Feast of St Angela Merici

St Angela Merici: 27th January

Today is the feast day for St Angela Merici the founder of the Ursuline sisters who played an important role in the Cathedral and St Thomas More Parish.  During their time the sisters helped re-establish the Company of St Ursula in England which is a secular institute of Pontifical rite and supported mothers with a more informal peer support group the Angelinas. 

St Angela Merici

To learn more about the inspiring life of St Angela

The Company of St Ursula 

The Company was founded in 1535 by St Angela Merici who brought women together to support other women to meet together in support, spiritual development and mutual encouragement. The Company offers single or widowed catholic women, the opportunity to live this call from God in the world.  Their vocation is described as 'leaven in the dough' and is sustained by a deep life of prayer, which is the foundation for their commitment to the local Church and community. We are fortunate to have several members in our parish as well as other parishes in the Diocese.   

The Angelinas

Although an informal group that was active during the time of the Ursuline sisters time living at St Thomas More, the vision and reality of the group was to allow mothers, especially of young children, to come together for peer support.  They would often meet and take it in turns to share a meal, their lives and some prayer inspired by the teachings of St Angela Merici whose life is an inspiration to many women.  More recently, we've had some online meetings to allow mothers who may need to be at home in the evening to still gather together and catch up.  The group will be meeting on the 1st Tuesday of each month and will be discussing in February ways of organising in person gatherings. 

Company of St Ursula

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of St Angela Merici, today we share some information about the Company of St Ursula which was founded by St Angela Merici in Brescia, North Italy on 25^th November 1535.  Over the next few months we'll share more about the life of St Angela. 

One of her legacy's was to found both the Ursuline Order of religious sisters, but also the Company of St Ursula.  Angela’s Rule provided a way of life for women who wished to consecrate themselves totally to God by living the Evangelical Councils of perpetual celibacy, poverty and obedience IN THE WORLD. 

Their vocation is to provide 'leaven in the dough' which is sustained by a life of prayer which supports them in their commitment to the needs of the parish and community. Secular Ursulines live this call in the world in whatever happens to be their personal circumstances and are financially responsible for themselves. However, they are not alone but make their commitment in companionship with other members of the Company with whom they meet regularly for prayer and mutual encouragement.

Rejoice together and together encourage one another St Angela, 8th Legacy

Left to Right Pauline, Marie, Sr Zela, Sue, Marie, front the late Yvonne.

We are fortunate to have members of the Company of St Ursula at the Cathedral, St Clare’s in Preston and Our Lady of the Assumption in Blackpool.

Members of the Company in 2019 celebrating Marie's 10th Anniversary.  

Members of the Company like Ursulines, and their foundress Angela, are part of the local Church and its mission. Their spirituality is nourished by the Mass, sacraments and Divine Office (prayers of the Church). Their motivation, as left by Angela, is to do everything for the glory of God and the good of souls.

Feast of St Angela

Today we celebrate the Feast of St Angela Merici who is the founder of the Ursuline order.  The Ursulines sisters played an important part in our parish life when they were based at St Thomas More, to read more about their work - Ursulines at Lancaster. 

Srs Zela, Maureen and Jayne at Windermere

They worked with parishioners to set up the peace garden, inspired women in our parish and in other parts of the country to join the Company of St Ursula as consecrated women (more tomorrow) and created an informal group for mothers called the Angelinas which you will see in the news letter is restarting in February. 

To learn more about St Angela Merici and her life.  Tomorrow we'll share some news of the Company of St Ursula.

Colouring page of St Angela Merici - the pilgrim for our younger readers: 

St Angela Merici and her Company

St Angela Merici Pray for us

Today is the feast day of St Angela Merici who is the founder of the Ursulines who have played an important role in the life of St Peter's and St Thomas More Cathedral Parish in Lancaster. Sisters Jayne, Katharine and Zela left in 2016 to moved to Greenwich to continue their ministry there,

Urusline sisters and Fr Steve October 2016

St Angela was also the founder of the Company of St Ursula, below are the first two women in the UK to join the Company 479 years after St Angela formed the Company.  They live their life as consecrated women sharing their gifts and giving service to those around them. 

The first English members of the Company of St Ursula

Sr Zela, Marie, Canon Roscillo, Marie and Myia

Below a video about the life of St Angela Merici

Company of St Ursula

Vision of Brudazzo

The Company of St Ursula was founded by St Angela Merici in Brescia, North Italy on 25^th November 1535.  

It grew out of a spiritual experience known as the “Vision of Brudazzo”, in which Angela saw a ladder reaching from earth to heaven on which women and angels ascended and descended.

Angela came to understand that she was to live and guide others to live, at a radical level, the union, symbolised in this vision, between the divine and human. This is  a way of life for women who wish to consecrate themselves totally to God by living the Evangelical Councils of perpetual celibacy, poverty and obedience in the world.

Since its foundation the Company has spread round the world. Today secular Ursulines are organised in many diocesan Companies. Most of these are united in a federation which was recognised as one Secular Institute of Pontifical Right on May 25^th 1958. The map below shows the Company of St Ursula spread throughout the world. The Company at Lancaster was the first established in England.

Map of Companies of St Ursula

Although Yvonne only made her final vows on Sunday, she has been an active member during her formation, below she was attending an event at Castlerigg promoting all vocations.  We are all called to play our part in the Body of Christ.

Sharing information about the Company of St Ursula (September 2013)