Centenary of the Order of the Paraclete, Whitby

The Order of the Holy Paraclete at Whitby is 100 years old.

Margaret Cope, founder of the
Order of the Paraclete, Whitby, 1915

(St. Hilda, to whom our church in North Shields is dedicated, was the founding abbess of the monastery at Whitby in 657.)

On the Archbishop of York's site there is a brief history of the order. 

In it Sister Janet Elizabeth of the Order of the Holy Paraclete says,

“Our Foundress, Mother Margaret, was a remarkable woman – she was only 29 when she founded the Order. 

When the then Archbishop, Cosmo Gordon Lang, asked her whether she was not too young to be founding a new religious Order, her feisty reply was, ‘They say you are rather young to be an Archbishop, my Lord!’ 

Her vision was to found an Order based on the wisdom of the past from St Benedict, St Francis and the Celtic Saints, but incorporating beliefs about democracy and the rightful emancipation of women.

The birthday celebration:

Centenary Flower Festival

Friday 17 to Sunday 19 July at Sneaton Castle, Whitby. 

 Preview evening on Friday 17 July at 7:30 pm. Tickets £5 

(to include canapes and first glass of wine.)  

There will be a welcoming address by the Prioress, and music performed by sisters in the chapel. 

The festival is then open on Saturday 18 July from 10am to 5pm, and on Sunday 19 July from 12pm to 4.30pm, 

ending with a Festival Songs of Praise at 4.30pm. 

 Entry to the Centenary Flower Festival is £3 (£2 concessions), to include a souvenir programme.

Morning coffee, light lunches, and afternoon cream teas are available throughout the day. Cards, jams, candles and other crafts made by sisters will be on sale.

Other centenary events are here

Welcome

On St Hilda's day 19th November  2014, welcome to our new blog.

St Hilda of Whitby

St Hilda's Church is a cheerful, warm and welcoming Church of England Church in North Tyneside, not far from the North Sea Coast.

There's a street view picture here.

Hilda was a local saint (Wikipedia) and we are proud to worship in a church dedicated to her.

Bede's Ecclesiastical History says of her:

Christ's servant, Abbess Hilda, whom all her acquaintances called Mother because of her wonderful devotion and grace, was not only an example of holy life to members of her own community; for she also brought about the salvation and amendment of many living at a distance, who heard the inspiring story of her industry and goodness.

Her life was the fulfilment of a dream which her mother Breguswith has when Hilda was an infant, during the time that her husband Hereric was living in banishment under the protection of the British king Cerdic, where he died of poison.

In this dream she fancied that he was suddenly taken away, and although she searched everywhere she could find no trace of him, 

When all her efforts had failed, she discovered a most valuable jewel under her garments; and as she looked closely, it emitted such a brilliant light that all Britain was lit by its splendour. This dream was fulfilled in her daughter, whose life afforded a shining example not only to herself but to all who wished to live a good life.

Bede, Ecclesiastical History of the English People, Trans. Leo Sherley-Price, Revised R.E. Latham, Penguin Books, Revised edn. 1990, pp 245-6.

Breguswith had another daughter, Hereswith. Though she too became a saint she seems to have been almost wholly eclipsed by Hilda.