It is the Christmas of 1910; in Yale, Canada, a group of schoolgirls are going from door to door singing ‘Wake and Sing good Christians’, under the guidance of Sr Marion. That is all I noted down from East and West , the magazine we published between 1886 and 1919. It is enough, however, to justify writing about Sr Marion just before Christmas. A Christmas related blog is going nowhere. So, let me introduce you to Sr Marion.     Born in 1869, she was the third child of John C

I was struck by the words used in one version of Isaiah 35, suggesting that when God comes as judge, he comes to save us. This seems logical: we believe in a God of love, so even when judging, that comes through love. To criticize someone can be soul destroying if done in the wrong way, but can also be helpful, and even life giving, if it is done positively. So why would God’s judgement not be something that can save and help us? However … knowing that translations use differ

Buried at Westcliff-on-Sea, where she died, Sr Jane Mary is one of few Sisters who are not buried at Ditchingham. I have no idea why she died there: whether she was staying with her friends, or whether she had been ill and was there to convalesce; whether she knew she was dying when she went. I do know that she had friends nearby, as they arranged for her burial. M. Louisa was present, but (as far as I know) no other Sisters went. Neither do I know for certain who those frien

It is a dark time of year: with the days growing shorter and the skies often grey, it can seem as if there is very little light around at all. It is no wonder that we want to brighten up our lives with Christmas lights, whatever we may feel about increasingly early decorations. It also makes it a good time of year to focus on the Benedictus (Luke 1:67-79), and especially the last few verses. It is easy to become so used to certain parts of the Bible that we really do not hear