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In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

In Search of Universal Truths | Dr. Jeannine Goh

In Search of Universal Truths

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand wrapped in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed” Einstein

We have reached a pivotal moment in our lives. Our survival is increasingly threatened by a myriad of tragedies and challenges spanning economic, environmental, social and philosophical spheres. It is more important than ever for humanity to reach urgently for common threads and beliefs that draw us together, before our civilisation and habitat are irrevocably torn apart.

Creating the foundations for a collective awakening

This is a time to dig deep and excavate for solid ground, to create a strong foundation for a collective awakening. To generate and accelerate a collective awareness of our interconnection, shared values and goals. The challenge we face in our fragmented and ever-more divided population, is to create a set of Universal Truths, a set of shared experiences that all 8 billion people of the world could agree upon.

All living beings experience death

During the pandemic, the spectre of death has haunted us relentlessly and with it, the call for us to face an obvious Universal Truth. A truth that is perhaps the only inevitability our precarious lives offer us; the unassailable truth that one day, each one of us will die.

It is true to say that we in the West are generally shielded from death, therefore we know very little of it. We hear of death. We cry for it. Nonetheless, most of us do not really see or engage with this indisputable Truth. On the other hand, we do witness death frequently in nature’s classroom, as we accidentally squash a bug or swot a fly. Similarly, the simple experience of picking a leaf from a plant or a tree leads to a clear observation of the leaf as green, juicy and full of veriditas. As the plucked leaf loses its life force over the course of a week, it can be seen to gradually wither and die. If we watch it for a little longer, the physical shell will eventually become dry and brittle before finally turning to dust.

Death as a shared reality

This process of death and decomposition is quite a phenomenon if we think about it, mirroring as it does the essential process of the human body. It takes 10 minutes for the life-force to drain from the human brain until death is pronounced. It takes years for the body to become dust, but to dust it will inevitably return. In fact all of what we call ‘life’ – surely we can all agree – is destined to return to cosmic dust: plants, animals, people and planets. There is, therefore, a great deal that we can learn from death. Could it be through an honest appraisal of death – this monumental shared reality – that we could really learn how to live?

COVID-19

During the pandemic, for instance, many of us have heard of those escaping death, vowing to never take life for granted again. We have heard of such people awakening each day, alive and grateful, humbled once more by simple birdsong.

Most poignantly, we have seen images of those in intensive care, accompanied by medical staff doing all they can to ensure that life; that precious, vital-animating life-force, stays within the body. We hear of those waiting with bated breath, praying they will not receive the dreaded news that their loved-one is ‘gone.’ That whilst the body remains, the essence, that vital-animating, life-force has disappeared forever and with it the person they love.

What is this vital-animating life-force?

Therein lies one of life’s greatest mysteries. What is this phenomenal vital-animating life-force that no longer thrives in the body of the loved one? What is this force that remains a mystery to even the greatest of scientists? Moreover, what can be universally agreed upon regarding this mysterious force that is all and everything, so precious, so powerful and yet so fragile?

Proposing to find a universal truth around what this vital-animating life-force is immediately opens a Pandora’s box of both possibility and controversy. The nature and truth of this perennial life-force lies at the centre of many fundamental disagreements that often divide humanity rather than unite it.

The unifying power of shared experience

By searching for Universal Truth, digging below preconceptions, stereotypes and differences, surely the possibility exists of humanity uniting on just a few basics? If humanity could agree, for instance, that this ‘life’ – whatever we may call it – is a perennial thread that connects all living beings, then the stage would be set for a global bond of connectedness and shared experience with all forms of life.

In times of fundamental disagreements between disparate faiths and cultures that so often rage into war, it is from this Universal Truth that we could begin to draw humanity together in agreement.

A return to reverence

Even more tantalising is the question of what kind of bridges could be built if we dared to go a step further? To collectively realise that this immeasurable, intangible, miraculous, nameless, changeless force that runs through each and every living being for such a short time, is so precious, so great, that all of humanity begins to feel reverence for it. To accept that life is a perennial thread that runs through all living beings. To be humbled by this truth and rediscover a natural reverence for that greatest of mysteries; life itself. What would it mean to accept that?

From dissonance to harmony

It is known that humanity, for millennia, has loved to reign supreme as the self-crowned, all-knowing being, wielding its self-awarded power to control and dominate the very nature which it depends upon to survive. But if all humanity were to agree that this vital-animating, mysterious life-force is greater than us, it would constitute a shared awakening, immediately placing us within the natural order. Moreover, rather than carrying the hefty burden and responsibility of being the supreme masters of the universe, there could instead be the great relief of looking up in reverence and stepping back in humility. The acceptance of this Universal Truth has the potential to generate a collective awakening capable of bringing harmony to our shared existence.

Reviving forgotten connections

And what of that magical, mysterious, creative force that brings endless beauty and wonder everywhere we look – that very fountain of being so many of us have lost connection with? Alone and adrift in a hostile world, it’s little wonder we so often feel disillusioned and disenchanted. Reviving our forgotten connection to this wondrous life-force would naturally lead to a more curious, compassionate, kinder and gentler modality of being; towards an intrinsic motivation to protect all life.

Such a modality would naturally lead to treating all life with sweetness, tenderness, reverence and love. Just as we often do when touching a newly sprouted seedling, or a newborn, we become naturally more compassionate, respectful and responsible.

An antidote to self-centredness

We are often told that gratitude, kindness, prayer and being in a state of awe are good for us. We are told that these practices, rituals and cognitive processes will help us to be healthier and happier. All too often however, these approaches to life become disjointed packages that are easily lost; unless they are brought together organically with a belief in – and reverence for – the great life-force that binds us.

Gentle respect for all beings

The child who grows corn from seed and gently tends to the seedling is not so quick to disregard it from their plate. They will care for the seedling carefully, savouring and relishing those precious kernels when the time comes to eat them. Each kernel is touched with the love of the hand that sowed it. That often-neglected plant in the corner of the room is no longer just a decoration, it is a living being with the same life force that is contained within us, which thrives and has veriditas when it is nourished and, just like us, cowers when that nourishment is retracted. The child who understands this will not trample over the newly sprouted bulbs to retrieve their ball. A simple acceptance of this one universal truth can demonstrate how to live life in harmony, with love and respect for all beings.

Celebrating & nurturing all life

Celebrating and revering life once more, as our ancestors did, would naturally address a plethora of society’s most pressing and challenging problems. The priority of education, for instance, would no longer be so rigidly based on dry, academic achievement but rather to nurture respect, reverence and love for this omniscient life force that we all share. Education would be a process of teaching children how to allow this life-force to flow strongly through not only themselves but all living beings. As a collective, we would become attuned to noticing when other manifestations of life – including our peers, ourselves and the natural world – were not thriving. We would recognise that trauma and life’s challenges can shut and shrink this life-force down in one another and in the living world around us.

Facilitating the flow of veriditas

The priority in life and in education would be to allow life-force, this veriditas, to flow in its most vibrant form. Such reverence towards the innate preciousness of life would lead to an intrinsic motivation to thrive, whilst naturally highlighting ideas prioritizing short-term financial gain above the thriving of all life as shallow and even absurd. What good can money, clothes, cars or wealth be if one nurses a shallow heart and soul? Ostentatious wealth and ego-driven desire for status would become both vulgar and misplaced if it was acknowledged that there was something far greater at stake.

Perennial agreements & universal truths

As a species, we must return to perennial agreements and Universal Truths. Now is the time to build a new collective understanding: a consensual reality based on reverence for all life. It is imperative that we let this perennial life-force flow and breathe through our collective humanity anew, so that once again we can revel in and celebrate life for the wondrous gift it is.

In light of the terrible social, environmental and economic challenges currently threatening the very survival of humanity, if such an awakening does not happen during this century, then there may well never be another chance. It is imperative that those who hear the urgent call of our damaged Earth and her children pour all of their energy, wisdom and compassion into healing and reconnecting our broken and fragmented world.

Author | Dr. Jeannine Goh Editor | Jane Charilaou BA (hons) MA

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

How the saints statues were removed and then returned to the Monastery, a guest blog post

Many of those who currently live or once lived in close vicinity to Gorton Monastery know that is is no ordinary building. The site holds great significance to many who have fond memories of the church and friary – whether it was going to one of the schools on site, celebrating their wedding in the church or attending mass alongside the Franciscan Friars. The building itself, and the historic objects within, can serve as a reminder to those with fond memories of the site of how it used to be when it functioned as a church and friary.

Some of the most iconic items within the Monastery are the twelve statues of the saints, and just as they help to inspire past stories and memories of the site, they also have their own unique story to tell. The saints themselves were part of E.W.Pugin’s original architectural design and were installed when the Monastery was first built. For about 133-years, they spent their time gazing down from their beautifully carved plinths at the friars and parishioners below. Sadly, when the site was bought by a property developer in the early 1990s the saints were removed and their plinths were left vacant, with only the angels underneath left behind.

After having been removed from the site, these 6ft-high sandstone statues of the saints resurfaced in a Sotheby’s catalogue in 1994, where they were priced with a reserve of £2,000 each and listed as ‘garden ornaments’. Fortunately, they were spotted in the catalogue by a local historian, Janet Wallwork, who immediately recognised them on the auction list. Knowing that the statues had originally belonged to the Monastery, Janet Wallwork enlisted the help of Gerald Kauffman, the local MP for Gorton at the time. They were then able to negotiate with Manchester Council to save the historic figures from auction by paying £25,000 for their return to Manchester.

After a short period on display at Manchester Town Hall, the statues were then placed in a secure container and waited for the restoration of the building to be completed. During this time, local artists Shawn Williamson and Andrew Scantlebury – specialists in sculpture and stone masonry – worked alongside a group of volunteers to painstakingly restore the statues on-site in two container workshops. In 2012, the saints statues were finally hoisted 40ft up and placed back on their plinths – ready, once again, to look down at the public below. As the Monastery’s Chief Executive Elaine Griffiths said at the time, ‘They’re part of the fabric not only of the Monastery but of the community as well and this truly is a historic day’.

Blog written by Mariam Moon-Begum (Heritage Intern, summer 2019) and Emma Bryning (Heritage and Community Impact Manager)

References from ‘Images of England: Gorton Monastery’, Jill Cronin and Frank Rhodes

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

The Return of the Crucifix, a guest blog post by Mariam Moon-Begum (Heritage Intern)

The Return of the Crucifix

After the last mass was held by the Friars at Gorton Monastery in November 1989, the site was deconsecrated and was forced to close its doors to a shocked and sorrowful local community. In the proceeding years after the sites closure, the building started to wither away due to neglect, suffered from vandalism and many precious objects were removed by vandals.

One of these items removed from the site was that of the 130-year old ‘massive, polychromed, stone cross (17ft/526 cm)’ depicting a life-size version of Jesus Christ.(1) The crucifix ended up appearing in a Sotheby’s auction in London in 1998 and was in the process of being sold by an art dealer, Patricia Wengraf, to a church in Florida. Fortunately, the Monastery of St Francis & Gorton Trust persuaded Wengraf to keep the crucifix in the UK until they could raise enough grant money to be able to secure its return to the Monastery.

Fast forward eight years to October 2006, the money had been secured and the Monastery was ready for the crucifix to finally be returned and once again hung high on the chains above the high altar. However, some of the crucial pieces of metal from the chain were still missing. The Trust remembered that a carrier bag full of metal pieces had been brought from a market stall and returned to the site. It was vital to have these connecting pieces so that the chains could be completed and the crucifix could once again be displayed in the Nave.

Around 2016, when the site underwent a huge restoration and conservation programme funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, a decision was taken to move the crucifix to the right hand-side of the high altar. This decision was taken for a number of reasons: its new position much lower down means that it is much easier to see the design and details of the crucifix up-close; it means that it is much easier to identify and undertake any conservation work required on the crucifix and it also balances out the space with the Lady Altar on the left-hand side of the High Altar. Having been saved, restored and conserved, this amazing piece of Monastery history continues to be displayed in the Nave to this day.

Blog written by Mariam Moon-Begum (Heritage Intern, summer 2019)

Edited by Emma Bryning (Heritage and Community Impact Manager)

(1) ‘Images of England: Gorton Monastery’, Jill Cronin and Frank Rhodes

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

My Placement at The Monastery, by MMU Student Intern Caitlin.

Hello everyone, welcome to this wonderful guest post from our recent intern student Caitlin. We welcome your enquiries and hope it inspires something in you too!

Hi, my name is Caitlin and I am currently a second year, history student at Manchester Metropolitan University. I have been on placement at Gorton Monastery since November 2019, as part of my ‘History in Practice’ topic. ‘History in Practice’ essentially refers to history that is widely accessible to the public and potentially interactive – for example a museum, or in this case Gorton Monastery. Anyway, I thought I would briefly explain for you, what I have been doing at the monastery all this time…

On my first, proper visit to the monastery I was treated to a lovely, in-depth tour of by one of the amazing volunteers here, called Grahame. Honestly, if you have the opportunity to take a tour here, I highly suggest that you jump at the chance! It was a great way to learn about the history of the building in a relaxed, yet immersive way. For the rest of my time at the monastery, I have been working closely with quantitative data regarding you, the visitors; recording definitively how many visitors had joined us here, on what day, as well as for what reason. I have also studied research methods in order to find out what would be the best way to collect the opinions of those who visit – so we know what was positive and maybe even a negative about their visit. Granted, I know this doesn’t sound the most thrilling of activities, however it is rather important for us at the monastery to know.

So, now I have come into my last few weeks her at Gorton Monastery, I have begun to focus on my final project for this topic at university; and for this I have decided to produce a presentation. This presentation will consist of everything I have done, as well as learnt here at the Monastery, plus what I believe could potentially be improved. This will be presented to Emma, the Heritage and Community Impact Manager at Gorton Monastery, who has been my guide through this process, and this means anything that I suggest and Emma likes could possibly be implemented permanently.

I hope you have enjoyed learning about what I have been doing here at Gorton Monastery for all this time; and once again, if you are thinking of visiting, please do! It’s a wonderful and educational day out for anyone, at any age!

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

G4 Concert at The Monastery: Singing in Support of Missing People

Tomorrow we welcome G4 Christmas by Candlelight at The Monastery and we can’t wait!

Many of you will know G4 who shot to fame on the first series of ITV’s The X Factor in 2004, where they pioneered the world of popular opera. Their exquisite harmonies and unique arrangements of iconic songs such as My Way, Circle of Life and Bohemian Rhapsody immediately captivated the hearts of the nation and catapulted them into instant stardom.

Cynics of these kind of talent shows often see these acts as short-lived one-hit wonders, but in fact several acts have gone on to have long lasting careers in a very competetive industry. G4 are one of those acts, and whilst their journey took many different turns, with the band going their separate ways after a few years of touring and producing sell out albums, on 17th November 2014, they reunited at London’s Barbican Centre to celebrate their 10th anniversary since appearing on The X Factor. Due to unprecedented demand, the band were forced to reconsider the ‘One Night Only’ aspect of the show, and bring their music back to audiences across the UK, which resulted in a 20-date tour.

After the phenomenal reaction to their Reunion Tour to packed houses across the UK, G4 transported their loyal following right back to the moment they first fell in love with G4’s trademark harmonies, reminding all of what was so instantly appealing about this band and their work. Having recreated their unique take on songs such as Bohemian Rhapsody, Circle of Life and Nessun Dorma, they also proved they can tackle the latest chart-toppers including Let It Go, Happy and Uptown Funk in their own inimitable style.

Due to the overwhelming public demand for the group, and having toured their 29-date ‘Back For Good’ tour in 2016, G4 went on to tour their popular ‘Christmas By Candlelight‘ show across the UK in November and December in 14 historic churches and cathedrals, which showcased their first-ever Christmas album.

For the 2019 festive season, they embark on their biggest ever Christmas tour, with 28 dates in stunning cathedrals, and iconic venues including our own beloved Monastery.

Now then…here’s something you may not know about the group. G4’s Christmas tours are always run in association with the charity ‘Missing People‘, who are a lifeline when someone goes missing. Last year’s Christmas tour raised over £14,000 for Missing People and other charities in bucket collections alone, made at the end of each show.

We fully support this wonderfully generous charitable ethos, and being a registered Charity ourselves, we welcome G4 into the heart of our community.

Wishing everyone a wonderful evening tomorrow, from all at The Monastery!

*hot food prepared by our Monastery in-house chefs will be served between doors opening at 6:00pm up to 8:00pm – Mexican Chilli Feast (veg or meat options available) £5 per person.

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

Little Pockets of Calm

Life can feel very rushed. We live in times where we seem to be constantly striving to increase productivity and decisive action, whilst neglecting the ‘rest and restore’ phase of our human needs. Changes which arose in the times of the Industrial Revolution mechanised our lives. We became a nation of ‘clocker-inners’ ruled by set working hours, and no longer in right relationship with nature, the seasons and our natural ebbs and flows of production balanced with rest.

The Monastery, and other buildings like this, offer the opportunity to take a moment to yourself to pause, reflect and contemplate. We come into remembrance, and gratitude for all who have gone before us giving us the chance to do better, to go beyond the things our ancestors couldn’t overcome for many reasons. We stop time, come into our hearts and become still, and how badly we need these moments if we are to keep ourselves balanced and well.

Imagine living through two world wars? imagine living through rations, losing family members in terrible circumstances, seeing your sons, father and brothers go to fight for reasons that many lay people didn’t, and couldn’t understand? Imagine seeing your mothers, daughters and sisters struggling with hardships previously unknown, many also engaged in hospitals and factories treating the injured or making more weapons knowing the same weapons were creating more injury somehwere else in the world?

Yesterday, one of our followers asked about religion and faith at the Monastery, so we thought we would like to share a little of our perspective with you.

The Monastery is now a deconsecrated building which means that it is no longer bound by fixed religious rules, but instead is classified as ‘secular’. This means all people and all religions can use the space comfortably without being bound to any single tradition.

The Monastery was originally built by Franciscan friars with the help of local people in and around Gorton, and was used as a place of catholic worship. That said, the Franciscans were very much about living a simple life and building community so depsite its grandeur, its values were generous and non heirarchical.

There are many quiet corners here where you can take the time to remember your loved ones, to reflect upon what you would love to see on this beautiful planet, to dream a little. You are so very welcome regardless of age, gender, religion or faith to come and be with us.

This Sunday we will be celebrating remembrance in our own way; by calling on PEACE.

For more information about this free drop-in event, please click the link below or visit our events page.

We look forward to welcoming you.

https://www.facebook.com/events/374032026599027/

Peace Prayer & Meditation Open Day

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

The Monastery on Songs of Praise Sunday 20th October

We are so excited to announce that our beloved Monastery featured on BBC Songs of Praise. It aired on Sunday 20^th October at 13.15pm on BBC One and is available to watch online here afterwards: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0009mzj

The episode features our Chief Executive Elaine Griffiths whose stories about the Monastery really bring it to life. This incredible building offers so much to so many, so do join us to discover why. Elaine also talks about the incredible lesser known mysteries of the Monastery’s Sacred proportions which are on a par with King Solomon’s Temple, something not many people are aware of.

Keep an eye on the Songs of Praise Facebook page and Twitter page for some preview clips of our episode and do feel free to share amongst friends, family, and on your own social media, to encourage people to watch!

We really hope you enjoy the episode. We love hearing your feedback so please get in touch after the broadcast and let us know what you thought.

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

New Café open in our Welcome Wing

Our new Café is open in our Welcome Wing!

I spoke to one of our Monastery Chefs who is looking after the new Café and has worked at The Monastery for two years, Revae, and she told me some exciting news about our new Café space! As Revae explained, we will now be serving a daily homemade hot soup, sandwiches, salads, and all sorts of cakes and treats in our new Café space – and our menu also includes gluten free and vegan options too!

We are also planning on opening an outdoor area at the front of The Monastery alongside tables in our cloister garden as well. You will soon be able to have a nice cappuccino while sitting in the sun, and we are also hoping to serve delicious summer cocktails too!

There are plans to have an even wider selection of delicious food in our café soon, including hot toasties, paninis and a special course of the day from our brilliant Head Chef, John! It all sounds delicious and I am as excited about it as I imagine you are!

Our new Café in the Welcome Wing will be open Sunday to Friday, 10am-4pm. Please note, that on some days the Pantry may be open instead of the Café in the Welcome Wing in the event of a private booking. Please check the website to ensure there are no closures before your visit.

Pre-booked Monastery Afternoon Teas will continue to be served in the traditional settings of our Victorian Pantry.

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

Insight into The Monastery: Teisha Baker, Victorian Pantry and Operations Supervisor

Teisha started working at The Monastery in September 2018 as the Supervisor of The Victorian Pantry and she also works as part of the Operations Team on the different events held in the building.

Teisha ensures that The Victorian Pantry operates productively during our Special Heritage & Visitor Open Days (Sunday-Tuesday), helping to prepare and serve a delicious range of salads, sandwiches, soup of the day and specials, hot and cold drinks, and selection of cakes and treats. She also helps to deliver our lunches for our Taste of The Monastery tours and provides excellent customer service when delivering our special Monastery Afternoon Teas!

• What do you do in your day-to-day role at The Monastery?
I provided fresh salads and sandwiches as well as hot and cold food and beverages to the public. I also try my best to provide a great experience for anyone visiting The Monastery, by providing them with delicious food, great customer service and a Victorian Pantry with a five star hygiene rating!

• What is your favourite part of the building?
The Cloisters are my favourite part of The Monastery for a couple of reasons. The first being how beautiful the arches look lit up in any different colour and the other reason being how nice they look on someone’s wedding day when the building is decorated and feeling really magical for the couples’ special day.

• What are your favourite events in the building?
Weddings are by far my favourite event help with at The Monastery, because no two weddings are the same – everything is so different including the food, the venue decorations, the entertainment and the people who are attending. In addition, the mood of everyone in the building is always really happy on a wedding day, just because of the happiness of the couple and their guests!

• What item would you buy from The Monastery’s gift shop?
I would most definitely buy the salted caramel biscuits! They are so delicious!

You can usually find Teisha supervising our Victorian Pantry on one of our Special Visitor & Heritage Open Days (Sunday-Tuesday) and helping out with the delivery of our events throughout the rest of the week! Make sure to pop-in to our Victorian Pantry, say hello and get yourself a treat in traditional surroundings!

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

Insight into The Monastery: Early History Questions

How much do you know about the early history of The Monastery? Read further to find out some common questions we are often asked about the early history of the Franciscans in Gorton:

When did the Franciscans arrive in Gorton and where did they live?

In November 1861, a group of Franciscan Friars arrived in Gorton by train and took up residence at Bankfield Cottage, just off of Gorton Old Road (the grounds on which The Monastery would later be built). At the time, Bankfield Cottage was surrounded by four and a half acres of land, though Gorton was becoming an increasingly industrial area.

Why did the Franciscans choose to build The Monastery in Gorton?

It was the then Bishop of Salford, William Turner, who granted the Franciscans brothers the parish of Gorton in 1861. In those days, the parish covered a large area of approximately 25 square miles and included Gorton, as well as parts of Bradford, Openshaw, Fairfield, Longsight and Reddish.

The Monastery is also believed to be on a spiritual ley line and the exact location may have been chosen due to this reason – a mystery that we are still trying to uncover to this day.

How long did it take the Franciscans to build The Monastery and how could they afford to build such a large site?

The building work began in 1863 and was then later completed in 1872 (ten years, nine months and twenty-eight days after they began).

Due to their vow of poverty, the Franciscan friars had little money but were able to build this magnificent site due to the help and donations from supporters and the local Catholic community. In fact, they couldn’t actually afford to employ builders for the project and it was the local community – including men, women and children – who helped to build the site.

Who was The Monastery built for?

When the Franciscans arrived in Gorton, there were approximately three-thousand people living in the nearby town of Gorton, predominantly engaged in the agriculture, cotton and the emerging engineering industries.

As well as functioning as a Franciscan training centre, the Franciscans were also very active in engaging with the social and spiritual needs of the local Catholic community. The Franciscans helped to serve the needs of the local community – on site, there were schools, a parish hall, youth clubs, theatre and music groups, choirs and brass bands!

We offer a range of talks and tours at The Monastery where you will be able to discover more information about the history of the site. Please visit our talks and tours page for more information on available packages.

To book any of our talks or tours, please call (0161) 223 3211.

In Search of Universal Truths

Perennial Philosophy

At Manchester's Modern-day Monastery

Insight into The Monastery: Emma Bryning, Visitor Experience Manager

Emma has worked at The Monastery since June 2016, initially starting as the Learning & Community Officer before being promote to Visitor Experience Manager in August 2018.

Emma is responsible for the management of the Visitor Services team, which includes the Visitor Services & Support Officer, the Digital Marketing Apprentice and our team of dedicated and enthusiastic Monastery volunteers. She manages our diverse public programme, including Open Days, large-scale community events and regular activities, as well as looking after The Monastery’s community, education and outreach activities. She also oversees and helps to deliver public talks and tours at the site, manages the Gift Shop and interpretation at the site, and generally helps to try to improve the visitor experience at The Monastery.

How did you get involved working at The Monastery?

I started working at The Monastery as a Learning & Community Officer working alongside the then Trust Coordinator as part of a job share to create new community and learning projects at the site as part of the Heritage Lottery Funded, Sharing The Story Project.

Prior to this, I was organising events at a University and also interning at the Sir John Soane’s Museum. Although I had volunteered at a number of heritage sites and museums beforehand, it was really exciting to be offered my first paid role in a heritage site and I felt very lucky to be able to work in such a beautiful building with a rich and interesting history.

What do you do in your day-to-day role at The Monastery?

It is quite difficult to describe a general day at The Monastery, as each day is so different! For me, it can also depend it if is an open day or not – if it is a busy open day or if we have a public or community event on, I will usually spend most of my time on the ground floor making sure that everything is set-up beforehand, running smoothly during the open day and making sure that our volunteers feel like they are being supported whilst they are here.

Whether it is an open day or not, I usually check my emails and see if we have any phone messages first thing in the morning – these are usually from people wanting to book Afternoon Tea, a tour or looking for information on our opening hours.

During the week, I attend our daily meeting at 10am where we go through everything taking place in the building that day and the next day, this can include events as diverse as weddings, community room bookings, open days, tour groups or corporate dinners!

For the rest of the day, I might be updating the website, working on new marketing materials for the public programme, attending a community meeting, leading a school workshop, delivering a talk or tour, checking a social media post or blog, working on the volunteer rota, thinking about fundraising ideas, helping with a placement project or organising a public event – usually a variation of the above!

What is your favourite part of the building and why?

My favourite part of the building is probably outside where the old front doors and entrance used to be. It is an area of the building that I don’t think many of our visitors tend to go to, but I think it is really special to imagine the hundreds (sometimes thousands) of people who throughout each day would walk from Gorton Lane straight into those doors and enter the Church. It is so interesting to think of how different the local landscape used to be with lots of different shops and old terraced houses just across the road.

What are your favourite events at the building and why?

I really enjoy when we run our community and family days at The Monastery. It is always really nice seeing lots of people engaging with the building in different ways and getting involved in all of the activities on offer. I am looking forward to a lot of our different public events this year including craft fairs, a book fair, a collaboration with PDSA, an Our Kids Social event, a local history day, a Music at The Monastery event, and our annual ‘Christmas Story’ day!

If you were going to buy something from The Monastery Shop what would it be and why?

We have a really nice selection of children’s books and toys so I usually tend to buy these from the shop for my little niece and new godson. I also tend to get a Monastery mug as a nice gift when I am visiting a friend or family member that I haven’t seen in a little while!

What is your favourite time at The Monastery and why?

My favourite time of the year is probably in the summer – I really enjoy being able to go sit outside in the cloister garden and enjoy the sunshine during my lunch break, and it is great at that time of the year for playing children’s games outside as part of a learning session or community day.

However, my favourite time of day in the building is during the evening or at night. The building has a completely different feel to it – it is very atmospheric and you can just imagine what it felt like for the friars walking through the cloisters and around the friary at night!

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Thank You!

Firstly, we hope that everyone has had a great start to 2019!

Secondly, we would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who got involved with The St. Francis Christmas Appeal last December! We can now announce that we managed to raise three thousand pounds which will go towards our funding campaign to create a heritage skills centre at The Monastery, and create a carved St Francis statue and nativity scene. Thank you so much to everyone who donated, we really appreciate your help and support! The winners of our St Francis Christmas Appeal competition have now been informed of their prizes, they are:

– Afternoon Tea for Two: F. G. Irvin

– Taste of The Monastery for Two: R. Gupta

– Taste of The Monastery for Two: A Rathwell

– Talk & Lunch for Two with Elaine Griffiths MBE, Monastery CEO: C. Lambrias

– Monastery Late for Two: G. Bachhouse

We had a very busy December at The Monastery and had lots of fun welcoming all of our visitors and guests to a variety of different events! These events included, three Christmas Talks & Lunches hosted by our CEO Elaine Griffiths, MBE; lots of fantastic and fun Christmas parties; our monthly Health & Wellbeing Day, Purls of Wisdom and a Christmas themed edition of Chatty Crafters; a number of different Christmas concerts; our community ‘Christmas Story’ event, and our first ever Festive Afternoon Tea Day! Phew, what a busy month!

Our annual Christmas Story event (also known as ‘Donkey Day’) on the 16^th December was our busiest yet, as we welcomed around 700 people through our doors! All of the Monastery staff and volunteers who helped on this day had an absolutely fantastic time and, if you were able to join us on the day, we hope you did too!

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Insight in to The Monastery: Megan Hunter, Visitor Services & Support Officer

Megan has worked at The Monastery since January 2017, initially starting as Charity Support Officer before being promoted to Visitor Services & Support Officer in March 2018.

Megan is usually the first point of contact for visitors and clients who enter The Monastery as she manages the Welcome Desk in The Monastery’s recently finished Welcome Wing. Megan is also responsible for organising our extensive programme of Health & Wellbeing events; answering and directing phone calls; assisting with the management of our visitor Open Days, and managing visitor experience bookings such as Afternoon Teas, Talks, Tours and special events.

How did you get involved with The Monastery?

I started to volunteer at The Monastery after meeting Elaine [Monastery CEO] through a family friend. I really enjoyed helping out with the Open Days and shortly after starting to do this, I was offered a part-time position at The Monastery to help with fundraising research and grant applications.

What was your first day like at The Monastery?

I can remember the first time I visited the Monastery to help with their Christmas Story event, also known as ‘Donkey Day’. It was nice to be invited to help on this day because the ‘Christmas Story’ is one of the biggest public events that The Monastery holds every year: it was just really nice to be a part of this festive day!

What is your favourite part of The Monastery and why?

My favourite part of The Monastery is the Private Chapel because, it is so peaceful in there and it still has the values of the Gothic Architecture and heritage in the room.

What have you learnt since you started working at The Monastery?

Before working at The Monastery, I had no experience in coordinating events or any customer service skills. However, during my time at The Monastery I have gained experience coordinating events and improved by people skills by helping clients to organise events.

What is your favourite time of year at The Monastery?

Although Christmas is our busiest time of year, it is also my favourite because of all the decorations throughout the building and the festive feeling around The Monastery!

Finally, what is your favourite item from the Victorian Pantry?

It is so hard to choose, but for me it is either the Bakewell Slice or the Carrot Cake – though, I would probably say the Carrot Cake just because it is so delicious!

Please note, some responses have been slightly altered for editing purposes.

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at The Monastery for Dec 2018

We’ve decked The Monastery with boughs of holly as ‘tis the season to be jolly!

We are now in the midst of the festive season at The Monastery: decorations have gone up all around the site (thanks to the fantastic help of our very own Monastery volunteers and the brilliant help from the volunteers that can for the day from CHEP) and we have already had numerous Christmas parties, talks and lunches! Our Great Nave and Welcome Wing have been decorated in blue and white for our fantastic Narnia themed Christmas parties which are taking place throughout December, whilst the Cloisters, Victorian Pantry and our Gift Shop have all been decorated in a traditional red and gold.

Interested in seeing our festive decorations and enjoying the festive season at The Monastery? Immerse yourself in the festive wonder of The Monastery and join us for one of our festive Open Days, order some delicious Christmas-themed food from the Victorian Pantry or join us for one of our Festive Afternoon Teas. Our Victorian Pantry has a Christmas feel at the moment with its new December menu, which includes mulled wine, minced pies, a selection of festive themed sandwiches and salads, and our new gingerbread lattes (Pantry open Sunday-Friday, 11am-4pm, until 23^rd December!

If you are looking for something extra special this festive period, join us for one of our Festive Afternoon Teas* – which, can be booked Monday-Friday (11am-4pm) until the 23^rd December. We are also having an extra-special ‘Festive Afternoon Tea in the Great Nave’ event on Sunday 23^rd December, where you can enjoy your festive afternoon tea in the beautiful surroundings of the Nave (sittings at 12.30pm and 2pm*).

If you are looking for even more festivity, why not join us at our Christmas Story event (also known as ‘Donkey Day’) on Sunday 16^th December. Featuring real live donkeys, a reading of the nativity, carols and Christmas songs from songwriter Lucinda Drayton, Gorton Voice and the Breathing Choir from 2pm, as well as Christmas activities, competitions and crafts available throughout the day, don’t miss this chance to get into the real spirit of Christmas with family and friends.

We hope to see you soon at The Monastery!

Festive Open Days:

Sunday 16^th December: Christmas Story Event (open 11am-4pm, carols at 2pm)

Sunday 23^rd December: Open Day and ‘Festive Afternoon Tea in the Great Nave’* (open 11am-4pm; afternoon tea sittings at 12pm and 2.30pm)

Sunday 30^th December: Open Day, limited offer in Victorian Pantry (open 11am-4pm)

*Pre-booking for Afternoon Teas is essential.

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Insight into The Monastery: Kath North, the longest-serving volunteer

Kath North is the longest-serving volunteer at The Monastery, having been closely involved for nineteen years. Kath’s great-grandparents were married at The Monastery in 1879 and since then twenty-five other members of her family have been baptised here as well. Although Kath did not visit The Monastery when it was a functioning church and Franciscan Friary, she has been involved with The Monastery of St Francis and Gorton Trust since the early years of the Trust.

For the first of our Insight into The Monastery series, we wanted to talk to Kath to share what she loves about this special place and why she has chosen to volunteer here for almost two decades.

How did you get involved with the work of The Monastery?

In 1999, my partner, Graham, was researching his family history and it prompted me to do the same. When we were talking about where I should start researching my family history, I thought that Gorton Monastery might be the best place as it had been my family’s church for generations. We decided to take a visit to Gorton Monastery, hoping that it was still there and hadn’t been taken down.

When we were driving down Gorton Lane, I was shocked to see what was left of the building and how much damage it had suffered. When we stopped to take pictures, a gentleman approached us to tell us that the building was about to be knocked down. We saw a notice on a fence near the building with information and a number. When we called, a gentleman answered the phone and we were referred on to Elaine Griffiths, (then Project Leader for the Monastery of St. Francis & Gorton Trust), and she invited me to an Open Day.

I had never actually been into the building before and I was shocked at the state it was in but, at the same time, I was also completely blown away by it. The stained glass windows were boarded up, there were pigeons flying about, the floor was a terrible mess and there was stonework all over the floor where the altars had been smashed up: I was completely heartbroken and wanted to find a way to help save the building.

When did you start volunteering?

During that Open Day, I asked Elaine how I could help with the fundraising to help save the building. She gave me a stack of leaflets to hand out and I was more than happy to help! Not long after this, I took up a volunteering role for three days a week to help to raise the funds for the charity to try to save The Monastery.

I started going to events and other places to set-up stalls to sell Monastery souvenirs and hand out leaflets to raise awareness about the building. It was a challenge sometimes, especially in mid-winter – we would be on a stall in the cold, handing out leaflets and rattling a donations tin to get a little bit of money to have saved the building.

The building has changed a lot since the late 1990s when you first started volunteering, with large grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund to help save and restore the building. It now operates as both an events venue as well as being open to the general public. How have you dealt with this dramatic change over the years?

There have been lots of different kinds of changes since I started volunteering. Getting a wedding licence for the site in 2007 was a big change and really helped to make the site sustainable, to help bring in the money needed to keep running the building. A few years after the building had been restored, we started off doing Sunday Open Days and people were really impressed with how the building had been restored. It has been so great seeing lots of people coming in and enjoying the building over the years.

Elaine was always aware that we needed the public’s support and I do believe that most people have been behind us 100% over the years. With the recent Heritage Lottery Project (Sharing the Story), we have been able to open up and improve new spaces such as the Welcome Wing, a permanent Gift Shop, our tea room – The Victorian Pantry and the new boards around the cloisters telling the story of the building. Sometimes it can be hard to get a balance between being open to the public and having the events that keep the building going, but we try to do the best we can and most people seem to understand.

There’s always something new being planned and it is a really exciting place to volunteer. It has been a long process over the years but it has been a really enjoyable journey.

What projects are you now working on as a volunteer at the Monastery and what do you do day-to-day?

Some days I concentrate on doing research for the building to add to a growing archive that we have. Even twenty years on, there is still a lot which we are still discovering about the building. I also help with the Open Days too, talking to visitors about the building and The Monastery’s story, helping in the gift shop, the Victorian Pantry (the on-site café) and on the Welcome Desk. I also do specific tasks as well too whenever needed as I am always willing and happy to help wherever I can.

What do you think is your favorite part about volunteering at The Monastery?

I have made so many friends through my time volunteering for The Monastery and learned so much about the building itself. I love being able to pass on the knowledge that I have learned to visitors when they come into the building and to share the story of The Monastery’s journey.

What do you do like the most about The Monastery?

I love the Lady Altar because it is the place in the building where I feel most at ease and relaxed. I have had some great moments with close friends near the Lady Altar over the years and it has become such a special place to me.

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“Peace Bee with You” at The Monastery

There was quite a buzz throughout Manchester over the past summer, as hundreds of artistic bees landed all over the city as part of the Bee in the City Art Trail. Overall one hundred and one big bees and one hundred and thirty-one little bees appeared across the city from Monday 23^rd July until Sunday 23^rd September, giving everyone across the city plenty of time to view their favourite bees or complete the bee trail.

Bee in the City hosted a farewell weekend at HSBC UK National Cycling centre where the bees were put on display for one final time before they found their new colonies and were auctioned off to raise money for the We Love Manchester Foundation. On the night of the auction, there was a buzz as seventy-seven of the big Bee in the City sculptures went up for auction, raising £1,128,250 on the night. However, the smaller community bees have stayed in Manchester for everyone to enjoy.

Don’t worry if you missed an opportunity to see the bee trail – one of the little bees has recently landed at The Monastery on loan from Newall Green Primary School. The message and inspiration of Newall Greens Primary Schools design is to ‘treat others as you would wish to be treated’. Newall Green Bee represents the school’s peace promises, reminding everyone at the school to be a good, caring citizen. Newall Green Primary School named their Bee after what they truly believe in ‘Peace Bee with You’. The design of their bee is Peace Mala beads, which represent fourteen faith communities, whilst the white beads represent one’s own spiritual path.

So, before the ‘Peace Bee with You’ Bee buzzes off, come and pay it a visit soon at The Monastery!

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£3m Welcome Wing Opens

The eco-friendly 6,650 sq ft building was commissioned by The Monastery of St Francis & Gorton Trust, the charity that saved and restored the existing Grade II* buildings and is now responsible for the upkeep of this heritage asset. The project, which took 12 months to complete, was made possible by a National Lottery grant of almost £2million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), together with a £1million donation from the Stoller Charitable Trust.

Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, the new building provides flexible, purpose-designed and carbon-neutral space, allowing the Trust to expand and extend its facilities and projects for the local community and general visitors, while continuing to host corporate and private events.

This new front wing sits on the footprint of an original building that was taken down in the 1960s. It has been carefully designed by Eco Arc, an ecological architecture practice based in Kendal, Cumbria so the modern building seamlessly connects to the 150 year-old E.W. Pugin-designed former Church and Friary. Specialist Manchester-based contractor HH Smith & Sons Ltd worked alongside project managers, Buro Four to deliver the building on time and to budget.

Elaine Griffiths, Chief Executive of the Monastery Trust said: “This is a tremendously exciting day for us. This new building blends beautifully with the church and friary and we are delighted with the result. We also love how it is flooded with light, making this a fantastic space for both community and corporate events.

“This has been the biggest investment we have made in the building since we completed the major £6.5 million restoration work to save the Monastery ten years ago and it’s wonderful to see it finished. We couldn’t have achieved this without the generous support of National Lottery players, Sir Norman Stoller and Trustees of the Stoller Charitable Trust and other donors. This summer will be offering a full programme of community activities, and for the first time, we’re able to realise our long-held ambition to ‘Open Every Day for Everyone’.”

Nathan Lee, Head of HLF North West, said: “We’re delighted to see the new Welcome Wing at Gorton Monastery open its doors to the public and hugely grateful to the National Lottery players who have made this possible. Thanks to HLF support, the Monastery Trust has been able to carry out urgent conservation work and create this fantastic new space for the local community, celebrating the monastery’s history and making it sustainable for the future.”

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Trust Chairman appointed Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester

Paul Griffiths DL, (64) chairman of the Gorton Monastery Trust has been appointed by Her Majesty the Queen as the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester.

The Lord-Lieutenant Warren Smith who is the Monarch’s representative in the County, made the appointment following a recommendation to Her Majesty. Mr Griffiths will replace Mrs Edith Conn, OBE, DL, JP who has held the position since 2014.

Paul has been a serving Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, supporting the Lord-Lieutenant of the County for thirteen years and was High Sheriff of the County in 2013/14. His commission as Vice Lord-Lieutenant took effect on the 13th June 2017.

He is a Mancunian born and bred, who lived in the suburb of Gorton from the age of seven and became an altar server at The Monastery. He has spent many years working in the food industry in technical, commercial and sales/marketing roles and as Chief Executive, conducting business in the UK and in many parts of Europe.

When endangered, the Monastery was listed by the World Monuments Fund Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in the World, alongside Pompeii and the Taj Mahal. Paul co-founded The Monastery of St Francis & Gorton Trust, with his wife Elaine, in 1996. In 2012 he was made National Heritage Hero by the Heritage Alliance, in 2014 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate for services to community by the University of Bolton.

The Monastery now operates as a successful corporate, cultural and community events venue, where all proceeds are used to maintain the historic buildings and support the Trusts outreach projects in the community in health, education, arts and skills.

He sits on the North West advisory boards of Business in the Community, Manchester Guardian Society Charitable Trust and the Greater Manchester High Sheriff’s Police Trust. He is a judge of the International Indian Chef of the Year competition, a representative member of the North West of England and Isle of Man Reserve Forces’ and Cadet’ Association and is a qualified helicopter pilot.

Commenting on his new voluntary role as Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Paul Griffiths said: “It is a great honour to have been appointed to serve as Vice Lord-Lieutenant and I know I stand on the shoulders of many in this dynamic and inspirational county who have gone before me. As Greater Manchester is the largest county outside London, with some 2.8 million people living here, I understand the importance of building a bridge and connectivity with the business community, while continuing to champion, together with Lieutenancy colleagues, the truly outstanding and tireless work of volunteers.

I look forward immensely to supporting the Lord-Lieutenant Warren Smith, in the performance of his duties and will try to encourage more people to think about the Responsible Business agenda as well as championing volunteering which is so important and valuable to the Greater Manchester community”.

The Lord-Lieutenant is Her Majesty’s representative in his county and it is his first and foremost duty to uphold the dignity of the Crown. When called upon to do so, the Vice Lord-Lieutenant will support the main duties of the Lord-Lieutenant which include;

Visits of members of the Royal Family to the County;
Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force at the command of Her Majesty, or invitation of the commander concerned;
Civic and Social;
Presentation of Medals and Awards on behalf of Her Majesty;

The Vice Lord-Lieutenant assumes responsibility for the county should the Lord-Lieutenant be ill or abroad or otherwise incapacitated.

Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Warren Smith said; “Paul is one of my hardest working and proactive Deputy Lieutenants. I am therefore delighted Her Majesty The Queen has approved my recommendation to appoint Paul as Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Greater Manchester.”

Paul and his wife Elaine have a daughter Katy, two stepchildren Heather and George and an inappropriately named Cocker Spaniel Dog called Angel.

For more information about the work of the Greater Manchester Lieutenancy and The Monastery, please visit; www.manchesterlieutenacy.org and www.themonastery.co.uk.