There are stories which pass through the generations and it can be difficult to know their truth; it happens in religious communities as well as families. Sometimes research can confirm or deny them, sometimes the truth is lost to history. Sr Sara is one of our Sisters of whom such a story exists. I had never heard of her until I found a picture of her in the archives; checking the In Memoriam boards in our Chapel, her name was not on there. Curious, I asked one of the older

Imagine a different scenario playing out after the death of Jesus. Peter has denied knowing him; he realises what he has done, leaves and...

Back in October 2023, I wrote about two birth Sisters who both joined the Community in our early days: Sr Mary Rose and Sr Alice. I want to focus today on Sr Mary Rose, and her life in Community. Some of this will have been mentioned in the earlier blog, but it bears repeating, if only to set the context. Mary Rose Wade was clothed as a novice in 1865 and professed on St Barnabas Day in 1867, only the fifth Sister to be professed in the Community. Known as Sr Mary Rose, she p

So there we have them. The disciples. They’re shattered, lost and have seen their world end. Jesus is dead. You cannot come back from...

It must have been completely devastating. They’d given up everything to follow their master, and now it was all over. He was arrested,...

Mary Martin’s father, Edward, was a coal and stone merchant, according to the 1851 census, when the family lived in St Pancras. By 1861, her mother (also Mary) was working as a dressmaker, lodging with her youngest daughter Caroline (a pupil teacher) in Marylebone. I cannot find Edward after 1851, although Mary was married in 1861, so he was still alive. In 1861, Mary (the daughter) is working as a milliner, living with her maternal aunt, Caroline Hartley, in Litchfield. Caro

I am the way, the truth and the life Jesus tells Thomas after he points out that the disciples do not know where Jesus is going so they...

We were rich, you know, when my Father was alive. At least, I thought we were. We had maids and cooks and servants; we hadn’t ever had to...

On taking up the post of Reverend Mother, Sr Ann Mary would have been in a unique position. Despite being the fifth Sister to hold that post, she was the first Mother whose predecessor was still present. Our first two Mothers, M. Lavinia and M. Adele, died in post; the third, Sr Lucy, died shortly after relinquishing the role, having laid down the burden of Office due to ill health after only three years. M. Ann Mary was elected in 1917, after M. Mary Rose stepped down. I am

The pharisees laid heavy burdens on others backs, so says Jesus in Matthew 23. He is critical of them, and it can be tempting to take a...

I suspect that all the disciples felt uncomfortable. Only Peter was able to voice it; it would be Peter, always ready to open his mouth...

It was not necessarily that the rich man was being cruel (See Luke 16:19-31). He may not have deliberately ignored Lazarus at his gate. Maybe there were so many beggars, he felt that he couldn’t feed just one; and, if it was known that he was feeding one beggar, many more would come and then what? Or maybe he thought that Lazarus was poor due to his own folly or lack of insight, and why should he, the rich man, pay for that? Or maybe he never actually saw Lazarus there at his

We have a probable picture of Sr Lilias. One of a group of Sisters taken in the 1890s, they are named on the back of the photo. One is labelled ‘Sr Lilias?’, if I remember rightly. A more recent Sister has written next to it something along the following lines: ‘yes – she left – look at her face’. Born in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire in 1858, Lilias Dickenson was professed as a choir Sister in 1884. In 1896, the year after the Convent Chapel was dedicated, there is an appeal i

Anyperson knew they were horrible and stupid. They had struggled with feelings of hate and shame towards themselves for years. So when it...

Back in 2023, I wrote a piece about Sr Marianna and Sr Eleanor. But recently I have come across some more information about Sr Marianna, related to her life in Community, and it feels appropriate to share it with you. Sr Marianna, a farmer’s daughter, never married, but joined the Community late in life. Born in 1820, she was 50 when professed in 1870. She died aged 83 in 1903, after 36 years in religion (this dates from her clothing). She is unusual in that there was an ‘In

It was probably inevitable. At some point, once Jesus had started his ministry, John the Baptist’s disciples were going to start getting...

St James’ Day 1877 must have been a day of great rejoicing for the Community, for it was the day three lay Sisters made their profession. Sr Patience I wrote about last January; the other two, Sr Elizabeth Ann and Sr Emily I have not. These two share another similarity as both of them later left the Community. When? We do not know. I have found Sr Emily in the 1881 census, when she was at the House of Mercy, then not until 1911, by which time she had gone. Sr Elizabeth Ann wa

Imagine you’re a potter. You make many beautiful objects, but all of them have a practical purpose as well: bowls, plates, mugs and so...

They were sleeping, huddled together in a doorway, with no other place to go overnight. It was a good doorway: undercover, and big enough for a few of them, so they could keep each other warmer. They ignored the light at first; they’d got used to sleeping with noise and light in the background. Often, groups of tipsy people would go past, singing loudly; sometimes, these groups would find it funny to laugh at those sleeping rough, occasionally even worse. The group stayed in

Living in a Community can bring you face to face with your less admirable side. It is very easy to blame other people, rather harder to...