David Charlesworth Explained

Type:Priest
Honorific-Prefix:The Right Reverend
David Charlesworth
Honorific-Suffix:OSB
Church:Catholic Church
Elected:9 April 2021
Predecessor:Richard Yeo (Abbot Administrator)
Ordination:24 June 1984
Birth Date:6 October 1951
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Nationality:British
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Alma Mater:Newman College of Higher Education

David Charlesworth, OSB (born 6 October 1951) is the Abbot of Buckfast Abbey in Devon, England. He is a member of the Order of Saint Benedict.[1] [2]

Biography

In September 1970, Charlesworth joined Buckfast Abbey and the Order of Saint Benedict as a novice.[3] From 1974 to 1977, he studied at Newman College of Higher Education, a Catholic teacher training college.[4] From 1977, he taught maths and science at Buckfast Abbey Preparatory School. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1984 and became abbot of Buckfast in 1992.[5]

Charlesworth commissioned Torbay-based theater-company Unleashed Productions to adapt the stories in Philip Yancey's book What's So Amazing About Grace? into a play, which they did and then performed at the abbey in 2010.[6]

Charlesworth commissioned a 79-year-old nun, Mother Joanna, to paint an 18 x 26 ft acrylic mural on twenty wooden panels for the abbey's restaurant, the Grange.[7] When the mural was unveiled in April 2014, Charlesworth called it "a monumental effort by Mother Joanna depicting the extraordinary work of a handful of monks who built the present church on the 12th century foundations in only 32 years".[8]

In 2013, Alex Neil, Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, contacted Buckfast Abbey and said that they should stop making Buckfast Tonic Wine. Charlesworth later said to the media, "If you ban Buckfast, ban Scottish whisky. It's alcohol, much stronger. But oh no they wouldn't do that. So they are picking on a particular thing as a conscience salver."[9] In response, Member of the Scottish Parliament Elaine Smith said that Buckfast Tonic Wine is more problematic than Scotch whisky because of Buckfast's caffeine content.[10] Charlesworth said that blaming Buckfast Tonic Wine for alcohol-related crime, violence, and anti-social behaviour within the "Buckfast Triangle" of Scotland[11] is "not fair", as the tonic wine is legal and "not made to be abused".[12]

Charlesworth is one of the founders of the School of the Annunciation.[13] In 2014, Charlesworth invited Robert Atwell, the new Bishop of Exeter, to spend some time in reflection with Buckfast Abbey's monks, and Atwell accepted.[14] On 9 April 2021 Charlesworth was re-elected Abbot of Buckfast.[15] [16]

Notes and References

  1. News: Independent Catholic News. Buckfast Abbey to Unveil Giant Mural. March 31, 2014. September 1, 2015.
  2. News: The Sunday Times. Buckfast's Abbot Won't See Scotland. Macaskill, Mark. February 9, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064745/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/scotland/article1373494.ece. dead. March 4, 2016. September 1, 2015.
  3. Web site: Honorary Doctorate - short speech. Alumni. Newman University, Birmingham. 14 December 2016. pdf. 21 November 2013. 20 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220174844/http://www.newman.ac.uk/files/w3/alumni/pdf/David%20Charlesworth%20Honorary%20Doctorate%20-%20short%20speech.pdf?q=499. dead.
  4. Web site: The Right Reverend David Charlesworth O.S.B. Alumni. Newman University, Birmingham. 14 December 2016. 2013. 20 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220175301/http://www.newman.ac.uk/alumni/3699/the-right-reverend-david-charlesworth-o-s-b. dead.
  5. News: Brother Adam, 98, Bee Breeder Who Developed New Varieties . 2 August 2022 . . . 4 September 1996 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150526161009/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/04/world/brother-adam-98-bee-breeder-who-developed-new-varieties.html . 26 May 2015 . His bee research ended in 1992 because the monastery's new abbot, the Right Rev. David Charlesworth, insisted the main function of the abbey apiaries was honey production, not research..
  6. News: Western Morning News. Devon. Monastery Hosts Bold and Moving New Production. August 20, 2010. 18. June 22, 2015.
  7. News: Express & Echo. Stunning 26ft Artwork Created by 79-Year-Old Nun in Devon. March 23, 2014. September 1, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924005306/http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Pictures-Stunning-26ft-artwork-created-79-year/story-20842858-detail/story.html. September 24, 2015. dead.
  8. News: Western Daily Press. Buckfast Abbey Mural the Size of Double-Decker Pushed Nun to the Limit. April 7, 2014. Goodwin, Phil. September 1, 2015.
  9. News: The Daily Telegraph. Benedictine Monks Urged to Stop Selling Buckfast to Young People. Cramb, Auslan. December 27, 2013. September 1, 2015.
  10. News: Daily Record. MSP Elaine Smith Says Buckfast Abbot Should Visit Her Constituency to See Real Problems Caused by the Drink. December 30, 2013. McLeod, Keith. September 1, 2015.
  11. News: Barr . Damian . Life in the Buckfast Triangle: drunk by noon, handcuffed by midnight . 2 August 2022 . . 3 February 2014 . The monks get a royalty for every bottle and last year made more than £6m. Their Abbot, David Charlesworth, claims to be upset by the Buckfast Triangle. "I don't want Buckfast Abbey to be associated with broken bottles and drunks," he says. "But is the product bad? No.".
  12. News: Morris . Jonathan . Buckfast monks reject blame for 'tonic wine crime' . 2 August 2022 . . 25 December 2013.
  13. News: Independent Catholic News. New School of Evangelisation at Buckfast Abbey. Caldwell, Simon. February 28, 2014. September 1, 2015.
  14. News: Express & Echo. New Bishop of Exeter on Devon Pilgrimage. June 18, 2014. September 1, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924005236/http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/New-Bishop-Exeter-Devon-pilgrimage/story-21255719-detail/story.html. September 24, 2015. dead.
  15. Buckfast_Abbey . 1380520641946861575 . We are pleased to announce that the Rt Rev. Dom David Charlesworth was elected as Abbot of Buckfast. We warmly invite all our friends to join their prayers to ours in thanksgiving for Abbot David's election, and for the monastic community at this time..
  16. News: Very Rev. David Charlesworth OSB re-elected Abbot of Buckfast Abbey . 2 August 2022 . The Catholic Network . 7 October 2021.

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