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SPIRIT AND ORIGINS

The Sisters follow the Rule of St Benedict who lived in the 5th century and founded the Benedictine Order. The Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Grace and Compassion was founded by Miss Mary Garson in 1954 and in 1978 it became part of the Benedictine family.

The Rule is centred on Christ and aims at a balanced life of serenity and wholeness. The work of the congregation is hospitality particularly in the care of the old, the sick and the poor.

Born in Aberdeenshire of Scottish Presbyterian parents Mary Garson became a Catholic in 1946. After leaving the Woman’ Auxiliary Air Force she was working as an educational psychologist for East Sussex County Council.

As a member of the Cell movement under the guidance of Fr Bernard Basset S.J she was motivated by compassion for some old people she visited who were living in squalid conditions unable to look after themselves. She felt compelled to do something about this situation and set up a house in Brighton where they could be cared for in loving surroundings. Receiving the anonymous gift of exactly the money she required for the deposit on a house convinced her that this was God’s will for her.

In 1959 Bishop Cowderoy advised her to form a Pious Union to live the religious life and to confine her group to women.

Mother Mary has left an international organisation that includes five residential homes, a nursing unit and

eleven schemes of retirement flats in the UK, five foundations in India, two in Sri Lanka and one each in Kenya and Uganda. Her community now has over 200 Sisters and hundreds of lay staff and volunteers.

Mother Mary Garson retired in 2005 after more than fifty years of service to the Congregation. She died on the 8th March 2007

Her work was recognised by the Church when she received the Papal Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice and by her fellow countrymen and women when she was decorated by the Queen with the MBE. On receiving her Papal award Archbishop Pablo Puente, the Papal Nuncio said that her work has been a “miracle of our time”.

PRAYER LIFE

“We must consider how we behave in the sight of the Divine Majesty and the Angels and as we sing our Psalms let us see to it that our minds are in harmony with our voices.
(Rule of St Benedict 19)

The Benedictine emphasis on the Divine Office and its dignified and orderly recitation make it clear that if God is worshipped and served as he is entitled to be, everything else will fall into its rightful place

Throughout the day the Sisters come together to worship God at Mass and the Divine Office..

The Spirit of Prayer which penetrates the life is nourished by the Liturgy and by the half hour in the morning and half hour in the evening set aside for personal prayer, by Lectio Divina, by quietness, times of silence and by scriptural and other studies.

A special prayer is said each morning for God’s blessing on priests.

WORK

There are numerous houses in England run by our sisters and lay helpers providing care for the frail, the sick and the dying as well as accommodation for the active elderly and for guests and retreatants. All who come are welcomed as part of our family.

India

We have five convents in South India. Our work includes care of the elderly and children, hospitals, clinics, craft training centres for young people, farms and a retreat and conference centre. In 2007 our new School of Nursing was officially opened at Adaiyur.

Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka we have two homes for the frail elderly. Melville to the south of Colombo and St Joan's at Ja-Ela to the north of the city.

We are now bulding a new home at Chilaw.

Kenya

We have a convent at Mundika where we care for the elderly, visit local villagers and run a host-baking facility for the diocese. We also have a guest house and a small farm.

Uganda

At Irundu we work in the local schools and clinic.

We have opened a new nursery school for the area and built a well to provide local water supplies.

OUR FAMILY

Our life is a family one of love and concern for each other. It is a life in common, yet with consideration for individual needs.

Sisters are given the opportunity to develop their talents, bearing in mind the needs of the congregation.

As well as working and praying together, there are times for relaxation, hobbies and recreation.

We have Oblates who, while remaining in their own occupation and state of life contribute to and share in our Benedictine spirituality.

Then there are our lay associates and friends who help by their prayers, and participate in our work in activities such as fundraising. Our lay helpers are interdenominational.