Cecilia Foley 24 March

ST PAUL’S POST St Paul’s Province Weekly Newsletter: 23 20 March 2017

Our birthday girl

this week is:

Brief Reflections

Mary, Mother of God, We are the poor soil And the dry dust, We are hard with a cold frost. Be warmth to the world, be the thaw, warm on the cold frost, be the thaw that melts, that the tender shoot of Christ piercing the hard heart, flower to a spring in us. Be the hands that are rocking the world To a kind rhythm of love; That the incoherence of war And the chaos of our unrest May be soothed to a lullaby, And the round and sorrowful world In your hands, The cradle of God.

Caryll Houselander

At 4am on 16th March Sister Esther Curtin

entered eternal life. Our thoughts and prayers

are with Sr Mary her surviving sister, family

and friends at this sad time.

On Thursday 16th March, Moya and Anne represented the Sisters at Leeds Trinity University for the Memorial Mass for Canon Peter Maguire who died on 28th December 2016. Canon Maguire was Chaplain to what was Trinity and All Saints College from 1977 to 1982, a role that he greatly enjoyed. Canon Maguire was always a great friend to our Sisters and in latter days the Sisters worked in his parish in St Joseph’s Bradford.

We had our first full week of lectures and heard about cosmology, dreams, theology, seeds, soil and sustainability, had an art class and a long walk in Glendalough, so were VERY glad that Friday was a free day to celebrate St Patrick. We had a party on

Saturday night and a 'hooley'! Colette played the guitar and Brigid played both the squeeze box and the penny whistle as we sang! We also celebrated the Spring Equinox on Saturday; the stone in the photo is beautifully hand painted! Tomorrow we have another full week - and no free day! But we're all looking forward to it!

Pat Carney

Another chapter from Pat’s

sabbatical in Ireland!

Hospital and Hospice Chaplaincy in Bolton

For a number of years now three sisters, Josepha, Monica and Cephas, have been ministering to

the spiritual needs of patients in Bolton Royal Infirmary and Bolton Hospice. Josepha began her

ministry 17 years ago while she was still General Bursar and was later joined by Cephas. Cephas

was actually coming from the hospital when she had her recent accident. On completing her

term with Sure Start, Monica received an invitation from Bolton Hospice to join their Inter Faith

Chaplaincy Team. The small silver cross (above) is worn by Monica and all Bolton Hospice

volunteers. All three sisters are also involved in Parish Ministry in their local parishes.

There is a Centre here in Liverpool called Asylum Link Merseyside. This is a place to which Asylum Seekers come and where they can feel safe, warmly welcomed and be treated with dignity. Some 80 volunteers offer a range of activities.

My privilege is to teach English (with an Irish accent!) to newcomers, who can range from those who have never been to school to people with University degrees from their original countries. It’s an amazing contrast to watch TV of an evening and see the overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean or the shivering migrants wading through the snow across Europe and then in the morning share a classroom with the survivors, each of whom has their own difficult story to tell. Sacred space?

We all try to make classes enjoyable as well as useful – and there are stories to tell!

I was studying the family - first vocabulary, then little phrases and even questions eg, ”How many children do you have?”

Then I hear the voice directed towards me: ”How many children do you have?“

How on earth does one explain the theology of Religious Life to a class of Muslims, with limited English?

I took a deep breath and said, ”I have no children or grandchildren”. The ensuing silence was palpable.

“But I am happy because my life is given to God and I have loved lots and lots of children and people”.

A voice from the class said: ”It’s all about loving, isn’t it”. What more can I say except that “The Spirit breathes where She will.”

She certainly did my theology lesson for me that day!

Eily May CP

A little something –

its all about loving!

Villa Pacis Celebrations for

The Feast of St Patrick

Prayer space for

The Feast of St Patrick Sr Majella’s creativity

displayed

Agnes and Catherine,

kitchen staff joining in the

celebrations.

Bishop Emeritus Patrick

Walsh joined Villa Pacis

community to

celebrate the National

Saint

Sisters enjoying the

Craic.

Sr. Miriam, shows off her colours, preparing for the

festive meal. Beautiful meal enjoyed by

all. Shamrock well and

truly drowned!