Echo of a Loved Voice
The Letters of Abbot Anscar Vonier
Translated and Edited by Steve
Roach
Echo of a Loved Voice offers a captivating glimpse into the life of Anscar Vonier — Abbot of Buckfast Abbey from 1906 to 1938 — in letters translated from the original French and brought together as one collection for the first time. These deeply personal writings follow his journey from boyhood in Germany, through his early years at Buckfast, to the traumatic shipwreck off the coast of Spain that would shape his life and faith.
From that defining moment, the letters reveal a man of extraordinary resilience and vision: rebuilding Buckfast Abbey from its ruins, guiding his community through the First World War, while rising to prominence as an acclaimed preacher and author of enduring theological works.
Each chapter begins with an introductory note that sets the scene, while striking photographs of Abbot Anscar and his world bring the story vividly to life. Drawing on extracts from the Buckfast Annals and his own writings, together with personal recollections from a lifelong friend, this book, published to mark the 150th anniversary of his birth, offers a powerful reflection on faith and a moving portrait of a remarkable man.
Steve Roach, from Exeter in Devon, studied French at Cardiff University and Theology at the University of Surrey. He currently works in the Archives at Buckfast Abbey.
978 1 78182 047 6
400 pages + 16 colour plates
£35.00 Hardback
