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
I certainly hope and pray at least one will come back and be an aspirant!
Hi Sr Davina,
I just wanted to thank you for a fantastic weekend. It was really great to have the opportunity to meet people who are also considering their vocation and to spend time with the community. It gave me a lot of food for thought and I would love to come back and visit.
Hi,
It would be great to have you back for another visit!
Take care and God bless
Sr. D
It was a lovely weekend! The community were welcoming flexible and accommodating for us visitors. In their work for the Lord the sisters gave encouragement to us and welcomed the visitors with a smile ! It was a grace-filled weekend, and I hope those who attended find their way to wholeness and happiness with the Lord x thank you Sr Davina and community for all your hard work and efforts, holding you all in prayer, Tracey. xXX
I am so glad that it all went well and I’m sorry I had to miss it. Maybe next time? Prayers for all involved.
Like Mary Lou I too hope and pray that some of these women will be back, DV, and not just for a visit!! Come & see weekends are an excellent way for discerners to get to know communities and vice versa. We – the England-Wales Province of the Society of the Sacred Heart – have been holding regular Come & See weekends for just over a year, and we now have three young/youngish women due to enter next month. Please do pray for them, and for us as we welcome them, and for the young women due to attend our vocations day next month.
Hie Sarah and Tracy, well I,m off tomorrow back to Holland. I enyoued the come and see weekend and meeting you. Special thanks to Mother Davina for organising it and I really enjoyed the weekend. The sisters are lovely and sad to leave them.
Pam I’m glad to have met you and I’ll continue to pray for you that after your searching you find what you are looking for … A big God bless x Tracey
Mother Davina,
Is the novblog@googlemail.com email address the one to write you? I had responded to an email you sent me from this address (though I did answer you back quite a while later) and I sent you a belated response back in May 2011 and I hadn’t heard back from you. Perhaps you didn’t get it due to internet service problems I was having intermittently at that time and, of course, you are busy with your duties as an Abbess. Or perhaps that address wasn’t a good one – at least back then?
Should I resend my email to this one or another address? Thanks.
Mary
Hi Mary,
Checked through sent emails and no i’ve not had one from you nor sent a reply – so it looks like i’ve not had the last one.
Sr. D
When is the first 2012 Come and See? I might be able to make that one!! Annie