A statement from the Benedictine Abbey of Caldey Island, near Tenby, had announced the monks' decision to be received into the Roman Catholic Church, "because the community cannot conscien- tiously submit to the conditions the Bishop [of Oxford, Charles Gore] has found it necessary to impose before consenting to accept the office of visitor".

THE . . . announcement . . . will certainly not astonish those who have for the past two years followed the fortunes of the Community. Rather more than a year ago, indeed, in spite of official disclaimers to the contrary effect, the step seems to have been practically decided upon. From time to time the opinion of the community has tended so strongly towards secession that effect might at any time have been given to it. . .

Many have remarked in the history of the last year or two on Caldey a departure from its [the Community's] original austerity. Our regret is for the swift decline of the Community from its first zeal. Our sole sympathy is with those who have based their hopes upon weak and fallacious men, and have seen these hopes come to nought. What they have done by way of generous aid has been done with the best motives; they will not wish it undone because they themselves have been deceived. Still less will they admit that there is now no possibility of reviving the Benedictine life within the English Church. . . The research which has been the result of the attempt has convincingly proved that Benedictinism within the English Church only awaits a founder possessed of stability of character, and with sufficient knowledge of history and theology, to see what really constitutes Catholicity.