Our Community

We invite you to draw near to our community and learn something of its soul.  Founded in 1848 by the 29 year old vicar of Wantage, William John Butler, the Community of St Mary the Virgin is one of the earliest traditional Church of England Religious Communities.  It is dedicated to Mary the Mother of Jesus, the pondering one. Like Mary we want to draw closer to God:

• • • through our daily five-fold Office and in the Eucharist
    • through waiting on God in our personal prayer
    • in listening to God in our relationships with our Sisters
    • by looking outwards to God’s presence in our guests and neighbours and in the joys and sufferings of contemporary society.

“Earthly  kingdoms and all the glories of the world I spurned for the sake of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ…”     

From Vespers’ Respond for a Religious

We invite you to visit or come and stay on our Retreat Wing for quiet and reflection, to share, as you wish, in our worship in Chapel.  We offer spiritual guidance and we host groups for quiet days and retreats.

There may be an opportunity to be with the Community for an extended time as an Alongsider.

We hope that these photos will give you some glimpse of our life in Community: