How a Catholic mass made me a Quaker

Antonia Swinson describes her experience of ‘a different finding’

by Antonia Swinson 25th January 2019

A few months ago, for family reasons, my daughter and I were invited to stay in a Benedictine community as personal guests of the Abbot. It was a singular experience for two non-Catholic females. If we found taking our meals in silence before a plaster figure of Christ bleeding on the cross a bit of a cultural stretch, we were, nevertheless, borne up by the welcome we received, as well as the kindness and integrity of the monks. Listen with ‘the ear of your heart,’’ said Saint Benedict in his famous Rule – surely not so very different from answering that of God in everyone? It was not long before we were asking ourselves whether we could work for a fusion of Benedict and George Fox, given that listening should come before answering.