Vocation Stories

 

Patricia

vocations-patricia Born of a Nonconformist-tending family, baptised a Methodist, I came to the Catholic Church and eventually to the CJ in a roundabout way.

In mid-teens I became an Anglican; by the end of university I wanted to do ‘something for God, and not just for me’, which led me first to church-based/social work in the East End of London, then to an ecumenical society. Several months discussing unity with Christians of many traditions led me to become a Catholic. Then, as I went on searching, I began an evening course in theology, given by a Jesuit. The room was full of rows of forbiddingly-silent nuns, eyes downcast – and a few CJ (then IBVM) sisters from different communities, excited about books read and good ideas for lessons. Very soon they and my friends and I, all young teachers, were keeping the back row each week for our ‘gang’. I read books about Mary Ward, Ignatius and the early Jesuits – so when I discerned a vocation to religious life, the choice of congregation was clear.

Since then I have taught in CJ schools, worked on a diocesan adult formation team and in a small and very much ‘inserted’ parish community, spent two years with our sisters in Slovakia soon after the ‘Velvet Revolution’, then more years in Rome, and on a new parish venture in South Russia. Back in England, my work is a mixture of Mary Ward and CJ history, and spirituality, interfaith activities and contact with a variety of people and groups.. There is no time to be bored!