Click on the link if you want to listen and watch the Hyning Stations of the Cross
Holy Week
THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS
Question of the day:
How can gazing upon the crucified God transform us?
This deep gazing upon the mystery of divine and human suffering is found in the prophet Zechariah in a very telling text that became a prophecy for the transformative power of the victims of history.
He calls Israel to “Look upon the pierced one and to mourn over him as for an only son,” and “weep for him as for a firstborn child,” and then “from that mourning” (five times repeated) will flow “a spirit of kindness and prayer” (12:10) and “a fountain of water” (13:1; 14:8).
I believe we are invited to gaze upon the image of the crucified to soften our hearts toward God, and to know that God’s heart has always been softened toward us, even and most especially in our suffering. This softens us toward ourselves and all others who suffer.
from Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality, p. 192
March News!
Last Thursday (10/03), we welcomed five new oblates: Pauline Wright, Chris Doyle, Angela Lee, Mary Jackson, Kathryn Such who made their commitment for a year. We also had Francis Dawburn who renewed for three years, and Mary Tierney and Maureen Ryan Craig who renewed for another year. We rejoice in the growth of our oblate family and we ask your prayers as they continue on their Bernardine journey.
On Saturday, Sr.Michaela visited Furness Abbey as a part of a Weekend on Furness and the Cistercians. The weekend was organized by Sr.Margaret Atkins and held at Boarbank Hall, Grange. Here are some pictures of her visit.
Brownshill's Chapel Project
Over the last few weeks, our sisters at Brownshill have had major works done on their chapel. The lighting was redone and the chapel repainted, there were also some minor changes. Click here and spot the difference.
Year of Mercy page
We hope to provide people with resources for the Year of Mercy and Sr. Michaela will post her reflections on here as well. Why not visit our page and remember to be merciful this year!
Into the Desert...
"During these days, therefore, we will add the usual measure of service something by way of private prayer and abstinence from food or drink...and look forward to Holy Easter with joy and spiritual longing."
(Rule of St.Benedict, Ch. 49 - The Observance of Lent)
Lent Retreat is On The Way!
On February 12th-14th 2016, Sr.Michaela is going to give a talk for this year's Lent Retreat at Hyning. The theme is "The Valley of Achor to the Door of Hope", deriving from the Prophet Hosea. This theme relates to the Year of Mercy, how we could discover the door of hope in our valley of trouble.
Visit to the - #PrioryChurch
The Benedictine family returns to the Priory! As part of the Monastic Guestmasters and Guestmistresses' course, we visited the former Benedictine priory at Lancaster. It had been a Benedictine monastery for over 400 years before the Reformation. The timing of the visit, fitted in well with the week of prayer for Christian Unity. We had a talk by the Vicar of Lancaster, Fr.Chris, and we had a tour by Rev.Brenda who is well known to us at Hyning. And we had an organ recital by the resident organist of the Priory. We were made very welcome by the team of "Priory Ladies" who served us tea and cakes.
Some of the pictures are from our visit to the Priory and a couple were taken at Hyning during the session on Social Media.
January News!
We have been enjoying a few days of holiday while we have been closed, but now we are ready to re-open and welcome a group of monastic guess mistresses and masters. One of the days of the course will focus on the role of spiritual direction in the Christian life and the other day will focus on the use of social media to promote monastic values. We also hope to have a trip to the Priory Church in Lancaster where we will have a guided tour and an organ recital. More news coming up!
Meanwhile, here are some snow picture which we took on Sunday (17/01).
New Sister
As we mentioned in a previous post, we welcomed Sr.Anne Chantal to our community.
She spent a year in here in the 1980s and has now taken charge of the dining room. She will be part of the cleaning team and flower arrangement around the house.
This is a picture of her that we have just taken!
2016 programme now online!
2016 programme now online. Visit our programme page for more details
Sr. Mary Cecilia's funeral
Sr. Mary Cecilia'a funeral will be at 11:30 am on Tuesday 5th January. Please let us know if you are coming. There will be a buffet lunch afterwards, all are welcome to stay.
Epiphany - a challenge to be changed, forever!
The Magi set out on a trip that would change them forever. Each of us is challenged to do the same.
This year's Christmas Crib
"Look upon the Eternal Light which has tempered itself to your gaze, so that he who dwells in inaccessible light affords access even to weak and bleary eyes. See the Light in a lamp of earthenware, the Sun in a cloud, God in man, the Splendour of Glory and Brightness of Eternal Light in the clay vessel of your flesh."
{Bl.Guerric of Igny}
Christmas reflection
On the first Sunday of Advent each year, the Christian church begins a new year. It doesn’t start with sales, hangovers or TV specials but with the message of hope. It is the cry we heard from the prophet Isaiah and the same message John the Baptist took up, “prepare a way for the Lord”. It’s the ultimate message of hope at the time of the year when light is at its lowest ebb. Though we all associate the birth of Christ with December the reality is the actual event would have been in the Spring or Summer time according to biblical scholars. It is certain that Christ wasn’t actually born on that day. No Roman governor would have risked ordering a census in the Winter months. The Roman and Judean rulers knew that taking a census in winter would have been impractical and unpopular. Generally a census would take place after the harvest season, around September or October, when it would not seriously affect the economy, the weather was good and the roads were still dry enough to allow easy travel. So assuming the Romans used the normal dates for the census, this would probably be the season of Christ's birth. Evidence from Scripture also suggests it was not during Winter but between April and October. All we can say is the Christian church chose the day for symbolic and religious purposes. The winter festival of lights and the pagan gods was replaced by the feast of the Nativity from about the 4th century onwards. It is more symbolic in the Northern hemisphere because of the way the season works out. If the date itself is not important, what is? That Christ came to fulfill the promise God made to his people.
Scripture has been fulfilled, Christ has come, but not everyone knows it or accepts it. Maybe then when people are focussing on Christmas parties, on shopping for presents, on all the material side of the season it’s our responsibility to say to them and perhaps to ourselves, hang on a minute. Do you really understand what you are celebrating? Do you believe what you are celebrating or shopping for or cooking for? We don’t have to stand in the middle of a big shopping market with a placard or turn into rampant evangelists. Mother Teresa was once asked by a young girl, “What can I do for world peace?” The response was “Go home and love your family”. So this Christmas we could start with ourselves and then those around us if we truly believe that “the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us”.
Our early Christmas present: Sister Anne Chantal!!!
Our new member of the Hyning Community has just arrived. Sr.Anne Chantal who was from our former French house at Touvet; some of you may remember her from her time here in the 1980s.
As we approach the coming feast of the Nativity, let us pray for each other that in this year of Mercy, we might be instruments of God's mercy.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Hyning's Advent Wreath
Come, Lord, do not delay, visit your people in peace...
Sr.Mary Cecilia RIP
Some of you might have heard the sad news of the death of Sr.Mary Cecilia. She died on Friday, 18th of Dec 2015 in the care home in Morecambe. Most of the community were able to pray with her the day before she died. One of the nurses who was with her, was a Catholic, and prayed with her until the hour of her death, early Friday morning. Her funeral will take place on Tuesday, the 5th of January at 11:30.
If you are thinking of attending, please contact Sr.Mary Bernard hyningbookings@yahoo.co.uk
You are welcome to join us after the service for the buffet lunch.
Digital Christmas
Here is what might happen if Jesus was born in the 21st century.
This is how people nowadays evangelize The Good News. This is also how Christians can make good use of the internet.
Christmas newsletter
We hope most of you have escaped the effects of the dreadful weather enveloping the North West in recent weeks. We have been very fortunate as we did not suffer any power cuts when the village was affected. We have been praying especially for the people of Cumbria affected so badly yet again.
Advent is now halfway through and we are about to enjoy a couple for quiet days to tackle Christmas posts and newsletters etc. Sr. Mary Colette has now written the newsletter and if you click on the link on the website you will be able to find it. Those who requested it by post will receive it shortly. Click here for the Newsletter
Some of you may have heard on us on local radio. Radio Lancashire broadcasted live from here on the 3rd December. You can click on their Facebook page and see a video of us singing and for a few more days you can still listen to the broadcast. Click on here Radio Lancashire at Hyning.
There are still places available at Christmas if anyone is still interested. We hope you are enjoying the beauty of Advent and that the Christmas rush is not too overwhelming! Not long to go now....