LifeLines Conference in York

Sisters Innocentia and Attracta attended a conference of the LifeLines charity in York on 12th April 2014. They have both become active members in this charity, which provides pen friends for prisoners who have received a death sentence in the USA. With some abandoned by their family and friends, this correspondence can be their only lifeline.

LifeLines was established 25 years ago and has been supporting the men and women on America's Death Rows.  It is not a religious, political or campaigning organization.  Its first conference was held in Cambridge in May 1990 and the second one in London in 1990.  There are around three thousand people on Death Row in America and about fifty of those are women.  Those who have no money at all have appalling legal representation.  As well as supporting prisoners on Death Row, LifeLines does not forget about the victims' families.

One of the speakers at the conference asked us to remember if we had ever done something wrong that no-one found out about.  Then, we have to ask ourselves if we are morally any better than those who have been imprisoned for their crimes. Are we really qualified to judge them?

Currently, there are not enough pen friends available through LifeLines for the number of people on Death Row who need them.  The conference has inspired us to inform more people about the work of LifeLines and encourage them to become involved.  We talked with Nicola Glasse, a UK co-ordinator, about how to spread the word through talks and leaflets in our own area.

Jesus loved every person regardless of what they had done.  He did not give up on anyone, but reached out with acceptance and compassion to those society considered 'sinners', criminals and outcasts. Refusing to condemn a woman who was caught committing adultery, he told her accusers that the one of them who had not sinned must be the first to throw a stone at her. Then, they all went away and left her alone. Jesus told the woman to renounce her sin and make a new start.  As Christians, we feel called to follow Jesus' example of love by being a human lifeline to a person the state has condemned to death, and by praying for prisoners and their families, as well as for all those affected by their past actions.

For more information and details of how to join, please visit the website http://www.lifelines-uk.org.uk/

Thank you for reading this, and may God bless you.

(by Sr. Attracta)

First Profession of Vows: Sisters Innocentia and Attracta, 9th August 2013

On 9th August 2013, many Sisters and well-wishers gathered in the chapel of St. Joseph's Convent to witness the first profession of religious vows by Sisters Innocentia and Attracta.

The two Sisters' family members and friends had also travelled all the way from Nigeria, the USA and various parts of the UK to share the joy of this day.

The main celebrant for the Mass was Fr. Richard Diala CM, a cousin of Sr. Attracta.  Concelebrants were: Msgr. Michael Jackson, Canon Seamus Hester and Fr. Albert Van der Most.
Sisters Innocentia and Attracta processed into the chapel carrying a lighted candle, a sign of their Baptismal commitment to Christ, which they were soon to deepen through religious vows.  Everyone sang, 'Christ Be Our Light'.

The Sisters sang the Psalm together: 'Here I am Lord.  I come to do your will'.
After the Gospel, the Sisters were called out by name to stand before the altar and request to make vows in the FMSL.  Before making their vows, Fr. Richard questioned the Sisters to confirm their commitment.

Innocentia and Attracta then knelt in front of the altar, holding their candles, and pronounced their vows to live for one year in poverty,chastity and obedience according to the Franciscan TOR Rule and the FMSL Constitutions.

 After this, Mother General put on them the medal of the FMSL Congregation.  Their veils, a sign of their consecration, were blessed.

Then, they signed an official document on the altar.
Having made their vows, which will be renewed annually for 3-5 years until Final Profession, the two Sisters sang a song in the words of the martyr St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) whose Feast was celebrated that day.
The Intercessory prayers were read by the Sisters' family members.

Srs. Innocentia and Attracta led the Offertory Procession with their family members with the hymn, 'We Plough the Fields and Scatter,' and Fr. Richard blessed them all at the altar.

After Communion, the Sisters led a dancing procession up the central aisle with their family members, in thanksgiving to God.

A celebratory meal, with priests, Sisters, family and friends followed the ceremony.  We wish the Sisters every success and blessing for their consecrated life in the Franciscan family.

Reception of a New Novice

Sister Helina was received into the Novitiate in a simple service in the presence of Mother General at St. Joseph's Convent on 2nd August 2013.  For the period of her Novitiate, she will be based in the formation community in Canterbury, under the direction of Sister Clare Bernadette.  Here, she will study and learn about our Franciscan way of living in consecration to God as FMSL.  This is preparation for the next stage of commitment in which Sisters vow to live in poverty, chastity and obedience.  We thank God for the gift of new vocations to our Congregation and we wish Sister Helina God's blessing and every success.

Joseph and his coat of many colours in Littlehampton

On 23rd and 24th February, a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat took place in the parish hall of St. Catherine's, Littlehampton.  The production, with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber was licensed through The Really Useful Group Limited, London.  The show, which involved people from four local parishes, was directed by Sr. Anastasia FMSL.  Three of our FMSL community also performed - as Joseph's brothers, Issachar and Judah, and as an Ishmaelite merchant/guard of Pharoah.  Congratulations to all who worked on this excellent production .  A great time was had by all those who watched the show.

Judah with his father Jacob, left.

This is Joseph

Holidays in Sunny Bradford

In October 2012, Sisters Innocentia and Attracta, with Sr. Susan, travelled north to Bradford in West Yorkshire for their holiday.  Staying in our convent, they also visited local places of interest, such as the Museum of photography and Imax cinema Haworth and York.

Arriving at the front door of St. Anthony's convent, Bradford, on an unusually sunny day.  They must have brought it with them!

Above, with Sr. Susan, in the convent kitchen and below, with Sr. Antonia from the Bradford community

and with Sr. Rose, from the Bradford community

A Congregation Day

                                         Sisters gathered for first session

On 13th September, Sisters from five of our communities gathered in the Mother House, Littlehampton, for a Congregation Day with input by our novices. The topic was 'needs' and we discussed what was essential for our lives as Sisters in today's world. After Morning Prayer, coffee and welcome, novice Sisters Attracta and Innocentia gave a presentation on various types of necessities which human beings could experience and how these were ordered in Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. They also demonstrated the difference between needs and wants in a drama sketch about shopping. After this, Sisters divided into two groups to discuss the question of what was essential for us and how we might prioritise our needs.

From the summary of feedback from the two groups, it was no surprise that all agreed on God, understood as Love, as our most essential need, and all other necessities we could identify flowed from this. As the closing reading from our Form of Life (chapter six) reminded us, Jesus showed us that, by emptying ourselves for others, we would have all we could ever need in the love of God, as 'heirs and kings of the kingdom of heaven'. And so, our father St. Francis urged us to follow His example and 'neither possess nor defend anything' as our own. Of course, the greater goal, which we always have to strive for, is to express the gospel priority of love in our lifestyle, rather than the opposite priority of consumerism - the 'need' of acquiring goods and money, which shapes the society in which we live. The ongoing challenge of authenticity - of wholeness or 'holiness' of life, is that we continue to question ourselves in the light of the Gospel, as individuals and as a community. This means we have to remain open to change, in a lifelong process of conversion to Christ.

After lunch and some free time, the day concluded with tea together, while our novices entertained the group with their own version of the Channel Four News!

Presentations by our Novices: Sr. Innocentia

and Sr. Attracta

Our two groups in discussion

A Unique Retreat

Sisters arrived in Canterbury for their retreat at the FISC, pictured outside the FMSL convent where they will stay for the week. 

On 30th August, four FMSL Sisters: Susan, Innocentia, Rose and Attracta, came to Canterbury from Littlehampton and Bradford to have a unique retreat at the Franciscan International Study Centre (www.franciscans.ac.uk).  It is a Franciscan directed retreat.  During this week, each retreatant will meet daily with an assigned spiritual director from a newly-trained team.  The experience of giving a directed retreat will complete these students' course in Franciscan spiritual direction.  During the retreat, the four Sisters will stay in the FMSL convent in Canterbury, which is ten minutes walk from the Study Centre. At the Centre they have meals, communal prayers and the daily meeting with their directors.  It is a special opportunity to listen to God's voice in times of silence and share their spiritual journeys.

Comments from retreatants:
'"It was a very good preparation for my renewal of vows."'
'"It was good.  I learned more about myself during the retreat."'
'"It helped me to know better what Jesus is asking me to do - just to be, like the jonquil."'
'"The directors were very good.  Everything was very well prepared."'