The Mary Ward 400 Jubilee
It was with great joy that on Saturday 23rd January 2010 so many members of St. Mary’s School Shaftesbury attended a celebration Mass in Westminster Cathedral, including staff, parents, friends, and girls from Hewarth House. The Mass was in honour of the Mary Ward 400 Jubilee, and marked the end of that Jubilee Year in thanksgiving for the life of the Venerable Mary Ward, Foundress of the Congregation of Jesus. We were deeply honoured to have as Principal Celebrant and preacher, The Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. We were equally privileged that the Post-Communion reflection was delivered by The Most Reverend and Right Hon. Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury. Both spoke generously about Mary Ward’s life and inspiration in the face of opposition, living at a time, as she did, of severe persecution of Catholics in England.
The Cathedral, filled to capacity with over two thousand people, and bedecked with beautiful colourful banners, afforded a more than fitting venue to acclaim this remarkable 17th century Yorkshire woman, Mary Ward, who through prayer and humility, had founded a Congregation that would pioneer an apostolic form of Religious life for women, so relevant for our world today. As a woman of vision, Mary Ward saw the potential of women and the need for their education. It was a glorious tribute that so many CJ and IBVM Sisters were in the entrance procession. Together, the Sisters constitute the two branches of Mary Ward’s Institute, and both look to Mary Ward as their Foundress. Together with fifty priests who were concelebrating, including our own priest, Fr. Andrew Moore, they all sang ‘Laudate Dominum Omnes Gentes’.
Midst dignitaries from France and elsewhere, alongside the Lord Mayor of Westminster and Provincial Superiors, the CJ Schools in Britain were invited to take their place. St. Mary’s Hampstead served at Mass, and during the Offertory there was a procession representing what women have done down the centuries since Mary Ward; it included such heroines as Florence Nightingale and Jane Austen.
Twenty girls from St. Mary’s Shaftesbury sang in the Choir, under Miss Radford’s and Mr. Andrew’s direction, alongside singers from our schools in Ascot, Cambridge, and the Loreto College, St. Albans. At Communion, there were beautiful renditions of the Veritas Domini, composed by Fr. Andrew Moore, and Cor Jesu Sacratissimum. Later in the Mass we listened to Mr. James’ composition of the Mary Ward Jubilee Hymn.
The joy and glory of this occasion will, for all those who were there, remain long unsurpassed. It was a simply wonderful day, a true day of thanksgiving. The Reception afterwards in Lawrence Hall bore testimony to this in the smiles and reunions that took place from every part of the globe.
“May God’s verity make us just persons, that we may be such as we appear and appear such as we are.” (Mary Ward) Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!
Andrea Le Guevel (St. Mary’s Chaplain)
