The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-07-27
Continued from page IL
Galley Conversion
and Abbot Carlyle

! hands and the new owners did not
think the monks fitted into the proper
idea of Professionalism. The landlord S
view differed from that of the Arch
bishop of Canterbury and the land
lords view prevailed.
The monks, now four in num-
! Der, had to hunt for a home again.
But they had had a real experience
of the contemplatiVe life. In the depth
of their distress they were invited to
! Galley Island, where clergyman had
come into possession of an old Bene-
dictine priory. In dead of winter,
! 1901, Father Aelred packed up his
Scant belongings and headed for Cal
dey. They lived at the priory-when
the owner was away. At other times
they mad the choice between some
upper rooms of a twelfth century fla
vor and tents in the open. Neither
conforming to their idea of monastic
life, they accepted an offer from Lord
Halifax of more settled quarters at a
place of his at PainSthOrpe in the
Black Country of Staffordshire. Here
Father Hugh Benson, still an Angli-
can, Of course, used to come to hear
confessions. No doubt his novel, The
Conventionalist," reproduces many Of
his impressions. Here at last, by the
labor of their hands, the monks be-
came almost self-supporting. Here at
last the community developed. Father
Aelred, with the approval of the Arch
bishop of York, who was debarred by
some legal judgments from meeting
the requirement himself, came in 1904
to America and was ordained by the
Anglican Bishop of Fond du Lac. Final
ly, late in 1906, Galley Island was for
sale, and one who had followed the for
tunes Of the monks with interest was
prepared to supply the money to buy it.
The island was bought, the monks re-
turned and for six years all went well.
The life they had sought was theirs.
The community increased in numbers.
They had obtained formal recognition
within their Church.
The Order of Nuns, under whose aus
pieces Abbot Aelred started, had sought
and obtained permission to identify
themselves with the Benedictine Order
of which he had become the head. Alb
bot Carlyle went to Mailing to receive
them. Later on some of them settled
at st. Brides, near by. Generous gifts
were made by donors to meet every
possible requirement. The farm, a
limestone quarry and various indus
tries were developed. The dream of
the young medical student who lis
tened to Father Maturin had come
true. There was q Benedictine mon
astery in the Church Of England after
400 years and it seemed to be -four
fishing both spiritually and materially,
| Abbot Aelred had come to the pleasant
end of the rough road he had taken
alone after his friends of the contra
ternity of Oblates of st. Benedict had
| declined to go with him to the Isle Of
! Dogs. He was followed whittier his
! inspiration led, never losing courage,
never turning aside. He had gratified
his warnings. He had achieved the
| happiness of realized purposes. The
coHtemplative life was his in the full
ness of it's beauty. His trials were
over. So he must have thought. And
then the hardest trial Of all was upon
him like thunderclap. He was to be
! tested as he had not yet been tested,
and he was to follow the Light:
When all this is known, and not
many know it, the Galley conversion,
the circumstances and consequences
of which may be reserved for a later
article, is easier to understand.