In February Fr. Michael came back to see his old friends (not just the cats!) and the community of course. It was lovely to have him back even for the day.
Oblates' day on Saturday
From Benedict to Bernardine
Here is an outline of the programme for the day.
8:30 a.m. Mass
10:00 a.m. Coffee available
10:30 – 11:50 a.m. Benedict and the monastic movement in the early Middle Ages
12:05 p.m. Midday office followed by Lunch
1:45 p.m. The Cistercians and reform movement of the Middle Ages
(Break in the middle sometime)
3:00 p.m. (approx.) - The Bernardines….
3:35 p.m. (approx.) Tea with the community
4:45 p.m. Vespers (optional!)
Phone system working
After 5 days phone system is back up and running!
Phone system down
Apologies - phone system down! Please email until further notice! BT not being too helpful!
Vocation weekend - Come and See
News of Fr. Michael
Many of you will know already that Fr. Michael McKenna, chaplain at Hyning since 1994, had to leave us in October because of health problems. He is now back home with the Mill Hill Fathers at the following address:
Rev. M. McKenna MHM
Herbert House
41, Victoria Road
Freshfield
Liverpool
L37 1LW
He would be delighted to receive letters, a phone call and or/a visit! We thank him for his discreet and faithful service over many years.
Phones are working
Apologies for the lack of phone system over the past few days. There was a fault in the system (not BT this time!) It is now working again!
No phone system!
Hyning phone system down till Tues pm!! Don't bother trying to ring us, sorry for any inconvenience. Internet still working! Please email Sr. Mary Bernard for urgent enquiries. if you send a mobile number we can ring you back if needed! Aplogies.
New Church in Goma
On the 19th September, the new church in Goma was consecrated. Here is a gallery of some of the images taken on the day.
New sister
Here is the new sister we mentioned in last week's news... Welcome to Hyning Sr. Marie Genevieve
Liturgical changes
This link contains news of the Catholic Bishop Conference changes to the liturgical year beginning in Advent 2017 - Holydays
September news
It seems a long time since we posted news on this page. You can get regular news on our Facebook page as well don't forget. We have a page you can look at - Bernardines. We also have a group Bernardine Cistercian and you are very welcome to join either or both groups.
In August Sr. Anne Chantal was named back to La Plaine and Sr Marie Genevieve has taken her place, photo coming soon! Next week we have a re-organisation of work to start off our new Bernardine year. We have had lots of changes of Prioresses across the Order but the 2 English sisters remained n place! Though both houses have had changes of sisters.
During July and August, there were meetings of all our juniors and novices (of 6 months) at the Mother House at La Plaine, France. The sessions were greatly appreciated by the young ones of Europe, Asia and Africa.
We have officially reopened so don't forget to check our programme page for news of the events coming up. The first one is the Christmas Card making day on the 10th October. It's never too soon to start Christmas cards or make mince pies!!
We do not forget to pray for all our guests and we hope to see lots of you soon!
Sr Maria's Silver Jubilee
On the 8th July, Sr. Maria celebrated 25 years of religious profession as a Bernardine Cistercian sister. The Mass was celebrated at Hyning in the afternoon, followed by a buffet lunch. Her family and friends were present to celebrate with the community. The main celebrant was her brother, Fr. Joseph and the homily was given by Fr. John McGowan, OCD. Here are some photos of the wonderful celebrations of the day.
Golden Jubilee of Sr Michelle Marie
Tomorrow is the Thanksgiving Mass for Sr Michelle Marie's Golden Jubilee. Please pray for the celebration and in thanksgiving for her life of servic
Hyning on Radio Lancashire!
On Friday 14th April, Good Friday, Sr. Mary Stella and Sr. Michaela will be on Radio Lancashire talking about Holy Week in the monastery. We will be on between 1 - 2 pm, we are not sure of the exact time but we were interviewed by Joe Wilson for a programme on Holy Week in the North West.
Memorial Mass for Sr. Mary Stephen
There will be a Memorial Mass for S Mary Stephen who died in January on Tues 2nd May 6.30pm at St Bernard's RC Grammar School, Slough. All are welcome to attend and share in the celebration. If you are definitely going to attend it would be helpful to know in advance. Contact S. Elizabeth Mary at Brownshill for more details sisterelizabethmary@yahoo.co.uk
Please share this information if you know someone who would like to share the celebration of her life.
#bernardines #srmarystephen #memorialmass
Monastic Weekend Experience
On Friday, 27th Jan 2017 until Sunday, 29th Jan 2017, we held the Monastic Experience Weekend. Four young women spent the weekend with us. They came from different backgrounds and nations, but they all blended together so well that they gave the impression that it seems as if they have known each other before. They joined the community for the celebration of the Divine Office and Mass. They also did some manual work as well as sharing the daily life with the sisters, including some meals .
During this event, Sr. Maria and Sr. Mary Stella, who led the event and assisted the four women, reflected on community life according to the Rule of St. Benedict.
They appreciated the event very much and hopefully will have found it helpful for a deepening oftheir life of faith. We pray for many young people who are discerning their future, especially those who are considering religious life that the light of Christ may lead and strengthen them.
Sr. Mary Stephen's Mass and Burial
As we celebrated the Feast of Sts. Robert, Alberic and Stephen Harding, the founder fathers of the Cistercian Order, we accompanied Sr. Mary Stephen to her final place of rest. Mass was celebrated by Fr. Michael McKenna as the chief celebrant, concelebrated by Fr. Peter Craddy OCSO who gave the homily. We were joined by our sisters from Brownshill and several other guests. The burial was followed by tea together in the Guests Dining Room.
We thank you for all who have prayed with us for Sr. Mary Stephen and all her relatives. May she rest in peace.
News from Brownshill
Message from Sr. Elizabeth Mary for all those who knew Sr. Mary Stephen
I think that many of you have now heard the news that S M Stephen died very peacefully in her sleep at 5am on Thursday. There was no distress, no struggle, no pain..........she very simply 'slipped away' into the Lord whom she had loved and served all her life.
In many ways, this was unexpected as she had picked up a little in the last week, getting down to Mass both Monday and Tuesday mornings. But she was very very frail.....
Sorry to all those for whom this message will come as a shock. We would love to speak to you all personally, but it is not possible. The Community is keeping you all in our prayers as the news filters through various friendship groups, social media networks etc.......
S M Stephen's Requiem Mass will be celebrated this Wednesday (25th) at 11.30a.m. at the Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception in Stroud (GL5 4AA). All are welcome, but please be prepared to squeeze up as necessary and perhaps even stand. There is no parking at the Church but it is in the centre of the small town so any of the town's car parks are suitable. Alternatively, it is a shortish walk from both the train and bus station.
After Mass, there will be tea/coffee and sandwiches in the Church Hall (have plucked a number out of the sky for the caterers!) so please do join us.
We are VERY grateful to Canon Tom Gunning for his generous welcome in the Parish and for all that he and his parishioners are doing to facilitate the funeral.
On Wednesday afternoon after the funeral Mass, the Community will drive up to Hyning. We have a beautiful cemetery there,in the corner of Hyning's lovely garden, overlooking Ingleborough and the other north Pennine peaks. Thursday is, for us, the Feast of the Cistercian Founders, Ss Robert, Alberic and Stephen Harding and S M Stephen will be buried after Mass there on,coincidentally her own feastday.
With our gratitude for all the messages of loving prayerful sympathy.....and with our best wishes and prayers for all of you saddened by this news......
S Elizabeth Mary and the Community at Brownshill
Feast of St. Aelred of Rievaulx
Today is the feast of St. Aelred of Rievaulx, a 12th century Cistercian monk from Yorkshire, abbot of the Abbey of Rievaulx. AS a form Lancastrian it goes against the grain to say his is one of my favourite saints, "Can anything good come from that place??" But his writings and ideas are still relevant for today.
What could an obscure twelfth century monk teach 21st century Christians about relationships today? I firmly believe that Aelred has something to say to our society today, our society of networking and quick and easy friendship on social networks especially. He speaks to those who probe the human need for intimacy, for deep human relationships based on self-disclosure and mutual acceptance, because he provides us with a Christo-centric view of these relationships. So what was originally written for monastics in the twelfth century could be utilised today to help us come to a Christian understanding of how to relate to each other.
I think his idea that human friendship is especially important because of the idea that human friendships lead to God. It is in each other that we meet God’s love, Aelred is saying to us today. He didn’t always choose the best, or the holiest as friends but showed his compassion for the weak and possibly more temperamental members of the community. Neither was he the strongest or the best himself. That, I think, should give us hope too, that we don’t always have to strive to be the best, or the most prayerful or the most holy Christian. We just have to be ourselves!
In Christian friendship each one shares, each listens, each gives and receives; it is an adult relationship. He emphasises the equality of those involved in a spiritual relationship and the responsibility of each for how it develops, matures and its depths, because the response we encounter in these relationships is a microcosmic image of what we shall discover eternally in God.
“He was a man whose love was great enough to prove that greatness does not need to be brutal, and that to be a saint, one does not have to despise human affections.”1
He made room for friends who spoke their mind, who never tried to please him just because he was Abbot and accepted him also for who he was. Spiritual friendship can grow in crisis and challenge and Aelred understood that. He also understood that we are all difficult in some ways but all capable of being friends with God and each other. Developing understanding of the other leads to acceptance and a growth in love. All of this takes place in the love of Christ that embraces true friendship.
He made room for friends who spoke their mind, who never tried to please him just because he was Abbot and accepted him also for who he was. Spiritual friendship can grow in crisis and challenge and Aelred understood that. He also understood that we are all difficult in some ways but all capable of being friends with God and each other. Developing understanding of the other leads to acceptance and a growth in love. All of this takes place in the love of Christ that embraces true friendship.
