On June 22nd we celebrated with our one jubilarian, Sr Mary Ann Flood, and our two octogenarians, Srs Michaela Robinson and Sr Frances Orchard. As always, the celebration took place at the Bar Convent in York and we were delighted to welcome a large number of IBVMs. Altogether, we were well over thirty sisters.
Celebrations began with a special Jubilee Mass with Canon Michael Ryan as the celebrant. Our talented musicians were joined this year by Sr Anna Quinterio from the CJ generalate in Rome. After a festive lunch, kindly provided by the Bar Convent caterers, and followed by a short break, we all assembled in the courtyard garden of St Joseph’s for tea and a magnificent Jubilee cake made by Daisy, the St Joseph’s chef. The annual Jubilee photograph was slow in the taking as it was felt that the usual arrangement of members in serried ranks was not practicable or desirable this year. We were very happy with the final result master-managed by Sr Marion and taken by Gail standing somewhat precariously on an adjacent wall.
As the two Mary Ward institutes move steadily towards ‘becoming one’ such togetherness as a jubilee is a good occasion for celebrating that we are well on the way towards ‘realising our oneness’ – as Mary Ward would have wished.