The Portal - Australia edition January 2014 | Page 12

THE P RTAL

January 2014

Page 8

Sisters Jane Louise and
Wendy Renate,
the Ordinariate Sisters of
Our Lady of Walsingham
Jackie Ottaway visits

“I

t has

been an interesting journey,” Sister Jane Louise began to tell me their story as I settled with
a cup of coffee in the Sister’s cottage. “It had been in our prayers that we would become Catholics one
day, so when the Ordinariate was announced we felt it was an answer to our prayers. We hoped that all the
community (Saint Margaret’s) would be excited about it, but soon realised this wasn’t the case. Three of us,
Sister Carolyne Joseph, Sister Wendy and I, discovered that we all felt the same. Sister Carolyne Joseph, being
the Mother at that point, arranged for the community to discuss it. It was with sadness, and a great deal of
upset on both sides, that we had to leave. That was on 2nd December 2010.

very welcoming
“First we went to Abbotswick
in Brentwood. They were very
welcoming. I remember Sister
Gabby giving each one of us a
massive hug. It was exactly what
we needed at the time. It brought
tears to my eyes. We had tea and
cakes, although I would have
preferred a gin and tonic!” Sister
Wendy interrupted to say, “A
tranquiliser for me!!”
It was then they realised what
they had done. “For a long time
we were walking around in a
daze, knowing that Our Lady and
Our Lord are going to be there
for us, but feeling so vulnerable.”

prophetic statement
“We had attended Catholic
conferences and used to pray in
the new Catholic Parish Church.”
Sr Wendy added, “I made a
prophetic statement, and this is Sr Jane Louise
before things like Ordinariates
were ever thought of. I said to Sister Jane Louise ‘Come
on, let’s go and look at our future Parish Church’. We
believed it, but didn’t know it was going to be so soon.”

supposed to be doing. They
stayed at Abbotswick about three
months. They were relying on
the Barnabas Society financially
and the General Secretary of
CBS, before the controversial
donations. Then they moved
to the Poor Clare Monastery
in Arkley, North London. Sr
Jane Louise told us, “Again you
couldn’t find a more welcoming,
loving and caring community.
We were there for six months.
We stayed a couple of weeks
with the Sisters of Mercy, just off
the Commercial Road and then
moved to the Presbytery of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary in
Limehouse. We stayed until 1st
February 2013.

two is not a community
“Sister Wendy was Parish Sister
and helped out in the Sacristy
from time to time, I was Chaplain
to the Bishop Challoner School.
Sister Carolyne was still with us
until April. She was not happy and eventually decided
to go to the Wantage Sisters.

We wish her well. Unfortunately, this has left us
vulnerable, because three is a community, two is not.
Their hearts were on fire. They were scared and We are looking to grow because we can’t be a Public
vulnerable, but they knew this was what they were Association unless we do.

scared and vulnerable