Pope's Intention - February

Religious Sisters and Consecrated Women

We pray for religious sisters and consecrated women; thanking them for their mission and their courage; may they continue to find new responses to the challenges of our times.

We'd like to share some stories from parishioners who know or remember religious sisters and consecrated women who have made a difference in their life.  Please send your memories and if you have a photo they would be willing for us to share then please send to Memories of religious sisters and consecrated women to contact us form or catechist@lancastercathedral.org.uk 

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

Are you looking for pearls or are you the pearl

A pearl and treasure of great price

The gospel reading Matthew 13 44-46 used during Yvonne's Mass of Final Consecration into the Company of St Ursula focused on the Kingdom of heaven being like a treasure hidden in a field ... and of the merchant looking for fine pearls.  
In his homily amongst the many pearls of wisdom shared, Fr Luiz suggested God might be the merchant and we his treasure that he looks out for and looks after.



Responding to our vocation and calling will be different for each one of us, but we should take time in prayer to listen to what God is calling us to do. Let us pray for each other as we seek out what our vocation is and what we are being called to be ... 

In our Wednesday Word of Witness we'd like to share others stories of how they are called to serve the Lord in their workplace, in our parish community, in our families or being a good neighbour.

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)

The Company of St Ursula - A new member

Company of St Ursula - founded in 1535
and still offering a vocation for women

With the foundation of the COMPANY of SAINT URSULA, in Brescia, northern Italy, in 1535, Saint Angela Merici offered to young women of her day an alternative to enclosed religious life. It was a most daring initiative for the time. The members of the Company were consecrated as spouses of the Son of God, but without vows and living in their own homes and continuing their work. The form of government of the Company was lay and feminine, making known to society Angela’s confidence in a woman’s ability to discern, to judge for herself, to govern herself.
As a sister organisation to the Ursuline Order, the Company of St Ursula continue St Angela’s vision of consecrated life for Lay people.

Yvonne and Stephen arriving for celebration.

There are already two women in our parish who are living their final vows. On Sunday, the feast of St Angela Merici, Yvonne Talbutt, Deacon Stephen Talbutt’s mum, made her final vows within the life of the Company in Lancaster.

We pray that her life will be fruitful in prayer and in service following the example of St Angela Merici herself. 
Fr Steve.

Over the coming days we will be sharing more about Yvonne's consecration and her vocation.  As we celebrate someone's calling, we are encouraged to think about how we are called.

Feast of St Angela

Picture created by
children's liturgy group

Today we celebrate the feast of St Angela Merici, she was the foundress of the Ursuline sisters who have played an in important role in the life of our parish.  We remember all those sisters who lived, loved and served our parish community, especially those families and parishioners living near to and worshiping at St Thomas More's on the Marsh.  

The video below shows something of the life of St Angela, but during the coming week we'll be sharing more about her life and the love and service she has inspired in women in our own parish. 

Big day for St Thomas More

A day of mixed emotions for parishioners at St Thomas More's - joy when celebrating the many blessings brought to the parish by the presence of the Ursuline sisters in our community, but inevitable sadness as the sisters leave to join other Ursuline sisters in the Greenwich convent. In the weeks ahead we will be looking back at their contribution to parish life and learning more about how members of the parish will be picking up different ministries and roles within the parish.  Fr Steve spoke about how like a new child needs nurturing so does the parish.

Sr Jayne giving notices at the end of Mass

On behalf of the Ursuline's Sr Jayne shared a quote from a poem, explaining that as she left for Greenwich:

I carry your heart with me, I carry it in my heart (E.E. Cummings).

After Mass parishioners gathered for a photo on the grass of the garden.

Sr Cathy, Fr Steve, Srs Jayne and Zela

Children's Liturgy Group

The children of the parish all made cards and gathered together for a photograph to wish the sisters well as they move down to Greenwich.

And finally, for today, a group photograph of parishioners and visitors who came to give thanks for all the Ursulines have done over the past 20 years.

Parish Group gathering in the garden

Mass of Thanksgiving for Year of Consecrated Life

A great celebration and Mass of Thanksgiving for the 17 different consecrated communities in the Diocese of Lancaster where we: Gratefully remembered the past, living the present passionately and embracing the future with hope.

Members of Lancaster Diocese Consecrated Communities

Service Sheet 

Bishop Michael Campbell was joined by priests from across the diocese.  In his homily he considered the past, present and future contribution and challenge of those present and those who had gone before. He began by referring to Pope Francis' recent mass in New York also celebrating the calling to consecrated life, 'When did you hear the call?' A question we might ask ourselves.

Thinking about the present, he acknowledged the changing world from that of the original founders of the communities, and thanked those present for the communication of the Good News they made, by being their support for the lonely, the sick, those in need.  He explained how their witness highlighted that in both the past and present how those called to consecrated life were a great witness of constancy and stability which has had a great impact.  

Offertory: Marie Worden, Cathedral parishioner
member of Company of St Ursula

Looking to the future Bishop Michael drew attention to the many gifts given to those present and reminded us of the words of St Paul, who talks about how the gifts of the Holy Spirit enrich the individual and the Body of Christ bearing much fruit.

Each community brought with them a symbol which was described in the service sheet, over the coming weeks we'll share images and information about different communities across the Diocese. 

Table with symbols for consecrated life

Polish Sisters visit St Thomas More

The second Monday of the month parishioners gather for lectio divina (sacred reading) of the forthcoming Gospel.  We were also joined by Srs Kate and Justyna who are young Ursuline sisters visiting St Thomas More to help them with their English.  

Ursulina sisters Poland and Lancaster

 We reflected on the reading of the Ascension and thought about what relevance the Gospel message had for us today.  We also shared how we imagined Jesus was taken up to heaven and what messages we might preach.  The same questions children's at children's liturgy also shared on Sunday during children's liturgy. 

Next Gospel reflection Monday 11th June at St Thomas More at 7.30.  All welcome.

Happy Birthday!

Easter Sunday Morning Reflection – Yvonne Talbutt (Company of St Ursula)

Yvonne -  see previous posts
to learn more about the
Company of St Ursula

As my grandson who is not quite four wished everyone a happy birthday on Easter Sunday morning, I thought “How appropriate”, remembering how last night at the Easter Vigil Mass I renewed my Baptismal promises. How grateful I was, and thanked God for my parents who had me Baptised all those years ago.  Being brought into the church through baptism we become a member of a bigger family,  the family of God.  Of course not all families are perfect, and it can be very hard to love everybody and to be the kind of person God wants me to be. But I can always turn to Him and start again when I fail.

I love my faith as it has brought me to know the love God has for me. To all who were Baptised and brought into the church last night all I can say is “Happy Birthday”.

Thanks to Yvonne for this Easter reflection, we always welcome contributions, pictures, reflections to help us all share our faith and learn more about what is happening within the parish family. You can share them using our form on the contact page

2 new Company members S479 years later ...

The first English members of the Company of St Ursula
Sr Zela, Marie, Canon Roscillo, Marie and Myia 

On Tuesday evening two women in the parish made their final vows and joined the secular Company of St Ursula. This was 479 years to to day when St Angela Merici had gathered 28 women together as the first members of the Company of St Ursula. The Mass was celebrated by Canon Luiz Roscillo who was joined by Fr Jim Burn and Fr Andrew Dawson and Deacon Jim Wood. The Ursuline sisters from St Thomas More were also joined by Myia from the Company of St Ursula in Slovakia. 

During his sermon Canon Liuz asked us to 'look at the leaves', whilst in autumn, we might look to the ground and the wonderful colours, in spring, we would look up to the green shoots and signs of new life. The evening we gathered to support two women whose wisdom and experience might be as rich and interesting as the autumn leaves, but whose commitment was a sign of new life, as consecrated women.

Blessing the rings they will wear

Prayers for Marie and Marie

 By making vows and dedicating their lives as consecrated women, the two Maries joined the secular Institute of the Company of St Ursula.  They promised poverty, chastity and obedience.  Unlike religious Ursulines, as members of the Company, they would live out these vows their own homes.  Canon Luiz, explained how their green leaves would be sprouting up in the world, and just like ivy in a wall might at times be a nuisance! it was important because it became part of the structure and made it stronger, and so too our lives were richer by what they did to show the presence of the Lord in their lives. 

Canon Luis Roscillo concelebrating
with Fr Jim Burns and Fr Andrew Dawson

Signing the register

Cutting the cake

After Mass the two Maries signed the register confirming the vows they had made.  They were witnessed by Fr Jim and Myia of the Company
After Mass there was a celebration organised by the Angelinas mothers who gather monthly and who are also inspired by St Angela Merici

To learn more about the Company of St Ursula please contact Sr Zela.  And just in case you are wondering, you do not have to be called Marie to join!