User:BSAC (Ealing Abbey)

BSAC (Ealing Abbey) Catholic Benedictine.

Overton House
This red-brick neo-gothic house in the leafy London suburb of Ealing is now the home of the BSAC, the Benedictine Study and Arts Centre. The house was built by John George Bartholomew, grandson of the founder of the famous nineteenth century firm of mapmakers, who lived first in Edinburgh and later in London. The typically Victorian house contains nineteenth-century stained glass, floor tiles, and carved wood features. The monks of Ealing Abbey have dedicated Overton House as a base for the BSAC, which was opened in 1992 by Abbot Lawrence Soper. This centre, based in the grounds of Ealing Abbey at 74 Castlebar Road, Ealing, W5 2DD, provides adult education and formation in Christian spirituality, theology, languages and liturgy, with officially validated courses.

Postal and other addresses
Postal address:  Overton House, 74 Castlebar Road, Ealing, London W5 2DD

Web address:     www.bsac.ac.uk

History
BSAC began as the inspiration of Abbot Francis Rossiter OSB in 1986. Abbot Francis had been approached by some members of the monastic community about the need to encourage adult learning and spirituality for members of parish, school and the then existing Meditation Centre. As a result of this initiative various monks were sent to study Theology at Heythrop College with the aim of teaching courses in a future Study Centre. The abbot's plan also caught the imaginations of Br Placid Hazelton-Swales OSB and Br James Leachman OSB who were then junior monks in temporary vows. They, as well as others, went to study at Heythrop College and at Oxford. Br Placid gained a first class degree in Theology at Heythrop College and Br James studied first for an MTh in Pastoral Theology at Heythrop and then a License and Doctorate in Sacred Liturgy at the Pontifical Institute of Liturgy at the Benedictine Athenaeneum of Sant'Anselmo in Rome.

The Present
The Benedictine Study & Arts Centre is based on the twin monastic emphasis of hospitality and community life. Monastic mission is understood as including others in the extended life of reflection of the vowed monastic community. BSAC aims in this way to create an environment for Christians and others to come together, deepen their understanding and appreciation of the Benedictine traditions of Liturgy and the Arts, and of Catholic Theology and so be formed for lay ministry in the church and in the world. Since the formation of BSAC, those involved have worked to establish an identity that guarantees a learning standard which is equivalent to first year University level; that aims to give access to all, and especially those without qualifications.

Students and volunteers share in aspects of monastic life by both partaking in courses of study and by learning to understand the monastic tradition of hospitality, fidelity and a life centred on community, reflection and prayer.

"The Gallery" in Overton House is an area used for occasional art exhibitions organized by Dom Peter Burns. Brian Whelan is one of the contributors to past exhibitions.

"The Scriptorium" in Overton House was first the research workplace of Dom Bernard Orchard and has since become the UK base for the liturgical research project "Appreciating the Liturgy"[] founded and directed by Dom James Leachman and Dom Daniel McCarthy of St Benedict's Abbey [], Atchison, Kansas, both of whom study write in Rome at Sant'Anselmo [].

An important event in the annual timetable is the Latin Summer School in August/September []. Students and teachers of the Latin language work together to advance the study and appreciation of Latin.

Garden
The beautiful Victorian 'Overton House' is set in a spacious garden with many tree species []. The house and grounds are in the Ealing Borough's "Mount Park" conservation area [] and so the heritage of the house and its design is to be respected and the the garden is to be cared for appropriately. The gardens at the side and behind the house have been made interesting for visitors and friendly to wildlife. Insecticides are not used in the garden at all. There is a labyrinth [], made of stones inserted in the north lawn, which visitors are invited to use as a meditation aid regularly on the first Saturday of the month at 11.00 am.