ABOUT THE WEAVE
The Story
The History of Manquehue
The Weave of Manquehue Prayer is rooted in the Manquehue Apostolic Movement. Manquehue was founded in 1977 as an Association of Lay Faithful from the Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile. The main inspiration for the lives of the members, who are all lay people, is the prayerful reading of Holy Scripture - also called Lectio Divina - and the teaching and spirituality of St Benedict. Manquehue runs three schools in Santiago, Chile, for over 4000 pupils, as well as 150 weekly Lectio Divina groups and a hostel for homeless women. There is also a community and retreat centre in Patagonia, in the south of Chile. Manquehue had its statues approved and granted juridical personality to Cannon Law in 1994.
The History of Manquehue in the UK
Since 1981, Manquehue has been connected with Ampleforth Abbey and College in North Yorkshire. This friendship has since spread to other schools and monasteries from the English Benedictine Congregation (EBC). In 2009, the EBC and the Manquehue Apostolic Movement established a spiritual communion and juridical Consociation. The friendship grew further when in January 2015, Manquehue set up a community to live and work at Downside, Somerset, at the invitation of the monastic and school communities there. A similar community was established at Ampleforth from January 2016 to December 2017.
Since 1984, ex-students from the English Benedictine Schools and other young people have been going to Santiago to work in the Manquehue schools and share in the Manquehue life in general for a 6 month gap year experience. Some young people from the UK have also spent a 4 month formation period with the community in Chilean Patagonia. On return from these experiences and on leaving the English Benedictine Schools, some young people have gone on to start Lectio groups in the cities where they live, to share the gift of Lectio Divina and the Manquehue charism with others across the UK.
If you are interested in learning more about the Manquehue gap year please get in contact with us.
The Weave of Manquehue Prayer
In November 2017, the Weave of Manquehue Prayer formalised to acknowledge, receive and welcome the expanding network of communities coming together for Lectio Divina, personal prayer, shared liturgy and spiritual friendship throughout the UK. The Weave of Manquehue Prayer is a network of friends that seek to help one another to pray, to cultivate spiritual friendship and to share with many the Good News of the Risen Christ. The Weave draws from the charism of the Manquehue Movement to enrich initiatives of evangelisation and service.