My dear Friends
During the afternoon I popped into the Church in the grounds. Although the Priory has an oratory, this Church serves the local Parish. It is austere and very still, with a rich atmosphere of Christ. I sat near the tabernacle in the utter silence, just reciting within over and over again 'Amo te, Domine,' 'I love you, Lord!'
Out into the blazing sushine again and down into Clare Country Park, where I came across my friend Michael. I invited him to sit by the river with and we watched some ducks with a brood of 8 ducklings, the most I had ever seen.
'Now it is evening, time to cease from labour.'
It was a beautiful evening, the birds were flying everywhere and the rose garden looked particularly attractive. Supper was very congenial and I went into the oratory afterwards to find a small group discussing Sunday's Gospel so I joined them in prayer.This little chapel means a great deal to me, as I came here twenty years ago a week before I was baptised in Newmarket.One of the priests then, Fr Billy Baldwin, showed me how to just contemplate and be still in an atmosphere of love and silence.
For my last morning I went to the Anglican Church, very spacious and lovely and an old lady doing the flowers called me Sister Delia.(She couldn't pronounce the G.) At noon I went to the Swan Inn and drank a half of guiness, which I have just discovered.
Back for prayers and lunch and saying goodbyes - it's been a good visit!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Friday 26 June 2009
Thursday 25 June 2009
Visit to Clare Priory
My dear Friends
It was with great delight and pleasure that I made my way down to Suffolk on Tuesday. Waiting at the other end for me was one of my favourite places: Clare Priory, an Augustinian foundation going back some 750 years.
Going on 2 buses was a bit of an adventure, but I no longer have the luxury of a car. But yes, there was a bus to Clare from Haverhill and that part of the journey only took me 20 minutes.
Clare is a lovely long village with quaint houses and shops, and a huge Anglican church (I met a lovely elderly lady doing the flowers there), high and spacious with a tremendous feeling of light.But my main objective was the Priory, where I was to spend one night. On the second bus I had met a fellow pilgrim, Michael, who was heading for the Priory too and on the way we stopped at the local hostelrie and had a drink and a chat.
Finally at the Priory we were made to feel very welcome and I felt especially privileged as they had given me a room in the Priory itself rather than in the guesthouse. My room, which had 3 beds in it(!) overlooked the front lawn with its beautiful trees all round with a short walk up to the river.The river is very special at this time of year, as 2 swans had just had a family of 6 grey fluffy cygnets and the ducklings were out in abundance too.
More tomorrow!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
It was with great delight and pleasure that I made my way down to Suffolk on Tuesday. Waiting at the other end for me was one of my favourite places: Clare Priory, an Augustinian foundation going back some 750 years.
Going on 2 buses was a bit of an adventure, but I no longer have the luxury of a car. But yes, there was a bus to Clare from Haverhill and that part of the journey only took me 20 minutes.
Clare is a lovely long village with quaint houses and shops, and a huge Anglican church (I met a lovely elderly lady doing the flowers there), high and spacious with a tremendous feeling of light.But my main objective was the Priory, where I was to spend one night. On the second bus I had met a fellow pilgrim, Michael, who was heading for the Priory too and on the way we stopped at the local hostelrie and had a drink and a chat.
Finally at the Priory we were made to feel very welcome and I felt especially privileged as they had given me a room in the Priory itself rather than in the guesthouse. My room, which had 3 beds in it(!) overlooked the front lawn with its beautiful trees all round with a short walk up to the river.The river is very special at this time of year, as 2 swans had just had a family of 6 grey fluffy cygnets and the ducklings were out in abundance too.
More tomorrow!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Friday 19 June 2009
Carnivals
My dear Friends
Do you like carnivals? We had the Arbury carnival last Saturday, Arbury being the neighbourhood in which I live. The carnival was set up very close to where I live.
There were plenty of stands, one of them being Cam-Mind, a mental health charity. I bought myself some summer clothes from this stand and took one of their leaflets on the very good work they are doing. We agreed that we still need to heighten awareness of people with mental health problems, about 1 in 4 in this country.
But carnivals are really about food and fun, and I ate myself silly with French crepes, crisps and the like. I am too old to go on any of the rides but the children were having a ball. And this particular carnival was about community spirit, as I am sure that most of those who attended were locals.
The very next day I wandered down to Parkers Piece, a beautiful green space in the heart of Cambridge and there was another carnival! This time an Australian was exercising his ducks and dogs in the middle of a field and he showed how well trained they were by putting them through their paces. It was quite amusing and I spent a good hour there before leaving for Church at 5pm and the folk Mass.
Have you been to any good carnivals lately?
Shalom from
Sister Gila
All the fun of the fair! And lots of tombolas
Do you like carnivals? We had the Arbury carnival last Saturday, Arbury being the neighbourhood in which I live. The carnival was set up very close to where I live.
There were plenty of stands, one of them being Cam-Mind, a mental health charity. I bought myself some summer clothes from this stand and took one of their leaflets on the very good work they are doing. We agreed that we still need to heighten awareness of people with mental health problems, about 1 in 4 in this country.
But carnivals are really about food and fun, and I ate myself silly with French crepes, crisps and the like. I am too old to go on any of the rides but the children were having a ball. And this particular carnival was about community spirit, as I am sure that most of those who attended were locals.
The very next day I wandered down to Parkers Piece, a beautiful green space in the heart of Cambridge and there was another carnival! This time an Australian was exercising his ducks and dogs in the middle of a field and he showed how well trained they were by putting them through their paces. It was quite amusing and I spent a good hour there before leaving for Church at 5pm and the folk Mass.
Have you been to any good carnivals lately?
Shalom from
Sister Gila
All the fun of the fair! And lots of tombolas
Saturday 13 June 2009
The Fitzwilliam Museum
My dear Friends
Here in Cambridge we are very fortunate to have the Fitzwilliam Museum. It is quite a large collection of continental art, and ancient antiquites from Egypt, as well as porcelain. And the museum is free. It is a beautiful building to wander round, with a tea room and a shop, and I often go there on weekdays or Sunday afternoons.
There is quite an extensive religious section, with some beautiful icons of the Annunciation amongst other things, but I actually have a favourite painting. It's called St Roch and the Angel. I have no idea who the artist is, but I was very drawn to it the moment I saw it. In it an old man is dying by the wayside, and this is St Roch. Holding him is a beautiful angel with a broad face and a very serene smile.
The first time I saw this painting was when it was hanging under a skylight and the sun was streaming down upon the face of the angel.Unfortunately when it is not on the walls (the Museum removes the paintings from time to time) no-one seems to have heard of it!
There is also a little library in the Museum which one can access on weekdays. It looks out onto a garden of silver birch trees,which as you know are my favourite.
I wish you happy times of looking round museums yourselves.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Here in Cambridge we are very fortunate to have the Fitzwilliam Museum. It is quite a large collection of continental art, and ancient antiquites from Egypt, as well as porcelain. And the museum is free. It is a beautiful building to wander round, with a tea room and a shop, and I often go there on weekdays or Sunday afternoons.
There is quite an extensive religious section, with some beautiful icons of the Annunciation amongst other things, but I actually have a favourite painting. It's called St Roch and the Angel. I have no idea who the artist is, but I was very drawn to it the moment I saw it. In it an old man is dying by the wayside, and this is St Roch. Holding him is a beautiful angel with a broad face and a very serene smile.
The first time I saw this painting was when it was hanging under a skylight and the sun was streaming down upon the face of the angel.Unfortunately when it is not on the walls (the Museum removes the paintings from time to time) no-one seems to have heard of it!
There is also a little library in the Museum which one can access on weekdays. It looks out onto a garden of silver birch trees,which as you know are my favourite.
I wish you happy times of looking round museums yourselves.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Wednesday 10 June 2009
The Trinity
My dear Friends
Last Sunday was the Feast of the Holy Trinity. The mystery of the Trinity is at the heart of the Christian faith, and yet remains a difficult one to explain: Three in One and One in Three. Three undivided Persons, totally united in love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
'In the Father you see me,' says Jesus in the gospel of John and tells HIs disciples that He will send a comforter, an advocate to be with them, an advocate who will impart all the words Jesus has told them. The spirit is their very breath and life and He will speak through them even on the very day they are accused and have to defend themselves.
I was staying with Benigna one year when it was Trinity Sunday. I was in the little bedroom upstairs and just outside the window was a tree. Suddenly 3 fat pigeons came to roost in the tree. The birds looked identical and it was obvious they were part of one family. They looked very natural and completely at home with each other. From time to time one of them would fly off, on a 'mission' as it were, and then return. I found myself pondering that this was like the Trinity: the Father would send the Son and the Spirit off on a mission and then they would return to the nest.
A homely image but perhaps it helps.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Last Sunday was the Feast of the Holy Trinity. The mystery of the Trinity is at the heart of the Christian faith, and yet remains a difficult one to explain: Three in One and One in Three. Three undivided Persons, totally united in love, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
'In the Father you see me,' says Jesus in the gospel of John and tells HIs disciples that He will send a comforter, an advocate to be with them, an advocate who will impart all the words Jesus has told them. The spirit is their very breath and life and He will speak through them even on the very day they are accused and have to defend themselves.
I was staying with Benigna one year when it was Trinity Sunday. I was in the little bedroom upstairs and just outside the window was a tree. Suddenly 3 fat pigeons came to roost in the tree. The birds looked identical and it was obvious they were part of one family. They looked very natural and completely at home with each other. From time to time one of them would fly off, on a 'mission' as it were, and then return. I found myself pondering that this was like the Trinity: the Father would send the Son and the Spirit off on a mission and then they would return to the nest.
A homely image but perhaps it helps.
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Friday 5 June 2009
A little Spanish flavour
My dear Friends
The language story goes on as I have decided to add a little Spanish to the mix.I have the opportunity to chat to a nice lady one-to-one and she is a Spanish speaker,who wants some English in return for the Spanish. So I have been reflecting...
Spanish is the language of the great Teresa of Avila, who reformed the Carmelite Order, She was quite a personality and wrote several spiritual books,including the Interior Castle. She was a great friend of St John of the Cross, who is one of the Patron Saints of The Little Sisters of Joy. St John wrote several mystical poems of Christ, and I have always longed to read them in the original. So perhaps this is my chance. Watch this space!
Shabbat Shalom
Sister Gila
The language story goes on as I have decided to add a little Spanish to the mix.I have the opportunity to chat to a nice lady one-to-one and she is a Spanish speaker,who wants some English in return for the Spanish. So I have been reflecting...
Spanish is the language of the great Teresa of Avila, who reformed the Carmelite Order, She was quite a personality and wrote several spiritual books,including the Interior Castle. She was a great friend of St John of the Cross, who is one of the Patron Saints of The Little Sisters of Joy. St John wrote several mystical poems of Christ, and I have always longed to read them in the original. So perhaps this is my chance. Watch this space!
Shabbat Shalom
Sister Gila
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