The Faith Forum talks have a new location and now held at St Joseph’s. The third “Faith Forum” talk during this season “Life in Christ” was given by the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal. They are Sr. Jacinta, Sr. Catherine and Sr. John Paul. They are from the convent of St Claire’s, Leeds and were invited to give a talk to the young people of Hull; the title of the talk was “Following Christ in the Franciscan simplicity”. The sisters were introduced by the chair person and some interesting facts were uncovered. Sr. Catherine was a speed skater during the 1998 Olympics. She also has a fine arts degree in photography. Sr. John Paul was a neo natal nurse before she became a Religious Sister. She has only been at St Claire’s convent for 6 months and was in New York before that. Sr. Jacinta is originally from Northampton and she found her vocation through the Faith movement conferences and during one of her visits to World Youth Day…
The talk was mainly focussed on the biography of St Francis of Assisi and his love for Christ. Sr. Catherine went onto explaining significant life events of St Francis. They mentioned the fact that many people automatically think about birds and animals when you mention the name St Francis of Assisi but there is so much more to him. She started by saying how St Francis was the son of a wealthy man and how as many wealthy people, he even fought as a soldier for Assisi until he had a vision which eventually enabled him to understand his true vocation. They explained how his vocation was a gradual change but he turned out to be one of the most influential and venerated figures of the Catholic Church. St Francis started the Franciscan Order, the women’s Order of St. Clare and the Lay Third Order of Saint Francis. They also explained how St Francis was the first Saint to have experienced stigmata. They also went through many saints who were in the Franciscan family. Saints such as St. Clare, who ran away from her house to be welcomed to the convent where she devoted her whole life for Christ and St Francis’s works. Another contemporary Franciscan figure is Padre Pio. Many more Saints were mentioned such as St Anthony of Padua and so on. The exceptional talk came to an end but the questions kept coming…
One of the questions that was raised after the talk was the fact that their order title “Franciscan sisters of the Renewal” and what the renewal part stood for? Their answer was that their order was all about renewing our life to the gospel message and also spreading the gospel. They also mentioned the fact that they have to renew their promises every year. Another question that was brought up was “why does your order flourish while others don’t?” Sr. Jacinta answered how many other branches of their order thrive as well as theirs, it’s just that they happen to be more known and also Sr. John Paul added how when she was in America, she experienced how more and more people tend to be able to grasp onto their faith more strongly than the people in Britain as we seem to be a more secular society. The sisters went onto explaining why they wear rings around their right hand and it looks like a wedding ring. They explained how their ‘veils’ and their rings represent the fact that they’re the ‘brides’ of the Christ. Only Sr. Jacinta and Sr. Catherine wore rings as they have been in the order for over seven years, therefore they have taken their final vows to commit to their vocation and Christ’s work. Sr. John Paul explained that she has another two more years to go, before she makes her final vows. The sisters also explained how poverty is part of their vows; they said that they live on providence and God always provides for them. Going back to their rings they mentioned that even they are made from donated gold free of charge by a jeweller. Another young person asked a well thought out question. She asked Sr. John Paul would she ever feel like she has a choice to leave the community even after her enrolment after 7 years. Sr. John Paul replied with a smile, that she feels like she has the free choice to do so, if she didn’t feel like that was her vocation but they would have to complete their full year to fulfil the vow already taken, Sr. Jacinta added that once you’re a part of the Franciscan community, it is rare for someone to leave it because having a vocation with the community is such a blessing. She explained how the three sisters were invited to go to Poland last month because a brother from the Franciscan community was to be ordained as a priest and he was celebrating a special Mass with his close friends and family and the sisters were invited to represent their community.
The three sister’s admirable courage and their dedication to their work itself is an inspiration to many youths as they can be seen as role models. Whatever they have to do, they always do it with such great joy and calmness. One thing that I have clearly noticed is the fact that they’re approachable, happy and peaceful nuns they do not seem to worry about trivial things or what other people think about them. They continue with their duty in helping others in need and also at the same time, help share the Gospel. It is refreshing to see young vibrant women so full of love for Jesus and their distinctive habit makes the love of Christ found within them visible to all who encounter them. The talk really did make some young people think about every day life about how without their luxury or other opulent material objects, they still managed to be in high spirits and always cheerful when they speak of Christ Jesus and St Francis of Assisi.
Jerson Thomas and Jessica Robertson
