An OWs 3 foundation stones from Worth

Returning to Worth for Speech Day last month, Christopher Lamb R'01 spoke fondly about his time at the School and how Worth prepared him for what he has gone on to achieve. He said, “A quarter of a century on, my time at Worth remains as something I look back on, providing me with the foundation stones for navigating what came after I left the school'.

Christopher has gone on to enjoy a hugely respected career in journalism. Currently CNN’s Vatican correspondent, he has previously worked for The Tablet, has been a regular commentator for the BBC on Vatican and religious affairs, regularly travels on the papal plane, has written books about the pope and reported live on the conclave that elected Pope Leo the Fourteenth, the first American pope.

Christopher went on to say, “So, what are the foundation stones that Worth offered to me? I would offer three, all of them I think linked to the Rule of St Benedict, and Benedictine values, and all of them things I feel Worth is known for. In a time of AI, they are uniquely human. These foundation stones have helped me through life and, I believe, can help you as you navigate your own futures.

“The first is kindness, something that is often in short supply today. Kindness, or compassion, is closely linked to the Benedictine emphasis on humility, as it takes the emphasis away from the ego... I think the Worth community has always had an atmosphere of kindness, and gentleness. It is also an aspect of Pope Leo XIV’s leadership. As the poet and civil rights activist, Maya Angelou, said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.’ No one is too important or successful to be kind.”

He continued, “The second foundation is prayer, or the interior life. Anyone entering this Abbey church, whether they are Christians, Catholics or of no faith, cannot fail to notice the difference they experience between the outside world and walking into this building. As I heard one of the monastic community, Fr Luke, ask someone walking in here, ‘Can you hear it?’ He was referring to the silence in the Abbey. “In the world of 24/7 news, where you can be bombarded with information all day long, the need to develop an interior life, to create a place of silence, is vital. I certainly have found this in my job.”

Finally, he added, “This brings me to the final foundation stone, perseverance. It doesn’t matter how bad things get, as the Benedictine saying goes, ‘always we begin again’. I have faced numerous struggles, set-backs and difficulties both as a journalist and in life. There were plenty of times where I felt like throwing in the towel and trying something else. But that simple maxim ‘begin again’ always helped. The rule of St Benedict emphasizes stability – remaining in place – something that is very important in time of transience and uncertainty. “I believe that to persevere, and to continue with something even though it is difficult, is a vital ingredient for achieving anything of value in life. And it is something that Worth helped teach me.”

After speeches, Christopher signed copies of new book, American Hope: What Pope Leo XIV Means for the Church and the World.