Some of you will already know this sad news and we have tried to contact as many people as possible over the last few days. On Wednesday afternoon, February 16th, our former superior, Sr. Josephine Mary, died after a long battle with cancer. She died peacefully in St. John’s hospice in Lancaster. Sr. Mary Helen, our Prioress General, was with her and over the previous few days, the community had been with her, praying and being with her as she journeyed to her eternal reward. Her funeral will take place at Hyning on Monday 28th February at 10 am. There will an evening service of prayer the night before and people are welcome to attend the funeral. In the light of Covid restrictions, please contact Sr. Elizabeth Mary if you would like to celebrate the life of Sr. Josephine Mary. sisterelizabethmary@yahoo.co.uk . We thank you for your prayer and support at this time, especially the wonderful District Nurses from the surgery, care teams and the staff of St. John’s Hospice in Lancaster.
Building progress...
Top floor of the guest house!
February news
A range of events and activities are happening at the moment. The daily life revolves around the demands of the building work, zoom meetings, formation courses, creative work and of course the Divine Office. We ask you for prayers for Sr. Josephine Mary as her cancer progresses and for Sr. Mary Joseph in respite care at Nazareth House, Lancaster.
On February 5th 2022 we hosted on Zoom, the religious and consecrated women of the diocese. Bishop Paul attended the opening prayer and Fr. Chris attended the session as Vicar for Religious.
The Icon studio reopens on Wednesday 9th February. The chapel is open for prayer and restrictions are gradually being lifted at Mass. Please still contact Sr. Mary Bernard before you come however.
We do not forget to pray for our our guests, oblates, friends. You can follow our services on Facebook and via the website.
Building work
The building work is continuing with much progress made. (It just looks like a bomb has hit us). The workmen are working very hard and in spite of hearing bumps, banging, loud noises, are very discreet. Asbestos is being removed and rooms are being demolished while at the same time we are busy looking at samples, carpets, colour schemes etc. We are having lots of meetings, especially Sr. Elizabeth Mary and she is working hard to organise meetings for us as well. Here are some of the pictured from the past 2 weeks.
January news
Happy New Year to all our guests, oblates, friends of Hyning. Just a general update to let you know how things are. The building work has started in earnest. There are just a few pictures but more will come.
Most of the asbestos has been removed, the scaffolding is up and the stripping of rooms has begun. You will notice that the front door is out of bounds and the site offices are being constructed if you come down our drive! Various doors are missing and corridors blocked off!
So far we are Covid free but we are praying for all those among our guests, families, friends who are affected at this time. Live streaming is continuing but we are still open for Mass. Contact Sr. Mary Bernard for details on times and access etc.
December news
The building work officially started on December 1st! Pictures will follow.
Some images from the Icon workshop last week.
The community will be on Radio Lancashire between 7 am and 9 am December 19th and on national radio at 8am!
Building work, Radio and icons!
The building work on the en-suite project starts on the 29th November. I hope to post updates of the work each week. The guest house is being emptied at the moment! If you want to use the shop facilities or the chapel, please contact Sr. Mary Bernard as the chapel is still available but the access to the house will be different. This will be a very disruptive project but also very exciting.
Before the work starts properly, Sr. Mary Stella is running a Icon writing day course, pictures will appear this week too.
On Wednesday 17th November we recorded an Advent service with Radio Lancs. It will be broadcast at 8 am on every BBC local station at 8 am, Sunday 19th December. See pictures below!
More news soon!
First professions!
Some photos of Sr. Audrey, one of 2 juniors making their profession today on Friday 1st October. Sr. Audrey made her First Profession at Brownshill and Sr. Annie made hers in Goma. Please pray for them as they continue their monastic journey. Not forgetting Sr. Reina making her Solemn Profession on the 10th October.
Dear all,
our email hyningbookings@yahoo.co.uk is not working properly at the moment. Please ignore whatever comes from there and do not send anything to that email.
If there is anything, just contact us by phone.
Thank you.
News of Goma
Volcanic Eruption – Goma – Democratic Republic of Congo
Our Bernardines sisters ot the Monastère Notre Dame du Lac in the city of Goma were not directly touched by lava streams of the volcanic eruption of Mount Nyiragongo during the night of 22nd to 23rd May. However, since this first eruption, there have been continual aftershocks, some of them very violent. The monastery has many cracks and fissures. Subterranean magma is welling up in the region causing some wide fissures in the city, and the fear that there could be another eruption anywhere; this would be particularly dangerous if it occurs under Lake Kivu because of the toxic gases that would be released.
On the 27th May, the military Governor of the city ordered the compulsory evacuation of ten districts, including the one in which our sisters live. Along with crowds of evacuees, they travelled towards Sake, where they were met by the Cistercian monks of Mokoto, who are kindly welcoming them for the time being. Our sisters are very grateful for this fraternal gesture.
Please pray for the inhabitants of the Goma and Gisenyi region.
Prayer initiative - Thy KIngdom Come...
Hyning is taking part in a national prayer initiative on Friday 21st May at Vigils. Our Vigils is part of a national link for prayer called Thy Kingdom come…
Click here for more details. It will be streamed through the Hyning Chapel page and the website.
Power cuts
There is electrical work in our area, 9:00 - 3:30 pm Friday 7th May. No Stations of the Resurrection and no internet/ phone system for most of the day. Apologies for any inconvenience.
Community Retreat
Vespers is at 5:30 pm till Monday 26th April. Vigils will be at 8 pm. The Community retreat starts today at 4:15 pm, be assured of our prayers during this time.
Phones
Phones will be off 10 am - 12 pm Tues 13th April, apologies for any inconvenience.
Happy Easter
Happy Easter to all our guests, families and friends. It is still strange with no guests but things are beginning to open up in the country and so also for us. We have some people who come for public worship. If you would like to come to Mass, please contact hyningbookings@yahoo.co.uk for details. Offices are being streamed, usually Vespers and Vigils. All the community are doing well and are safe. Most of us have been vaccinated except the 2 youngest!
Yesterday we had an Easter Egg hunt. How well do you know our garden???
Pamela's funeral
Pamela's memorial service will take place tomorrow at Hyning. The crematorium service is private but the service for the celebration of her life will be streamed at 1:15 pm onwards from the Hyning Chapel page and via the website,
Pamela Wallis R.I.P.
Most of you will know by now that Pamela, a long time friend of Hyning and a former student of St. Bernard’s, Slough passed away in January. Many of you would have been greeted by her at the door or met her in the Dining Room. She will be greatly missed by our community, and she had a special place in our heart as she was the person who found the house for us. Obviously under the Covid restrictions it is impossible to hold a public funeral. There will be a memorial service for her on Monday 22nd February in our Chapel and it will be live streamed through our website and Facebook page from 1:15 p.m. approx. on that day, after the crematorium service. The time may vary by a few minutes.
Stations of the Cross
Each Friday in Lent we are offering Stations of the Cross in Lent. They will be streamed through our Facebook page - add Hyning Chapel as a friend, or join our group, Bernardine Cistercians or like our page, Bernardines. Or through a Zoom link. You need to email or message srmichaelasbc@yahoo.co.uk for a Zoom link. We will let you know which way it will be streamed each week.
11:00 a.m. each Friday in Lent
Lent retreat
Living the Paschal Mystery today – Zoom retreat day
The dates: Saturday 20th February and Wednesday 24th February 2021
The timetable for the day: (both days)
10.15 a.m. Welcome and short prayer – Sr. Elizabeth Mary
10.30 a.m. – 11a.m. “Job and the Mystery of Suffering” … talk by Sr. Michaela followed by 10 minutes for comments or questions.
11.10 a.m. approx. Break
11.30 a.m. – 12 p.m. “Temptation and Redemption” … talk by Sr. Josephine Mary
12.15 p.m. Midday Office, livestreamed from the chapel
The sisters doing the presentations in the morning will also leave you some questions to think about. These questions will be taken up in an informal and optional discussion from 2.15 p.m. - 3 p.m.
3.15 p.m. – 4 p.m. “Arise” … talk by Sr. Mary Stella and she will leave you with some thoughts to take away with you at the end of the day.
At 4.30 p.m. each day, the sisters pray silently in chapel for all those affected by the Covid crisis. Those who wish are invited to join us for that time, which will be followed by Vespers, both live streamed from Chapel, closing our day together.
We would ask you to book in for the day you would like to follow. Please contact Sr. M Bernard on hyningbookings@yahoo.co.uk or 01524 732684 before Thursday 18th February if possible.
There will be a voluntary contribution of £10 or £15* for the day, but we would not want anyone who wishes to join us to be left out because of finances.
*If you choose the £15 option, we are also offering 2 follow up discussion sessions on 10th March and 24th March on Zoom at 6 – 7 p.m. each evening. This will be an opportunity to share on Lent and other ideas from the retreat, especially if you need support on your Lenten journey. These need to be booked when you contact Sr. Mary Bernard.
Catholic Voice
If you follow this link you will find news about the Diocese of Lancaster.
