Benedictine Monks Holy Cross Monastery 119 Kilbroney Road Rostrevor Co. Down BT34 3BN Northern Ireland Tel: 028 4173 9979 Fax: 028 4173 9978
[email protected] www.benedictinemonks.co.uk Christmas 2012 (Letter n°40) “He will stand and feed his flock with the power of the Lord. He himself will be peace.” (Mi 5:3-4) On 24 September, in her home in Rostrevor, Mrs Josephine Nolan, the mother of Fr Mark-Eph- rem, passed away peacefully at the age of 88. Since the end of July, the state of her health had been slowly deteriorating. The first secular oblate of our Monastery (under the name of Sr Benedict), a wo- man of faith and prayer, she was loyal in her support and friendship for our community. On 27 September, we held her funeral in a crowded church, in the presence of our Bishop John McAreavey, Bishop Raymond Field, the Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, the deans of the Anglican cathed- rals of Downpatrick and Armagh, and many friends of all denominations. Mrs Nolan is henceforth re- posing beside her husband Ian, in our Monastery’s cemetery. At a time when Dr Rowan Williams has recently resigned as Archbishop of Canterbury, we in- vite you to reflect on a sermon he delivered on 25 December 2004 in Canterbury cathedral. It used to be said that if you were travelling by ocean liner, the worst thing you could do was to visit the engine room; and I’m afraid it’s a point people make to discourage you from visiting the Vatican or Church House, or even Lambeth Palace..