franciscan - May 2000
© Copyright, The Society of Saint Francis, 2000
The Clares at Fifty
In January 1950, the little group of women who were to become the nucleus of the Community of St Clare, the
Second Order of the Society of St Francis, moved from the convent at Tymawr to St Mary’s House, Freeland – known
to many readers.
Sister Elsie Felicity remembers:
“A fortnight after leaving Tymawr, on 6 February 1950, Novice Elizabeth and I made our first profession. The day
sticks in my mind as one of mixed joy and misery. The joy was mine, but the misery was Elizabeth’s. She had wanted
(and had assumed it would be like that) to be professed at Cerne Abbas, surrounded by brothers. She was profoundly
disappointed that Father Algy, Father Charles and Father Denis were the only ones present – whereas I thought how
well we had done to have all three. It was the first time in our history such a thing had happened, to have three
brothers with us.”
Novice Elizabeth, had she been present fifty years later on 6 February 2000, would have found her cup of joy full
to the brim and flowing over. The First Order Brothers and Sisters were represented by the membership of the Provincial
Chapters, and the Third Order by tertiaries from the Oxford Area, at the sung eucharist, when God was praised for
those fifty years. As is well known, sermons are not encouraged at Freeland but, after the gospel, a few words
managed to infiltrate the proceedings, in which were expressed the love and gratitude of all present for Elsie
Felicity and her sisters. Then, fifty-two followers of Francis and Clare moved from chapel to convent to partake
of a sit-down lunch provided by two friends, occupying refectory, hall and community room. Fifty years on, someone
will remember it as a day of unalloyed bliss!