n essential preliminary to work starting
on the building of the new South Range
Aat Pluscarden Abbey is an investigation
of the geology, so that engineers can draw up
a specification for the necessary foundations.
Here we see the work in progress.
You will be pleased to know that the subsoil is
made up of many small granite boulders, difficult
to drill through, but ideal as a foundation for
building.
The South Range will house new
accommodation for women retreatants and space
for a unified Abbey library.

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