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00:02For generations, Benedictine monks and nuns have devoted themselves not just to prayer and work, but to centuries-old crafts
00:10too.
00:11I'm preparing this as if Jesus himself was going to come in here and have his meal with us today.
00:17These devout men and women are keeping these ancient traditions alive, especially during the busy build-up to Christmas,
00:24as bookbinders, brewers, potters, soap makers and chocolatiers.
00:30We can't live on fresh air at the end of the day. I'm not angels.
00:34And joining them on their heavenly production lines are local artisans.
00:40Your ideas and contribution is valued as well.
00:44Volunteers and laypeople.
00:46The habit for Matthew is finished.
00:49Come with us to Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, Ireland.
00:52The chocolate comes from God. It's one of his gifts to his children whom he loves dearly.
00:58Saint Augustine's Abbey, Chilworth, Surrey.
01:01Like a rosary-making machine. Maybe I should ask for commission.
01:04And Quar Abbey on the Isle of Wight.
01:07Many hands make light work. Go make some nice cider.
01:11At a special time of year.
01:13To meet devout Benedictine nuns and monks, who are not only sharing the true meaning of Christmas with us.
01:19Jesus is given. That is the great present of Christmas.
01:24But custom-made creations.
01:27It smells so good.
01:29Gifts that are truly heaven-made.
01:41On the west coast of Ireland, in the stunning Connemara Mountains, lies the fairy tale, Kylemore Abbey.
01:49This imposing property was once home to a wealthy cotton merchant from Manchester.
01:54Now it's home to twelve Benedictine nuns, who devote their lives to prayer and work.
02:00That's the essence of Benedictine life. You have an intimate relationship with God.
02:05It's not hard to believe in God when you see this garden.
02:10This community of nuns and its many employees have become famous for their beautiful handmade crafts,
02:17using a mix of traditional monastic methods and contemporary skills.
02:23Many of which being inspired by the landscape around them, and their impressive gardens.
02:31With hundreds of thousands of visitors arriving every year, this abbey is one of Ireland's biggest tourist attractions.
02:39And the income generated contributes to the upkeep of the community.
02:43We do get a large number of visitors here every year, of course 300,000, and they come to see
02:50this garden.
02:51And so many of them just stand at the entrance and just awestruck by the beauty of it, the extent
02:58of it.
02:58It's one of the largest walled gardens, I think, in Ireland.
03:04Gardens are inspirational not just to me but to anyone.
03:09To go back to the very first opening scenes of the Bible in Genesis, there was a garden.
03:16So gardens are so biblical, so traditional, so gorgeous.
03:21It lifts the mood.
03:27One, two, three, straight down. That's it.
03:31One product that has become synonymous with Kylemore Abbey is soap.
03:36It was Sister Genevieve that introduced soap making to the abbey 15 years ago.
03:41I trained as a nurse many, many years ago.
03:44And I learned basic science then about acid balance and pH and things like that, which is crucial for all
03:51this.
03:52It's made with love and enthusiasm.
03:55It's very much a spiritual enterprise, the whole thing.
04:00Soap making has long had an important link to many religions because of the common requirement of cleanliness before prayer.
04:08And since the Middle Ages, many monasteries have had their very own soperies, where they made soap by cooking up
04:15a mixture of animal fats, water and an alkaline such as wood ashes.
04:23Soap lends itself easily to monastic life, you can't do anything, you know, because you have to consider the monastic
04:30life and what is monastic and what it can accommodate.
04:33But it did accommodate crafts very well, all kinds of crafts, but soap making particularly.
04:42At Christmas time, the abbey shop sells hundreds of bars of Kylemore soap.
04:47So months earlier, preparations are underway for the Christmas sales.
04:51And this year, the sisters are hoping to introduce a new scent of soap to their range.
05:00Management decided, well, let's develop another soap and call it Scent of Kylemore and make it reflect the perfumes and
05:08fragrances of the garden.
05:09Well, that's easier said than done, believe me.
05:14After a sense of research and, you know, buying new essential oils and all sorts of things.
05:22And then the first batch we made, they said, no, we don't like it, it's too strong.
05:29And so we had to put it away and I had to come to terms with it.
05:32But not the kind of person to be deterred, Sister Genevieve rose to the challenge.
05:38As the months ensued, I got another whiff of inspiration or something.
05:44And now with Christmas glooming, I thought, well, let's rework the scent of Kylemore, which I have done.
05:52I just used the same perfumes, but only in different quantities and proportions.
05:58And that seems to have worked. People seem to like it.
06:03The scent of Kylemore soap is made up from a blend of jasmine, cypress and bergamot.
06:12And it is a particularly pleasing soap because it is so hard and has such a lovely lather and lasts
06:21so well.
06:22I'm very pleased with it.
06:27Work is good for the soul and you interact with other people and that's very important.
06:36And, of course, it pays the bills.
06:41There's this marvellous magical moment. It's what's called the saponification.
06:46Well, now you're heating up your oils to a certain temperature.
06:49You've cooled down your lye and then you put them together and you beat them.
06:54And then there's the chemical interaction and it thickens, bit like a custard.
06:59That's a wonderful moment. I always get a thrill when I see it.
07:04At that point then you add your perfume and then you put it in your mould.
07:08And that's it. There's that lovely thrill, you know.
07:21After weeks of hard work, the sisters' new scent of Kylemore soap is ready to be launched.
07:28And we put it in the shop and, well, the miracle is, of course, people bought it.
07:34Sister Genevieve's latest creation managed to hit the Abbey shop shelves just in time for the Christmas shoppers.
07:42Well, it smells so good.
07:45It smells amazing. A little bit citrusy.
07:51Really great.
08:03Over 400 miles away from Kylemore is Quore Abbey, on the northeast corner of the Isle of Wight.
08:11This architecturally unique red brick Abbey was built in 1907 to house a cloister of Catholic monks.
08:20Like generations before them, the monks here live by the rule of St Benedict and they devote their time to
08:27a balance of work and prayer.
08:40This all-male Catholic order live on this magnificent 200-acre estate.
08:50Today, the monks and its employees run the estate farm, its shops and cafe that all provide valuable income for
08:58the brothers and helps route them into the local community.
09:06Quore Abbey is important for it to be open to the public for the monks because part of the Benedictine
09:12rule is hospitality to others.
09:15So having it open to the public is part of that hospitality.
09:21The Abbey produces many different kinds of handcrafted items, many of which are in demand in the run-up to
09:28Christmas.
09:30Show me some of the baskets you've made up.
09:32Right, you've got some of the mermaid gin.
09:35So what have we got in this one? Quore Abbey, ale and mustard.
09:39Director of fundraising and operations, Tracy Osborne, has worked at Quore Abbey for two years.
09:46If I had a pound for every time somebody says you could charge for the car park and that would
09:50be a way of making lots of money for the Abbey, we'd be very rich.
09:54But actually that would go against the ethos of the Abbey.
09:57So really it's understanding that whole religious ethos right the way through everything that we do at the Abbey.
10:05And that's a fine balance, sometimes a difficult balance.
10:08And Christmas is no exception.
10:16Christmas is one of the most important and busiest times in the religious calendar.
10:22But it also brings with it demands on the monks' working lives.
10:27Quore Abbey is set in 200 acres and overseeing the land is one of Father Gregory's many jobs.
10:33It's very important we should try to grow our own food and limit our needs more to what we can
10:39grow and get locally.
10:42Producing island beer is an important thing, something to contribute to our own upkeep.
10:48Quore Abbey ale was first created seven years ago and is brewed in the same traditional way as monks have
10:54done for centuries.
10:5620,000 bottles are sold every year.
11:02What gives the beer its signature flavour is that it uses coriander and bog myrtle, herbs grown in the Abbey's
11:10own garden.
11:18Is that about right?
11:20That's perfect. Yeah, really good.
11:23It's only 200 grams goes into, I think it's 10,000 bottles.
11:30Golly.
11:31Father Gregory and estate manager Matt Noyce are picking the year's last crop of bog myrtle.
11:36I think they've been using this for centuries in some beers.
11:40And then with the coriander, again, gives it that herby flavour.
11:44So it's pretty unique.
11:46But it's good to enjoy with, I think, you can have it with meats and all sorts of things.
11:51Yeah, that's it, as a winter warmer.
11:54I'm employed by the monks.
11:56I would have been at Quore Abbey for nearly 10 years now.
11:59They are only human, so they do have moments when we do have a laugh.
12:03You know, a lot of them are very witty.
12:07And we do have some good times.
12:10I remember this from being out in the New Forest.
12:13Yeah.
12:14And we used to get the leaves, crush them up.
12:17And if you put it on exposed skin, it keeps mosquitoes away.
12:21Oh, yeah.
12:21So it's really good for that as well.
12:24Well, I must tell that to Brother Matthew, because he's tormented with mosquitoes in his room.
12:29Really? Yeah.
12:30He can't use this, I'm afraid, because this is all going for the beer.
12:35Well, you have to set a guard.
12:37You can't stop us coming for the bog myrtle, because in the monastery all things are in common.
12:42That's true. That's true, yeah.
12:46I became a monk at the age of 19 because of my love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
12:53And there's no other possible reason for being a monk.
12:59And I've never regretted my decision.
13:02And I'm deeply thankful to God for every day of it.
13:07And each day is better than the last.
13:11Bog myrtle's sweet aroma but bitter taste make it a great addition to beer when added during the brewing process.
13:19So if you give it a good squeeze, you can see why we use it for the beer, because it's
13:24very strong.
13:25I haven't got much sense of taste anymore.
13:29Part of the ageing process, which has greatly afflicted me.
13:33And with the herbs in the bag, there is another crop that needs careful attention at this time of year.
13:43The monks and employees of Quar Abbey are busy making one of their most popular products.
13:50Cider.
13:53It's important for the Abbey to forge links with the local community, and today St George's School are volunteering to
14:00help with this very important seasonal task.
14:05Thanks for coming in, guys.
14:06The main thing we do today is picking up the apples.
14:08There's some apples still on the trees, but there's quite a lot on the ground.
14:11So what we do is we pick up the apples that have fallen on the ground first.
14:15So does everyone know what the apples are going to be used for?
14:17They're used for apple cider and some juices.
14:20Yeah, absolutely, yeah.
14:21Apple juice, cider, and then some will be used in the Abbey kitchen as well by the monks.
14:32The bags.
14:32Tuck them all in, then we sort them up where the bags are.
14:35Yeah.
14:39Well, Gregory, why do the monks like making cider?
14:41Because it sells at a good price.
14:43It helps us earn our living.
14:45But Father Abbott would much rather we've made some wine because he comes from France.
14:50I think I've only had our own apple juice once.
14:54Really?
14:54Yes, not very often.
14:56So we'll make sure we get you a bottle.
14:57A bottle a week, please.
14:58A bottle a week.
15:08We're making great progress. Many hands make light work.
15:13All pulling in the same direction, fortunately.
15:15I think we suffered like a lot of other people from the late frosts and the cold spring.
15:20We've got fewer apples, but I think they're bigger than some years.
15:26And they'll make some nice cider.
15:29Well, thank you very much indeed to St George's School for all your efforts this morning on this lovely day.
15:34And it's very important to us because we depend on our work and on our produce and we're making the
15:41most of it.
15:42Thank you very much. God bless you all.
15:57Hidden in the Surrey Hills near Guildford is St Augustine's Abbey, a stunningly peaceful powerhouse of prayer and productivity.
16:08Where the Benedictine monks who live here pray the divine office eight times a day, as they have done for
16:14hundreds of years.
16:28Amen.
16:36For Benedictine monks, hospitality is a spiritual obligation.
16:42And as the guest master at St Augustine's, it's Dom Andrew's job to look after visitors who come here for
16:49spiritual renewal.
16:51And he's made sure that no one is left at the door.
16:54So this rings.
16:57And I can hear it in the office as well as in the guest house.
17:01Even with a vacuum cleaner running, I can hear that noise.
17:07This tranquil place offers retreats to people throughout the year, but Advent is one of the most popular times for
17:13guests.
17:15Advent for the church is a time of preparation, a preparation for the incarnation of our Lord.
17:23The other reasons why people might come here is to prepare themselves for Christmas.
17:30My role as guest master is to receive all as if they were Christ.
17:36This is a room we redecorated during lockdown, which is available for like for someone coming to stay this afternoon.
17:46This one's got a wardrobe.
17:48I got rid of my wardrobe in my room and forced me to get rid of some of my clothes,
17:53which we don't need.
17:54A lot of people come here.
17:56They're not necessarily Christians even, but they're exploring spirituality.
18:03Their spirituality.
18:04They might say they don't have any faith.
18:07But when they start talking, you think, well, they've got a bit more than they admit, or even perhaps realise.
18:14I counsel people, I give them spiritual direction.
18:18And the most important thing really is to listen to them.
18:2265 year old Dom Andrew hasn't always followed the monastic life.
18:27Before entering the Abbey 39 years ago, he had a successful career.
18:32I was an interior designer, years ago.
18:36I put God off for a long time before I entered the monastery, because I enjoyed my work.
18:41I entered the monastery when I was over 30.
18:45That was elderly in those days.
18:47We had a cut off time, age of 40.
18:52No one was even considered to enter the community if they were over 40.
18:58With the ironing complete, Dom Andrew makes some last minute checks on his latest gadget before his guest arrives.
19:06There are 52 melodies for the doorbell.
19:09You can easily choose your favourite chime tone.
19:13I can't easily choose it.
19:16No, it's not, it's not doing it.
19:19Ding-dong would be better, but I did have Westminster chimes.
19:24Oh, that's it.
19:26So it's blink red, right?
19:32Well, at least it's done that.
19:53Back on the Isle of Wight at Quar Abbey, Father Gregory and estate manager Matt are loading up their latest
20:01crop of heritage apples,
20:02grown in the abbey's own orchard.
20:10Must be good to get them to the press, get them juiced.
20:18They're leaving behind the sanctuary of the abbey to head to a local apple press to make cider, in time
20:24for Christmas.
20:26Right, on the road.
20:30Combining the spiritual life with the busy run-up to Christmas is a delicate balance, and Father Gregory has always
20:37to keep an eye on the time.
20:39So you have to be back...
20:41Quarter to one.
20:42..in about an hour.
20:44Yeah.
20:50I'll tell you what, I'll put my hearing aids in my pocket next.
20:55Is that it now?
20:56I'm off the air now.
20:57You're off air, you switched off.
21:07Right.
21:08You ready?
21:12Although cider has been produced since the first century, English monks have been growing their own apples and fermenting them
21:19to both sell and drink themselves from the sixth century.
21:25The apples must be pulped before the juice can be extracted, a job which Matt will have to finish on
21:32his own, as Father Gregory must keep to the strict prayer timetable of the abbey.
21:39Thanks for bringing me along, Matthew. I've got to get back now to the monastery because I've got to be
21:45there with the brethren to sing God's praises at one o'clock.
21:48Thank you so much for your help.
21:50Many hands make that work.
21:52Absolutely.
21:53That's it. Thank you very much.
21:54And I look forward to meeting the finished product.
21:57There's loads of juice in that, so it's going to be amazing, I'm sure.
22:00Brilliant.
22:01OK.
22:02See you soon.
22:04We've done quite a lot of the apples through the mill itself.
22:08So we end up with this pulp.
22:10So this is basically a whole apple, basically chipped.
22:14Now that goes into the forms and then pressed down.
22:18So that's what we're going to be doing from now on.
22:26Spread it out.
22:27Move that forward there.
22:38Matt's got his work cut out.
22:40He needs to press 330 kilos of apples to make approximately 250 litres of apple juice, most of which will
22:48be turned into cider.
22:51And after 15 minutes, hey presto, the first batch of apple juice is done.
22:58So it's good just to have a look at the clarity of the juice.
23:03It's a little bit cloudy at the moment, but it hasn't been through the filtration process yet.
23:08Each time you filter it, then it gets clearer and clearer, obviously.
23:11So with cider you don't need to filter it as much.
23:16The last thing to do in this process is just to try it.
23:24That is absolutely lovely.
23:25That is delicious.
23:26Matt will now have to wait between three to six weeks for the apple juice to ferment and turn into
23:32cider.
23:33Hopefully in time for Christmas.
23:49Back at Kylemore Abbey in Connemara, Galway.
23:54This incredible 19th century granite house is home to 12 Benedictine nuns.
24:00But it's also become a major tourist destination for its grounds, cafe and gift shop.
24:06And in its gardens, one plant in particular has become associated with Kylemore Abbey.
24:14The famous fuchsia, it flourishes in Connemara.
24:18It is, I understand, a South American plant, but it is one imported species that does very well here and
24:26that isn't a pest, that is very useful.
24:29And it is now synonymous with Kylemore Abbey and the famous pottery and the famous fuchsia design.
24:37The Abbey's fuchsia decorated pottery candles are a popular gift at Christmas.
24:45And so in preparation for Advent, there is a lot of pressure on the team of artisan potters who work
24:51alongside Sister Genevieve.
24:54Kylemore Abbey is very busy at this time of year, getting the hampers ready.
24:59We have to make lots of the hampers, so that keeps us very busy.
25:03And we're used to pressure, you see, because of the summer months.
25:06It can be so busy, that by the time Christmas comes, we're used to the pressure of trying to get
25:12things out, trying to get stuff made.
25:17As well as keeping traditions like soap making alive, the Abbey has added to their range of crafts over the
25:23years, introducing pottery in the early 1970s.
25:28The sisters quickly realised that they would need the help of a skilled labour force to meet the demand.
25:33So they called in the services of local artisans, like potter Mary Staunton.
25:39I've been here since 1978. I came in here. So I'm here 43 years.
25:50In the beginning, you start off with centering the ball of clay on the wheel.
25:55Then you open it out, and the first thing you make is a cylinder.
26:01It's practice, really. It's all practice. You know, the more you do it, the more you just keep doing it.
26:06It's really like playing the piano almost, you know.
26:10About 13 stages we counted to one pot.
26:14So, when you think about all the work that goes into it, between the making of it, drying it out,
26:20cleaning it up, decorating it, glazing it, cleaning it again.
26:24Final stage four goes into the killing. All that work.
26:27People don't appreciate the amount of work that goes into one single pot.
26:32Mary will need to produce at least 100 pots for the shop to meet the Christmas demand.
26:39This heavenly production line is completed by Gemma Coyne, who gives the pottery its signature fuchsia design.
26:48So what I'm doing here is I'm applying the decoration. The fuchsia is put on with the sponge, and then
26:55it would be pronounced then by an outline, using the green.
27:00The fuchsia is iconic to Coymore. It's really grown as a collector's piece, synonymous to Coymore.
27:08Once completed, the pots are handed over to Sister Genevieve, who after melting down leftover wax from the church candles,
27:16starts to add her finishing touches.
27:18This is the final stage of our scented candles, all coloured and scented with lavender, because lavender is our most
27:29popular product across the board.
27:31So, I'll make scented lavender candles, and this is the final stage.
27:37We have done the first stage, put them in Mary's little fuchsia pots, and they're very popular, because once the
27:46candle burns, well then they have a little pot.
27:49We wanted to make candles and scented and coloured, and we thought putting them in these little pots, they would
27:57sell, that's the bottom line.
27:59And yes, they did, they sold very successfully, and we've been doing them now for 10, 13 years, something like
28:05that.
28:07The shop make little gift packages, and they put our products in their Christmas hampers, so that's our contribution to
28:14Christmas.
28:39Back on the Isle of Wight, the sound of music is ever-present at Coymore Abbey, especially in the run
28:45-up to Christmas.
28:49Father Abbot Xavier is the highest authority at Coymore Abbey.
28:53He was elected by the community to serve them as their spiritual parental figure.
29:07Today, he is rehearsing a special Gregorian chant, so that he's pitch perfect in time for Christmas.
29:14And there are hymns or pieces of chant which are signed only on the day of Christmas, so we have
29:21to remember that, to prepare for that.
29:24We're rehearsing in order to make it as beautiful as possible.
29:48So, it is quite a challenging piece because you have to sing for nearly 10 minutes, but the Abbot has
29:55to think the beginning of the song.
29:58The Gospel according to Matthew, which is the genealogy of Christ, the ancestry of Christ.
30:03And this book was made by sisters in a convent nearby, St. Cicillias at Wright, and it took five years
30:12to do this work.
30:14It is all done by hand. I think there were four or five sisters working all over the time, and
30:22each had their own speciality.
30:24Some did the musical things, others would put the gold here, others would have the decoration.
30:31And of course, one of them had the whole conception of the decoration.
30:36What shall we put here? What decoration shall we put?
30:39And there are no two pages similar. There are all sorts of allusions to the Bible, but also the story
30:47of our monasteries.
30:48A very beautiful thing, in honour of the one who is the beautiful by essence, God himself, the beauty himself.
30:56And we never do enough for him.
30:58Iacob, autem genuit Ioseph, virum Marie, De qualatus est Iesus, Quivocatur Christus. Amen.
31:19So it is the long expectation of Advent, which is now finally finished, and now Jesus is given.
31:29That is the great present of Christmas, Jesus himself. And that's why we do presents to others.
31:40The monks are not the only ones preparing for the festive season.
31:49In the grounds of Quaw Abbey is a local community group hard at work making Christmas craft decorations.
31:56You have a fiddle about with it, see what you can do.
31:58These decorations will be sold on site, and the money raised will help to contribute to the estate's upkeep.
32:05It's a beautiful, tranquil setting for the guys that we have coming in, because a lot of them are on
32:10the autistic spectrum.
32:11So it's absolutely beautiful to be somewhere like this, and they can just relax.
32:15For the past 11 years, Muddy Boots has helped people with all disabilities to learn new outdoor skills.
32:23Right, this is the bigger screws then.
32:26Right, and you need to make a pilot hole there.
32:31A lot of the guys never would have even done woodwork before they've come into the project, so it's really
32:36nice.
32:36And they haven't had the confidence to do it, like one of the guys I've been working with today.
32:41He wouldn't have touched a drill, wouldn't have dreamt of doing that.
32:45Yeah, it's sorted.
32:46That's fair.
32:47It's really good making stuff out of wood.
32:50I've learnt loads of good stuff making stuff out of wood, it's really good.
33:00But before their handmade decorations can make it onto the abbey shop shelves, they need to be seen by the
33:06monks.
33:07We know the trees were accepted last year, which, you know, even then I wasn't 100% sure whether they'd
33:13go for it.
33:15So anything we produce, we always try and be mindful of what would be acceptable and we'd have to refer
33:22back to it's a simple way of life.
33:25So we wouldn't do anything on the plot that would offend them.
33:35The abbey's director of fundraising and operations, Tracey Osborne, is here to see what the group have come up with
33:42for this Christmas.
33:43Oh, hi, Tracey.
33:45Hi, Di.
33:45I hear you've got something to show me.
33:47Yes, I have actually.
33:48Right, this is our latest addition to our craft lines.
33:53What do you think?
33:54Oh, wow.
33:55I'm wowed.
33:57Is there a but?
33:58Do I sense a but coming?
34:00There's possibly a but in terms of are we stretching it too far between what is ethos of core and
34:09the meaning of Christmas?
34:10Does it fit traditionally or is it actually just a stretch too far for us?
34:16It was kind of a borderline.
34:17I think it's beautiful, really beautiful, but it's not something that I'm going to be able to say yes or
34:23no on.
34:23I am going to need to take it back to the community.
34:27OK.
34:27To see what they say.
34:29Well, fingers crossed.
34:31OK, let me take it away.
34:32I'll find out as soon as possible.
34:34OK.
34:35And let you know.
34:36So if it's a yes, and I do mean if it's a yes, then we can go into production as
34:40soon as possible.
34:42And if not, get your thinking caps on.
34:44OK, then.
34:45Yeah, if there's an adaptation, let me know if I can change it.
34:48But if it's just a blanket no, then I'll have to accept that one.
34:53OK.
34:54All right.
34:56Tracey will need to check if the bauble decoration chimes with the monk's Christian ethos.
35:01You never know how these things are going to go.
35:04It's a real grey area sometimes.
35:07So, you know, I quite expect her to come back and perhaps say no,
35:12because she would give me the vibe if she knew it was OK.
35:15But she's not sure herself, so I think it's possibly going to be a no.
35:20But we'll wait and see.
35:21Sometimes we're surprised.
35:35Every year, the monks of Kwar Abbey give the local community a Christmas carol service.
35:40And in preparation for this important public performance,
35:44the monks call in the help of a local singing teacher, Linda Philby Borritt.
35:52Morning.
35:53Good morning.
35:55Nice to see you.
35:56Right, we'll do a warm-up first before we discuss about the Christmas carols.
36:02Christmas carols.
36:03Exciting.
36:04Exciting.
36:05Absolutely.
36:06Right.
36:07ZA ZE ZE ZO ZU.
36:12Here we go.
36:14ZA ZE ZE ZO ZU.
36:18It's been a great experience to come here.
36:22And each week when I drive up and I see the building, my heart lifts because it's great.
36:30I work from home the rest of the time, but it's wonderful to come to see them.
36:35And they've become the best of friends.
36:37So, no, I'm blessed really.
36:40Really, really lucky to be here.
36:42So, let's have a go at Silent Night.
36:45Deep breath.
36:53Some are real good singers and some are not such good singers, but it doesn't matter.
36:58And somebody said to me in the church, when I wasn't quite sure what we were supposed to be doing
37:03in the service,
37:04they said, God won't mind.
37:06And I thought, that's a really good point.
37:10So, I'm not Catholic, but I really appreciate their religion.
37:22Since I've been a monk, I've rediscovered Christmas, because there are many aspects of Christmas which are not present in
37:29our life.
37:29I'm poor, I have no personal money, so I don't give to my beloved members of my family.
37:34I don't give anything.
37:37And when the first year, they say, can we send you?
37:40We say, we prefer no.
37:43Don't make a gift to a charity, if you wish, in my name, but don't send me things.
37:49One more demand you will.
37:55Well done. Well done, gentlemen.
37:57Thank you. See you next time.
37:58All right. Yes.
37:58Keep up the good work, Matthew.
38:00See you next time, Linda.
38:01Yes. Well done.
38:08Advent is a busy time of year, as well as a spiritually important one for the monks of Quar Abbey.
38:14But like all Benedictines, they need to balance prayer with their workload.
38:20And as the seasons progress, it's time for the monks and employees to turn their attention to the ancient art
38:27of brewing ale.
38:34Monasteries have been large-scale brewers of ale since the eighth century, when water supplies were unsanitary.
38:42Today, Quar Abbey brews their ale at a local brewery, Goddard's.
38:51Matt is delivering the abbey's homegrown bog myrtle and coriander to brewer, Bob Simpson.
38:57If we take the stuff inside and get it all put in the right place.
39:01The herbs are signature ingredients for their Quar Abbey ale and have been used in traditional beer brewing since the
39:08Middle Ages.
39:11Bog myrtle was a key ingredient in ancient English beer making, widely used before hops became more popular from the
39:1915th century.
39:21Right, let's see how much of this we've got, shall we?
39:23Yeah.
39:2520, spot on, isn't it?
39:2620, yeah, there you go.
39:27Yeah, 200 grams.
39:29Spot on.
39:29Exactly, exactly what we need.
39:30And this one here is...
39:33That'll be a lot, lot more, but we can obviously take some out.
39:3540, 45.
39:38Yeah, that's OK, that's perfect.
39:41Coriander is commonly found in beer today, but bog myrtle is more unusual.
39:46If you crush it up, you can actually smell the...
39:50Similar like hops when you crush it and the essential oils come out.
39:53That's right.
39:53So it's probably pretty pungent if you only use this much for a brew, isn't it?
39:57Yeah, absolutely, yeah.
39:58I think if you use only this much for, what, 10,000 bottles or more, it doesn't seem much, does
40:02it?
40:02No, no, no.
40:03For that much.
40:04It's one of the few places on the island that we can get it, isn't it, I think?
40:06Because we have to actually get stuff from your grounds to make the provenance work.
40:10A bit like Quar Abbey's version of truffles, is it?
40:12Oh, it is a bit like that.
40:12You've got it hidden away somewhere.
40:13You're not telling anyone your secret location, are you?
40:15That's right.
40:15Secret location.
40:17Yeah.
40:17It's clever stuff, isn't it?
40:18It's clever stuff.
40:18It is good.
40:19I'll take these in.
40:20We need you to wear these in a second.
40:22Keep these away.
40:22Keep these in here.
40:23We can add it to the brew.
40:26I'll pass it up to you.
40:27Excellent.
40:28Okay, you're going to pass it up.
40:29I'll pass it up, yeah.
40:30I'll pass it up, yeah.
40:30And smash in.
40:30Flick the lid open.
40:33There we go.
40:34Tip it in down the side.
40:38I'll try and get every last bit in there as well.
40:40Yeah, yeah.
40:40Get the money's worth.
40:41Don't want to waste any, eh?
40:43You see the steam on the back.
40:45That's lovely, okay.
40:45Flick the lid back.
40:46Got the top back on.
40:48Now we're ready to go.
40:52Brilliant.
40:53Well done.
40:53Excellent.
40:54Make a brew if you get, won't we?
40:56That'd be great.
40:58That's definitely on the bucket list.
41:00Yeah.
41:00Well done.
41:01With the Abbey's herbs now in the mix, the ale is left to brew in time for Christmas.
41:24As Christmas preparations are underway at Quar Abbey, trainee monk, or postulant, Brother Matthew,
41:31is continuing his journey into monastic life, which he only began recently.
41:35And like all monks, he needs to master the many skills required for this new world.
41:41I have been here for seven months now, and I'm just about to start bookbinding.
41:46For the initial six months that I was here, we did beekeeping when the weather was nice,
41:51and now we're indoors and we're going to start some bookbinding, which I can't wait.
41:56The aim is for you to make a little notebook, which you can perhaps give to your family.
42:00Matthew's tutor in this ancient art is Father Nicholas, who joined the Abbey in the 1970s,
42:06after first training as an Anglican priest.
42:10There are very many practical jobs in the Abbey, which I've done an awful lot in my 37 years here.
42:17So, Father Nicholas, how long has it taken you to learn bookbinding?
42:21Five years.
42:23But you're learning all the time.
42:25That's quite a lot of time then, isn't it? Five whole years.
42:29There has been a bookbindery here at Quar since the foundation of the present Abbey in 1907.
42:35And the skills used here are adopted from methods used in monasteries since the Middle Ages.
42:42It's a good idea to thread your needle.
42:48OK.
42:49Now, you put the page on top of there.
42:52Mm-hm.
42:52The hole's already in, with the holes matching the tapes.
42:58Now, you put one in there, then round each tape,
43:01and then we'll do a kettle stitch at the end.
43:08Sewing looks easy, but it's the most important part of binding a book,
43:14because the sewing's not good.
43:16The whole book won't work.
43:21Right, now, pull tight.
43:22Pull the thread tight.
43:24This is kind of like my alternative work.
43:27Usually, throughout the week, we do mainly gardening and kind of painting and decorating.
43:31Now, you put your needle through the loop.
43:35Right, and that should hold.
43:37Yep.
43:38So you kind of flicked it up, didn't you?
43:40It's held.
43:40We haven't got enough string to do another page now.
43:43Please, can we have right technical language?
43:46We don't have string in binderies.
43:48What is it?
43:49Thread.
43:49Thread.
43:50The main thing Matthew and we have got to do,
43:54work out is whether he wants to be a monk
43:57and how that can be brought about.
44:00It's not just about what you do.
44:02It's about a whole lifetime with God.
44:05So it's a fundamental purpose of being a monk is seeking God.
44:11So we got to work with Matthew and see where God wants him to be.
44:19But he's doing very well here at the moment and we're very hopeful.
44:23You need to leave enough to tie.
44:25OK.
44:26That's a lot, isn't it?
44:27I haven't pulled it through yet, though.
44:29Originally, in the ancient world, books, they were like scrolls.
44:35Books came in not just with the Christian church, but largely with the Christian church.
44:41The craft of bookbinding was really developed in monasteries.
44:46OK.
44:47To make prayer books and Bibles and various other things which the monasteries needed.
44:55It's a very ancient monastic craft, and particularly in the Middle Ages.
45:00That's quite a decent claim to fame, isn't it?
45:02Most books were made by monasteries.
45:06So now, if you want to do a kettle there, a kettle has got nothing to do with what you
45:12boil tea in.
45:13So where does it get its name from?
45:15A kettle stitch is an old name for a catch stitch.
45:20Pull it tight.
45:22Tie those two together.
45:24OK.
45:25Just with a normal knot, yeah.
45:27Well, with a knot that won't come undone.
45:29Leave a tiny bit there.
45:32That's fine.
45:33It's not unproppy, is it?
45:34Oh!
45:37You know what you did?
45:38You cut both those things that become un...
45:41I've messed it up.
45:42We've all messed things up.
45:44You know what?
45:45You were doing very well until then.
45:46I was.
45:47I thought I was.
45:48Well, I've still got some way to learn, obviously.
45:51It's just that I must have cut the wrong piece of string.
45:53I mean, that could easily be corrected.
45:56Yes, thread.
45:56Thread.
45:59Thread.
46:17Christmas is around the corner, and a local group of volunteers
46:21are hoping that their handmade festive decorations
46:24will make it onto the shelves of Kwaar Abbey Shop in time.
46:29With the Christmas craft, you just cross your fingers you've got it right
46:33and you're not going to offend anybody.
46:37It's the job of Tracey to get the decorations checked by the monks.
46:43But finding one is proving difficult.
46:52Well, it looks like we've found possibly Father Gregory.
46:57Can I borrow you for a minute, please?
46:59Yes, you may.
47:00Here I am.
47:01How can I help?
47:02Well, I've got the bauble that Muddy Boots have made
47:06as their new product for this year to sell in the farm shop.
47:11And we just want to check with the community
47:13that they're happy with it to go in there
47:16because it's a bit of a stretch from what we normally do
47:18in terms of Christmas.
47:20Yes.
47:21Well, it doesn't really fit in with my training
47:23in animal husbandry and vegetable production
47:28to make any judgment about it.
47:29But I'm sure it's lovely,
47:34but it should do for a stable door, wouldn't it?
47:39Should I check it with Father Abbott?
47:41Yeah, I think that's a very good idea.
47:43Thank you, Father Gregory.
47:44Yeah.
47:45I'll let you get back to your apples.
47:50That's all right, Tracey.
47:51Any time you want my judgment,
47:52I'll be very happy to impart all my wisdom.
47:59With Father Gregory on the fence,
48:02Tracey searches for Father Xavier.
48:05Ah, Father Xavier.
48:06Hello, Tracey.
48:08Hello, how are you?
48:09Not too bad, thank you.
48:10What have you been here?
48:12Well, you know Muddy Boots make things for souring the farm shop.
48:16Great.
48:17And this is their new for Christmas this year.
48:21OK.
48:21But I wasn't quite sure whether it's appropriate to sell.
48:25It's very big.
48:26It is very big.
48:27Father Gregory says it's not his department.
48:29It's not his department.
48:31I don't know who it is, but it is lovely.
48:34It is lovely.
48:35It is a decoration to put in a house or on a door or?
48:39I think probably in the garden.
48:41In the garden, yeah.
48:41Some people might have them in the house,
48:43but Diane's clean to go into production.
48:46I see.
48:47If you give your say-so.
48:50Yes, and maybe I would give a little more painting on that.
48:53It is something a little more shining, if we could do that.
48:58Yes.
48:58If you think it's suitable for us to sell, I know there are going to be many things.
49:01You can give a try these years here, see how it works.
49:03OK.
49:04I would not say a hundred of those, but a few.
49:09Thank you very much, Father Xavier.
49:12Do all my best to that.
49:14You will keep me informed.
49:15I will do indeed.
49:16Thank you very much.
49:17I'll let you know how many we've sold.
49:18Thank you very much.
49:19Bye, Tracy.
49:20Bye.
49:22With Father Xavier's blessing,
49:24Tracy is keen to pass on the good news to the Muddy Boots team.
49:27Hi, Di.
49:28Hello.
49:28How are you?
49:29How did it go?
49:31Oh, don't look so worried.
49:33Oh, OK.
49:34Oh, well, must be better than I was hoping for then.
49:39Sorry it's taken a couple of days to get back to you.
49:41Tracking down a member of the community has been tricky.
49:46However, I spoke to Father Abbott today.
49:49Yeah.
49:51And he's given us the green light.
49:53Really?
49:53Yeah.
49:54Wow.
49:55I'm so grateful.
49:57That's brilliant news.
50:09The first batch of this year's ale is finally ready to be delivered to the Abbey,
50:14just in time for their Christmas shoppers.
50:16Hello.
50:17How are you?
50:18This is Bob.
50:18Hello, Bob.
50:19Good to meet you.
50:19See you again.
50:21Excellent.
50:21Thanks for bringing these in.
50:22No problem at all.
50:23But there's a reason why head brewer Bob has made this special delivery,
50:27an extra surprise for Father Gregory.
50:30It's gone really well.
50:30I've got one thing I can show you, which is hitting the way over here.
50:34Just the other day, we got this through the post.
50:38I suppose it officially belongs to you, and it's the international beer challenge, it's like the Oscars of beer, and
50:44you that won, or we together have won a silver medal.
50:47Oh, there we go.
50:48Isn't that good?
50:49Well, this is an international one against beers from all over the world.
50:52Right, I'd better get this into the shop, I think.
50:54Yeah, that's the best.
50:55That's the best point, Bob.
50:57Thanks for bringing it over.
50:58No problem, thank you very much.
50:59We'll get it stored away for you.
51:00Yeah, and I'm sure it'll be sold ready for Christmas.
51:03We should give them a hand, shouldn't we?
51:05I don't do it anymore.
51:14And another Christmas treat has also finally arrived at the Abbey's shop.
51:20The Muddy Boots Gardening Group's Christmas decorations.
51:28Put a lot of effort into them, haven't you?
51:30Yeah, thank you, yeah, we have a lot of time.
51:33Yeah, it looks like you worked really hard on them.
51:35Yeah, we tried really hard.
51:37I think they're really nice, and I think, yeah, it's a brilliant idea.
51:43OK.
51:43Oh, very good, thank you very much.
51:45Oh, thank you.
51:46All right.
51:46You're welcome.
51:47Better get back to doing some more making, guys, haven't we?
51:50Yeah, yeah.
51:51You're looking very Christmassy in your jumpers, aren't you?
51:53Yeah, yeah, thank you.
51:55Right, be in touch a few days, then, Lucy.
51:58See you, bye.
51:58We've got to get off to work.
52:13After a year of hard work from Kaur Abbey's monks, staff, and volunteers,
52:18nice to see you.
52:22Father Xavier has organised a special tasting of some of their handmade Christmas offerings.
52:30There's much work that has been done by our staff in the background of this, and it is always a
52:35joy when we come to the same time of enjoying things and celebration.
52:40Well, I think if God came into the world that we will celebrate at Christmas, it is also that we
52:45wanted to bless human activity and all that we do.
52:48And there's a way to be joyful at Christmas, which is very much in keeping with what he came to
52:55do for us.
52:57Father Xavier, should I start with you first?
52:59What would you like?
53:00So we've got the ale, cider, or the apple juice?
53:03The ale.
53:05Thank you very much.
53:06I'd like the wine of the ale, please.
53:08Father Nicholas, some apple juice?
53:09Some apple juice, cider.
53:11I've got these brother man.
53:12Cider, please, Tracy.
53:13Yes.
53:14And can I take some cake as well?
53:16I certainly can.
53:18Well, I like it each year.
53:19I like it.
53:20And the least is, maybe I drink a bit too much.
53:26I hope it will be a great joy at Christmas for many who can enjoy these and other products of
53:33our lovely abbey.
53:36Cheers.
53:36Happy Christmas.
53:37Merry Christmas.
53:38Merry Christmas.
53:46Merry Christmas.
53:48Merry Christmas.
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