If you have anything you would like to share, not just with the parish but with the wide world, here is your chance! Just as with Living Water (the former parish magazine), please send contributions to Gwen at gwen@chiosso.com and they can be posted up here.
Tribute to Jean Edwardes
Jean Daisy Edwardes was born in Camden Town on 21st February 1927. She started work in the Kayser Bondor factory where she perfected her skills as a seamstress, which she used for the rest of her life along with many other creative activities. She had taught Art and Needlework at Maryville Convent and also worked for Bexley Council as Manager and Senior craft instructor. She was adept at painting, tapestry and pottery.
Reflections for the Month of July
Wow! It’s like getting a birthday package a month early and marked: ‘Don’t open until…’ Finally, you take it out of the box after waiting so long and find the gift wrapped in beautiful paper and tied with a really nice ribbon, and marked ‘fragile’. Mum wants the ribbon so you must carefully untie it, then she wants the paper too so you have to patiently unseal and fold the wrapping paper. It all takes time and you just want to get it open and see what’s inside.
The Father Speaks to His Children
I was recently introduced to the book The Father Speaks to His Children, a record of the messages received by Mother Eugenia, Elisabetta Ravasio, (1907-90), Superior General of the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of Our Lady of the Apostles. The messages were dictated to Mother Eugenia in Latin – a language Mother Eugenia did not comprehend – in 1932 by God the Father – the only approved private revelation made personally by God the Father.
Biography of Mother Eugenia
Elisabetta Anna Ravasio, (Bettina), was born in Capriato San Gervasio, a small town in Bergamo, Italy, on 4 September 1907, into a well-respected devout family. The family had prospered raising cattle and silkworms, but suffered bankruptcy with the failure of the local bank. Bettina, the youngest of six children was born prematurely at six months shortly after this crisis. Following the birth, her mother became very ill and was not expected to live. She did survive, but remained bedridden for the next seven years and thereafter remained an invalid unable to manage the home. The little baby survived contrary to expectations. For a crib, she was laid in a soap box; she ate very little and failed to thrive. By the age of four she still did not walk or talk.
Things are better in Rome
Contribution from former parishioner, currently studying for the priesthood at the Beda College in Rome
Things are better in Rome, but not back to normal in many ways. However, the other day, after being cooped up for so long, I was able to get around Rome and see the sights like the Trevi Fountain and the Arch of Constantine without all the tourists. It was a pleasure to be able to walk slowly around the arch and take plenty of time to look at all the statues, details and carvings as normally it is too crowded for you to stand and take your time. One of the nicest things for me was to hear the church bells ringing again.