Day Conference for those involved in Religious Vocation Ministry

You Are God’s Unshakeable Hope 2 Cor. 1-7

26 September 2009
10:30 – 3:30
Birmingham University
St Francis Hall
Edgbaston Park Rd
B15 2TT
                                                                                      
Guest Speaker:   Rt Rev Joseph DeLargy osco

Abbot Joseph is a Cistercian Monk, living in
Mt St Bernard’s Abbey, Coalville, Leicestershire

He was elected abbot in 2001

Facilitator:  Anna O’Connor sp    

Anna is a sister of St Paul and is currently Chaplain at Birmingham University. She is also Vicar for Religious in the Birmingham Arch Diocese.

The idea for this Day Together came from

Bernadette Doherty pbvm
Bernadette Hynes sp
Eileen Lyons lcm
Dave Nixon msc
Mary Frances csn
Lynfa chn

Aim of the Conference

An opportunity to:
Meet like-minded people
Share ideas and resources
Network
Plan for the future    

Booking Form

Name  

Address  

Tel no.  

Email  

Dietary needs

Cost of the day  £25

Please send booking form and non-returnable deposit of £10 by 01 July

Please make cheques payable to:
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
and send to:
David Nixon msc
St Albert’s Church
31 Hollow Croft
Stockbridge Village
Liverpool
L28 4EA

Province Celebration Day June 28th
Saturday dawned beautifully with an early morning sunrise that was straight from the hands of the Creator - magnificent, glorious, and awesome!
It was to the tune of this beauty that the Sisters assembled in Matlock for a medley of celebrations….
We were to celebrate EIGHT JUBILEES: 
one Platinum,
      six Diamond
          and two Golden!
 The celebration took place in the context of the Eucharist with Fr Gerry  O'Shaughnessey as our Celebrant.

 In her opening ‘Welcome’, Sister Susan spoke of the fast pace of today's  world and how we don't take time to enjoy the here and the now. 
 "Today," she said, "is an opportunity to reflect together, to remember, to make meaning".
In inviting us to enter into the celebrations, Susan reminded us of the ability we have to "make, break and share bread" and of our hearts and minds that can "contemplate the miraculous".
Our period of reflection was guided by Liam Lawton's song:
 "There's a time to remember" which led us into the "the treasure in our fields and the treasure in our skies", into our dreamings and our blessings.

The Jubilarians renewed their vows and what a moment that was when one Sister spoke - "this is the music of the present moment, the music of Religious Life".

Towards the end of the Eucharistic Celebration the out-going Provincial Team were thanked and appreciated and the in-coming Team were welcomed and wished well.
Moira Walker, who had been living with the Nechells Community was also appreciated and sent on her journey with the good wishes of the Province.

As a final gesture we anointed each other as a sign of the holiness and the wholeness, the sacredness and the awesomeness of each individual.
 Fr Gerry had the last words as he blessed us on our journeying – inviting us to  be a "cheerful, joyful and listening people in this world which we call the  Kingdom of God".

 The celebrations continued with a lunch prepared and served by the catering staff of Matlock Convent.  Stories were told, memories shared and laughter rang out as we continued to share eucharist around the dinner tables.

Thanks and gratitude to all for a grand day.

I could say lots in praise of the Nagle Connections event - its preparation ,research, planning, smooth running, easy pace, beautiful setting, ecumenical  histroy-making liturgies, especially the Mass in the Lord Mayor's Chapel, Bristol and the Remembrance Service in Calverleagh.
 
The guided tour of beautiful Bath brought home to me again the elegant social life Nano could have lived and the utter radicality of her vision and life option.  I was delighted to learn so much about her maternal ancestry and the valliant Poyntz and Mathew women who lived through such turbulent times.  Their valour and faith, together with the Nagle steadfastness gave us our single-minded and wise Foundress.  I was reminded of the Scripture which says "For God, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as aone day".
I would love to see the Event repeated so that more Sisters and Friends of Nano could experience it.  I thank God that I had the opportunity to participate.  It has helped me to relate to Nano in a new way- seeing her and speaking to her as she now is, eternally living, our inspiration and companion on our journey. Love and thanks again for everything.   Carmel

All good things come to an end!!, but the Nano Connection Experience of the past few days will remain with us for a long time to come.  The three of us on the Nano Commission have been privileged and delighted to be part of the celebration of our Presentation Ancestry, as we walked in the footsteps of the maternal ancestors of Nano, in South West England.  The greatest of credit is due to all who were involved in the organization.  The vision and courage of the Sisters of the English Province, to embark on such an adventure, and lead us to reconnect with the Poyntzes, the Mathews, and the Nagles, is deserving of the highest praise.

As Commission, one of our briefs is to promote and encourage devotion to Nano.  The love of and pride in Nano was so evident as was the enthusiasm to keep her spirit alive, that we have come away encouraged and enthused in our work and life.  May the flame that burned so brightly and warmly during the week, touch the hearts of our whole Presentation Family.  Certainly, this “one pace beyond experience” is so important in the process leading to the canonization of Nano.

Thank you so much Sisters for who you are and what you have done.  The hard work and long hours  involved in the organization of such an event certainly will not go unrepaid.  You were and are wonderful.  We were truly blessed to be there. 

God and Nano bless and keep each and everyone of you.

Roisin Gannon
Anne Nevin
Maire O’Sullivan.

Conference/Pilgrimage
The Ammerdown  Centre
7 - 11 July 2008

We, as Presentation Sisters, who minister in Corsham, have always been interested in the local family connections of our Foundress, Nano Nagle.
Over the years we have done a certain amount of research. The results became more and more fascinating as we discovered the strong Nagle impact on the growth of Catholicism in these areas. It was obvious that a deeper study was called for , this has led to the coming event in July. The increasing importance given to family roots and the values of interconnectedness underpin this initiative. Roots, branches, graftings and fruits all come into play during the three day conference/pilgrimage.

The following gives a flavour of the event. The opening address by Dom Aidan Bellenger, Abbot of
Downside Abbey, will give the historical and religious context for the event. The first day will concentrate on the Poyntz family of Acton Court, Iron Acton, South Gloucestershire. This is the seat of Nano Nagle’s
maternal ancestral roots. The participants will visit Acton Court which has been restored by English Heritage and savour its history as the home of Elizabeth Poyntz the great-great-grandmother of Nano Nagle on her mother Ann Mathew’s side. They will also visit the Church of St. James the Less at Iron Acton where many of the Poyntz family are buried as well as the Poyntz (or Jesus Chapel) in the Lord Mayor’s Chapel, Bristol.

Bath will be the next port of call. It was here that Nano’s brothers David and Joseph lived from 1762 until 1789 when they moved to Calverleigh in Devon. They were prominent members of the Catholic community in Bath as testified by the archives in St. John the Evangelist Church. They lived at various times in the
Paragon Buildings, Milsom St. and The Circus. Nano visited her brothers here mainly with the intention of getting their financial assistance for her schools for the poor of Cork City. She wrote to her friend, Miss
Fitzimons in July 1770 “As I heard you thought I had come here for my health...I beg to assure you that, thank God, I never was better and it was not to take the waters I came nor have I tasted them”!!
The participants will start the day with Mass at 11.15 at St, Johns. Canon Anthony Harding, Clifton Diocesan Archivist, will outline the picture of Bath, its people, the Catholic community and the Nagles in the late
18th century. They will visit Bath Abbey where Mary, wife of David and Frances, Joseph’s wife are buried and other places associated with the brothers e.g. the sites of former chapels  -  The Bell Tree and Corn St.—and the Pump Room in which they had shares!

The final visit will be to Calverleigh near Tiverton, Devon, stopping on the way for Mass in Our Lady’s Chapel in the crypt of Glastonbury Abbey. Joseph Nagle bought the Manor of Calverleigh, the Rectory of Bampton and the lands of Templeton  in July 1768. The historian, John Snell, in his history of Calverleigh writes of the tact and generosity of the Nagles “they were excellent neighbours who left a fragrant memory of kindly deeds and lavish hospitality”. The Nagles were able to maintain a priest as their private chaplain and he in turn provided “the comfort of religion” to local people. Bishop Walmesley reported “I confirmed at Calverleigh on Tuesday 20th July 1784 seven persons at the house of Joseph Nagle Esq. one of whom
belonged to his family, two from Dulverton and four from Tiverton” Both David and Joseph Nagle are buried in the little Church of St. Mary the Virgin at Calverleigh where two tablets point to their last resting place. The words on Joseph’s tablet “He was a man truly religious, so conversant in goodness and bountifully charitable that his integrity and name deserve to be perpetuated” prompted the liturgy group dealing with the
pilgrimage to arrange a Service of Remembrance to be held in the Church at Calverleigh.

It is hoped that the Conference/Pilgrimage in July will prove an incentive to continue research into the
important part played by Nano Nagle’s family  and ancestors in shaping her for her life’s great work.
As is with the case of all of us Nano was “standing on the shoulders of the ones who went before her”
 

As the homilist, Fr Tony Curran, reminds us at the closing liturgy of the Sixth General Chapter:
"Our present world situation desperately needs Good News. Bearers of Good News can only be those who have spent so much time in God's presence that they have come to know Jesus Christ and through him have come to know God. To know Christ is to be led to the Compassion of God. It is manifested in the concern of Jesus for the underprivileged, the disadvantaged, all those deemed to be life's failures. Jesus shows us the supreme value of each human person. The loving compassion of the heart of our God is the Good News that we must proclaim. Moreover, St Francis of Assisi reminds us, 'sometimes we may have to use words'. "