The Dom Aelred Carlyle Ordinariate Chapter
of Pluscarden Oblates

Who was Dom Aelred Carlyle

Aelred Carlyle established an Anglican Benedictine on Caldey Island, South Wales in 1906. When the community came into conflict with the Bishop of Oxford in 1913 over conformity to Anglican practices, Carlyle and most of his monks were received together into the Catholic Church.

The Benedictine Community at Pluscarden Abbey near Elgin in Moray are the successors of the Caldey Island community. Members of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham followed a similar path when Pope Benedict XVI established the Ordinariate in 2011.

What is the idea behind the idea of
The Dom Aelred Carlyle Chapter?

The Dom Aelred Carlyle Chapter of Pluscarden Oblates, part of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham in Scotland was to be open to Christians of all denominations. The intention was to offer oblates who value the Anglican patrimony a way incorporated into the Catholic Church, the opportunity for formation according to the Rule of St Benedict. The chapter offers oblates the opportunity of deepening their understanding and the lived experience of the Benedictine roots of the Anglican Patrimony.

The Chapter had the full support and encouragement of Dom Anselm Atkinson OSB, Abbot of Pluscarden, and Monsignor Keith Newton PA, who was then Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

What happened?

The Dom Aelred Carlyle Chapter was launched in April 2023 and met each month for a time but by June 2014 it became obvious that there was little demain for such a Chapter and the decision was made to close the Chapter.

The Future

We continue as an Ordinariate group in Scotland to pursue our links with Pluscarden and Caldey Abbeys and would encourage those who wish to follow the oblate path to do this directly with Pluscarden Abbey. For Pluscarden Abbey, please contact Fr Martin Birrell OSB - oblatemaster@pluscardenabbey.org and for the Ordinariate in Scotland please contact Fr Len Black - fr.len@ordinariate.scot or visit www.ordinariate.scot.