Dec 2018

TIMES OF CHRISTMAS SERVICES

SERVICES AFTER CHRISTMAS

Sister Edmée’s Funeral

Sister Edmée’s funeral took place on the Feast of the Holy Cross, 14 September, attended by many friends and family members. The Winter edition of the Fairacres Chronicle includes Fr David Barton’s homily at the Requiem, the tribute given by Sister Edmée’s Goddaughter Zoë Parker, and a paper by Sister Edmée’s herself entitled ‘The Meaning of Life’s Pilgrimage’.

Building Project

Also in the Chronicle, in Sister Clare-Louise’s Community Notes, is some important news which will affect especially those who come to stay here. Sister Clare-Louise writes:

After many months of conversations with architects and other professionals, we have made the decision to have a major renovation and partial rebuild of the site to make our buildings fit for purpose and supportive of the life of the Sisters… This means that we will need to be closed to guests from the late summer of 2019, for between a year and eighteen months…

As you will imagine, this is an enormous undertaking for the Community and we would greatly value your prayers for the process.

Follow this link to buy a copy of the Fairacres Chronicle https://www.slgpress.co.uk/

Internoviate Student Programme

For several years we have hosted a course for the Internovitiate Study programme, led by Petà Dunstan, visiting sites associated with the nineteenth century revival of the religious life in the Church of England. This year we offered it to the Professed: brothers and sisters from eight communities formed the core group, and some SLG sisters joined as they were able. The photograph shows the group at Littlemore where they visited The College, John Henry Newman’s home for the years immediately preceding his reception as a Roman Catholic.

Weekend Retreat

We were also hosts for a weekend retreat for our associates and friends led by Sister Susan; and a day for Companions with talks by Sister Stephanie Therese on Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth century Carmelite lay brother who became known for his spiritual way, the Practice of the Presence of God. We have a quotation pinned to our kitchen whiteboard which sums up his spirituality.

Vocations

Sister Margaret Theresa and Sister Judith have both attended events to promote vocations: one for people who themselves feel drawn to the religious life, the other for Vocations Advisors and Directors of Ordinands. The Church of England’s official website has a helpful page about Vocation whose key message is Everyone has a vocation. Find yours.
https://www.churchofengland.org/life-events/vocations

One of our cats, Oscar, has lost at least one of his lives! He came home in a sorry state with what turned out to be a broken jaw, and had to spend a couple of days at the vet’s as an in-patient to have the break pinned. We don’t know how it happened: possibly an encounter with a car, or a misjudged landing on a hard surface. He has made an excellent recovery, but seems a little more cautious than he used to be!

A beautiful preparation for Christmas was offered to us by the Holy Rood Girls Choir. They came on the third Sunday of Advent with their director Julia Craig-McFeely, a community friend, to sing in Chapel. Their recital included items from Benjamin Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols.