THE P RTAL
September 2013
Page 12
Community of Our Lady of Walsingham
Visited by Jackie Ottaway
It was
the hottest day of the year so far when I drove through the gate and up the drive. The beautiful Abbotswick House of Prayer stood before me. As I climbed from my car, Sr Gabriela emerged from the house and took me to the front entrance. Here Sr Camilla was waiting for us. In addition to these two Sisters, the Community also includes Sr Theresa and a novice, Gloria.
Sr Camilla told me, “We are a Community, not an Order or a Congregation yet. The original inspiration was for a Community of Sisters and Brothers dedicated to Our Lady of Walsingham to help spread the spirituality of the shrine.
discerning a vocation to religious life
“At the moment we are four. Another candidate is joining in September and others are seriously As I walked into the house, the serenity, the peace, discerning a vocation to religious life with us. Men are the prayer, the holiness, enveloped me. It was a most attracted to our charism and the Vatican has given us wonderful experience. How do religious produce this guidelines on how to enable them to share the same distinctive atmosphere? charism.
the call of love
We drank ice-cold fizzy pop and settled down to chat. This is a new community of religious sisters, and eventually a branch of brothers as well. The Community helps promote a culture of vocation in the Church and in society by enabling people to respond fully to the call of love in their lives. As a Marian community dedicated to Our Lady of Walsingham the Community prays for the conversion of England and are engaged in the New Evangelisation.
the Slipper Chapel
“The inspiration came in the Slipper Chapel,” Sr Gabriela enthused, “So Walsingham is our spiritual home, the source of charism which is vocational. Saying ‘Yes’ to God’s will. Our Lady is our inspiration and our guide.” Sr Camilla took up the story, “The Annunciation is at the heart of Walsingham. Its spirituality is about living vocationally one’s whole life. It is saying ‘yes’ in joy, and ‘yes’ in sorrow. We have been called the midwives of all vocations, helping people make good choices.
The sisters relax by Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers in the Piazza Navona on a visit to Rome