Visitors

Hello Everyone!

Better late than never to wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR! It has been a week of Prayer for Christian Unity and to end the Octave of prayer we hosted an evening service on Wednesday night. Unfortunately not many people came but it was good all the same. They arrived and in true Benedictine style we gave them refreshments and homemade biscuits, .

The actual service just took half and hour and we started with a pryaer : ‘As we pray for and strive towards the full visible unity of the church we and the tradition to which we belong will be changed transformed and conformed to the likeness of Christ’. There were songs including one of my favourites called ‘Blessed be your name’, then followed some Psalm quotations – (if you’d like to look them up they are – Ps 40: 1 – 3, Ps 91: 1 – 2, Ps 121: 1 – 2, Ps 139: 23 – 24, Ps 86: 11).

At the end of the service we had: ‘Changed by Jesus in our serving, send us and together we will go,   ’Changed by Jesus in our waiting………’Changed by Jesus in our suffering…..’Changed by Jesus in ourstruggling…..’Changed by Jesus in our peace-making…..’Changed by Jesus in our loving….. ‘Changed by Jesus in our fellowship….’Changed by Jesus as we unite…….

Then the people stayed on and prayed the office of Compline with us.

News Update:

Hi Everyone…….

Well due to popular demand with people wanting to know how little Skippy is doing here is an up to date report for you animal lovers:     ‘Last week after going to the vets, he lost his 2 Hobbles and was fitted with a new one, because he was trying to do the splits straight away, we had to go back this morning and his other Hobble was taken off. However, Skippy has to try and be quiet for another 2 – 3 weeks (which seems to be an impossibility for him and with Christmas approaching…..well……), we  had to hobble him ourselves within the first hour of getting back because he jumped up and straight away gave out a cry and I think he’s given himself a shock! There will be another visit to the vets in a fortnight’s time……. so please say a prayer to St. Francis who is patron of animals, that Skippy will heal quickly and it won’t come out again otherwise it will be an operation and we as well as Skippy don’t want that! Coco is missing her play pal………..

Just a quick mention on another theme, last week we had an Advent Retreat for 3 days in preparation for Christmas and it was really brilliant and what a way to prepare… there was a powerpoint projection which made it more real!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL! -   GOD BLESS

 

SKIPPY!

Hi Everyone!

I know it is a few months since I put up a post, things are very busy here but I just wanted to let all you fun loving pet fans about Skippy …..

This should be a post on pet’s page I guess but it’ll have to do here -  yesterday while playing with Coco, Skippy had a bad fall and as I was trying to help him he gave me (a little love bite in a big way)… he has actually dislocated his hip! Thought he would be home this afternoon, but as he was getting up his hip came out of place again. It looks like it may be an operation job tomorrow!

Coco is missing him and is crying for him, and we miss him too but hopefully he will be home tomorrw or tuesday!

Have a great Advent everyone………..

God bless -         Sr. Davina

Hi everyone……….. just to update you with news on Skippy, he came home yesterday and is ok, a bit frustrated though as he is what is known as ‘hobbled’. His back legs are tied to give him support when walking – so no walks or play for a week or two then he has to be careful which is a tall order for a 15 month old puppy!!! Coco is pleased to have him home, they will have a great time at Christmas again.

Speaking of which I hope you are having a great Advent and I take this opportunity to wish you all a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR, as I may not get back to the computer for a bit. In the middle of christmas cards and in the kitchen tomorrow……… No sign of any seasonal weather at Colwich yet but it’s cold enough! 

doggies………..

Coco & Skippy

Here they are one year on and Skippy had his 1st Birthday last weekend!

Come & See 2011

Hi Everyone !!

To get round now at trying to write up the Come  & See weekend will be a minor challenge I guess. I had an amazing response this year. As you know quite well this is the 3rd year running and it was our best turn out yet – we had 5 participants in the end from a possible 8 as a few had to drop off at the last minute. Still 2 of those participating had been before and that is one thing that has been an encouragement as that means there is something there to attract people back !!!

I started the evening off in the ususal manner of an Introduction talk and gave a copy of a reading from Blessed Pope John Paul II which we use at midday office, so that the participants could use that during the weekend for prayer and reflection. It was on the religious life and the meaning of a vocation.

The first full day (and it was full) had us begin with the holy rule after mass, then we all went outside into the garden and picked lots of damsons and victoria plums, which are now being bottled and made into lots of jam! After lunch I did a talk on Novitiate Formation  -  what takes place and at each step (with some explanation of the ceremony), what is studied during the first few years in the novitiate (depending obviously on the individual). After a brief interval for a break we then had a session on Divine office prep, where we went over the office for the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.

The following day – after mass Sr. Benedict did a session on our house history, and again afterwards we went out to pick plenty of fruit! In the afternoon there was a treat in store for those taking part as they were invited inside to join us for a recreation tea before they went back upstairs to have the afternoon session by our chaplain, he did a talk on the psalms (I never got to that), and was enjoyed by all. After Vespers and supper there was a recreational period before private prayer in which I talked about the blessing day and showed a few photos!

The final day was fairly quiet as we had Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and it was the feast of Our Lady, email addresses were exchanged and departures took place after lunch for most.

All in all it was really great this year and now I will look forward to next year! So if you couldn’t make it for one reason or another or if those of you who took part would love to come back for another come & see weekend – I’ll see you then!

God bless and please continue to pray for us. I think one of those who took part may come as an Aspirant sometime in the future!

Sr. D

hello

Hi Folks,
I’ll write soon on the Come & See weekend but let me say now that it was really amazing this year!

Sr. Davina
x

update….

 

Some added news for you there are still a few places left for the come and see weekend. But dissappointingly -  our postulant has left and made the brave discision that it is not for her after all. Please keep her and us in your prayers. Thanks.    Sr.  D x 

 

Just to let you all know that the time is nearing its deadline for the come and see weekend in a few weeks. Please could let me know if you are coming as I have some people saying they ‘might come’ and I do have limited places and there may still be some available……

Look forward to meeting those of you who are taking part this year!

God bless
Sr. D

news to share…….

Hi Everyone!

It’s time I updated you on a few things that have happened recently (like in the last week), which I think will interest you all!!!

It was a busy day as usual on Tuesday, but despite that we had someone enter as a ‘POSTULANT’ , so within her arrival at the doorstep we had our very brief ceremony of admittance and I gave a few words of welcome then all gave the kiss of peace. During ‘postulancy’ you live in the Novitiate and keep your own name.

But that’s not all, within half an hour we had a lovely visit from our Archbishop who was visiting the local Parish for Confirmation in the early evening. He chatted with us and he asked us all to share a bit about our own vocational journey, then we altered the time for vespers in which His Grace the Archbishop joined us for.

What a wonderful occassion ….. but now we are preparing for our annual retreat which we will start tomorrow evening until the 8th July, please keep us all in your prayers. 

Thank you and God bless

Sr. D  xxx

Pentecost – 2011

Hi Everyone – just wanted to share a few thoughts with you -

We have now come to the climax of the Easter season with the feasts of Ascension and Pentecost and as I wonder on what to say I have tried to take as a basis “ taking up the challenge of living the Gospel values”. These values are of course very familiar with us and we can almost forget some of them without thinking, each day we try to live out the values of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness etc and these are of course just some of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. These fruits, alongside the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit are the foundations in which we can build a life of Holiness. Just a little over a year ago we celebrated a wonderful celebration for the Vigil of Pentecost with 4 readings and taking the form of another Eater Vigil – (the occasion being my Abbatial Blessing Day) and it has been a somewhat very challenging  year both for me and for the Community! It has been said that I have had ‘a Baptism of an introduction to the task of being a superior’, and it no doubt will continue to be!

 Pentecost was originally called the Feast of Weeks and was an agricultural feast which was celebrated in May or June in way of Thanksgiving to God for the grain harvest, (but we can offer ourselves to God instead), it was celebrated 7 weeks (or 50 days) after the feast of Passover. This feast was developed somewhat by the time that Our Lord was living, the Feast of weeks had acquired a new meaning. Since it followed 50 days after the celebration of Passover which commemorated the exodus, Pentecost as it was now called, had become a commemoration of the giving of the Covenant and Law at Sinai after the Exodus. The wind from heaven and tongues of fire in Acts echos Exodus which describes the thunder and smoke on Mt. Sinai when God gave the covenant. It is at Pentecost that we see God’s gift of the new Law, and that new law is the Holy Spirit.

This is something which we are all called to do as Jesus taught us a way by his example, he left us help on the day of Pentecost, we receive this help first at our Baptism, then at our Confirmation but have to continue through life’s little journey. Just as these are the foundations (the gift’s & the fruit’s of the Holy Spirit), for our lives which calls us to a continuous renewal of the way we live. We need to take a step back occasionally and look at the foundations of our rule and see how we can get to the spirit of what and how St. Benedict asks us to live. Our vow of Conversion asks us to be continually open to this and to keep that renewal at heart.   

So going back to living the gospel values, we should go back to 14 short weeks ago when on Ash Wed we were full of zeal to give up everything and anything to do that bit of extra for the Lord in an attempt to better our lives. During these 6 weeks or so we ready for anything, knowing that at Easter all our attempts will come to an end in one sense. But where has that left us now? Have we become too slack again and drifted away? It is a time to be open to the Holy Spirit and to ‘Listen’ as St. Benedict tells us to with the ‘ear of our heart’ as well as our ears and mind, and to deepen our commitment to God through a renewal in ourselves and let the Holy Spirit flow through us – being able to sing along with the responsorial Psalm for Pentecost ‘Send forth your Spirit Lord, and renew the face of the earth’.

It has been wonderful to journey this last year with you even though its been difficult at times, I hope that there is something inspirational in what I am writing.  Thank you all for your prayers and support!

 

1st Anniversary of Abbatial Blessing!

 

Hello everyone!

Well one year on and I seemed to have survived everything!!!!!!!!!

Just wanted to share a song that was written for the occassion last year. As you may or may not know it is a tradition of our community to celebrate the Abbess’s feast and at the beginning and end of the feast day (both the blessing day and feast day’s – which are March 1st and May 22nd) we have a song which has been specially written for time. One of our Aspirants was asked to perform this challenge and she came up with the following song:

Hymn in honour of the Abbatial Blessing of Lady Abbess Davina Sharp  O.S.B.

Verse 1).

Father, we ask for your blessing today,

Bless our dear Mother in every way,

And may this family forever, we pray

Be filled with your grace Lord, and loving alway.

Verse 2).

Mary our Mother, our Sweetness, our Queen,

We trust in your counsel, your mercy serene,

We place our dear Abbess in your tender care,

Your mantle our refuge, we find solace there.         

Verse 3).

Jesus Our Saviour, Our Lord, and Our Friend,

Your loving mercy on our Mother send,

Lead her and guide her, let her never wend

from Your Sacred Heart Lord, her strength without end.

Verse 4).

Spirit most holy, O Paraclete dear,

With wisdom and knowledge, discernment and fear,

With strength and with counsel , and piety here,

With every grace, every gift now draw near.

Verse 5).

So may we praise You, O Trinity Best,

May You be in all hearts as our living Guest,

From sunrise to sunrise, from east and to west,

Ages on ages, O Godhead most blessed!

Aspirancy

Hello Everyone!

It’s seems ages since I posted something and probably is – however here I am again with some more ‘useless info’! Well one year on after my Election as Abbess and what’s happening in the Colwich Novitiate? Well, we have not ONE but TWO Aspirants here at the same time (they have overlaped for a few days so could get to know each other), it’s brilliant. Will let you know the out come so if I post that we have a Postulant then it is maybe one of these two or it could be somebody else! (I’m not going to say anymore on that one). But what I will say is that I did give them a very brief conference /talk on Aspirancy and for those interested here is some of it…………….

‘I just want to say how wonderful it is that you are here, it is always a sign of great joy and encouragement when a newcomer comes to the monastery and asks to do a ‘ASPIRANCY’ or ‘LIVE – IN’ as we say these days. So what does an aspirancy mean on the part of the one who is seeking? First and foremost it is one in which you come to discern whether or not you have a vocation to that particular monastery, and secondly it is an opportunity to get accqainted with the life of that community and its charisms. What are some of our charisms then? Hospitality is one as you both well know and have experienced, living in community is another, there are also the essential aspects of living this life which contain: obedience, humility, silence, unity.

St. Benedict offers to the seeker 4 things only to live up to and they are: 1) are you really seeking God, 2) are you eager for the Work of God, 3) are you ready for Obedience, and 4) are you  also ready for humiliations that will bring you closer to God?

These are indeed 4 big issues for St. Benedict and ones that cannot be dismissed easily. It is indeed really hard these days to give up everything for the Lord as life is very challenging living in the world, but it is also very challenging in the monastery. But that call of Jesus to ‘Come follow me and leave everything behind’ is demanding and takes great courage and an act of faith. It is this courage and faith that gets you through working with God’s grace and it is his grace for we cannot do anything on our own, after all Jesus never promised a garden of roses, he said, ‘if you want to be a follower of mine then come take up your cross and follow me’. Going back to a garden of roses, someone once said to me that you cannot pick a rose without a thorn and how true that is. If you want something lovely in life like a rose, then you have to expect thorns’.     

Novena to St. Joseph

Hi everyone……
We have started a Novena to St. Joseph, which we do every year for the intentions of: a) God’s blessing on our community & b) vocations to this community, and I wondered if some of you maight like to join us. If so this is the prayer we are saying at Vespers…….

Almighty God, you have chosen St. Joseph to be the mainstay of Jesus and Mary, the wise and faithful servant in whom they could trust. We pray that he may truly be the guardian of your Church; that he may inspire with confidence those who are devoted to him; that he may give security to those who work in the vineyard of your Son; and finally that he may be asource of strength to us, who wish, like him, to dedicate ourselves to Chrsit’s service now and in times to come.                 AMEN.

 We started this yesterday (a day late mind you) and so will finish on 20th March the eve of the feast of St. Benedict.

‘Come & See’ 2011

Hi Everyone,

Here I am with a few details of the next ‘Come & See weekend’. Obviously there is not alot that I could change but there is a variety of things included and is slightly different to other years. The date for it is:

‘Thursday 11^th Aug till Sunday 14^th Aug’ will be held for women who are discerning a possible vocation to the Religious Life and would like to come for a few days and experience Monastic Life.

We have lined up a series of talks on:

• Holy Rule of St. Benedict

• Psalms
• Our House History
• Shared Lectio
• And much more

If you are interested then feel free to contact me at: novblog@googlemail.com   or if you know someone that maybe interested then let them know of this! Or alternativley contact me and we can arrange a private visit if you cannot come for this weekend……

A couple of questions i would like you to answer are:

1) Do you have any Dietry requirements?

2) If needed would you be prepared to share a room? 

3) Are you musical and do you play any instruments?

4) Which age group would you class yourself in?

• 20 – 30
• 30 – 40
• 40 – 50
• 50+

To find us there are directions of how to get to Colwich via car or bus from Stafford on the CONTACT US Page!

Also, just wanted to try and contact someone who came on our ‘Come & See’ weekends the last 2 yrs (Sarah), I’ve tried your email but it comes back to me have you a new one?

 

some pics…..

Hi Everyone!

It’s a busy time but i have managed to get 5 mins and add a link on the ‘Pet’s Page’ to some pics of our 2 new dogs…..coco and skippy….

Also, on a more serious note it is Christian Unity week so we are saying prayers each day for the Octave and on Saturday will be having a group from Churches Together. Next Tues, we shall also be having an evening of prayer for Christian Unity from our local parish!

God Bless for now

Sr. D

Christmas Greetings…….

Hello Everyone!

Just a word to wish you all a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR! I’ve not forgotten you all and will catch up shortly… May the Peace and Joy of the Christ Child be with you this season and come into your hearts in a very special way….

Take care and God Bless