“A saint is someone who makes goodness attractive.” [Laurence Housman]  I know that, if asked, you would be able to give me a number of definitions of the word ‘saint’, however, the above definition is one that I particularly like. Down through the ages, however, there have been many saints who did not make ‘goodness attractive’, in fact made it ...

“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than finding a  friend [or friends] whom you trust and who can show the way.”                                    [Toba Beta]   The sisters had finally reached dry land.  As they took their first faltering steps, it seemed that the whole Island of England was heaving and dipping, knocking them ...

On Friday, February 5: 2016, 11 RNDMs gathered to celebrate our 68 years of presence and ministry, and pending closure in Leyland, Nr Preston, Lancashire. Gathering in St Mary’s Church, Leyland was like coming to an end of a journey. As a former pupil of St Catherine’s Secondary School, Oaklands, we used to walk to St Mary’s for various events, ...

It was with shock that we learnt of the sudden death of Louise Zanré last month. Louise had just retired from her post as UK National Director of JRS (Jesuit Refugee Service), Wapping London, to take on a lighter job of avocation for Refugees, which was her life-long passion. Louise who had experienced sadness in her own personal life was ...

“The more you go with the flow of life and surrender the outcome to God, the less you seek constant clarity and the more you will find that fabulous things start to show up in your life.”                                                                          [Mandy Hale – The single Woman] 1848 had been a year of political upheaval in France but in the peaceful countryside of ...

“On one such occasion the Shepherd said to Much-Afraid, “When you continue your journey there may be much mist and cloud. Perhaps it may even seem as though everything you have seen here of the High Places was just a dream, or the work of your own imagination. But you have seen reality and the mist which seems to swallow ...

“When there’s a big disappointment, we don’t know if that is the end of the story.  It may be just the beginning of a great adventure! Life is like that.”    (Peria Chodron – ‘When things fall apart.’)  It seemed to Euphrasie that things were indeed falling apart!  The thought of going back to school at the age of nineteen years ...

When charity and union of hearts reign in community, the Lord is there. Guard this precious treasure well. . .  (Euphrasie Barbier 1867) On December 18th Wealdstone welcomed Sr Gertrude Atua from Wewak, Papua New Guinea, to spend Christmas with us. Gertrude is presently studying at St Anselm’s, Cliftonville and during the holiday break had to find a place for ...

We all know that God is a God of surprises, but I never expected to experience something so ordinary, and yet, paradoxically so extraordinary! Last Saturday afternoon, I decided to cook frozen, green, garden, peas for our midday meal.  While I was engaged in other activities, I could hear them bubbling happily in the pot.  As I rarely cook this ...

“Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal.  Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge and adding to your experience so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs.” [Mario Andretti – Racing Driver] It was October 1848.  After a long, tiring and  eventful journey, Euphrasie had finally arrived ...