My dear Friends
As part of my new summer programme, I made a pilgrimage to Stone, home of the Dominican Sisters, yesterday. Stone is a little town in Staffordshire, and 11 of us piled into the little minibus which left from the Dominican Priory in Cambridge at 7.30 in the morning. It was a glorious day, very auspicious, and we arrived in Stone at about 10.15.
The pilgrimage was all centred round Our Lady and after tea and coffee we had a talk on the history of the Rosary, a wonderful healing prayer of the Church, and how it all came together over the centuries. Hail Mary, full of grace the Lord is with you.
Afterwards while the others were having a tour of the Order's treasures, in the church and other places, I wandered round the grounds of the school (they have a school and an old people's home)and lazed on the grass and watched the canal boats passing, as the school is alongside the river.Lunch was served in the canteen, and I had a little practice on my guitar, as I was to accompany some of the Hebrew music on the actual pilgrimage itself.
Then at 2.30 we all gathered and prayed the last 5 Glorious mysteries of the Rosary, complete with banners(made 150 years ago by the nuns)meditations and music. Everyone sang! We prrocessed round five different points in the garden, and really made our devotions ring! The afternoon ended with Mass in the church, which was particularly joyful as today is the Feast of Pentecost.
Tired but happy, we arrived back in Cambridge around 9 o'clock. A great day!
Love and Shalom
Sister Gila
Sunday, 31 May 2009
Monday, 25 May 2009
Summer holidays
My dear Friends
Sometimes in life one has to put up with disappointments. So it is with me-I was due to fly to Toronto on Monday and have had to cancel due to not feeling very well. Naturally I am disappointed as Toronto is such a beautiful city, but I hope to share with you the news from Cambridge as the summer evolves.
Wherever you are, I wish you much joy and happy holidays.
LOve and Shalom
Sister Gila
Sometimes in life one has to put up with disappointments. So it is with me-I was due to fly to Toronto on Monday and have had to cancel due to not feeling very well. Naturally I am disappointed as Toronto is such a beautiful city, but I hope to share with you the news from Cambridge as the summer evolves.
Wherever you are, I wish you much joy and happy holidays.
LOve and Shalom
Sister Gila
Monday, 18 May 2009
Walsingham again
My dear Friends
Walsingham is one of the loveliest places I know. The chapel of reconciliation at 5pm is quiet and dark, with sometimes the Blessed Sacrament being exposed, bringing the light of the world to this little village in Norfolk. There are many places to pray and pilgrims stay in the Pilgrim Bureau or some of the bed and breakfasts in the neighbourhood.
The lovely thing about it is the ordinariness and extraordinary quality at the same time. Sometimes there are large pilgrimages and sometimes quite small groups of people all converging on the same place. There is something for everyone in this place of pilgrimage dedicated to Mary. Mary revealed herself to a woman in the 19th century and asked her to build a house of Nazareth, and in the morning it was built!
The Holy Ghost Chapel is where you can light candles and say a prayer and it is wonderful to see all the candles which have been lit from people from all over the world.
I suggest you make a visit!
Love and Shalom
Sister Gila
Walsingham is one of the loveliest places I know. The chapel of reconciliation at 5pm is quiet and dark, with sometimes the Blessed Sacrament being exposed, bringing the light of the world to this little village in Norfolk. There are many places to pray and pilgrims stay in the Pilgrim Bureau or some of the bed and breakfasts in the neighbourhood.
The lovely thing about it is the ordinariness and extraordinary quality at the same time. Sometimes there are large pilgrimages and sometimes quite small groups of people all converging on the same place. There is something for everyone in this place of pilgrimage dedicated to Mary. Mary revealed herself to a woman in the 19th century and asked her to build a house of Nazareth, and in the morning it was built!
The Holy Ghost Chapel is where you can light candles and say a prayer and it is wonderful to see all the candles which have been lit from people from all over the world.
I suggest you make a visit!
Love and Shalom
Sister Gila
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Walsingham
My dear Friends
Today I had the chance to go down to Walsingham, our national shrine. It is a place in the middle of nowhere in the Norfolk countryside, with a lovely meandering stream along the 'Holy Mile' where pilgrims walk and pray the Rosary. It also house the Chapel of Reconciliation, the Catholic shrine, and a lovely Anglican church, which looks like an Italian Catholic church from the Middle Ages. Both are conducive to prayer.
I have friends there called The Little Sisters of Jesus, with whom I went to lunch and who have influenced my Project a great deal. Three of them live in a little house, with a beautiful chapel attached. Their lifestyle is very simple, the seed that dies in the ground, and thereby bringing the Gospel to others.
More about Walsingham next time!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Today I had the chance to go down to Walsingham, our national shrine. It is a place in the middle of nowhere in the Norfolk countryside, with a lovely meandering stream along the 'Holy Mile' where pilgrims walk and pray the Rosary. It also house the Chapel of Reconciliation, the Catholic shrine, and a lovely Anglican church, which looks like an Italian Catholic church from the Middle Ages. Both are conducive to prayer.
I have friends there called The Little Sisters of Jesus, with whom I went to lunch and who have influenced my Project a great deal. Three of them live in a little house, with a beautiful chapel attached. Their lifestyle is very simple, the seed that dies in the ground, and thereby bringing the Gospel to others.
More about Walsingham next time!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Italian and other things
My dear Friends
Springtime is the time also to learn a new language-I started with Hindi and have now moved on the very different world of Italian. The first is obviously more of a challenge than the second, although I believe Italian grammar can be quite tough!
The Italian society has come up with some interesting events lately: a famous reporter speaking about his life and times and an Italian poet who spoke in Italian - I was unable to be present anyway at that one. At the first one all around me were speaking Italian but it didn't matter, the chat was so vibrant that it made you feel cheerful.
India is a very different world -quite fascinating and full of unusual sights and sounds. The national language is Hindi but there are many other languages there too, too much for any one lifetime. I wonder what impressions you have of the two cultures? Or have you been in India or Italy? I was last in Italy in 1998, for an important meeting and I would like to go back to Rome. A priest once said to a friend of mine 'All roads lead to Rome' to which she replied:'With all due respect, Father, some of us think they lead to Jeruslaem!'
Happy holidays!
Sister Gila
Springtime is the time also to learn a new language-I started with Hindi and have now moved on the very different world of Italian. The first is obviously more of a challenge than the second, although I believe Italian grammar can be quite tough!
The Italian society has come up with some interesting events lately: a famous reporter speaking about his life and times and an Italian poet who spoke in Italian - I was unable to be present anyway at that one. At the first one all around me were speaking Italian but it didn't matter, the chat was so vibrant that it made you feel cheerful.
India is a very different world -quite fascinating and full of unusual sights and sounds. The national language is Hindi but there are many other languages there too, too much for any one lifetime. I wonder what impressions you have of the two cultures? Or have you been in India or Italy? I was last in Italy in 1998, for an important meeting and I would like to go back to Rome. A priest once said to a friend of mine 'All roads lead to Rome' to which she replied:'With all due respect, Father, some of us think they lead to Jeruslaem!'
Happy holidays!
Sister Gila
Thursday, 7 May 2009
The tree and the Sabbath
My dear Friends
I thought I would show you pictures of two important things in my life-the silver birch tree in the garden and the Sabbath table (at bottom of Blog.) I think I mentioned earlier that the silver birch tree is the natural symbol of The Little Sisters of Joy. Tall, mysterious and elegant, we planted the first one in January 2000 on the Jewish New year for Trees, to commemorate the birth of the Foundation and the new life of Benigna's son-in-law, the composer Latif Freedman. It is now a very tall tree and beautifully moves in the breeze.
This second one, in my garden in the Arbury, was planted in 2004 and I have lived with it ever since. It gives me much joy to gaze at it from the living room window and it is growing really tall as well.I would love to see the forests in Russia and Scandinavia.There is a connection with Toronto too as there is an avenue of silver birches near the Criminology department of the university, as there is here in Cambridge.
The second picture is of my Shabbat table. You can see the braided bread and the wine; there is usually a white cloth with the Hebrew word shabbat over the bread , but its kinda nice to see the loaves. The candles are important too; the mother of the house lights them and sings the song of the angels to herald the Shabbat. I hope you can see I was trying to prepare a nice meal!
Anyway, just two things I wanted to share with you.
Love and Shalom
Sister Gila
I thought I would show you pictures of two important things in my life-the silver birch tree in the garden and the Sabbath table (at bottom of Blog.) I think I mentioned earlier that the silver birch tree is the natural symbol of The Little Sisters of Joy. Tall, mysterious and elegant, we planted the first one in January 2000 on the Jewish New year for Trees, to commemorate the birth of the Foundation and the new life of Benigna's son-in-law, the composer Latif Freedman. It is now a very tall tree and beautifully moves in the breeze.
This second one, in my garden in the Arbury, was planted in 2004 and I have lived with it ever since. It gives me much joy to gaze at it from the living room window and it is growing really tall as well.I would love to see the forests in Russia and Scandinavia.There is a connection with Toronto too as there is an avenue of silver birches near the Criminology department of the university, as there is here in Cambridge.
The second picture is of my Shabbat table. You can see the braided bread and the wine; there is usually a white cloth with the Hebrew word shabbat over the bread , but its kinda nice to see the loaves. The candles are important too; the mother of the house lights them and sings the song of the angels to herald the Shabbat. I hope you can see I was trying to prepare a nice meal!
Anyway, just two things I wanted to share with you.
Love and Shalom
Sister Gila
Friday, 1 May 2009
Paris again
My dear Friends
I forgot to tell you a few things about my trip-I hope you are interested. When I was alone on the Monday (Alexia was working) I went to the Eiffel Tower for the first time, and it was a nice sunny day, if a bit windy. The structure down below is absolutely incredible, with its four 'feet' and I climbed in the elevator to the second floor. Needless to say there was an amazing view over Paris, especially the Seine river- truly magnificent. The white buildings look all of a piece and very beautiful. To my right was a golden dome, which I couldn't identify but which gleamed in the sunshine.
I then took the Metro and landed up in the Jewish quarter,the Rue des Rosiers, with its Synagogues and felafel stands. I had been there before but it was well worth a second visit, with its winding alleys, bookstores and all. There were a few blackhats (Orthodox Jews) walking in the neighbourhood-I imagine there are more so on the Sabbath.
I was just coming away when I ran into a nun from the Monastic Community of Jerusalem in Paris. I have heard of them, they live a simple life of silence and hospitality at the same time and they have a beautiful Church called Saint Gervaise, which the Sister showed me. Lots of beautiful colourful stain glass windows depicting scenes from the Bible and reminding me of the Jewish Russian painter called Chagall, who painted in bold colours. I prayed for a while and actually returned there at 6am the next morning for their morning prayer. Members of the community were kneeling and praying at the front in Silence before the service began.
I was very glad to have made this contact in the light of my own plans and came away in the early morning with a feeling of holiness.
Shabbat Shalom
Sister Gila
I forgot to tell you a few things about my trip-I hope you are interested. When I was alone on the Monday (Alexia was working) I went to the Eiffel Tower for the first time, and it was a nice sunny day, if a bit windy. The structure down below is absolutely incredible, with its four 'feet' and I climbed in the elevator to the second floor. Needless to say there was an amazing view over Paris, especially the Seine river- truly magnificent. The white buildings look all of a piece and very beautiful. To my right was a golden dome, which I couldn't identify but which gleamed in the sunshine.
I then took the Metro and landed up in the Jewish quarter,the Rue des Rosiers, with its Synagogues and felafel stands. I had been there before but it was well worth a second visit, with its winding alleys, bookstores and all. There were a few blackhats (Orthodox Jews) walking in the neighbourhood-I imagine there are more so on the Sabbath.
I was just coming away when I ran into a nun from the Monastic Community of Jerusalem in Paris. I have heard of them, they live a simple life of silence and hospitality at the same time and they have a beautiful Church called Saint Gervaise, which the Sister showed me. Lots of beautiful colourful stain glass windows depicting scenes from the Bible and reminding me of the Jewish Russian painter called Chagall, who painted in bold colours. I prayed for a while and actually returned there at 6am the next morning for their morning prayer. Members of the community were kneeling and praying at the front in Silence before the service began.
I was very glad to have made this contact in the light of my own plans and came away in the early morning with a feeling of holiness.
Shabbat Shalom
Sister Gila
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