French community takes over Carmelite monastery

Chemin Neuf, the ecumenical Christian community, has moved in to the former Carmelite monastery at Sclerder Abbey in Cornwall.

The Bishop of Plymouth, Mark O’Toole, celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving for the life of prayer and service of the Carmelite community, and welcomed the new community, which will consist of three members of Chemin Neuf.

Sclerder brings the number of Chemin Neuf establishments in Britain to four: the others are in the former Norbertine abbey in Storrington, in the Catholic parish of Cockfosters in north London, and at the home of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Lambeth Palace, where they were invited earlier this year.

Alan Morley-Fletcher, national leader of Chemin Neuf in the UK, said there were 37 members at present, with two more expected to move from mainland Europe later this year. “Our aims are to reach out and evangelise within the Church and in the wider sense. We’re a modern way of interpreting religious life – it’s about a serious dedication of each member’s life to community, but unlike traditional orders we accept married couples and single people alongside people who have taken vows of celibacy, and priests,” he said.
Chemin Neuf was founded in 1973 in Lyon, France. It has more than 2,000 members in more than 30 countries and has had a presence in the UK since 1993.