A Happy Homecoming or a Second Exile?: The journey from exile to revival of Benedictine nuns in England 1795-1840 (Paperback)

Was England their homecoming - or another exile? Discover the untold story behind one of the most turbulent chapters in British religious history. When English Benedictine nuns fled Revolutionary France and the Low Countries they expected refuge in their homeland. Instead they encountered poverty prejudice and profound identity conflict. This was not a triumphant return - it was a second exile. Drawing on rich previously untapped archives Scholastica Jacob uncovers the dramatic story of five Benedictine communities navigating displacement rebuilding monastic life and shaping Catholic revival in a Protestant England. Through vivid first-hand narratives of imprisonment peril and perseverance this book explores themes of survival spirituality and cultural adaptation. Far more than a convent chronicle this study bridges religious history women s studies and migration scholarship. It reveals the nuns hidden contribution to education ecumenical dialogue and the intellectual currents of the Catholic Enlightenment - while offering fresh insight into the resilience of faith under pressure.