Little Portion - Franciscan Prayer Festival July 2009 Sisters Marianne, Shirley, Lunga and Nelisa attended the Little Portion Franciscan Prayer Festival 17-19 July 2009, at the Franciscan Friary, Pantasaph, Wales. The festival was a joyful and prayer filled event attended by families, young people and Religious from all over the UK. Sr Marianne delivered a talk on ‘The Call’ - exploring the universal call to holiness, and specific vocations within the Church. The Sisters also ran a workshop on the theme of discerning where God is at work in our lives, and where He is leading us, based on events in the life of St Francis. The workshop was attended by about forty people.  Our Sisters who were called as delegates to our recent chapter in Melton Mowbray unanimously decided to take forward the following themes until the next chapter: Love and the Primacy of Christ The Dignity of the Human Person Creation and the Humility of God God's Extravagant Love Our Chapter themes will be explored within the programme' God's Extravagant Love'. This programme is part of the Franciscan family events for the 800th Jubilee Year to which all are invited. This will be presented on different days within the Diocese and once a month for a whole year in the Parish of Christ the King, Alfreton, Derbyshire. Our Franciscan Heritage  Our congregation will focus on the person of Jesus Christ, The Word of God, particularly in our commitment to read and live the Word of God. Our face to face personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ has huge consequences for recognising the uniqueness and dignity of the human person. This is very challenging in our society today. Our commitment to creation and environmental sensitivity is deeply rooted in the Word made Flesh and the legacy of St Francis and his love of creation. Vocation Expo  A number of male and female Religious congregations were represented and various events organised to promote vocation awareness. Each family of spirituality gathered around posters, displays and stalls to talk with young people about their way of being Religious. Workshops were presented to show all aspects of Consecrated Life. We took part in reflective and creative liturgies to which parishioners and visitors were welcomed. It was good to meet together with other Consecrated Religious and meet with young people to share something of our life and spirituality. Sister Imelda Sister Imelda celebrated her 101st birthday in Govan on the 5th February. A great day was had by all, we are awaiting photographs....Sister is our last living link with our Foundress Mother Francis who died in 1927. New Noviciates On the 2nd of February we were delighted to celebrate the entry into the Noviciate of Sister Noklunga Elizabeth and Sister Nelisa Clare. here they are pictured with Sister Patricia their Novice Mistress and with Fr Charles Cross CP who led the six day retreat in preparation for this great day. Rachel, who was received as a Candidate in October 2008 is pictured with the new Novices sharing their Franciscan joy and the snow!    On the last Saturday of each month, the sisters at St Clare's welcome young women to pray, reflect and discern the vocation to Franciscan Religious Life. Why not come along and join us next month? For more information www.franciscanvocations.org.uk The consecrated life can certainly be credited with having effectively helped to keep alive in the Church the obligation of fraternity as a form of witness to the Trinity. By constantly promoting fraternal love, also in the form of common life, the consecrated life has shown that sharing in the Trinitarian communion can change human relationships and create a new type of solidarity. (Pope Benedict's message for vocation Sunday 2008 quoting Pope John Paul II ) There are 1,300 Secular Franciscans in Britain and we are blessed as a Congregation to have a vibrant group attached to Saint Clare's Convent, Clay Cross. They meet once a month for their fraternity meeting and they also meet once a month for their formation sessions. Every year our nursing sisters accompany the sick on pilgrimages to Lourdes. Sister Irene will join the Glasgow Pilgrimage in July. St Theresa's Zibambeleni Project We are delighted to be able to share the work of this project. It started when a few children  There are also rooms for women to learn sewing skills. From here the Sisters visit families and bring fo  |
