Financing change at a monastery

A MIRFIELD monastery has received the go-ahead to create what is set to be one of Yorkshire’s “most extraordinary new buildings”.

Accommodation at the House of the Resurrection is currently in premises dating from 1911 but these have become unfit for purpose which was threatening the community’s continued presence.

Now, however, the 20 brothers can look forward to new almond-shaped living quarters – a Mandorla – at their site on Stocks Bank Road, based on the shape often used to frame images of Christ in early Christian art.

To help to raise funds for improvements to the existing church, which will continue in use alongside the new buildings, the monastery is to hold an auction of a remarkable collection of artefacts which have been gathered together by leader of the brethren, Father John Gribben.

The sale will take place at the monastery on Saturday, October 22 – conducted by Fr John’s auctioneer brother George – and will include items from signed football boots to antique furniture and an Archbishop’s passport.

Perhaps the star lots will be two tables and six chairs from the 1920s by the famous Yorkshire firm Thompson’s of Kilburn, bearing the carved mouse trademark, which belong to the Community.

Fr John said he could write a book about the many items for sale. He added: “Some of the brethren are quite sad at the loss of the Thompson furniture, but we love the church more.”

Also included in the auction is the passport, initialled handkerchief and some other memorabilia of the late Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, a famous member of the Community of the Resurrection.

Fr John said: “We started with an appeal to our Friends organisation. One elderly priest turned up with two suitcases full of things.

“His father was a priest in World War I. We have his battlefield communion set with chalice and patten. He was still using it in Canada in the 1960s.

“There’s even an unopened packet of army-issue miniature communion wafers, still sealed, and with the royal coat-of-arms on the outside!”

With about 300 lots to catalogue already, and more items still arriving, Fr John and George, of Bloomfield Auctions, Belfast, have a busy few weeks ahead.

There are Chinese coins, stamps, cigarette cards, paintings,and furniture.

The auction will take place at 2pm in the Refectory of the College of the Resurrection. There will be viewing the day before and the morning of the auction.

To register for a full catalogue as soon as it becomes available, e-mail [email protected]