Luke 21:25-28.34-36 Over the years I have become used to the fact that our first Sunday of Advent opens not with words of comfort, but with an apocalyptic vision. These words have a poignancy in 2025 when we look back and think of the events which have ravaged our world. So many things have required …
Author Archives: Turvey Nuns
Synodality and Vulnerability
I have followed the work of Brene Brown for at least 10 years. A social worker by profession, she has spent the last 20 years studying courage, vulnerability, shame and empathy. To date, her TED Talk, The Power of Vulnerability, has had 16 million views on YouTube. On her website she describes herself like this: …
Becoming the Body of Christ
Part Two of Sr Michael RSM’s guest post on her experience before and after Vatican II. You can read Part One here: In 1954, I entered a pre-Vatican 2 religious community though at the time neither I nor anyone else knew that it was pre-Vatican2! That was the only way we knew. I was ready …
Becoming the Body of Christ
As part of my exploration of the issues underlying Traditionis Custodes, I am delighted to share with you a guest post from Sr Michael RSM, one of the Sisters who taught me at St Anthony’s School, Sunderland. Sr Michael writes about her experience of growing up in Durham and Sunderland in the 1950s. A Personal …
Becoming the Body of Christ (6)
“What difference does it make if the bread and wine turn into the Body and Blood of Christ and we don’t?”― Godfrey Diekman OSB PART FOUR Emerging Adult Faith I’ve come to realise that I make very strong attachments to people and places. Moving to London to study held a great deal of trepidation for me. …
Becoming the Body of Christ
“What difference does it make if the bread and wine turn into the Body and Blood of Christ and we don’t?”― Godfrey Diekman OSB PART THREE New Horizons At A Level my theological and spiritual horizons were widened thanks to the excellent teaching of Sr Michael and all of the Sisters of Mercy working in St …
Becoming the Body of Christ
Part Two Identity and Belonging I don’t think you could really say that I had any great teenage rebellion. I tried to do the ‘normal’ things of clubbing mid-week, largely because it was half the price of the weekend rates. More than once I put a sachet of hair dye back on the shelf at …
Becoming the Body of Christ
Part One “What difference does it make if the bread and wine turn into the Body and Blood of Christ and we don’t?”― Godfrey Diekmann OSB I’ve spent the weekend riding the shockwaves of reactions to Traditionis Custodes. As you would expect, it’s a very mixed bag of responses with some very regrettable postings on both …
Real where is matters: Dolly Parton and St Benedict
To look at me, you probably wouldn’t guess that I am a huge Dolly Parton fan. You could be forgiven for imagining that Gregorian Chant might be more my thing. I grew up in a household where Radio’s Two Country Time show on a Sunday night was a much a marker of Sunday as going …
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A continuous Lent?
‘The life of a monk ought to be a continuous Lent. Since, few, however, have the strength for this, we urge the entire community during these days of Lent to make its manner of life most pure and to wash away in this holy season the negligences of other times.’ Rule of St Benedict Ch …