A Day of Joy on the Solemnity of the Assumption

On Friday, 15 August, the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our community of St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn, rejoiced in the blessing of our new Abbess, Mother Fiachra Nutty. It was a day radiant with grace, marked by the beauty of the liturgy, the joy of our sisters, and the presence of so many visiting monastics, friends, family members, and guests who joined us in thanksgiving.

The feast of the Assumption, patronal solemnity of the Cistercian Order, was a most fitting day for this celebration. As Mary is taken up into the glory of heaven, she stands before us as a sign of hope and a model of faithful discipleship. Her ‘yes’ to God is the pattern for every monastic life: a life of obedience, humility, and joyful surrender to the will of Christ. In the same spirit, the new Abbess is called to embody Mary’s faith and courage as she leads her sisters along the path of the Gospel.

The Rite of the Blessing of an Abbess, celebrated within the Mass, highlighted the depth of this calling. The Bishop, invoking the tradition of St Benedict, reminded Mother Fiachra that her first duty is to be a wise and loving shepherd, “teaching more by example than by word” and guiding her sisters “in the school of the Lord’s service.” She received the Rule of St Benedict, the ancient guide for monastic life, as a sign of her responsibility to lead not by authority alone but by humility, and she received a ring, as a mark of fidelity.

The liturgy was marked by profound moments: the prayer of blessing, the presentation of the Rule, and the Litany of the Saints. This Rite of Blessing speaks eloquently of the communion we share as one body in Christ, a communion made visible in our daily life of prayer and work at Glencairn.

St Benedict’s words in the Holy Rule capture the heart of this day:
“Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ, and may He bring us all together to everlasting life.” (RB 72)

We give thanks to God for the gift of this day, for the joy of the Assumption, and for the blessing of our new Abbess. May Our Lady, Queen and Mother of Cîteaux, intercede for Mother Fiachra and for our community, that we may continue to walk together in faith, hope, and love, until we too share in the glory promised to all who follow Christ.