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Two more Glencairn Associates members make promises

15 February 2012

At their annual retreat this year, 2012, Associates Breda Kertin and Elaine Burke joined the six vowed members of The Glencairn Associates in making promises to follow the Rule of St Benedict for one year, embracing and integrating Cistercian monastic values more deeply in their lives.  The promises include praying part of the Divine Office each day and commiting to the regular monastic practice of Lectio Divina, in the context of their daily lives and commitments as married and single Christians.

This beautiful ceremony took place in the community Chapter room at St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn with the Associates joining the Abbess and community on Sunday, 29 January, 2012 following the Office of Lauds in the morning. After Breda and Elaine made their promises and each received a medal of St Benedict, the original group who made promises for the first time in 2010, renewed their own once again for another year. 

The Glencairn Associates was formed in 2003 in response to a number of requests to engage as lay people in the life and spirituality of the Abbey here at Glencairn.  The graces of this new lay movement in the life of St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn are evident to all.  We continue to keep our Associates in prayer as they continue their commitment and we rely on theirs.

Photo: the members of The Glencairn Associates with leader Jean Kilcullen, joined by Abbess, Mother Marie Fahy and Sr Michele Slattery, the Associates’ liason sister. 

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