THE P RTAL
September 2013
Page 13
not about numbers
“After University I joined a Community in Italy. That was twenty-eight years ago now. Religious life is not about numbers but, as Pope Francis keeps reminding us, it is about being grafted on to the Cross of Christ. It is about people being called to our charism and to being part of a founding group. The first twenty-five years are the founding years.
Catholic Church from Walsingham. For three or four months, they lived alongside us here and they remain good friends.
different remits
“At Walsingham we all have different remits. We offer a service of welcome for pilgrims as well as vocational accompaniment. Sr Wendy Renate works in the Sacristy and Sr Jane Louise is involved with youth.
truly international
I asked if it was more difficult in England. Sr Camilla replied, “This has not been understood by some people in England. There are many new communities in the USA and abroad. It can seem they have an easier journey. We could be paving a path for new communities here in this country’.
“As to the future, Sr Gabriela keeps me grounded. I see the big picture. We believe that Walsingham is very important for the conversion of England, to bring England back to its Christian roots. The conversion of England will re-energise the conversion of Europe. Pope Leo XIII said that when England goes back to Walsingham, Mary will come back to England. There This Community is truly international, Sr Camilla is are many Europeans praying for the conversion of of Czech German stock, Sr Gabriela hails from Poland, England. Divisions were so deep in England. Sr Theresa is English and Gloria is of Nigerian British inspired by our Community descent. I wondered if numbers in the Community would God’s judgement is different increase. Sr Camilla said, “Yes. It is all in God’s timing. Sr Camilla continued, “Why a new Community? Our new Bishop in East Anglia, Bishop Alan Hopes, Why not something existing? We wanted to live the loves Our Lady. Our hope is to work closely with him vows in a particular way. There was nothing quite like in the future. it in what we saw elsewhere. It is something one has to respond to when God says ‘I want you to go there’. “We pray that lots of people will be inspired by We go. We have set out on that road. When one judges our Community. We even have plans for Associate by numbers, one is judging by secular values. God’s membership in the future as a lot of lay people are judgement is different. We must be faithful to the interested in our charism. Spirit and the gift that has been given to us which has Thank you been recognised by the Church. “I must add a big ‘Thank you’ to the Marist Fathers a vocation to love and the Marist Sisters at Walsingham for their kind “Our vocation, like everyone’s, is a vocation to love. welcome and generous support of our community. It The author behind ‘In Verbo Tuo, New Vocations for was a beautiful experience to visit the Community of a New Europe’, says that there is a risk when a diocese Our Lady of Walsingham. has fewer priests and lots of work to be done, that it There address is: can unconsciously kick into a recruitment mentality. Community of Our Lady of Walsingham, He says that the same applies to religious Institutes. Abbotswick, Navestock Side, We are so small, we don’t have to fall into that trap. Brentwood, Essex, CM14 5SH or a good friend Community of Our Lady of Walsingham, “The ecumenical aspect is important to our Slipper Chapel Cottage, Gray’s Lane, Community, collaborating with Christians of different Houghton St Giles, Norfolk, NR22 6AL denominations. Bishop Lindsay Urwin is a good friend Telephone: Abbotswick: 01277 373848: of the community and we have had a great relationship Slipper Chapel Cottage: 01328 821621 with the Sisters at the Anglican Shrine for a long time. Email: [email protected] Web Site: www.walsinghamcommunity.org
Sisters of the Ordinariate
“We have no wish to leave Abbotswick; but we do have a desire to move to Walsingham. We take turns to go and work at the shrine where we were recently invited to establish a presence. We were also asked to look after the Sisters of the Ordinariate who joined the
‘Come and See’ at Walsingham
Young women open to the call of Jesus to the religious life are invited to join us for our next ‘Come and See’ at Walsingham over the weekend of 14th and 15th September 2013.