After six years as director of the St Bede’s Pastoral Centre in York Julia McDonald is moving on.
The customary summer St Bede’s strawberry tea provided the opportunity for a grand farewell. Speeches were made, gifts appeared from all quarters, strawberries were eaten in large numbers (washed down by Pimm’s) and everyone chatted under the unexpectedly warm sunshine.
There was much to thank Julia for: her willingness to take on and re-forge the role of the director after the sudden death of Sr Cecilia in 2017; the building of the team to meet the extended vision for St Bede’s; the renovation of the buildings from top to bottom; the extension of the programmes run by the Centre via new contacts and Zoon platforms; and the much needed sustainability of the St Bede’s project put onto a firmer basis. It was good to have the newly appointed director, Paul Golightly, with us to meet some of the wider St Bede’s community before he starts in September.
God speed, Julia! The ‘exit’ sign on the left of the picture is purely coincidental.