Chapter 2013 Message

The General Chapter has now finished with a closing message for all to reflect on, and with God's help seek to live out in the years ahead.  The website with photos from throughout the Chapter and further news of what has happened over the past month may be found at the following link.

Chapter 2013 Message

"I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries... A new heart I will give you and a new spirit I will put within you" Ezekiel 36: 24, 26

As communities of faith in mission

We respond to God's gift of a new heart and a new spirit.

With the courage of Angela,

We dare to be the change we wish to see in our world.

In solidarity and compassion,

And compelled by the Gospel,

We open our hearts to the cries of our earth and its people.

Quote from St Angela

Audience with Pope Frances

Pope Francis speaking to the crowds attending
Papal audience Wednesday 9th October

General Audience of Pope Francis held outside at the Piazza San Pietro. We all arrived early – some as early as two hours. We had a reserved section near the main podium. Though we had sun and rain mixed throughout the audience this did not dampen our spirits. Pope Francis spoke about the words in the Nicene Creed:

“…I believe in…catholic…Church”.

At St Thomas More's on the second Monday of the month parishioners from the Cathedral and St Thomas More's have been exploring the Apostles Creed as part of the Year of Faith. Those in the area are welcome to join us on Monday 14th October and Monday 11th November at 7.30pm.

Members of the Chapter at the Papal Audience

To see more photographs from the Papal audience.  

New General Councillors

On Wednesday 9th October the new members of the General Council were anounced. Sr Ann-Marie Gardiner who is the Provincial for the English Province has been elected as a General Councillor, see below far right.  We send our prayers to her and all the new Councillors that they will be guided by the Holy Spirit and charism of our patron St Angela Merici.

Sisters Marie Thérèse Le Goc, Verena Moekti Gondosasmito,
Neusimar Marques da Silva, Maria Jaworska, Mother Cecilia Wang,
and Sister Ann-Marie Gardiner 

On Friday, during the prayer service the outgoing and incoming General Councillors were each given a small wooden bowl with the following inspiring words: 

life, communion, courage, solidarity, charism, act,
boldly, risk, transformed, confidence,
go out and insieme. 

Each word held meaning for us as we worked together towards the call. Each councilor came up bringing her wooden bowl with the specific word and joined the others singing “Insieme”.  Insieme is an Italian word for together - unity.

General Councillors bringing up their bowl during celebration of Insieme

Handing on the Torch

News from the Chapter, Jesus passed on his message through the use of parables that many educators will recognise as a valuable teaching tool.  St Angela in her Last Legacy reminds us how Jesus Christ will enlighten us ... 

5. For in this way, without doubt, Jesus Christ will be in your midst, and as a true and good master, he will enlighten and teach you what you have to do. Last Legacy

and it is the Lord's message that those involved in education seek to pass on.  On 27th September Sr. Ellen Mary Mylod presented "Handing on the Torch" the report prepared by the International Committee on Ursuline Education. 

Report of the International Education Committee
Handing on the Torch

Displays from the Chapter

Each of the provinces have been asked to give a presentation and invited to bring items which represent their country and provide a visual representation of the context they are living and serving in union with Christ.

English Province 

Display of English Province

United in Prayer for the Chapter

The Generalate Chapel with the Prayer Schedule
listed  for each day within the image of the flames

Throughout the Chapter the Ursuline sisters throughout the world have been invited to join in prayer a time of integration with the Chapter in Rome, the display above of flames, a symbol of the Holy Spirit list the daily adoration and prayer in communities. 

Go out into the deep and with courage and hope
welcome the future

Chapter Logo

For further details you may wish to read updates on the Roman Union website. 

Chapter begins in Rome

The Chapter has now begun. 

Go out into the deep and with courage and hope welcome the future 

 Between now and the 10th of October Sisters Ann-Marie Gardner, Provincial, Kathleen Colmer Delegate, will be in Rome for the General Chapter.Sisters Jayne Horswill, Maureen Moloney, Damien O Mahony and Jayne will also be in Rome working on Chapter business.

Safe arrival in Rome for Sr Jayne Horswill from
St Thomas More who meets up with Sr  Ruth Durick

For further details you may wish to read updates on the Roman Union website. 

Chapter Logo - The Sun

On this sunny Bank Holiday Monday a word or two about the sun in the Chapter Logo

• The colour yellow evokes Christ, “our Rising Sun”: his Light shines out guiding the life of the Church. 
• The circle connects with the shape of the boat, showing how the boat which represents the Church and Christ are in Communion and united as One 
• The red ring around the sun represents an 'ardent love of Christ that the Church receives' from Christ, it is symbolic of the ardent Love of the Passion, of the Eucharist and life given for the new covenant between Christ and his people.

The calendar for the chapter is now available on the website of the Ursulines of the Roman Union, please remember those sisters who are preparing to come to the Chapter.  

July Prayer of the Heart

With only a two months before our General Chapter begins in September, this month's Prayer of the Heart is:

God will help us in all things.

Chapter 2013 logo
Below is the logo for the General Chapter, it shares many of the symbols that feature in the year of faith logo.  Before sharing what these symbols represent I invite you to reflect on the image for yourself. 

Chapter 2013 Logo

May: Prayer of the Heart

 

 

This month's Prayer of the Heart, in preparation for our General Chapter due to start in September this year, is taken from the opening phrase of the sample prayer given to us by St Angela in Chapter V of her Rule. It is:-

 

"Lord, light up the darkness of my heart."

 

Angela's writings reveal a fascination with light. In our Constitutions of 1969 we read:-

 

"The clear sunlit beauty and deep silence of the countryside found an echo in her soul and awoke in her a need for light and for the infinite; a need for God.When she speaks of obedience, truth, knowledge of God or the happiness of heaven, all alike are expressed in  terms of light."





Vocations

On the 31st of each month our prayer intention in preparation for our General Chapter is "Vocations".You might be interested in viewing the Vocations blog of the Ursulines in the USA

January Mantra

Jesus Christ, our only treasure

Our January prayer of the heart, in preparation for our General Chapter, is taken from the 5th Counsel of St Angela where she says:-

"Let them have Jesus Christ for their only treasure, for there also will be love."

The 5th Counsel, the longest of Angela's Counsels written for the guidance of the local leaders, is full of words of encouragement. Among them are  these words:-

"Also, let them hold this as most certain: that they will never be abandoned in their needs. God will provide for them wonderfully.They must not lose hope."

Chapter Prayer Intentions-Australia

On the 3rd of the month we pray for our sisters in Australia. The first Ursulines that went to Australia came from our community in Greenwich. To read more about their story see here

December Mantra

Our December prayer mantra' in preparation for our General Chapter' comes from the Gospel of St John, Chapter 10 verse 10:

"I have come to bring you life, life to the fullest."

Election Of the Delegate

Today, the feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple, we ask her to pray with us as we prepare  to elect, tomorrow, the sister who will be the delegate from the English Province to the General Chapter.

The sister elected will be accompanied by by our Provincial, Sr Ann-Marie to Rome.. They go, not so much to represent us, as to contribute, on our behalf, to  the good of the whole international family of the Ursulines of the Roman Union. 

There will be sisters coming from every continent to the General Chapter. They will be happy to meet as Angela asked us to do, remembering her promise:

" I shall always be in your midst, helping your prayers."

Provincial Chapter

Tomorrow, 38 of us, Ursulines of the English Province, will be assembling for a week at the Emmaus Centre in West Wickham for our Provincial Chapter. This event takes place every six years and is a preparation for our General Chapter which is due to meet next year in Rome.

Our task will be to evaluate the past six years and to discern how God is calling us to be for the next six years. As Jesus walked with two disciples on that first Easter Sunday on their way to Emmaus,may He  walk with us. Please pray that we will hear his words burning in our hearts and be eager to rush out and share the Good News with others. Thank you.

Standing Steadfast

Today, the 16th of the month , as part of our preparation for our General Chapter,we pray specially for our sisters in Hungary and Roumania. These sisters have an inspiring history. They had to endure much pain and hardship under the communist regime yet they remained steadfast in their faith and commitment to Christ.

 Angela encourages us us to be courageous in difficult situations as Judith was when faced with the tyranny of Holofernes. I don't think, however, that we have to go round chopping off peoples' heads! 

November Mantra

Our November prayer mantra' in preparation for our General Chapter' comes from the writings of St Angela, it is:

"Have strong FAITH and HOPE"

Angela's faith and hope are grounded in her strong belief in God's loving providence for her and for others.In the Prologue to her Rule she writes:

Preparing for the Provincial Chapter

On Saturday, we held at our convent in Forestgate a day in preparation for our forthcoming Provincial Chapter. We looked at issues that we need to address in order to live our lives more authentically in the service of God's people. Angela promised:

 "I shall always be in your midst, helping your prayers."  

We did indeed experience the support of her prayer during the day.

Angela with the Company

Praying for each other - Thailand

In addition to our mantra we have a list of intentions for every month leading to the General Chapter. Last month we prayed for our province of Peru/Chile, during September we will pray for Thailand.  Click here for Province of Thailand website

Province of Thailand Website