Also New to the Website...

Compton Durville: Memories and Reflections

On the move.....the latest news on brothers and sisters who have moved or who are about to move - see bottom of news page

Metheringham House - Work in Progress - Pictures on News Page below

Updated Intercession List for September and Prayer Diary to December - See Section 'Pray for Us'

'Why after You' Brother Martin SSF - See Section 'About Francis and Clare'

Updated Hilfield Programme of Events 2010 - See Section 'Guest and Retreat Accommodation'

As the work at the CSF house at Metheringham begins to come together, the House at Compton Durville continues the process of packing up...

Metheringham begins to take shape...

Pictures from top left - right:
After the underpinning the wall is restoned;
the gravel path and retaining wall take shape;
the down pipes to a new soak away are installed;
the old study after the plasterboard was removed and
the walls after all the plaster has been removed
courtesy of Sr Liz!


Compton Durville continues to pack up!


Pictures top left to right:

Furniture for the move is gathered together;
Sr Jenny Tee and working guest Becca
pause for a moment before going into the skip!
The statue of St Francis from outside
the Convent is placed in his packing case
and the Tau Cross from the Chapel is
treated for outdoor use and awaits
transportation to Metheringham


Hilfield Camps 2010
'August is the month of the Camps at Hilfield - first the Families' Camp and then the Hilfield Youth Camp - and the big white marquee occupies it's place on the field above the Friary. Both of these camps have been going for many years and over this time we've been through a few generations of marquee canvas - in some cases three generations of families, too, as those who came to the first camp for families in 1970 are now coming with their grandchildren. For the Friary Community it's a time of relaxation as the Guest House is closed for the duration and we share in something of the holiday spirit of those living in tents. If you are interested in either the Youth or Families' Camps for 2011 please get in touch via the Friary office: hilfieldssf@franciscans.org.uk '



'Br Maximilian was ordained to the diaconate on 1st July at Hilfield Friary by Bishop Michael Perham, the Bishop Protector of the European Province. On a gloriously sunny day, the ordination was attended not only by brothers and sisters from Hilfield and Compton, but also by 24 ordinands from the Diocese of Salisbury who were having their retreat at the Friary prior to their own ordinations to the priesthood in Salisbury Cathedral on the 3rd July. Maximilian was licensed to serve within the Society of St Francis and is presently based at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham where he lives and works with Br Paschal.'

l-r: Br Paschal; Br Maximilian;
Bishop Michael Perham; Br Samuel

Metheringham - A Gallery of pictures as the work continues.......

 






















A Gallery of pictures of the work to date at Metheringham..... 
After the drains were replaced,one corner and part of one wall needed to be underpinned, the chimney needed to rebuilt and reinforced to hold the weight of the stack and along with the installation of a damp proof course a perforated drain and soak away was needed to take the water away from the house!
Work continues...

Pictures from top -  left to right:
Preparation for damp proof course and removal of plaster, Plaster hacked off, Replastering,
The walls are skimmed, Down comes the fire surround, Then it all comes tumbling down!
The fireplace is supported with props, Rebuilding the fireplace, ready for strengthening, Digging for the underpinning
Underpinning the fireplace, Suspended walls!, Digging deep for underpinning,
More underpinning holes, The perforated drain, and air pipe and wall face ready for facing with stone


 
 


CSF Metheringham House
Work in progress!



Pictures from the top and l-r: The CSF Metheringham Building Site!, Blocked and Broken drains to be replaced, The state of the clay drains!, Prpearation for a Damp Proof Course, I wonder why the drains were not working?, Replacement of the toilet pipes!


CSF New House in Metheringham - An Update

Work has begun at last on the new CSF house in Metheringham, which will be known as San Damiano.

Sr Liz has spent the last couple of weeks in Metheringham, organising some of the work that needs to be done on the house. Builders, plumbers and electricians in abundance! Replastering of walls, replacement of drains and the installation of a damp proof course are but a few of the jobs that need to be done.

There has been fervent cleaning amidst the steady flow of workmen and never a dull moment, as drains overflowed and wires were accidently cut! In the midst of the activity, the investigation of a rustling sound below the kitchen window revealed our very own hedgehog fighting its way through the undergrowth, which since our last visit in May has flourished with great vigour! There will be much work in the garden to bring it under control!

Over the next few months one of the sisters will be camping at the house to supervise the ongoing works and refurbishment.

It certainly feels good to have begun at last and we hope that it will not be too many months before the house is ready for the three sisters (Judith Ann, Liz & Maureen) to move in; to begin to find their way around the locality and diocese and to make new friends as the house is blessed and opened for ministry.

New Hilfield Website. Hilfield Friary has launched a new Hilfield website that replaces the Hilfield Project Website: www.hilfieldfriary.org.uk. There is also now one single Hilfield email address hilfieldssf@franciscans.org.uk.

Seasons, Festivals and Holy Days in the Christian year. We have added a liturgical theme to our news page.  The left hand menu will change colour according to the season, feast or holy day that is being remembered, with a link to a specific page that gives both additional information about the day, a visual image for meditation and where possible a complimentary piece of music for reflection.  Although the Church uses green as the liturgical colour during Ordinary Time the colour of the website will remain the standard franciscan website colour.
To make this resource available all year round there is a link in the website links section that will direct you to an index page, listing the seasons, feasts and holy days alphabetically. We hope you enjoy this additional resource.

CLARC Conference

Samuel SSF and Joyce and Helen Julian CSF were among two dozen leaders of Anglican religious communities who met for their annual conference recently in Whitby.

The conference was led by Stephen Ortiger OSB, a former abbot of Worth, who spoke from his own experience of being a leader of a religious community, and sparked some very worthwhile discussion.

As well as the input, and business sessions, the leaders visited Rievaulx, (pictured) where they celebrated the eucharist in the abbey ruins, and were also welcomed to the new monastery of the Benedictine nuns who have recently moved from Stanbrook to Wass, only a few miles from Rievaulx.


THE DAILY OFFICE SSF, 2010, Revised Edition

Over the past forty years of liturgical revision in the Church of England, the Society of Saint Francis has tried to bring together the prayers of the church to which we belong and our particular needs as Anglican Franciscan brothers and sisters. In the course of this SSF has had considerable input into the forms that the Church of England as now adopted in Common Worship, Daily Prayer.

In 2005, the Joint Mee ting of the Chapters of the European Province commissioned the editing of The Daily Office SSF, to align it with Common Worship, Daily Prayer texts while retaining some of the familiar format, increasing the Midday Prayer provision as well as the Franciscan content.

The revised edition 2010 is published by Mowbray, an imprint of Continuum. It puts things in the order in which they are likely to be used. The psalter is that used in Common Worship and is printed after Forms 1-7, followed by the Canticles. The book retains the format of connecting a day of the week with a season of the liturgical year for Morning, Evening and Night Prayer, but calls each day a Form number. Midday prayer is always of the day of the week. Included are Additional Liturgies; Special Occasions including vocation and creation; Prayers for Various Occasions; the Principles of the First Order and the Principles of the Third Order.

The Table of Contents is quite comprehensive with the hope of making the book user-friendly.

Copies may be purchased from Hilfield Friary Shop £18.95 plus £2.20 p &p.
The shop is open Wednesday to Saturday 2.30 to 4.30; telephone 01300 341345
email hilfieldssf@franciscans.org.uk or write to: Hilfield Friary Shop, Hilfield Friary, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 7BE

 
Annual Brothers' Meeting 2010

Forty brothers from around the European Province, including our five novices, assembled at Hilfield Friary from the 1st till the 4th June for the Brothers' Meeting, an annual event to share news, to worship and pray together, and to discuss matters of common concern. This time we were looking at the subject of 'leadership' - what sort of leadership we hope for, and how we can share responsibility more widely among us. It's also our custom at this meeting to have a 'Franciscan Lecture' given either by a member of C/SSF or by some eminent visitor. On this occasion Br Nicholas Alan lectured on the spirituality of Angela of Foligno, a Third Order contemplative and mystic of the 14th century. We came away from the meeting encouraged and with renewed vision for the future.


Brothers meeting in the round
Brothers Kentergern John, Colin Wilfred, Anselm and Jason Robert reminiscing on old times!

From the UN Website:

World Environment Day (WED) 2010 aimed to be the biggest, most widely celebrated, global day for positive, environmental action.
Commemorated on 5 June since 1972, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.

Through WED, we are able to give a human face to environmental issues and enable people to realize not only their responsibility, but also their power to become agents for change in support of sustainable and equitable development.

WED is also a day for advocating partnerships among all stakeholders or perhaps, even more correctly, among all species living on this one planet and sharing a common future.

WED 2010 aimed to be the biggest WED celebration ever. The organisers called for action - asking people to organize a neighbourhood clean-up, stop using plastic bags and getting the local community to do the same, plant a tree or better yet organize a collective tree planting effort, walk to work, start a recycling drive . . . the possibilities are endless.

Following that call to action Hilfield Friary celebrated UN World Environment Day, putting on a display in the Rec room of the UN posters on this year's theme of biodiversity, and on the wall was a continuous slide show, from the UN website. The event was registered with the UN and was attended by members of the Third Order and others.
After introductions Richard a member of the wider Hilfield Community introduced those attending to the biodiversity of the Hilfield wild flower meadow. He told the group about Yellow Rattle, a plant that is parasitical on the grass, leading to a greater chance for the friary orchids to thrive. He introduced this plant from an ancient meadow at the Kingcombe centre, a few miles away.
The day continued with an environment liturgy in chapel, devised by Paul and Robert, other members of the wider Hilfield Community.

Before the event Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director said:

"Let WED 2010 be a moment-- of many moments in 2010-- when the history books record that the world took note, seized the opportunities and deployed its collective knowledge, abundant science and technology, financial acumen and prowess, intelligence and compassion to build a global society with value-environmental, social and economic."

For  highlights of the day worldwide go to the UN Website http://www.unep.org/wed/2010/english/DailyUpdates/



The Compton Durville Post Bag is Overflowing.....
 The Sisters at Compton Durville have received many letters and cards over the last few months from people who have visited the Community over the years. Below are some extracts that reflect the gratitude expressed by many...........

"It has been a privilege and a joy to come to Compton Durville over the last few years for retreats and quiet days. My thanks to all the sisters for your welcoming hospitality, your kind support when I have needed it and the on-going atmosphere of worship and prayer. I shall treasure it as a special part of my life..."

"My gratitude toward you for the sanctuary of staying at Compton Durville will never be forgotten......"

"Compton Durville has been a place where I have felt safe to explore my own heart, with confidence and where I have received much healing and inspiration. My heart is full of gratitude and thanksgiving for all the blessings I have received..."

"I wanted to say a deep thank you for all the times I have stayed with you. Some of my greatest spiritual transformations have taken place as a result of retreat time with you.....Thank you for having played such an important part in my spiritual journey - I am sure it is an experience shared by many others who have known your hospitality, generosity and example..."

"I have left many problems at the Foot of the Cross here and God has spoken to me through the silence which is so special. I have always gone away with a sense of God's love guiding me..."

"My visits have been highlights of my year and of my life...your presence will be a huge loss for many. But your ministry must have touched literally thousands of lives and that is remarkable. The opportunity just to 'be' is so rare. I have always felt better as soon as I have walked through the door, met by the atmosphere of prayer and praise to God that seeps through the walls..."

"Many fond memories will go with you all to your new homes and the Lord will walk with you wherever your paths may take you. Much wonderful work and ministry has been done for the Lord during the many years you have been at Compton Durville, many hearts and souls have been touched by the love of God that you have shown others in the outside community or those who have walked through your doors..."

"You have given so much! May the Lord now give you strength, perseverance and joy as you offer it all back to him....."



"To God be the glory
Great things he hath done"
 

Compton Durville: Memories and Reflections Page - click here

CSF to open new house in Diocese of Lincoln
CSF is in the process of buying a redundant vicarage in the village of Metheringham in the Diocese of Lincoln, and hopes to open it as a new community house later in the year. Helen Julian, the Minister Provincial, said, 'This is the final piece of the jigsaw in our move from Compton Durville, and we're excited at the new opportunities which we anticipate will come with opening this house. We wanted to maintain a presence in a rural area, and in our search for a new house deliberately targeted dioceses which had no religious communities.'

The Diocese have been very welcoming, with the Bishop, John Saxbee, writing that he looks forward to CSF 'forming a hub of prayer for us and our mission in the Diocese of Lincoln'. Three sisters, Maureen, Judith Ann and Liz, will form the first household at Metheringham, and the intention is to offer hospitality to groups and individuals, largely as day visitors, as well as exploring possibilities for ministry more widely within the local community and the diocese.
Pictures: Top Left: The New CSF House; Bottom Left: The Village Centre;
Top Right: Metheringham Shops; Bottom Right: The back garden

Historic Ministers' Meeting
Every eighteen months the Ministers of the various provinces of SSF and CSF meet somewhere in the world.  A little earlier this year they met for the first time ever in the recently formed Papua New Guinea Province, spending a little over a week at the Friary of St Mary of the Angels, Haruro, Oro Province. It was a particularly significant occasion for the CSF Ministers, who had never before met in the Pacific Islands (the SSF Ministers met in the Solomon Islands a few years ago).

After gathering in Port Moresby the Ministers flew to Popondetta, and were taken to the entrance to the friary, where brothers and other religious met them with garlands, singing and dancing. This wonderful welcome set the tone for a time of generous hospitality. A wind house, raised from the ground and with open sides to let in whatever breeze there might be, had been specially built for the meeting, and the guest house prepared for the Ministers.

As well as the business of the meeting, there was time to get to know the brothers at the friary, to visit the friaries at Katerada and Martyr's School, and to have tea with the sisters of the Community of the Visitation of our Lady, who live near Haruro. A tour of the friary grounds introduced the ministers to many of the crops grown by the brothers, a party on the last evening included wonderful local dancers (and rather less wonderful dancing by the Ministers!) and after the final eucharist a commemorative photograph was taken, to remind both Ministers and Haruro brothers, if it was needed, of an unforgettable meeting.

Pictures: from top left to right: Gathering for the photograph; Tour of the grounds; Local dancers; Ministers outside the wind hut


On the Move.....
Sister Jannafer has moved from Compton Durville to Birmingham and Sister Jenny Tee has arrived in Compton Durville to help with the packing up process.  Sister Jennifer Chan has returned to Malaysia for a period of two years. Matthew has moved from Glasshampton to Alnmouth. Barnabas Francis and Vaughan have moved from Alnmouth to Glasshampton.

At the beginning of September Sr Liz will move to Metheringham. It is expected that the other moves from Compton Durville to Southwark (Sr Sue)  to Birmingham (Sr Hilary and Sr Phyllis) and to Leicester (Sr Jenny Tee) will take place during October. Also the moves from Birmingham to Metheringham (Sr Judith Ann and Sr Maureen) will also happen during October. At the same time Sr Helen Julian will be moving to Oxfordshire as she continues to explore the more solitary life.

Release from Vows
Catherine Moon (ex Sr Catherine Joy) and Moyra Pullar (ex Sr Moyra) have both been released from vows by the Archbishop of Canterbury and have been declared no longer a Religious.  We wish them well as they continue to seek and discern God's will for their lives.

News from the Australia/New Zealand Province: At the ANZ Chapter in April, the brothers accepted the members of the Korean Franciscan Brotherhood as brothers of the First Order SSF and elected brothers Stephen and Lawrence to Life Profession.  This is planned to take place at All Saintstide in Korea. 

News from the Province of the Americas: Simon, Ambrose-Cristobal, James and Maximilian Kolbe have been elected to First Profession. Ivanildo was elected to Life Profession and that will take place in San Francisco in August.  Will Roberts was clothed as a novice taking the name James Paul. We pray for them as they take the next step on their continuing journey of faith.

In San Francisco, Sister Maggie CSF has been elected to Life Profession and will make her life vows to the Rt Revd Nedi Rivera on September 9th 2010 at the Episcopal Church of St John the Evangelist.  We pray for her as she prepares for this day.



Prayer for Vocations
The Community and Society of St Francis believe that prayer is one of the key elements in attracting vocations. One house each month focuses on praying for vocations. We would ask you join us in praying for vocations and you may want to pray alongside the house nearest to you or with one that has a particular significance for you.