Order of St Benedict St Mark's Priory, Camperdown OSB Founded 1975 Benedictine Monastery PO Box 111, Camperdown Victoria 3260, Australia Tel: 3 5593 2348 Email: benabbey@dodo.com.au

The Community was founded in the parish of St Mark, Fitzroy, in the archdiocese of Melbourne on 8 November 1975, when the first two monks were clothed. In 1980, after working in this inner city parish for five years, and after adopting the Rule of Saint Benedict, they moved to the country town of Camperdown in the Western District of Victoria. Here the Community lives a contemplative monastic life with the emphasis on the balanced life of prayer and work that forms the Benedictine ethos. In 1993, the Chapter decided to admit women and to endeavour to establish a mixed community of monks and nuns. To this end, two nuns came from Malling Abbey (UK) and one has transferred her stability to Camperdown. The Community supports itself through the operation of a printery, icon reproduction, crafts and a small guest house. A permanent monastery has now been built and the monastery church was consecrated by the diocesan bishop in February 1995.
On July 11th 2002, the community gathered for an Election Chapter at which Dom Michael King was elected the first Abbot of the monastery. He was duly blessed by the Bishop Visitor in the Abbey Church on the Feast of the Transfiguration, August 6th 2002, in the presence of five bishops of the Australian Church, the Abbot of Tarrawarra, the Prior of New Norcia, and a large gathering of oblates and friends of the community.

The Rt Revd Dom Michael King OSB
(Abbot, assumed office 11 July 2002)
The Very Revd Dom Phillip Turnbull OSB (Sub-Prior)

For further details, obtain a copy of
The Anglican Religious Communities Year Book