| December
2008 |
Dominic
CR advises that somebody has 40 years of “CR Review” which need to
be moved out of her house fairly soon. Would anybody like to give these
a good home or do you know of a library or archive where these would be
well received? If so, please make
contact as soon as possible. Thank you. |
| Fr
Nicolas has returned from Romania. You can read his thoughts here |
| Picture
Prayer Meditation for December 2008 from the Community church is here |
| Fr
Nicolas is off to Romania on Thursday 10th having stopped overnight at
Ros Johnson's house in St Albans where he will meet some people
interested in CR’s work. The main purpose of the visit to Romania is
to put in place arrangements for the next Congress of Religious which
will take place near Sibiu in the centre of Transylvania. The Congress
itself will take place at the monastery of Sambata de Sus. For
photographs of the Monastery and Conference Centre, please click here. |
| Discussions
are still taking place about the new plans for the church. It is
envisaged that work will start in September 2009 and last around 18
months. During that time, worship is likely to take place in the current
refectory, with meals taken either in the Community room or in the new
refectory over at the college. The latest architectural plans for the
church interior are bold and exciting and include - amongst many other
things - a "river of life" feature along the whole length of
the (levelled) church floor, a full immersion font at the west end and
the present sacristry being transformed into a new chapel. The final
decisions have not yet been made but fundraising will start in earnest
soon, beginning with specialist grant applications followed by a
campaign to secure pledged giving and major donations. |
| The
2008 Companions Retreat was held at the Community between 5 and 8
December. Please click here
to see a selection of images from this Advent retreat |
| November
2008 |
26
Nov: Information from Fr George Guiver, Superior regarding the major
works required to the Community Church, building the new Monastery and
the sale of St Francis House, Hemingford Grey - please click
here |
| From
Fr Nicolas on 25 November: "I brought back
some batiks from my last visit to Zimbabwe and have found these are
very popular. I am hoping to bring back a lot more when
I go again in January and would like to make them a key feature of my talk to the
Companions at the meeting at Southwark Cathedral on 31st January. The photographs
show what I have already have; I
will bring back mostly shopping bags and cushion covers in time for the meeting". Do please have a look at the photographs
(click
here) and if
there are any items you would particularly like from Fr Nicolas, please
let him know. |
| From
Fr Nicolas on 18 November: "Next week I am going to a French
Convent with the marvellous name of Bouzy; it’s near Orleans and in
the orbit of the famous St Benoit sur Loire, Fleury where lie the bones
of St Benedict. The group of us meeting there are an ecumenical group,
part of the CIR – so we will be Catholic, Anglican, Orthodox and
Reformed, all monks and nuns. There will be about eight of us preparing
for the next Congress in Sibiu next year and talking about ecumenical
matters". |
| Fr
Nicolas reports: "The Community has been considering the plans
which the architects have made for the renovating (or, as they like to
say, the revitalising) of the Community church. These are colourful and
imaginative and, on the whole, the Brethren are excited about them,
although the discussion continues". |
| St Francis
House, Hemingford Grey, is to be sold. For details, please click here |
| For a resume
of how the seven continuous days of prayer ("24/7 Prayer")
faired, please click here.
Photograph of the prayer
pebbles. |
| On
5 November, Fr Andrew Horsfall from the Diocese of Blackburn made his
First Oblation at the Community mass. The Companions offer our
congratulations and prayers. |
| We are sad
to report that Novice Neil has left CR. For him, the call to being a
parish priest was too strong; this is where he feels he can do God's
work most effectively and we of course wish him well. |
| From Fr
Nicolas on 2 Nov: "Tonight we start the Seven Days of prayer,
day and night, particularly for young people, that they will come to
faith in Christ and let God change their lives. As well the vigil of
prayer that will be kept by at least one person every hour throughout
this week, there will be several other events; daily rosary and
Exposition with Benediction in the afternoons; a reading of one of the
Gospels; guided mediations, talks on prayer and some singing and musical
events. We hope local people will come in and join us throughout the
week. Can we ask you, the reader, to pray with us wherever you are? If
anyone wishes to add an intercession of any kind to be prayed for during
this week please email it to me: nstebbing@mirfield.org.uk" |
| Advertisement
for Fundraising
Manager |
| October 2008 |
The
latest CR Quarterly Review can now be viewed and downloaded from this
site: please click
here |
| An
innovative blog has been set up for CR Companions in Scotland. It can be
found here |
| LOOK
2008 is launched: a new project which will benefit the eyesight of
hundreds of people in
Zimbabwe
every month! |
| Miss
Joyce Pullon, a Companion for over 40 years, has died. Despite her age
she was an enthusiastic member of the revamped St Alban's local group
and participated in the group's Quiet Day at Edgware Abbey as recently
as 13 September. She will be missed by many people both within and
outside the Community. |
| An account of Fr Nicolas'
recent visit to Zimbabwe can be found
here |
| Fr Antony departs on 22 September for a
three month, three faith Sabbatical in Jerusalem, staying at St George's
Cathedral Hostel/Guest House. He returns to Mirfield on 18 December,
having left Jerusalem on 10 December. We pray for a safe, peaceful and
fulfilling journey. |