The Benedictine Nuns at the Monastery of the Immaculate Conception at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, Ireland, will be extending the celebration of their founder's feast day to more than a week this July.
They will be participating in St. Benedict's Week from July 5-13, offering a variety of presentations and opportunities for prayer to those who visit the estate where the historical Kylemore Abbey attracts thousands of visitors each year.
St. Benedict's Week originated in 2023 with the Lay Community of St. Benedict (https://www.lcsb.uk/st-benedictweek) in the United Kingdom as an annual celebration of St. Benedict of Nursia, whose feast day is celebrated July 11.
The Benedictines at Kylemore will host a presentation July 6 on the Book of Kells by Brother Colmán Ó Clabaigh, OSB, of Glenstal Abbey. The Kylemore monastery has a facsimile copy of the Book of Kells on display in the Great Hall. (The original is housed at Trinity College, Dublin.)
On July 8, Kylemore's abbess, Mother Karol O'Connell, will welcome dozens of students from Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas, to the monastery, and, throughout the week, demonstrate the traditional monastic art of lace making, along with others from the community.
The community is also planning a Pilgrimage of Hope for Creation around the Kylemore estate grounds, highlighting their ongoing eco-spirituality efforts.
On July 12, an Oblate Enquiry Day will take place for those curious about what it means to be a Benedictine Oblate.
Another highlight of St. Benedict's Week will be the release of the updated edition of "A Light to the World" - a book featuring a brief history of the Benedictine Nuns and Kylemore Abbey, excerpts from the Psalms and plenty of photos of the monastery, nuns and grounds.