The Society of the Resurrection started in 2015 as an experiment for two years. Finally, on 15 June it came fully into being with the admission of its first group of members at the Eucharist for Corpus Christi. 10 members made their promises in Mirfield, and two more will do so elsewhere in August. We also have an ever-growing number of enquirers. The Society seeks to enable its members, in close association with CR, to live a dispersed, corporate life of commitment to the Gospel, especially supported by ways of prayer and living that draw on the life of CR. The Society is not only growing, but gaining in confidence and enthusiasm as a group, and is proving to be a very happy new development.

 

George CR

The CR ‘What’s On’ leaflet for 2017-18 is with the printers as we go to press, and should be ready in good time for the Celebration Weekend (7-9 July). The leaflet covers our pastoral programme (retreats) as well as prayer and study days. The year will see a retreat designed for 18-30 year olds, the opportunity to learn about writing icons in the Byzantine style, the return of the popular railway retreat and much more besides.

As ever, we will be distributing copies far and wide (as well as closer to home); if you would like a copy, please do let us know – and if you would like several copies (for your parish, friends & family, etc), we would be pleased to send them out.

Sunday 25 June saw the Community’s annual Family Fun Day, when local families are welcomed in to the grounds to have fun! Supported by a volunteer army of brethren, staff, CR companions and others, the day was organised by Tony Devine, CR’s Head Gardener. The morning saw significant rainfall, but by the time gates opened at 1pm it was dry and the sun was making valiant – and occasionally successful – attempts to break through.

Attractions included a wild west saloon-themed horseshoe throwing game, face painting, a tombola, bouncy castle and, of course, welly wanging. All to be found referenced in the Rule of St Benedict, of course. We were delighted that hundreds of local people – and some from further afield – crowded onto the lawn for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

Planning is already underway for next year’s event – do let us know if you would like to be involved.

New items have arrived in the Mirfield Bookshop – we now stock CR pens, pencils and erasers as well as our wide range of books and devotional items.

CR Pencils (box of 6) £2.50			CR Eraser £0.60
Pens £1.50 Available in black, red, blue or grey – all blue ink			Pen Pouch (pen not included) £0.50

 

 

A firm favourite with Visitors to CR are Fr Simon’s picture meditation cards. In 6 designs, each A6 card has 2 pages of text with a colour picture forming a triptych. Healing the Pain – a card of comfort and love in adversity. Love & Death – a card on loneliness and emptiness after a death. Love & Separation – a card on separation and brokenness. Mestrovic Crucifix – a card of courage and hope. The Pathway – a card of hope and trust. The Tree – a card on fear and trust. Available individually at £0.75 each or as a pack of 6 for £4.00 All available online (www.mirfield.org.uk/shop) or in the Retreat House bookshop.

 

 

This year we have developed our work with year 5/6 & G.C.S.E students. We have enjoyed our visits from schools this past year, and would like to take this opportunity to wish students the very best in their exams, and the staff a very blessed and restful summer holiday!

Picture: Years 5 & 6 from Eccleston Primary School

 

Jacob CR

At the end of our bike ride extravaganza, Fr George and I had the privilege of visiting Archbishop Sentamu Academy in Hull. The school is a new build and provides a context of community in an area currently under a process of regeneration. During the visit we met with the school Chaplain and some of the students in the school chapel. This contained many prayer stations created by the students that reflect the thoughts of their hearts: prayers for family and friends, peace and equality. We also had the opportunity to meet with year 7 & 10 students during their RE classes where we talked about the Christian Life as it is lived in the monastery. Having met more students during the lunch hour we were then taken to the station for our journey back to Mirfield.

 

Jacob CR

At the beginning of May, Fabian nCR and I attended the third in a rolling programme of internovitiate study courses. These are principally intended to allow novices from our diverse Anglican communities across the country to meet together in a congenial atmosphere, chew the fat of the common life and engage our minds and hearts over a specific topic or area of study.

Following a successful get-together at Mirfield in February, it was once more time for us to convene in the delightful venue that is Hilfield Friary in Dorset, home to the Society of St Francis. We were there to think specifically about ‘Care for our Common Home’ viz, the topic of Pope Francis’s latest encyclical. It was certainly a most conducive space in which to do so. The friary has long had a reputation for its advanced thinking on ecological matters and their relationship to theology and discipleship.

So it was that Br Sam SSF, who is keenly immersed in the subject, helped to get us pondering and discussing all this. We heard different community takes on environmental issues, with each community airing frustrations and sadnesses with regard to the degredation of our ecosystems, whilst acknowledging our unique Christian perspective of hopefulness within a bleak situation. It was a good forum in which to consider what we might begin to do as religious against the backdrop of what is becoming an evermore catastrophic state of affairs, and also to take heart for the things which we already offer as those seeking to live after the pattern of Jesus’ first disciples.

The Society of St Francis teaches that eco-theology is very much about the ‘household’ attitude to our care for the environment in which we are set. To that end, they have invested in electric cars, eat a mainly vegetarian diet, with any meat they use bred and killed on-site, and exercise a careful attitude to the farming of land dictated by seasonal rhythms. It was beautiful to walk in one of the foremost sites in the whole county for wild flowers (chiefly orchid species) and to be ably introduced to the various types of edible plant life from trees around the friary. Richard, the site manager and an excellent botanist led us on a great tour highlighting such things. My personal favourite part of the tour was being shown how oak trees are parasitized. It was hugely insightful for us all and a real inspiration of God’s divinity at work in His creation.

As well as all of this, there was the natural opportunity to take part in a couple of socials, sample the home-brew and talk together in a lighter way during a couple of the evenings before travelling back on Friday afternoon. I am coming to really appreciate the ‘iternovs’, as they seem to strike a good balance between learning and recreation: two key ideas at the heart of Christian discipleship. This last is also beginning to feed into some of our own ‘green’ thinking here at CR. Time, therefore, well spent indeed for the novitiate. September will hopefully see a trip to Oxford and an exploration together on ‘The History of Anglicanism.’ I hope to provide an account for CRQ in due course.

 

Marc nCR

For three days at the beginning of May, a small group alternated between battling and basking in the elements on a sponsored cycle ride from the Dales to Hull. Following the course of the Rivers Swale, Ure, Ouse and Humber, the route represented both ‘returning to the source’ and ‘drawing on the wells’, both features of the religious life.

Great fun was had by all – even 17-year-old Beth who bravely completed the course with a broken collar bone which resulted from a cycling accident while training. The distance was rather greater than expected, but the opportunity to take in such splendid scenery was adequate compensation; we even managed to take in some of the scenery more than once. We finished by pouring water from the source of the Swale into the Humber from the Humber Bridge, helped by a howling gale and driving rain.

More than £2,000 has already been raised by the ride and we give grateful thanks to all those who have already sponsored the group. If you would like to sponsor the cyclists retrospectively, please visit www.mydonate.bt.com/events/crbikeride/436839

George CR has made a short film of highlights from the ride together with his reflections which can be found here https://youtu.be/Z7FknMh5Ub8