The Ampleforth Society joins together for 150th Celebration

Despite the threat of the great storm sweeping across the country, spirits were warm at Ampleforth as generations of Ampleforth Society members gathered in the valley. The participants ranged in age from Fr Mark (O49) and leavers of the 1950s, through to the future generation of Amplefordians with many OAs and parents bringing their young children along to lunch on Saturday. Amongst Parents, Old Amplefordians, families and friends, new friendships were formed, old ones reignited, and we had a great deal of fun. The weekend had a huge impact in the school, including parents and Old Amplefordians supporting 70 current students with mentoring and careers advice, as well as the inspiring lecures from OAs James Honeyborne (B88), James Carty (H95), and Louis Hall (EW14). Generations connected over dinner in the Refectories, the monastic community provided fantastic talks and guidance, there was a wonderful reunion for those connecteed with Manquehue in Chile, and everyone left uplifted by the speeches by Abbot Robert, Lord Stafford - Chair of the Society, and the Headmaster, Jon Mutton. In the midst of the storm the seasoned OAs emerged victorious in the Corbould Cross Country Challenge on Saturday afternoon against the school, many of the OAs would have trained under the watchful eye of Fr Edward, after whom the race was named. 

Mass in the Abbey was packed to the rafters on Sunday, with the Society joining together with the whole school for Mass celebrated by Fr Abbot. The Schola Cantorum were joined by a Society Schola including some of the earliest members of the Schola from the 1970s, through to a leaver from last year, as well as parents and former staff swelling the ranks. The music was glorious and the entrance procession impressive, taking nearly two minutes for everyone to make their way up the aisle of the nave. The storm broke and the sun emerged as we gathered in Main Hall after Mass, with all in high spirits to bid farewell to each other with many shouts of "until next year" echoing around the valley.

It was Ampleforth at its finest, with College, Monastery and Society united in a spirit of fraternity and friendship, standing alongside each other in mutual support as the great institutions look ahead with confidence to the coming years.