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British Isles & Ireland |
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British Isles & Ireland |
BabelfishMULTICULTURAL PROVINCE
Four countries form the Province of the British Isles & Ireland: England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Each has its own culture and traditions.
Within these countries many multi cultural and ethnic groups of people have become inserted, making their home in one of them.
The Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions arrived in Deal, England in 1870 where they were responsible for caring for orphans. Our foundress, Euphrasie Barbier, had always dreamed of having a house in England.
In 1881 a community was opened in Sturry, near Canterbury and it was in this community that Euphrasie died in 1893. She is buried in our Chapel at Sturry.
Chair of our Foundress, Euphrasie Barbier
Tombstone of our
Foundress Sturry
In 1901, during the war in France, the Mother House was moved from Lyon, France to Deal and then later to Hastings, Sussex. The Mother House remained in England until the opening of the Generalate in Rome in 1968.
1967 saw the Sisters from this Province beginning their first mission in Kenya, East Africa. The mission has thrived and today we have our own Kenyan RNDMs who are now, in their turn, being sent on mission to other parts of the Congregation, as well as ministering to their own people in Kenya.
In the late 1960s a change began to take place from Congregational traditional works e.g. education in schools, to answer the present day needs of the marginalized e.g. ministry among the socially deprived, homeless etc.
From 1992-1994 purpose built care homes for our sick and elderly Sisters were established at Beech Court, Deal and Sturry.
PERSONNEL and COMMUNITIES
Historically the province has always had many Sisters working in other countries and at present there are still 16 Sisters working overseas in the following places: Aotearoa New Zealand, Bangladesh, Canada, France, India, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Rome.
At home we have 143 Sisters in 34 communities located in the following areas:
| London | 7 | communities | |
| North West England | 5 | ||
| South East England | 7 | ||
| Scotland | 7 | ||
| Northern Ireland | 2 | ||
| Republic of Ireland | 5 | ||
| Wales | 1 | ||
Two elderly Sisters in our care home
Ministry to the housebound Art classes in Sturry
MINISTRIES
The possibilities for ministry here are limitless. At present our apostolic involvement includes,
Teaching
Retreat work
Parish ministry
Adult education
Social work
Mission Appeals
Work with immigrants and refugees
Care of the elderly
Hospitality for student RNDMs from overseas particularly Asia.& Africa.
Prison, hospital and hospice chaplaincy
Homeless
Supportive presence in the Family Caring centre founded by RNDMs
in Northern Ireland
St. Vincent de Paul meeting Sisters attending a Province Gathering
Ministering to those in Hospice care Ministry to the homeless
SOLIDARITY
This is the name given to a fund, which has as its aim the support of the most needy missions of the Sisters in any part of the world. It also donates to large-scale disasters such as the Tsunami in December 2004 or the earthquake in Pakistan in 2005. We have many benefactors who contribute on a regular basis or organise events to raise money. Others contribute occasionally and there are many and varied ways of raising money e.g. car boot sales, coffee mornings, children having their own events or doing without gifts in order to give the money to the mission fund.
Sometimes donors name the mission which is to receive their donation, others put it in for general use. Some "gift aid" their donation which is then increased because of the tax relief allowed by the government.
We have no "overheads" so all the money goes directly to worthwhile causes.
If you feel you would like to support us in our work for the relief of suffering of all people, please contact:
Sister Marie Carrick
The Lodge
84 Rectory Road
Upper Deal
Kent CT14 9NB
ASSOCIATES
Associates of Our Lady of the Missions are male and female, old and young, single and married who want to be part of the family of Euphrasie Barbier and share in the life and mission of the Congregation. Meeting regularly they come to know about the life of Euphrasie and the spirit of the Congregation and how they can live it in their own everyday lives.
Associate membership of Our Lady of the Missions was launched in the Province of the British Isles & Ireland in 1989. Since then members have been received in several areas of the United Kingdom and Ireland. Newsletters are compiled three times each year. A Core team was elected at a general Gathering of Associates in 1997. At present there are 2 RNDMs and 3 Associates on the team. The aim and purpose of the Core Team is:
To unify the various area groups of Associates.
To develop on-going formation(i.e. understanding of what it is to be an Associate), and to provide support for groups and individuals.
To facilitate the mutual relationship and working
together of Sisters and Associates.
To encourage recruitment, particularly of young
people, and to provide guidelines about how to do
this.
To liase with the Provincial Leadership Team.
The current Core Team was appointed in May 2006.
A General Gathering of Associates is held every three years.
Some Associates have been enriched by going out to the Sisters in other countries, working as volunteers and sharing the Sisters’ lives and they in their turn have brought another dimension to the mission of the Sisters in those countries.
Here at home many of the Associates support the Sisters by their prayers and by various fund raising activities, which help the most needy missions. The relationship between Sisters and Associates is one of mutual support and friendship in living out the spirit of Euphrasie Barbier in our modern world.
If you would like more information or would like to meet an Associate group in the area near where you live, please contact:
Vera Hegarty
12 The Gables
Randlestown
Co. Antrim
BT41 3JY
Northern Ireland
Associates at their Annual Gathering
VOCATiONS
Anyone interested in finding out more information about our RNDM way of life and vocation please contact:
Sr. Louise Shields
St. Mary’s Priory
Brownedge Lane,
Bamber Bridge
Preston
PR5 6SP
England
Sr. Anna McDonagh
60 Pineridge
Summerhill
Wexford
Ireland
ARCHIVES
Archives building in Sturry
The archives contain a rich and sometimes detailed history, including house chronicles, letters, newspaper cuttings, photographs and magazines relating to personnel, their mission, lifestyle, and the places where they lived and worked in some thirty communities through the U.K. and Ireland from 1870 to the present day. There are also references to personnel working overseas.
For more information please contact:
Sr. Doreen Chan
St. Anne’s Convent
Staines Hill
Sturry
CT2 0EW
Kent
Engand.
