Although I have been a Cathoic since childhood, I am now setting off on a new journey along the path of Quakerism.
My spiritual, and indeed my life journey, have been quite eventful and the path has had many twists and turns, dangerous rough patches and smooth sun filled tracks. My faith has always been very real to me and at the age of 19 I became a nun. During the decades which followed a thread ran through my life whereever I lived and whatever i did. That thread is the thirst for justice and peace, spoken of by Jesus in the Beatitudes. Thirteen years ago I met for the first time the Catholic Worker movement which practises the works of mercy and resists the works of war. I was privileged to spend two years in the United States, living and working in Catholic Worker communities. Since 2004 I have been part of the Oxford Catholic Worker community, giving hospitality to asylum seekers and resisting all forms of war and war making.
The Catholic Worker movement gave new life and energy to my faith and continues to do so. Indeed, the ethos and practice were so influential that I left my religious order at the age of 62 in order to spend the rest of my life in such work. But another stream has been flowing in my spirit and now is the time for me to explore where the stream will take me.
I first net Quakers in the mid seventies when I was living and working in South Yorkshire. I was attracted by their worship, silence and commitment to justice and peace. My attraction did not diminsh over the years as I met many Quakers through peace and justice work.
Since coming to Oxford I have become friends with many Friends and for the first time I am seriously thinking about exploring the Quaker path with a view to seeking membership.
Prompted by a question in a book about becoming a Quaker, “Becoming Friends”, I’ve been reflecting on what treasures from Catholicism I still value and wish to keep. On the other hand, I’ve also been thinking about what I won’t be sorry to leave behind.
On a recent retreat I reflected on these treasures and came up with several. First, the inspiration and teachings of the Second Vatican Council which, because of my age, has been a guiding light since my teens. Our noviciate training, thanks to a wise and inspirational novice director, was based on the documents of the Council and for many years the church was alive with all the possibilities presented by the Council’s challenges.
One of the many treasures from this period was the renewed emphasis on Scripture and the New Jerusalem Bible is still my preferred translation. Other treasures from this time include the Liberation Theology which came from Latin America and the work of CAFOD in its radical and daring days.
Catholic social teaching, which has always been a major part of the church’s teaching, and the radical Catholic Worker movement in all its richness, are two more treasures which have enriched my life.
On a more personal note, as a teenager our family lived on a housing estate in Bradford where we were part of a new parish and that experience deepened my faith and activity. Over the years I have been privileged to live in some wonderful parishes with a real sense of community. As a student I experienced two fantastic Catholic Chaplaincies, at Sheffield and Southampton, both in the 1970’s, which, like the parishes I’ve already mentioned, were alive, active and gave us students a sense of belonging.
I could go on much longer in the same vein but a pattern is emerging and I can see that what I really value about my experience as a catholic is the challenge and sense of belonging, inspired by the Gospels, which I have received over the decades. These treasures of Catholicism will never leave me but they are either in the past or are no longer valued by many of the leaders of the church.
Live Adventurously 