The Fr Stephen Ortiger Bursary Fund

The Worth Abbey Retreat Centre (based around the St Bruno’s facility) is an increasingly popular venue for personal and group spiritual renewal. The Centre offers warm Benedictine hospitality, the space and time to relax and recharge, with the option of spiritual guidance from members of the monastic community, as well as access to the Abbey Church and monastic liturgy, and walks in the woods and grounds of the Worth Abbey Estate.

Our retreat bursary fund exists to enable individuals and small groups who might struggle to afford the costs of residential retreats to access the opportunities offered by our Benedictine retreat centre.

The fund is especially intended for younger applicants for retreat places, and youth groups both locally and from further afield. Your gift to this fund will support Worth Abbey’s work among young people in the locality, especially through our mission in Brighton, to enable a wider range of visitors to discover the opportunities afforded by Worth Abbey and by the monastic life.

We are now renaming this dedicated fund in honour of the memory of Fr Stephen Ortiger.

As Abbot of Worth between 1994 and 2002, it was Fr Stephen’s insight that Worth Abbey’s ministry should be extended to allow the fruits of the monastery’s prayer and life to be more easily accessible to people from many different settings. To that end, he founded a ‘Centre for Spirituality’ at Worth, which – over time – would grow into the present day Worth Abbey Retreat Centre, now located in the St Bruno’s building.

A cause close to Fr Stephen’s heart was enabling those who lack the personal resources to visit our retreat centre, especially young people, to be enabled to do so. Please find the donation page here.