Feast of St Ursula: pilgrimages past and present.

Plaque of St Ursula
standing and trying to protect her companions

Today is the feast of St Ursula, whose name and patronage St Angela Merici chose for her Company.  St Ursula was a  medieval saint who together with her companions was slaughtered on her way back from a pilgrimage to Rome.  For more about her life visit the Ursuline website.  Each month on the Ursuline website there is a reflection, this month the reflection is on St Ursula 

In 1524, St Angela  went on a long pilgrimage to the Holy Land.  It was not usual for women to travel alone, but Angela was prepared to risk all the dangers to visit and pray at the holy places where Jesus had lived and died. Her pilgrimage as you can read on the life of St Angela included some unexpected challenges, including a period of blindness.  However, on her return, Angela was soon to go on pilgrimage to Rome, here she was able to 'pray for God's help and encouragement to take the next step which she knew, in her heart of hearts, she was being asked to take. For more on Angela's life.

Taking time out of our everyday lives gives each of us an opportunity to review our lives. Going on pilgrimage or making a retreat are ways to help us on our journey.  I am fortunate to have that opportunity. There will be a short break during this time when I ask for your prayers.  I will return with news of my pilgrimage on the Feast of St Angela, January 27th 2014.  Until then I leave you with words of encouragement from St Angela Merici.

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.  

August Prayer of the heart

The prayer of the heart for August is:

O God, You are the Centre of my life

What does this mean to you?

How does having God at the centre of your life make a difference to you, your family, friends and the people who you meet each day?  

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

Little acts of kindness

Tonight St Thomas More's was full to capacity as people gathered together for the reception of Sr Maureen Coyne's body and a Mass of celebration. The celebrant was Fr Kevin Lowry and the homily which was appreciated by many and which I hope to be able to post in the coming days was given by Fr Stewart Keeley.  

Grey stockings
"Put these on ..."

A glass of water

Little acts of kindness
Fr Stewart spoke of Maureen's thoughtfulness in providing him with a glass of water should he need it during Mass, no doubt many present were able to recall their own memory of how Maureen's kindness had helped them in a time of need.  At the end of Mass I was able to add my own memory of when I first met Maureen and her act of kindness in providing me with some grey stockings. 

It was Maureen's generous spirit which reminded me of the words from St John of the Cross.

After Mass many stayed to share stories about Maureen, sign the book of condolence and spend some time in the chapel.  Below parishioners sitting in the peace garden which has been tidied up this week by a team of parishioners, some of the many people who have helped in so many ways and for whose help has been much appreciated.  

The Sacred Heart in Ursuline Spirituality

 

Today we keep the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Before the apparitions of Jesus to St Margaret Mary this devotion can be found in the spirituality of a seventeenth century French Ursuline, Blessed Mary of the Incarnation. It features in her Apostolic Prayer found below. In it are to be found many echoes of St Angela's Prayer given in Chapter V of her Rule.

 

" By the Heart of my Jesus, who is the Way, .the Truth and the Life,

I approach Thee, O Eternal Father.

By this divine Heart, I adore Thee for all who love Thee not;

I love thee for all who love Thee not;

I acknowledge Thee to be my God for all who,

wilfully blind, out of contempt, refuse to acknowledge Thee.

By this divine Heart, I would render Thee the homage which all thy creatures owe Thee.

In spirit I go round the wide world in search of all the souls

redeemed by the Precious Blood of Jesus.

I embrace them all to present them to Thee by Him and by Him,

I ask for their conversion.

Oh! can it be , Eternal Father, that thou wilt allow them to remain in ignorance of my Jesus?

Wilt thou suffer that they should not live for Him who died for all?

Thou seest, O Heavenly Father that they live not as yet!

oh ! give them life by this divine Heart.

 

On this adorable Heart, I present to Thee all who labour for the extension of the Gospel,

in order that by its merits they may be replenished with Thy Holy Spirit.

 

On this Sacred Heart, as upon a divine altar I present to Thee especially..........

.....................................................

Thou knowest, Incarnate Word, my beloved Jesus, all that I would ask Thy divine Heart, by Thy holy Soul. I ask it of Thee, when I ask it of Him, because Thou art in Thy Father, and Thy Father is in Thee.

Deign to do all this together with Him.

I present Thee all these souls; make them one with Thee. Amen

 



Novena for Vocations

 

Today, the Feast of Pentecaost,

is the start of a nine week novena for

 Vocations in the Diocese of Lancaster 

 

 

 

Perhaps you would like to join in this important prayer. Each week I will post the intention for the week.The intention for this first week is:-

 

for the grace to live out our baptismal call

 

Novena Prayer



 

God our Father,

You created us and in baptism You called us to be Your people.

Grant courage to those You are calling to the priesthood, diaconate, religious and consecrated life.

Guid those who are discerning their vocation.

Bless the love of husband and wife

and help all parents to be open to Your will for their children.

Make us generous in responding to You

and help us to see that true happiness is found in Your will alone.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen 

 

The Silence of Jesus

 

The Passion narrative, at one level, depicts a scene of shouting and bustle, yet Jesus hardly speaks. Indeed, at times he is totally silent as before Herod.Let us ponder the mystery that lies at the heart of this silence; let us be silent with Jesus. 

The Prayer of Jesus in the Passion

 

Today, after the Mass of the Lord's Supper we are invited  by Jesus

 

"Stay here and watch with me."

 

This time with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane is an opportunity to enter more  deeply into Jesus' intimacy with the Father; a privileged time of silent union and communion at the heart of the Trinity. May He not find us asleep. 











Angela and Prayer

After her chapter on fasting Angela turns to the second Lenten practice: Prayer. She says the two go together, and gives the example of Anna, who in the Temple, served God night and day in prayer and fasting. Angela advocates a balance prayer life of both vocal and mental prayer. The sample prayer she writes in the Rule gives us an insight into the depth and breadth of her prayer life. She starts by expressing her own need for forgiveness and moves on to praying for her family and finally for the whole world.

"Deign, O most loving Lord, to forgive me my so many offences...deign also to forgive the sins, alas, of my father and mother, and of my relatives and friends, and of the whole world. I implore this of you by your most sacred Passion and your precious Blood shed for love of us, and by your holy Name, be it blessed above the sands of the seas, above the drops of the waters, above the multitude of the stars." 

Happy Christmas

May the Christ Child

 enfold you in His

 LOVE

 fill your heart with His 

PEACE 

and your spirit with his

JOY

Crib at St Thomas More, Lancaster

HAPPY CHRISTMAS and MANY BLESSINGS FOR 2013

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

Monthly reflections: Our Lady of Tenderness

Did you know that the website for the English province includes a monthly reflection?  Last month I posted a reflection on Our Lady of Tenderness, which I hope may be helpful to you.  As you contemplate on the picture below what thoughts or inspirations come to you?

Our Lady of Tenderness

For details of my reflection on this icon and other meditations written by the Ursuline community please click here.

Angela supports us with her prayer but she expects us to do our part. One of the qualities that she urges us to foster is  unity. The "Ursuline Prayer" shows our desire to do so.It goes like this: