Hi ,

I’ve been asked to put an ad on the blog for a retreat at Douai Abbey – so please check it out!!!!!!!! Just carry on reading and take a peek at the info on the website – its sounds brill.

 

Some Good News! Young Catholic Adults Douai Abbey Retreat Gets Bigger and Better
During the weekend of the 18-20 September 2009. Young Catholic Adults (YCA are part of the international Juventutem Federation) will be running a Traditional Retreat at Douai Abbey in the south of England, the weekend will be led by Juventutem Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr de Malleray. Summorum Pontificum must be working – at least in a “brick by brick” fashion, just look at the following:-

-For the first time Young Catholic Adults will be using the main Abbey Church for Mass

-For the first time YCA will be organising a Missa Cantata, sung by the Douai Singers; this will be followed by a Marian Procession

- YCA has booked out the whole of the retreat complex this year, on the advice of Douai Abbey itself, as the monks were so pleased with the YCA retreat last year

Places are limited so please book early

-YCA will have the retreat centre to itself
-There will be a social in the evening
- Fr. de Malleray FSSP head of Juventutem will preach the retreat, all Masses will be in the Extraordinary form
- There will be a Sung Mass (Missa Cantata) on Saturday 19th September 09’ at 10am. The choir will be the Douai Singers, in the main Abbey Church, followed by a Marian Procession at 11am (starting from the main Abbey Church) around the extensive grounds of the Abbey (weather permitting, if the weather is poor there will be Marian devotions in the main Abbey Church )
-The weekend will be full-board (except for the Sunday lunch)

How to book

The cost of the weekend will be from as little as 25 pounds for students (or 48-88 pounds for non students) for more details, please see http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/news.htm or email juventutemcatholicam@yahoo.co.uk  or ring 07908 105787

Events Open to the Public

The Sung Mass (Missa Canta) on Saturday 19th September 09’ at 10am followed by a Marian Procession around the extensive grounds of the Abbey at 11am (starting from the main Abbey Church) are open to the public.

There are also a few rooms allocated for all age groups (not just YCA) so please book soon.

There are limited places so please reserve your place early!

What’s your Vocation in life?  That is a question some may be asked or you ask yourself. Well, we’ve just come across a ‘very good’ little booklet published by the CTS (Catholic Truth Society) and its called: ‘How to Discover your Vocation’ – its only £1.95 and is very well worth reading!

Its got brilliant sections on choosing your vocation (religious, priesthood, married or single) and it gives signs to look out for and a few suggestions to follow up. EG: p.49 tells of – avoiding the question of vocation…….if the question of vocation is nagging at you then don’t just run away, it will come back, so face it honestly. Another one is: Fear of commitment…….Commitment to anything, let alone for life, seems like a limitation, but to have a series of options is actually to have no options. God may be inviting you to make a life long commitment to put down roots so that you can  truly flourish.

These are just a few pointers from the book and  if you get it i’m sure you’ll enjoy it!!! Happy Reading!

In the meantime i think its time just to remind you of our ‘COME AND SEE’ Weekend in August. If you’re thinking of a contemplative vocation (even active) then don’t hesitate to come and see us there is no obligation, just a chance to talk over the possibility of your future life in this area, and i can guarantee if the weather is like it is now (hot, sticky) then you’ll see the grounds in a super way and soak up some of that lovely British weather and you’ll love it. The choir looks stunning with the sun radiating through the stained glass windows.   At the moment we are in the middle of picking fruit, strawberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries and raspberries so if you don’t hear from me as much its because i’m outside getting hotter and hotter picking and getting thorns.

God bless

Sr. D      -   July 7th – PSS.   If you still think that you would like to join us for the ‘Come and See’ weekend then hurry – there are only a few places left!!! Yes, that’s great and i can’t wait so please, please say the prayers and when its over i’ll write all about it!

Sister Benedict’s Story: part 2

 So I knew nothing about religious life, except that I felt that God was calling me to consecrate my whole life to him.

I was drawn to the Benedictines because of Cardinal Basil Hume, and his book, Searching for God. This book is also still available.

(By the way, did you google Sun Slower Sun Faster, the novel I mentioned last time? You will soon realise that books have had a great influence on me!)

Cardinal Hume attracted me to Benedictine monastic life because when interviewed on the radio he talked about prayer, which was quite rare in those days. I also heard him preach at Westminster Cathedral, and he didn’t pretend to know all the answers, which was honest and helpful.

I have often returned to that book of his, and did so again only last year to copy out a bit about discernment:

To novices about to take first vows:

“When you were postulants and we were discussing whether or not you should enter the monastery, I told you there were three questions you should put to yourself: Do I want to live with these persons? Do I want to do what they do? Do I see myself becoming the sort of person they are? These are three questions you might well put to yourselves again. Do you want to be one of us? Do you want to do what we do? Do you see yourself becoming the sort of persons we are?”

 From reading Cardinal Hume’s book, I wanted to read the Rule of St Benedict, to which he referred so frequently, and which he obviously took to be a good guide. I found a paperback of the Rule in Mowbray’s bookshop, near where I worked. It was a small American edition with a helpful introduction.

“Listen, my son, to the words of the Master”. These words seemed to be addressed directly to me. “Who seeks for life? … if you answer: I do!” For years this beginning of the Rule, when read out in the Refectory, always moved me profoundly.

 I got addresses by writing to the Vocations Sisters [no longer exist?] and wrote to the four houses. The Sisters also recommended a novel, In this House of Brede by Rumer Godden, this too is still available. I am not sure it was helpful, but it probably influenced me for a long time.

So I set out in exceptionally cold weather, snowy even, leaving my car behind, also the cigarettes.

I just looked at one place from outside, as they said they were probably making a big change, and I had seen something in the press about it.

I went for a really nerve wracking interview with the superior of a second place, nerve wracking because she never took her eyes off me and I felt I had to stare back and answer all her searching questions truthfully. I realised I could not manage that for the rest of my life!

And then I went to stay at two other Benedictine houses a weekend each.

I foolishly thought I could change my whole future on the basis of a weekend’s acquaintance.

End of part 2!

 Thanks for your encouraging comments on part 1

Sr B

Hi folks,

Some of you will have heard that our holy father Pope Benedict XVI has made this year ‘The Year of the Priest’ which started on June 19th the feast of the Sacred Heart. It also is the 150th Anniversary of the death of St. John Vianney (Patron saint of parish priests). So what are we doing for it??? In our Diocese over the next year -  we are praying each day for a particular priest in a special way. We have a prayer set out for us which goes as follows:

O Jesus, our great High Priest, Hear my humble prayers on behalf of your priest Father ………Give him a deep faith , a bright and firm hope and a burning love which will ever increase in the course of his priestly life. In his loneliness, comfort him, in his sorrows, strengthen him, in his frustrations, point out to him that it is through suffering that the soul is purified, and show him that he is needed by the Church, he is needed by souls, he is needed for the work of redemption. O loving Mother Mary, Mother of Priests, take to your hearet your son who is close to you because of his priestly ordination, and because of the power which he has received to carry on the work of Christ in a world which needs him so much. Be his comfort, be his joy, be his strength, and especially help him to live and to defend the ideals of consecrated celibacy. Amen. 

I beleive that this was written by a former archbishop of St. Louis – and what a lovely prayer it is. I think that the first half of the prayer could deeply be our own too. 

What do you think?

Sr. D 

Sister Davina asked me to tell you something about how I became a nun.

And who is this Sister Benedict? My connection with the Noviceship is that I teach the postulants and novices about the history of the community.

Anyway, I hope it will help you if I tell you some of my experiences:

 I was 35 when I entered monastic life, not here, but in Another Benedictine Monastery . . . At that time, it was considered a late vocation, but nowadays we would consider 20s and 30s as quite normal. I certainly thought I was rather old to be making a big change in my life: I had a good job, a career even, my own house, car, two cats! My private life had been busy, with a drama group and politics. But I must say at that time things were not moving particularly fast.

It was a pilgrimage to Rome that started me off. After I came back I heard a young man at the English College Rome talking on the radio with great enthusiasm about committing his whole life to God. I suddenly felt I wanted to do that, and as I was a woman that meant being a nun.

I knew nothing about what were nuns and what were sisters. The first sister I ever spoke to was on the bus during that pilgrimage, some sort of missionary. Rome was swarming with sisters. I saw a young nun all in white in St. Peter’s, looking at me. I wanted to know what order she belonged to, but someone said there were such a lot.

I became a Catholic when I was 19, after having wanted to, on and off, since I was 13. That had been  when I read a book from the children’s library: still available: Sun Slower Sun Faster, by Meriol Trevor. I then wrote to the Catholic Enquiry Centre, without my parents knowing. I had never been baptised as my parents didn’t believe in it. So eventually when I was off to university, they let me become a Catholic: I took instruction and was baptised. But it was a rather private thing, almost secret. The friends I had were not Catholics. I suppose I was cowardly really.

To be continued!

COME AND SEE

Do you think that God is calling you to a religious community? And that the Benedictine way of life may be for you then why not come and join us for a few days and see what we are about! For St. Benedict ‘PRAYER AND WORK’ go hand in hand, you cannot have one without the other.

 A long weekend from Thursday 13^th Aug till Sunday 16^th Aug will be held for any

one who would like to come for a few days and experience Monastic Life as the Benedictine Nuns do?

Singing the Divine Office, private prayer, work, studying the Holy Rule of St. Benedict, and a chance to chat with a few members of the community over their way of life. Time is also available to relax and go for a walk on your own along the canal, and take in some of Staffordshire countryside, or visit to Shugborough Hall just opposite the Abbey

For further details please contact Sr. Davina either  through the Blog at:  colwichnov.wordpress.com or email me at novblog@googlemail.com   or Tel: 01889 881282

PLEASE COULD YOU CONTACT ME BY JULY 26TH – And if you can’t make this weekend for one reason or another don’t forget you can just get in touch and arrange a visit privately!

 

I have now worked out a rough time table for the weekend it is as follows:

Thurs: Arrive 4.30,  5pm  Vespers,  6pm Compline,  6.30pm Supper,  7.30pm Introduction

Fri:  7am Morning office, 8.30am Mass, 9.30am Study of Holy Rule, 10.30am Work with sisters and chance to ask questions, 12pm Midday office followed by lunch, 2pm Free time – optional or work,  4.30 study, 5.30pm free till 6pm then Vespers, supper, 7.30pm free for recreation, 8pm private prayer, 8.30pm Compline.

Sat: As friday

Sun:7am Morning office, 9.30 Mass, free after mass or chance to speak to sisters over vocation, 12pm Midday office followed by lunch, departures.

Of course this is only a rough guide to follow and may be changed according to how things go. 

 

Hello there!

It has been busy, busy, busy here! We have just celebrated two feasts over the last week so its been a case of  ‘getting those sarnies ready’. First off the mark was Mother Abbess’ annual feast for her ‘Blessing Day’ which we keep ‘in due cerenomy’ within the community. That is to say we are preparing presents to give her, and present them after lunch when we all gather round in the ‘workroom’ as we call it and sing the feast day song, a drink of coffee and a biscuit, then we go and have a look at the presents, followed by afternoon tea and entertainment. Its good to have these sort of days as we are enclosed and do not go out for holidays – so these recreation days are holidays to us.

At the weekend also, (May 30th), we celebrated a Golden Jubilee so we were getting ready for a few days and what a wonderful atmosphere there was. It was attended by 55 people most of whom were family and long standing friends. The Mass was a votive mass of Our Lady as it would have been the feast of the visitation over the weekend, two lovely hymns were sung and sister renewed her vows. There were 6 preists present to give thanks for the last 50 years of sisters religious life. Jubilees for us are taken from our clothing day and not profession day. There were lilies and carnations decorating the choir, with the blazing sun shining through the stained glass windows – amazing!!!!!  All this was followed by a splendid buffet! We sang on the previous day the ‘colwich pop song’ which is always apt on such magnificent occassions, and was a great start of what was to follow. The weather ‘luckily for us’ was hot so we (or should i say most people) were able to eat outside.

We all are now feeling shattered after – as you do after these events but are enjoying every minute of it…………..

God bless

Sr. D

24th June:  Today is the feast of St. John the Baptist – so happy feast to you all. It is by tradition with our community that it is the novice mistress’ feast day, as she is the one who gives the formation to those in the novitiate and the connection with john the baptist is that he was the precursor of Our Lord. He prepared the way for Jesus to come.     God bless

A Day in the life of a Benedictine Nun At Colwich Abbey!

‘Listen my Son to the teaching of your master’       (Prologue of Rule of St. Benedict)

 

No two days are the same in the monastery, despite our divine office and Holy Mass being at set times, but a typical day……… well………

          In the stillness of the early hours of the morning (which for some people who work – they think is the middle of the night), an alarm clock rings at 5.30am to awaken us to serve the Lord with all our heart and mind. This is a good intention but sometimes you don’t feel like it and want to turn over for another half hour. Anyhow once awake we get ready and go down for half hours’ private/mental prayer in the Church or as we call it – the Choir! Rising early and making prayer in the darkness and stillness of a winters morning is to surround yourself in Gods’ loving and merciful presence, offering up to him your complete day no matter what takes place.

 

The Angelus Bell can be heard ringing at 6am and this is a time to remember that it was Our Lady who said ‘Yes’ to become the mother of God, who was to become man and then later to die for our salvation. This is an ancient prayer of the Church and is recited 3 times a day.

 

Following prayer, an informal breakfast before 7am, when Morning Office is sung. I hear you ask, ‘What is Morning Office?’ Well, it is a collection of psalms and readings for the liturgical day, it is what we call the Divine Office and is spread out at set intervals. This was said seven times a day, in St. Benedict’s time, but today Matins and Lauds are put together for morning office, Prime, None, Terce are Midday Office. It is said that:  ‘He who sings prays twice’, (St. Augustine)

In St. Benedict’s day they said the whole Psalter each day, but today it is set out for the whole week, and on liturgical seasons and special feasts there are special antiphons and psalms. After morning office we have the highlight of the day – Holy Mass!! This is at 8.30am (9.30 on Sundays’). It’s a privilege to have this each day as Our Lord comes to us in a special way, to think that He came and died for each one of us  – is truly amazing!!!

 

Following mass each sister has her own duties to perform. This varies: cooking, working in the laundry, gardening or guest house. Yes, every day to day jobs about the house is a part of our monastic life in which we aim to strive nearer to God. St Benedict asked for hospitality to form an important part of the life and this is evident when in the midst of silence  a noise is heard and it’s the phone ringing………but wait……what’s that……I also hear a door bell ringing!!!

 

A warning bell at 3 mins to 12 sounds to remind us that Midday Office is about to take place. Once more the choir is filled with songs of praise from the psalms. Sometimes groups come for a quiet day and they too share in our midday office. After office it’s dinner time then follows a quick walk in the garden with the abbey dog – Chelsea!!!! Following walkies is more work, afternoon tea then recreation. Recreation is just as important to us as the office is, as we need to get to know each other if we are to get closer to God. Various hobbies can be seen to be done during this period. There is then time to get your Lectio/bible study done and this too has an important part to play in our life. It is through our reading that we learn to know what god is saying to us and St. Benedict puts a special place in his rule for this. Each sister has to fit this in according to her work!

 

The bell resounds for vespers at 3 mins to 6, and the nuns will be processing into choir two at a time. After supper there is free time to do what you want, read, or hobbies or catch up on anything you may have missed etc……Prayer is made together quietly at 8pm for half and hour, then Compline finishes the day of. This is the shortest of the offices but has a lovely feeling for ending the day its quiet, and after singing a antiphon to our lady in latin we are given a blessing from mother abbess.

 

1. In the stillness of the night its time to say goodnight and go to bed. Even in our deep sleep and conscious or unconscious dreams we are still praising god (even if your not fully aware of it).     

 

………………………………………………………..

 

Is Benedictine Spirituality relevant in the 21^st Century?

 

Yes, it is! It gives us a model of how we should live our lives as one of LOVE, HUMILITY, AND OBEDIENCE!

 

Our Benedictine life is one of love and service, 1^st of all to God and secondly to each of our sisters. We need to be both Mary and Martha, so it is also an added joy that we have exposition of the Blessed Sacrament  at least once a week!

 

Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemene, said to his three apostles whilst they slept, ‘Could you not watch one hour with me?’. So that’s what we do, each sister has an allotted time to pray and let Jesus speak to our hearts. 

 

Jesus says, ‘Come follow me!’.

 

 

An Apology:   Can i say ’sorry’ to those people who have been trying to contact us through an email address belonging to our Novice Mistress. I noticed a discrepancy in it as it was completely wrong. Please note that it has now been changed and is: mbromwich@btinternet.com   once again sorry!!!!!!!

HAPPY EASTER!

“SURREXIT DOMINUS VERE, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA. ET APPARUIT SIMONI, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA” -     ‘The Lord is Risen indeed, alleluia, alleluia, and appeared to Simon, alleluia, alleluia’

Holy Sat: The above quote is sung at vespers with great solemnity. However, i want to get a few thoughts down here about our little easter vigil, although basic and simple it is very moving. This day is filled with great excitement and anticipation that every one of us is busy preparing for the joyous celebration of Easter, and making sure everything is there and ready! The Church is beginning to be furnished for the  mass, with the curtains and altar cloths put in place,  flowers are arranged and put in  there places and in addition this year, Sr. Monica made an Easter garden which has been placed under the altar. The Church looks beautiful with lilies, daffs, and chrysants and other flowers. She also paints the cross onto the Paschal Candle (which didn’t arrive till Holy Thurs in the late afternoon).

The above latin verse is sung at vespers – it is known as ‘the breve’, (a short responsory prior to the hymn) and everything is done in ceremony. Ok then, our easter vigil takes place at 9pm and this year we slightly changed the position of our little fire. We brought it out into the court yard, so that we could all gather round. Usually we have had it near a doorway and people looked on from inside. It was a great feeling this year to be outdoors and to process in. We had two visiting priests and two retreatants who joined us. The fire was blessed but proved to be stubborn - it took a few minutes before really getting started, the charcoal for the thuribal dissappeard to the bottom of the fire  except for one piece, but fair enough that was ok. Then at the Blessing of the Candle the Greek lettters of Alpha and Omega were traced at the top and bottom of the candle with a stylus, and also the current year. This is done at the same time as the following words are pronounced: ‘ Christ yesterday and today, the beginning and the end, Alpha, and Omega, all time belongs to him, and all the ages, to him be glory and power, through every age and for ever. Amen.’  Then after this the Incense grains are place in the form of a cross into the candle by saying: ‘ By his holy, and glorious wounds, may Christ our Lord, guard us, and keep us. Amen’. Then the priest lifted the pashcal candle and intoned ‘Christ our Light’ in which we replied ‘thanks be to God’. We then made a short distance is darkness to the entrance of the choir were we sang the intonation again and afterward took a light from the pashcal candle and we all lit our candles and continued the procession to the front of the church when we sang the intonation for the 3rd and last time. The pashcal candle was then put in place and the ‘Exultet’ was sung – first part was in latin then continued in english. After which the lights were put on and we proceeded with the 7 readings with a sung responsorial psalm, each being read by one of the sisters. After these we then came in with great gusto and music for the Gloria, and the Alleluias. After the gospel reading and sermon the water was blessed and we re-lit our candles and renewed our Baptismal promises  where we are reminded in one of the prayers that ‘through the pashal mystery we have been buried with Christ in baptism so that we may rise with him to a new life’.  Holy Mass then proceeded as normal and finished at 11pm. We wished each other a Happy Easter in the traditional custom afterwards and went to bed. Rising the following morning to sing full voice Easter Lauds.

Happy Easter to you all!

 

Mon 27th April: Just a quick few words to say that i’ve been at Maryvale last weekend for part two of my course and it was really intereseting and very helpful. Some of the talks gave you a jolt and opened your eyes and heart especially when the speakers gave their lectures. That is the Holy Spirit working through them to get to us.

I have been having major problems with the novblog email account as i’ve been trying to contact a few of you through this and i think you may not have got it. Could i ask you Jenn and Belinda to email me at novblog so as i can reply? Thanks

Hi folks!

Here i am again for another installment – to tell you the truth its going on more than i had planned. But i guess its turning out fun doing this. And realising just how much people appreciate this and knowing how its helping others also in the process, whatever their own circumstances, its great and has given me a boost.

Well, i left my job  a month before i was due to enter colwich only to find myself on christmas eve that year having a bout of ‘flu’ and christmas day till about the 28/29th i was in bed knowing nothing around me. I had planned to enter on 1st Jan 1992, but what was i to do? Anyway i was determind to go (call it a stubborn streak if you like), so i went. I went to mass New Years’ Day with mum, then almost immediately after we went to the train station. I only had one suitcase so that wasn’t difficult, but i did have to say goodbye to my dad at the train station and that was real hard (he isn’t a catholic – even today). But mum came with me which i was really glad about, and she could see where i was going to and share in some of the monastic atmosphere. I had a hazy journey though due to weather conditions -which i’ll not mention except for the fact i arrived an hour late and the community wondered if i was really going to come (no mobile phone for me then). I did finally arrive and because i wasn’t feeling 100% i didn’t know what to do or where to show mum etc…..i plunged staight into it for vespers and my head was spinning. I think i saw mum for a bit then we went to compline and both of us were shown to our rooms – me to the novitiate and mum in the guest house. It was really hard for her and she and i were in tears. Well i guess we both slept well and woke up refreshed, but i was disappointed she couldn’t stay a bit longer but she had to go after mass and get back home (the journey took 5 hours by train). So through the many tears we said our goodbyes. Saying that though, i also felt at the same time that i had truly come home it was quite wierd to have two mixed feelings over my new life. People had said that i wouldn’t last a fortnight and i had proved them wrong! The emotions, expectations were running high in me and it couldn’t last. It was strange the first few months and sometimes i didn’t sleep, the wind was howling, rain banging against the window etc..etc…in the end i had to say, ’Well Lord, if you really want me to stay here you’re just going to have to help me get some sleep sometime otherwise i’d be no good to anyone’. There were struggles, doubts, joys, ups and downs and everything else but that’s apart of it trying to find out if your called to a community, but i wasn’t going to give in easily. During my postulancy near my clothing, i remember there was a visitor and i had to go to the guest room and she had said something i have never forgotton. She said, ‘You know there is no rose without a thorn’, and that is a great symbol of religious  life i thought , yes, the rewards are great and high but there is alot that costs dearly and demands great sacrifices at times. Then you don’t know how you’re going to get through, but get through you do with God’s grace.  Writing this part also seems a bit ‘bitty’ but nonetheless – if you think you have a vocation the best thing is to follow it up and don’t let it slip through your fingers. After all, you don’t know until you try and sometimes i think it can be too late. Alot depends on the person, i was young, and wanted to go for it, if it didn’t work out well fine, i had, had a go and i wouldn’t have missed out on any thing. If anything i would have gained alot. But as it happened – i stayed (with God’s good grace) and i feel so privileged with this vocation. You go to a monastery and you take all your good/bad points with you, you take your gifts/talents and you find yourself developing others too and its great fun in the long hard process. The thing is never to give up – even if you feel like it. Keep loving, smiling and being generous to God and he is generous to you in ways that are truly unexpected!

So i guess this is it and i hope i have shared something with you in my journey which have helped and encouraged you!

Sr. d

x

 

(In addition – today 29th March)

It is my 23rd anniversay since i was received into the Catholic Church i can’t believe – time flies by so quickly! The many, many graces that have been gained are abundant (some of which i may be unaware of).

The 2nd planned vocations week had to be cancelled – but saying that please could i ask you to pray for 3 people who have enquired about our life here at colwich.   

sr. d         x.

(7th April ) – Just to say i was going to do domething for Holy Week but the computer was ‘down again’, we are not having much luck with them at the moment. This will be all for now until after easter so i wish you all a happy  Triduum and a very happy and holy easter! But i will check emails up to holy thursday – God bless

Hi,

Haven’t worked out how to put a video clip up yet, it seems not to work!

Just thought i’d pop in a few ‘minor details of news for you’, whilst i can get connected to the internet. Is it just us, or is anyone else having problems at the moment?

Vocations week:  I’m afraid we had to cancel this due to no response. But i hope that something may come of the next planned week at the end of March. (Well vocations week may go ahead – just heard of a possibility of one or two coming – that’s great so keep up the prayers).

There is opportunity to join in with the Divine Office at 7am, 12pm, 6pm, and 8.30pm with daily Mass at 8.30am.Followed by study of the Rule of St. Benedict or a talk given by our chaplain or one of the sisters. A short period of work will then follow, after midday office, its lunch then free time till 2pm when a bit more work or art and crafts can be done. There will be a chance to do some personal lectio and ‘free time’ is available after supper for half hour (with yours truly if you want to chat).

‘FEATHERED FRIENDS’

In our natural pond which has developed over the last few years, at this time of year we have an unusual couple coming for a two month holiday. It is a pair of DUCKS! Yes, the Mallards have returned and have brought a bit of colour with them again. It is truly wonderful to see these creatures and i am out there feeding them occassionally with bread but it is really difficult to do as chelsea has her say in the matter (she wants to chase them off all the time).  It’s wonderful to hear all God’s creatures singing away throughout the day, different birds etc…… we have a wonderful selection of wildlife within the enclosure and are really lucky!

‘Spring cleaning’

Well as its lent – this is always a sign of getting those fluffy dustbusters out along with the polish, rags, vaccum cleaners, steps etc….and get behind all those nooks and crannies! Yesterday we all went over to the cottage and did that, today we all did our workroom where we have recreation. So its a case of twice a week pick up your gadgets and get cracking………..gardening is only a side line during these days. Also bang goes the cardmaking in ‘freetime’, well we are having Compline at 8pm at the moment the dreaded ‘colds and germs are flying about’. Maybe we can be forgiven from these?

God bless

sr. d

Vocation is indeed hard to try and put into words – but what i’m trying to do is put my basic journey forward, although its not going to represent my actual feelings at the time fully! But then again it is only the basics…….and for someone discerning a vocation – it’s impossible to try and describe what is going on inside yourself. Its like trying to describe a pilgrimage – you can only put across the bare realities but the actual experience is something different (unless you have a real gift with words etc…….)

So to skip a few years – because i wanted to go on a pilgrimage, it worked out that i was to go to Lourdes, although i really wanted to go to the Holy Land. I found myself going for the first time on my own not knowing anyone, it was our Diocesan Pilgrimage. I had a great time on the whole and made lots of new friends, but half way through the week i started to feel different, i was spending a great deal of time on my own (which was nothing new considering i am shy), and alot of time at the Grotto (especially at night after the torchlight procession). At the end of the week i was in tears , i didn’t want to leave, i had found a new peace in me. When i returned home i knew i wanted to go again, so i started to save my pennies and look at different companies to see which pilgrimage would do for me. I booked my next pilgrimage for the following year -in the summer- it was the National Pilgrimage this time at the end of May that was an experience and the Military from all over the world are usually present at this time. On arrival i decided to ask if i could help out as an handmaid, looking after the sick etc…..they got me in and i helped out at meals times. We also had to help out if people wanted to go round the shops and this was quite fun, but what an experience, visiting the baths was great but i was a coward to go in!!!!!!!! I found that my prayer life was deepening slowly and other people around me were seeing a gradual change in me. Again by the end of the pilgrimage i was in tears for having to leave but i found out that it is a tradition that whoever knelt down by the crowned virgin in the middle of the esplanade  and recited 3 hail mary’s would come back. So i did, and back i went – later on in the same year. By this time with my prayer increasing i started to think of a possible vocation but thought that i was nuts, some people had also suggested the possibility of a vocation but that was rejected. Well i went to lourdes in the october and i was determined to try and talk to someone over this as i was at the time not getting any help or advice from other areas. That pilgrimage was a success in many ways, i had received help and i had also discovered that the real miracle of  lourdes is not only the physical healings but the countless spiritual healings that are not seen or heard about. Once back i had then to decide which order/community i thought of joining but i had a ’short list’ if you like – it had to be either Benedictine or Carmelite. I was too timid for an active community, i didn’t want to teach or nurse or be a missionary. One thing which i knew is that i had to pray for priests, and pray for the homeless on our streets. So the search was on and guess what – the following year i was back in lourdes again -twice!

I had to take into account that although i was still living at home i had a good job, a great hobby and a car, so i had to consider all these things that i would have had to give up. Well the fifth and final time i went on pilgrimage i had made up my mind and i said the 3 hail mary’ s but this time realising that i would not go back there agian. Yes, you’ve got it i had found the community i was looking for after a struggle during the discerning process, and in- between the last 3 pilgrimages i made – i was looking at various communities, and found the one!!!!!!

Will continue with the entrance and early days in community next time!!!!!!!!!!

God bless you all for now and have a very happy lent.

sr. d

After a period of feasting ‘The time for Penance has come!’. It is Ash Wednesday and at Mass we will have received the Ashes which have been burnt and blessed from the Palms of the previous year. Each of us will then go to  Mother Abbess with our Lent Books ‘for approval’, and our lenten penances. This is a custom of ours and St. Benedict asked us to this during lent as extra spiritual reading.

We also have an extra day of fasting – wednesday’s and friday’s.

I was going to update my vocation journey but i am still having problems with technical hitches this end, sometimes the computer works sometimes it doesn’t get  connected at all. It is just luck at the moment!!!!!

Well i bid you all a very happy and fruitful lent - so who’s going to give up sugar, sweets etc….?

sr. d

Where shall i start? These are my first thoughts, but as i think along – my best bet would be to mention the main points in my pilgrimage.

THE EARLY YEARS!

I was born into a Protestant family and had no definate religious upbringing although a key element i remember is one of being taught how to read. My parents helped me a great deal and they bought me a Childrens’ Bible, which they read each night with me. I was only a junior at the time and i remember vividly at junior school saying prayers at assembly and grace before and after meals. This was the start of my so called pilgrimage of faith with this tiny seed being sown and that is all it takes (no one knows how, what or when these little seeds are sown), it really is amazing when you look back and see what has been acheived! I reckon this was an important step as it is in these early years that our basic formation of life is being shaped. At the age of about 8/9 i had a few dreams which i never really took any notice of – or was it my vivid imagination – i imagined in these dreams a great big kind of walk way representing cloisters were figures dressed in black were walking very slowly and i didn’t know who they were. At this time i never knew what nuns were and had i known it may have scarred me a bit. Nothing happened then until i was about 14 when, my step brother was diagnosed as having Leukemia, and this was when i started to find God present in my life in a more real way and what a great gift of grace it had been. When my brother died i was 15 and although i felt it terribly, i was mad as well as upset, i still knew somehow that he had gone home. It was during his illness that i had started to go to church and freely sought life in the catholic faith. After a few months of having to get over the shock  there was the question of the RCIA program, and i can’t remember how i went on this, but i signed up for the coming years’ instruction which started in the autumn. It was a fantastic time and i deepened my knowlege and faith greatly not to mention making friends. The thing that i dreaded most was giving my own opinion and thoughts on the various topics that we were to cover in public. There were 8 of us receiving instruction and each week we broke into small  discussion groups, then came together afterwards and spoke openly over what things meant to us. It was at this point when i bottled up most weeks. However, i knew that this is what i wanted and i had to see it through and i was quite relieved on the night of the Easter Vigil but filled with excitement and great anticipation, when the moment i had longed for more and more over that year had finally come, i could receive my Lord in Communion. Many great graces have been given……………

to be cont………

sr. d

By the way, just as a reminder we still have room available for the vocations week next month. If you’d like to come and join us and have some fun at the same time please use the following email to get in touch with the Novice Mistress or myself – thanks.                                     novblog@googlemail.com

or if you find that, that doesn’t work try : davimary@btopenworld.com

we are having a few difficulties at the mo.

PAX!

Hi, This is just a quick update of what we are doing today. It is the Feast of St. Scholastica the twin sister of St. Benedict and today (10th Feb) we have a day of prayer with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament (or as its called nowadays Eucharistic Adoration), for Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life in the Birmingham Diocese. Adoration lasts from after Mass till 5pm when we have Benediction.

 

 

Sorry if i’ve seemed to have been at a distance last week with answering comments etc but we’ve been busy moving furniture around, we’ve also had two groups one was Churches Together and there were 60 people. This was the climax of a week of Prayer for Christian Unity, as well as hosting this venue for Churches Together each year, they join us for midday office and we provide soup, coffee, tea and cake throughout the day, we also say a different prayer each day for the Octave after Vespers.  It is great that we are able to provide this space for people and its a great Apostolate. After all St. Benedict says ‘make hospitality your special care’.

I have now at long last been able to work out a program for our planned vocations week(s)……so are you ready to grab your coats, wellies and luggage and come and join us for a few days or a week ? If so this is what we have planned: time to pray the Divine Office with the community, a time of private prayer, a period of study together and discussion about the Holy Rule of Benedict, various talks on vocation to religious life, community life, our history, variety of different work – cooking, gardening, arts and crafts, jam making and not to forget of course cleaning – boring i know – well it is going to be spring after all ( hopefully) and it is all for the Lord ! …. and also there will be time to have fun……… At the moment we have the snow drops just starting to come out and that is the first sign. We are also speculating if the ducks will be back to see us on their annual visit this spring, the pond is ready and waiting their arrival!

Please let us know a.s.a.p if you wish to attend – there has been one enquiry so far. And if you’d like sometime in the near future i will try and write about my vocation i’d be grateful if you’d  let me know if you would like to hear about it……….

sr. d