Born in Canada, Sr Margaret was one of those Sisters whom we know very little about. A popular name in the Community, this Sr Margaret was the first in our Community; last month I wrote about Sr Margaret Dempsey, who was the second; the third is remembered by some of us, having joined in the 1960s and died just last year. But back to Margaret Walsh, the first Sr Margaret. Margaret Jane Walsh was born in 1830 in Newfoundland, Canada. She was professed as a CAH lay Sister on St

God is love … something we are often taught from our earliest years. But what does it mean to say that God is love? How should that...

It is Advent and we are waiting. Waiting for the coming of our Saviour; waiting in anticipation and preparation for the coming festival;...

What is the difference between a subject and a citizen? While researching our Community history, I found some Sisters have the words ‘British Subject by Birth’ on their entries. This is often the case for Sisters who were born abroad, and it affirms that their parent(s) were also British subjects. It did not necessarily mean they had a different status from those Sisters who were born in Britain; I think that at this stage everyone was a British Subject, and that citizenship

Lydia Foreman, Eliza Whitlock and Emily Dempsey were all women who needed to reconfigure their lives, and their means of earning their...

How often do you relax with God? Praying, yes, but in a way that enables you to lean into the greatness and mercy of God’s love for you. ...

You could guarantee how the preacher would start their sermon. Every year, once a year. Every year a different preacher. Every year the same start. To be fair, they did have a point. The Community’s Commemoration Day took place each November, normally on the first Thursday, depending on which day All Saints’ fell. It was a major gathering, with many people associated with the Community coming, and the Chapel was full. Hence, we used the pulpit, which by the time I came was

In exploring the lives of those of our early novices who did not remain in the Community, I have found it interesting that several also explored their vocations in other Communities. It seems that they felt a call to the Religious Life, but needed to find the specific Community in which to live that call. Now, it is important to say that we have no record of novices dating back to our earlier years. Therefore, I am dependent on information from the Census, and, while the Cens

Hananiah could not stand the man. He was so negative and dragged down God’s people with his false prophecies, foretelling doom and destruction. He was a danger to the nation. Now he was walking around with a yoke on his neck, telling their King to serve the King of Babylon, prophesying death and destruction for Jerusalem and the people if they did not! He was so wrong. A careful study had shown Hananiah how often God had saved his people. Not only by bringing them out of Egyp

We can all have our own individual relationship with God; when we pray, that may well be a time for ‘me and God’ (or possibly that should be ‘God and me’). Which is good. It is important to develop that relationship and allow it to deepen; to allow it to permeate every part of our lives. But had you ever thought that in our individual prayer we are still part of ‘God and us’? Part of the wider body of Christ in which we are all members. Could it be that by focusing solely on

I well remember harvest that year. 2004, I think it was. At that point, the Community Summer retreat took place at the end of August and beginning of September: ploughing time. I love that sight, the earth being turned, new and ready to start again. But not that year. That year had been a very wet summer. It had not been possible to harvest the fields by the time our retreat started. Now, I am not at all knowledgeable about farming, crops or when the best point to harvest is,

You know what it’s like when you get something in your eye: you’re focussed on this irritation until you’ve managed to remove it. Yes,...

I was not sure that I would ever find out who Sr Alice Faith was. She was one of our Third Order, which was established for women who had been at our House of Mercy who wished to stay at Ditchingham. Initially known as the Order of Repentance, each Sister took ‘Faith’ as her second name. But we do not know their surnames. All I knew for the Third Order was the names they took as Sisters, their date and age of death and, in some cases, the years they were ‘in religion’ (dating

Those of you who are regular readers of this blog may have noticed the (inadvertent) challenge I set you last week, where I neglected to...

I’ve been intrigued a few times recently by hearing that something will ‘reduce the chance of death’. It’s an interesting phrase because,...

It can be difficult to believe in a love that never fails when we live in a world where so often it does. We see the failure of love...

Born in 1847 in North Shields, Northumberland, Sr Jane was the daughter of Francis and Margaret Buck, according to her baptism record. Francis was a master mariner, which may explain why he is not resident at home in any of the census records that I could find. These are fairly limited. In 1841 Margaret is at home with three daughters: Margaret (age 9), Isabella (age 7) and Dinah (age 4). Ten years later she is living in Howard Street, Tynemouth with 5 children: Isabella, Din

Most of us have various different groupings to which we belong. Family, work, friends. Then there are other organisations, which may well...

Samuel is sent to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as king of Israel. He is rather reluctant because, if Saul hears of it, he will be in...

Mary Magdalene is one of the better known women of the New Testament. She was healed by Jesus of seven devils and then followed him, with a group of other women. One of the few people at the foot of the cross, she was also there at the tomb on Sunday morning, when the women discovered that Jesus had risen; and John tells how she met Jesus personally after his resurrection, when he calls her by name and sends her to tell the disciples that he is risen. Her feast is celebrated