Newsletter - 10th July 2022
Is this the right pathway for me?
While reading the collected writings of Sr Mary David Totah, a recently deceased nun of the Benedictine contemplative community of St Cecilia’s Abbey on the Isle of Wight, I suddenly run into a beautiful passage about decision making and the temptation that usually follows it, especially in time of distress and difficulty. Sr Mary shared it with her novices while she was their teacher and I would like to share it with you as I think we can all benefit from it, especially when we are questioning our choices in life.
When people in marriage or religious life go through a difficult patch, there is a temptation to say: ‘It was a mistake, I should never have taken vows. I should never have committed myself.’ But if they have got a strong conviction, a strong faith in God’s providence – God’s providence that led them to make the choice, God’s providence that knows how to work even through mistakes and imprudence – they come into calmer waters; the marriage or religious life becomes a much deeper and happier thing. All this involves a strong conviction and faith in God’s handling of our case, even if our life seems not to be what we previously expected. If we believe in God’s action in our lives, acting through all our mistakes and failings, we will be more inclined to find him. Even if there was an element of imprudence, once we have made our definitive commitment, we can be sure that this is our road to God, and that here and now this is what God wants of us. We must not go on digging up the past – was I right? Was I wrong? - all that is past history, and one can go on digging up things indefinitely. The crucial fact is that this is where I am here and now. This is God’s programme for me here and now. To remain faithful to this enduring obligation, to maintain deeper fidelities in spite of superficial infidelities – which is God’s programme for us and the cause of much suffering sometimes – is nevertheless our road of deepening character, love and happiness.
Chiara Aletti
Extract from ‘The joy of God, Collected Writings’, Bloomsbury Continuum, London, 2019, p. 35-36, by Sister Mary David Totah.
Focus of the Week
Parish summer news
During the holiday season it is good to slow the rhythm down, therefore a few adjustments have been made.
The last Children’s liturgy will be on Sunday 17 July.
The last Adoration will be on Friday 22 July.
We will still have a daily mass at 11am (but not on Tuesdays).
During August we will be combining the two Sunday morning masses into one mass at 10.00 am (tea and coffee will still be provided afterwards).
All will reconvene in September - please look for updates in future newsletters.