14 Dec Sr Jessica’s Simple Profession
On Saturday 4th December, under a clear blue sky, the Community – together with her friends, family and visiting Religious – celebrated Sr Jessica’s Simple Profession in monastic vows.
Writing to us afterwards one of the guests described the service as ‘welcoming, accessible and grounded’, which seems like a fairly good reflection of Sr Jessica herself. The first reading – Moses’ encounter with Yahweh in the burning bush – was given by the Rev’d Sue Lepp, a former curate in Sr Jessica’s home parish of Langley. The second, from 2 Corinthians, was shared between her sister Charlotte and her nephew Joel. Mother Katharine of Ty Mawr read from the Prologue of the Rule of St Benedict, and the Venerable Rob Jones, Archdeacon of Worcester, gave a very moving homily (which you can read here). Interspersed throughout were classic floor-fillers such as ‘Hills of the North, Rejoice’ and ‘Immortal, Invisible, God only Wise’. The whole thing was presided over by Sr Alison, Sr Jessica’s former novice guardian, who in her introduction cleverly invited the children who were present to tell her at the end of the service what they enjoyed the most – which necessitated their close attention to the very end…
The service was followed by the usual photographs, courtesy of Steve Horsfall, and a buffet in the Refectory. At tea-time Sr Jessica opened the pile of gifts she had been given that day, which occupied us for a good half-hour. So much (ethically-sourced) chocolate…
Click on the photograph to open up the Lightbox gallery