Are you special? This was a very brief topic that was touched on in one of our retreats one year, and of course there are always times when we feel very frustrated and low and think that we are no good that other people are better than us…….. i came across this short story the other day to remind me of that retreat and i thought that i’d share it with you…………

It’s called    ‘I’M SPECIAL’

I’m special! In all the world there’s nobody like me. Since the beginning of time, there has never been another person like me. Nobody has my smile. Nobody has my eyes, my nose, my hands, my voice.

I’m special. No one can be found who has my hand-writing. Nobody anywhere has my taste – for food or music or art. No one sees things just as i do. In all of my time there’s been no one who laughs like me, no one who cries like me. And what makes me laugh and cry will never provoke identical laughter and tears from anybody else, ever.

No one responds to any situation just as i would respond. I’m special. I’m the only one in all of creation who has my set of abilities. Oh, there will always be somebody who is better at one of the things i’m good at, but no one in the universe can reach the quality of my combination of talents, ideas, abilities abd feelings. Like a room full of musical instruments, some may excel alone, but none can match symphony sounds when all are played together. I’m a symphony.

Through all of eternity no one will ever look, talk, walk, think or do like me. I’m special. I’m rare. And, in all rarity there is great value. Because of my great rare value, i need not attempt to imitate others. I will accept – yes, celebrate – my differences.I’m special. And i’m beginning to realise it’s no accident that i’m special. I’m beginning to see that God made me special for a very special purpose. He must have a job for me that no one else can do as well as i. Out of all the billions of applicants, only one is qualified, only one has the right combination of what it takes. That one is me. Because i’m special.

 

As far as i know the author is unkown but if any of you know who it is i’d be grateful!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing you all the very best for the forthcoming year… It was also my anniversary of entrance on 1st Jan and what a wonderful day it was!

Well to continue with the festive season (well there are 12 days of christmas after all), the octave day – 1st jan it was an exposition day and it is also a world day of prayer for peace, as it fell on thursday this time it was very quiet but sometimes we would have had a seasonal video to watch in the afternoon followed by tea as is the practice for the octave of christmas (well after all it is our holiday and a time of rest and fun). 

It was strange this time for Epiphany was celebrated on Jan 3rd instead of the traditional 6th in which officially christmas comes to an end (festivity wise anyhow), but liturgically finishing at the Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord. But however saying this, we will be finishing christmas time on the 6th as usual with our own private celebrations and fun and games in the afternoon….. who knows what’s in store but it’ll be fun…..- i’ll try and take a few snaps if i’m not hindered!    At the moment we are listening to a very interesting CD in the refectory it is a book called ‘Ghatty’s Tale’s’ by Kevin Crossley-Holland, and it’s really good. It’s basically about 9 people coming together and making a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, obviously there are many hiccups and traumas along the way, but Ghatty is a 15 year old girl from the middle of the english countryside not knowing anything ……. she learns about life the hard way on this pilgrimage …… it is set in  one of the early centuries (somewhere betwen 500 – 1000 ~ i think! ) – an absolute brilliant novel! There are 6 CD’s in the set and we are at present on the 3rd and have had this for about 1 week now…….  

Hello there…….

I would like to thank you all for the many christmas greetings which we received one way or another – thanks!

I hope that you are having a wonderful joyous season… there are 12 days of christmas and here we are nearly half way through already, it comes to a climas with the great feast of the Epiphany (which we will celebrate on sunday 3rd Jan this time)…. so what has happened for us so far – well on christmas eve we celebrated matins at 11.15pm which was (and always is) very peaceful and awe inspiring with the solemn liturgy……after which our chaplain blessed the crib in such a wonderful and simple way, we never had a blessing before so it was lovely to have at the beginning of the solemn christmas mid-night mass. At the end of mass we usually gather round the crib and sing a carol – this year we sang O Little Town of Bethlehem…. after wishing the congregation a very happy and holy christmas (which was very few), the community gathers in the chapter room to wish each other a happy christmas – then its bed time…..

Christmas Day   :  We got up early after 5 hrs sleep and had Lauds which was integrated with the Dawn Mass, followed by brekkies….. in which there was a lovely parcel waiting to be opened by each one of us in our places. The day is spent relativly quietly with tea together – this happens for the Octave of Christmas.

28th Dec   : Today i was in the kitchen and for supper we prepared a High Tea – which means that we for go afternoon tea and have early supper so as teaa/supper are together….this was at 5pm foll. by vespers/compline

(Pics will follow later!) HERE THEY ARE AT LAST …………………..

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/novblog/Xmas09?authkey=Gv1sRgCPTn0MmKn8_y1AE&feat=directlink

Crib in the Choir

Hi Everyone!

I want to wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well, its not fair………….looks like everywhere else has got snow around the country and poor old Colwich has none…at the very best there is still a hard frost but not enough to show up on photos at all!!!!

Here are a few pics though of our preparations for christmas, i’ll get some photos during the festivities as well – well we do have a fortnight off till the Epiphany.   http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/novblog/Advent09?authkey=Gv1sRgCNbw-JLc1-v-Pw&feat=directlink

And now, just a few thoughts on Christmas………..“The Word was made flesh and lived among us, and we saw his glory, the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth” – Jn 1:14.

It is hard to beleive that in just a short space of time as we know – in fact, 4 weeks (approx), we have to prepare for the Birth of all births – this is what we know as Christmas. Christ was born for us! It is truly an amazing occassion that ‘Emmanuel’ (which means – God is with us)’ has visited us. ……………… We spend our time preparing for this event full of excitement and great anticipation through exchanging presents, cards with family and friends both those who are near at hand and thosse who are far away. Food and decorations need to be dealt with and anything that we feel we need to do, to make it an extra special occassion. Everything has to be just right! But what about this event that happened about 2000 yrs ago? Can we really capture the same awe at the birth of this special baby? We try out best to, but perhaps fail miserably……but what of the circumstances that Mary and Joseph found themselves in? They were strangers with no home, they had to find shelter which was a cave were animals were kept……Mary laid her baby in a Manger – which was a feeding trough….It would have been noisy not to mention smelly…(so much for our modern day standards of Health and Hygiene)…Shepherds came and adored the baby Jesus and this would have surprised the parents some what…..It wasn’t a ‘cushy affair’.  We can get tied up with all the pomp and trimmings that go with Christmas, we need to celebrate someones birthday – we do all the time for family and friends – but this is on a much larger scale and it has an unprecidented effect….well after all God did become man and its something we cannot fully grasp here and now (and we can all say ‘he did it for me’ ),  but at the end of the day let us not forget what the real meaning of christmas is.

So take care and have a very happy and holy christmas —— and i’ll be back soon with some more pics – i hope!!!

Sr. Davina

xxx  

Hi folks just a bit of humour i thought you might like to know of……………….

This week being the 3rd week of advent we are listening to Handel’s Messiah at supper time just  before next week listening to christmas carols – ’so we are slowing down gradually for the holiday season’. Well the point is this – during supper time i had been distracted listening to the music by some small movement in the courtyard. Where i sit in the refectory i am opposite the window side and can see things moving about occassionally, and this particular time things were passing by at a great rate so after supper i thought that i’d just stay watching to find out what is was…..was it a rat or a squirrel got caught in and couldn’t find his way out again or what?????? I was surprised to discover (and yet not really surprised) that it was 2 wood mice. They are following each other to and fro picking up bread crumbs, bird food etc and berries, probably to feed a family. Well what has attracted them was it the sweet sound of Handel’s Messiah, the light of the refectory windows, the chance to be on public display or the thought of perhaps finding a nice ‘niche’ on the other side? It’s really quite entertaining to see – you could almost nickname them ‘handels christmas mice’!

Well advent seems to hardly to have started and now its nearly over but i will be posting one more item before christmas eve then i will take a few days off (well i won’t get time anyhow to do anything as our timetable changes)

Season’s Greetings to all

Sr. Davina

x

Hi everyone!

Well it is that time of year again……. Yes, Advent is here, so what is happening at Colwich? Once more yummy smells are circleling round the monastery with the traditional ginger biscuits being made which incidentally we get handed out on the eve of the 1st Sunday of Advent, these are supposed to ‘keep us going during these few weeks’. Christmas puds have been mixed (both by hand by all the sisters and making a small wish – and the major work on the good old mixer ( nicknamed martha)), christmas cakes have also been made and are in the process of getting marzipan and icing on. The Avent wreathe was made for the choir and the candle was lit during mass by our chaplain. We also have it lit during Vespers. At Mass for 1st Sunday of advent we were reminded about the 3 comings of Our Lord (past, present and future). For me, i always try (note that i say try…) to remember especially those people who are homeless for one reason or another either because they have been thrown out of home or that they have left throgh their own choice… but its not easy for them whatever the circumstances. I tend to link this up through that christmas eve night when the Holy family are on their way to Bethlehem and on arrival ‘there was no room for them at the inn’. I guess, this was brought home to me during my pilgrimages to Lourdes. 

We also have our annual ‘Walk with me’ Booklets which are given out each Advent and Lent and this week there have been 2 powerful thoughts which are relevent to how we spend our Christmas after this preparation time. It is the season of Love, Joy and Hope. How are we with hospitality and the way we treat each other? Another one was: that Christmas can be a harsh, sad and difficult time for those on their own, or loved ones are far away, etc….. This is the time to be kind for it shows through us by words and actions, ‘for God can use each one of us to let his kindness and love be known in so many ways’  (these last few words are from ‘walk with me’.

God Bless and happy advent!     

Hello there!

I just wanted to say a few words about a incident which happened this morning…… As it does each wednesday i am in the kitchen as supply cook, but half way through the morning i checked to see if i had any mail this morning (i rarely get any so i just check in case forever hopeful….), well anyhow there was a large packet put in my place in the refectory and it was addressed to Sr. Benedict and myself. Sr. Benedict left me to open it and it turned out to be an ‘early christmas present to us both from a fan of the colwich blog’. The book had arrived and it is of poems and meditations on nature and beauty! 

So we thank you very, very much ‘K’ for this wonderful surprise and will enjoy reading through it. Don’t be too long in sending that email – or letter we can’t wait to hear from you. At the moment it is in the workroom for all the community to look at.

So thank you everyone and have a very happy advent and christmas, i am preparing a post for advent at the moment and our Danish guest is going to write a few words before she leaves to go back home.

God bless

Sr. Davina

x  

Hi there!
Well after a hectic time in the guest house, we welcomed 3 visitors from Chile, for the day. They are currently staying at one of our houses (Downside), and are part of the Manquehue Community, (don’t think i spelt this right). They talked to us over their way of life and what they do which includes helping out in schools…

If you are able to read spanish to find out more on this community their website is: (the link doesn’t work yet so i’ll get back to you)

Also, at the moment we have a student from Denmark here visiting us for a fornight and again i will follow up later with more details…..

….And now a few words from the photography student who was here with us for 12 days…… 

Hi everybody
Just wanted to say thank you again for letting me having such a great experiance at your monastary. I had a absolutly fantastic time! I came to make my exam product and I got so much more out of the experiance! I have looked at my photo work and I think it will be great, hopefully:). Next time I come I think my mother will come with me and maybe my father and maybe my boyfriend if it fits his education as a cook the time we deside to visit you.
I really had a great time, can’t wait to come back and see you all again also! Say hello to the other nuns that does’nt read this, and father Luke:). Hope you are all well and off course that Chelsea also is good:)
Love Liv

Well friends here i am at last! Better late than never…………….

It seems ages since i last did a post but here i am after our annual retreat and lots of other things happening in between times. So what happened on the last day of the weekend for ‘COME & SEE’? To be honest not alot, you may well be asking yourself  what do i mean by not alot —  but it was SUNDAY! It was really great because of a number of things…. 1st it was the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, 2nd it was the 3rd sunday of the month which meant that we had Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and 3rd our dear friend Peter was here so we had wonderful music (as ever). After a lovely mass with new and old time favourites of the ‘Colwich Summer School’ (as we call it for a week in August). So there was plenty of time available for ‘private adoration’ if that was what people wanted to place all their questions/doubts etc… After midday office and lunch we all said our goodbyes and hoped that we could all keep in touch in one way or another………i do hope we will see them all again at some point even if its just a quick visit…

Any how here is some feed back of what people thought…….this is just a start and i will add further comments (FAIRLY SOON – I PROMISE) this is just to wet your appetite!!!!!!!

1/     I’d never been to a discernment weekend before, in fact, I’d never been on a retreat of any kind. So as a recent convert to Catholicism it might seem a little odd that I would choose to go to such an event so soon. That said, it was one of the most enlightening weekends I have ever spent. I was extremely nervous beforehand and it took the four of us who were visiting the abbey a while to get talking to each other.

I suppose what struck me the most in the short time we were there, even more than the monastic life itself, was the people who were living it. There was nothing austere, nothing forbidding about them. Rather, they were proof that prayerfulness and happiness go hand-in-hand. The sisters were the life. I was really moved by their hospitality and kindness. Their openness gave me the confidence to be myself and to ask whatever questions came to mind, however mundane they might be. Sitting in Choir alongside the sisters to share in the Divine Office (while hopefully not ruining it too much with my terrible singing) was a great privilege. And of course meeting Chelsea (and being copiously licked by her) was a highlight!

Whatever decisions the other visitors come to about their lives, I truly hope they’ll be happy in their choices. I won’t be making any decision about my own life in the near future but when I do, it will be much more informed.

 

Here is an abbreviated version of another person:

2) Everything was helpful, because i’d never done anything like this before. There’s a world of difference between meeting someone for a chat for an hour or two, and actually living there for a few days. There’s a world of difference between thinking about five times of prayer per day, and actually doing it in community – not just once, but over several days again. It helped me so much to experience  it, because abstractions and thinking about things can never compare. For me, to se and learn how i felt about everything as i experienced it was key. It’s like learning to cycle, you can read and think about it all you like but unless you try it and experience it you won’t be able to do it. Having said that about the overall experience the most helpful parts of the weekend wasn’t just being included in the offices but i also found the short “sessions” on history, Benedictine life etc…tremendously helpful. I think the way it was set up was absolutely perfect. It was long enough to “look in”, but not so long as to feel ‘trapped’ if you hated it (which i didn’t). You made us feel so welcome i would love to come back later and spend some time there again.

HI Everyone!
Just a quick word to say that the community have ben in retreat over the last week or so, so that is why there has been a bit of a silence from me, but i will hopefully be able to ‘catch up’ with comments and things over the next week or two and posting those final few words of the come and see weekend, which i hoped to have been able to do a few weeks ago but haven’t managed.

Also, there will be an addition to the pets page as there is a 5 month old kitten around, but again, more details will be posted in due course.

Thank you for being so patient with me……

God bless you all
Sr. Davina
x

Hi Folks! Its me again – this time about a small community pilgrimage to Birmingham!

As pilgrimages are an ancient tradition of the church, and in normal circumstances a person will make that pilgrimage to a Holy place, to visit a sacred site where God has chosen to reveal himself, or birth place of a saint or walking in the footsteps of a saint, but in this case to coincide with the year of Priests the patron saint of missions – St. Thérèse is herself making a pilgrimage. She, who prayed for priests and wrote to them comes to help us.

With the visit of St. Therese’s relics to England and Wales between Sept 16th and Oct 16^th, they were at Birmingham, firstly at St. Chad’s Cathedral from sat 19^th Oct till Monday 21st  then got transferred to a parish in Coleshill in Birmingham from mon – tues morning. So it was with great privilege to have been able to go and venerate St. Thérèse. This is because mother abbess gave permission for us to do so. We set off as a community – just after 10am on Monday morning in two cars and arrived at just after 11am, so once we found our way to the entrance of the door of the church of The Sacred Heart and St. Theresa, there was a queue of people and we joined them. We were quickly led to some seating – which we didn’t let go of as the church was quickly filling – and had 40 minutes to wait until mass started. During this time confessions were going on and private veneration of St. Thérèse was in process. The church was absolutely packed with at least 7 people in a pew, and two rows of people standing at the side of the church isles, also people were standing outside the church itself and the numbers far surpassed what they were expecting. The church itself was decorated and scented with all types of flowers ranging from red roses, chrysanthemums, lilies, carnations etc…. On arriving (apparently there was a notice which i did not see), which ran with Thérèse’s quote of herself, ‘i shall spend my heaven doing good on earth’. This was picked up by Bishop McGough regarding the packed church, as she was drawing people by her little way to God. Also, he remarked that ‘it was the 1^st time he had to find his way to the pulpit to deliver his homily due to the amount of people’, this, as was expected, raised a laugh. One of the things the bishop asked us to do after we left the church was to find something which was individual to us and make it a part of ‘our little way’ eg, a smile, or a good deed to someone else, and to do it lovingly – for God. After mass was over we then went up to venerate the relics, people were taking photos so i did myself – we also spotted St. Thérèse’s side chapel in which there was a relic which people could go up to and kiss – we did – as it was pointed out to us by the parish priest, it was an awesome occasion! After this we then went and found a quiet spot and had our sandwiches, i tried to slip round quickly and take a few photos of the church etc…. and that was all i got – a few photos!!!  During this free moment we also met up with two Carmelites and these were 2 of 7 people who were ‘custodians’ and going round with the relics.

It is always amazing that when you go out of the monastery you think you will never see anyone you know – and what happens????? There was loads of people we knew, and if someone took a photo of us then we found more people coming and taking photos…. so there was a quick photo session… all in all – a good day!!!! We had a short time there and had to leave at 3pm and i would have liked to have longer there as there was holy hour followed by benediction, but it was a grand occasion and a great privilege to have made this small pilgrimage to Birmingham………something to remember in future years and will go down in our history…….

All i can say is : St. Thérèse – pray for us    

And now we look forward greatly for the Holy Father’s visit to Britain next year!

 

By Sr. Davina

  Click on the following link to see some of our photos of the occasion:

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/novblog/StTherese?authkey=Gv1sRgCLLr6dTKh7yVNQ&feat=directlink

Hello again!   So what do you think of it all so far???? After a night’s sleep – again – morning office was the first thing on the program ~~(and of course the time table doesn’t alter). So after Mass and breakfast Sr. Benedict provided a great display of items and talks about ‘OUR HISTORY’. Of how we were founded in Paris in 1651 (or so), our life during the French Revolution and how we came back over to England and eventually setting our feet upon this blessed land here at Colwich in 1836. I say blessed, because we are indeed very fourtunat to have such wonderful surroundings and the land to grow what we can in the circumstance that we live in. But for more info on our full history check out our main website on the blogroll….it is very interesting indeed!! Sr. Benedict also described how we could ‘change offices’ each year (as was st. benedict’s custom when he wrote his rule).

Then there was a period before midday office when all had the privilege to come and ‘clean and dust’ in the library and have a browse through the books – well after all this is a part of our life, we need to read various books both for spiritual growth and for relaxation. There is a great variety of books that we have here – both old and new!

After midday office and lunch various things were done and (Due to 3 of the visitors having the same initials i shall refer to them as S.K 1, 2, or 3,). So as i was saying after lunch S.K 3 came and helped me in the garden and we cleared round our little shrine area of our lady of walsingham and it was a good chance to answer any questions which i did gladly – and i think it was very helpful….just pretty basic stuff which all enquirers ask and that is how often do you see your parents/family? What made you choose this community? Other questions that i have come up against are like: what was the hardest thing that you encountered when you entered the monastery? What things do you miss? etc…etc…

In the afternoon the community gathered in the guest library to have recreation with our visitors so from 3.30pm till 4.30pm we were all chatting with each other (usually when we meet together in the workroom we do our needlework, knitting, embroidary etc….etc…. but this day we just chatted). Then at 4.30pm our chaplain came and gave a talk on Benedictine Spirituality and the 3 important areas of :   PRAYER, WORK, READING! And how these all inter-act with each other. Unfortunately i got called away from Fr. Luke’s talk so i don’t know what he said, but i have got some ideas from him which have been passed on to me so here they are…….PRAYER: The celebration of the Divine Office in common provides a framework into which the rest of the day is fitted, St. Benedict devotes 13 chapters of his Rule to the times and the manner in which the Office is to be celebrated. Under the heading of Prayer, as well as prayer in common, we must include personal prayer – sometimes referred to as meditation or mental prayer. St. Benedict doesn’t lay down a set time for this but our constitutions lay down at least one half an hour a day …(we have 2 periods of half an hour each day)……….READING:By this we don’t mean any sort of reading or study, we meand rather a meditative, prayerful reading of the bible or some work on the spiritual life, either ancient or modern. It is not so much what we read but the way we read, slowly and conscious of God’s presence, open to the Holy Spirit.This manner of reading is conducive to personal prayer and flows naturally into it – the word we give to this is spiritual reading or LECTIO DIVINA.  - WORK: Work is a human neccessity and St. Benedict does not allow for idleness less we fall into the ways of the devil. Daily manual labour deals also with the Horarium and the use of time and lectio, nowhere implies that manual labour is the only form of work for a monk. The nature of the work does not matter – it might be intellectual, artistic, educational, or purely manual work in house or the garden, or within the infirmary during sickness and infirmity. What is important is that  it is done in the sprirt of service to one’s community and following Christ who came to serve and not to be served.  To bring these points together there is the element of the community.

After supper our friend and organist Peter paid us a visit for a few days which meant that we had a full choir practice and lots of fun……there was great music lined up for the following day which was a great feast for ‘The Assumption of Our Lady’………….More of that in the next and possible final installment….

Sorry for the delay i hope its been worth it, so take care……god bless you all

Sr. D

x

Well folks here’s PART 2…….

I forgot to mention in the first edition that i opened up with a prayer to St. Benedict and privately offered up the whole weekend to Our Blessed Lady.

Well now…after a good nights sleep by all everyone was down for morning office at 7am – which usually lasts about 45mins perhaps a bit more on some days. Mass was at 8.30, so by the time everyone had their breakfast at various times at 9.30 we were raring to go! So off we all went to the library and had a session on the Holy Rule of St. Benedict, this was led by the Novice mistress and the Prologue was chosen. It runs as follows:

‘LISTEN, my son, to the teaching of your master and turn your heart to hear; willingly accept and effectively carry out the advice given by a loving father, so that you may come back to him by the toil of obedience, from whom you had gone astray through the sloth of disobedience. To you then my words are now addressed, who are renouncing your own desires and, on entering the service of Christ the Lord our true King, are taking up the strong and glorious arms of obedience’. 

We then had a discussion on; 1)  what ‘LISTEN’ meant to us, 2)  what Obedience meant, and 3) who the loving father was?………Some very interesting and different views were expressed. Then come mid-morning the weather held good for us so off we all went into the garden. Some went off with mother prioress to pick runner beans, and others came with me and we picked plums! YUMMY! First impression of the size of the enclosure was pure amazement, and one of awe at the beauty of the place too. After midday office and lunch ‘free-time’ was available, or a chat or work,. most opted this day for free time. At 4.30pm we then had a session on ‘SHARED LECTIO’ and took the passage on St. Lukes gospel which we have everyday at Vespers – Mary’s Canticle ‘The Magnificat’. We broke this down into small pieces and shared with each other what it meant for us in many personnal ways. It is a very enriching experience sharing thoughts of scripture and getting more ideas.

After supper, i decieded at the last moment to share some of my Solemn Profession photos and say a few words on that event (which sems only like yesterday but nonetheless was a few years ago now). 8pm there was privat prayer followed by Compline at 8.30pm then Bed-time! Got to gain strength for the following day……….. Well i guess that’s it for now until part 3 – so keep your eyes open………..

Sr. D

x

Hi Everyone!  As a beginning i was going to take some photo’s but i’m afaid i never got round to it…..the weekend went quickly……sorry!

THE COME AND SEE WEEKEND :  WENT AS FOLLOWS ~

Well its about time i tried to put down the events of the last few days and its not going to be easy! But saying that lets see how we go – shall we……At the beginning of the week (Mon) i was beginning to feel abit nervous, and apprehensive wondering ‘what have i let myself and everyone else in for?’ but then again that’s me all over. I get nervous quite easily and it doesn’t take much to get me going. Just before 4.30pm on the thursday afternoon i waited in the guest parlour (as i’m the guest mistress) with one lady who came the previous day and would be staying for a week. Then someone drove up and the nerves began to set in……i welcomed her in, then someone else arrived and i thought well here we go there are three will the others follow, and in the meantime i showed the girls their rooms. Well we waited for a few minutes as it was thurs and that is our early night and we had exposition all day. After offering drinks we went into church (choir) and i showed people their places, they had the priveleged to sit with us and it was alot easier to show them the office with the books we use. We came out of office and shortly after the front door bell rang again it was the 4th lady but the 5th did not arrive. From being a group of a possible 10 it went down to 4 – never mind the Lord knows best. So after a long wait and wondering how could i open this weekend,  the holy spirit prompted me with the words ‘COME AND SEE’ . We all had supper at 6.30pm and the introduction was held at 7.30pm in the upstairs library for the guests. All the talks and discussions were held up ther. In fact it was through Jesus’ own words in St. Johns Gospel – so i took this as a starting point. Here is the passage to remind you (Jn 1:35 -39)……’On the following day as John stood there again with two of his disciples, Jesus passed and John stared hard at him and said, ‘Look there is the lamb of God’. Hearing this, the two disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and said, ‘What do you want?’ They answered, ‘Rabbi, (which means Teacher) ‘where do you live?’. ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day.

To follow this up, i then had a few words written down on paper which were as follows: …… ‘ Jesus always takes the Initiative. He’s always inviting us to go deeper into our lives, he asks ‘What do you want?’. He too asks us like the 2 disciples following ‘what do you want?’. So What is it that we want if nothing else but to follow Jesus. the disciples may have answered out of surprise when they said, ‘Where do you live?’ Its like us living the monastic life, Jesus asks us not once but countless times a day, ‘what do you want? This question precedes the next invitation, ‘Come and see’ and they stayed with him that day and so must we. We are inviting you to ‘Come and See’, to follow Jesus closely and at a deeper level over this weekend and hopefully to find answers to some of your questions. Finding Jesus isn’t always easy, it is hard but to take the 1st step makes it easier for the next. Just simply rest with him and take up St. Benedict’s very 1st word of his Rule in the Prologue, and that is to ‘LISTEN’.

I then said a few brief words of my own vocation so instead of boring you to pieces i just say - look back to my written text – ‘Vocation part1, 2, and 3′.

SAT NIGHT AUG 22nd -  Just trying out how to have access for you all with some photos -not too sure how this will go but i think i have it!!!  Please try the link out below and let me know what you think (either way – if you like the photos or are having trouble looking at them) 

 

 

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/sredir?uname=novblog&target=ALBUM&id=5372471610159427793&authkey=Gv1sRgCL2sjoKyy5qjaQ&feat=email

 

         THIS IS CHELSEA BEFORE SHE HAD A HAIR CUT  – BEAUTY TREATMENT IS ESSENTIAL WHEN   

         HAVING TO ENTERTAIN GUESTS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

            CHELSEA’S HAIRDRESSER – DURING THE CLIPPING SESSION IN THE GUEST DINING ROOM!

 

 

 

 

 

 

             AFTER THE HAIR CUT – SHE IS NOW LOOKING CUTE AND FEELS ALOT COOLER! SHE IS READY FOR

             THURSDAY.  SHE WAS CLIPPED THIS AFTERNOON.

              FOR MORE TALES OF WHAT CHELSEA IS UP TO SEE PETS PAGE!

I WILL BE BACK MAYBE SOMETIME THIS WEEK WITH A 1ST INSTALLMENT OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING THIS WEEKEND! PLEASE KEEP UP THE PRAYERS AND FEEL FREE TO JOIN IN WITH PRAYER DURING THE TIMES WE ARE IN PRAYER AT THE DIVINE OFFICE! HOPEFULLY I CAN PROVIDE A FEW PHOTOS OF THE WEEKEND TOO…….

GOD BLESS

SR. DAVINA

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