On Saturday 11th May, at the Church of Our Lady and St Etheldreda, Newmarket, three members who have been attending meetings of the ‘Pax et Bonum’ Secular Franciscan Fraternity in Norwich made their professions. This ceremony was held during the Mass that was the central event of a Regional Day of Recollection for Secular Franciscans in the East Anglian area. Francis Taylor, Laurence Smith, and Simon Hambrook, made their promises to Brigid Rawlinson ofs, Fraternity Minister, this was witnessed by Fr Dónal Walsh OFM, our Spiritual Assistant, and other members of the East Anglian fraternities who had gathered for the day. Simon had recently moved to Assisi where he is living temporarily, his mission being to trust in the Lord for work and daily sustenance. He came back specifically for the occasion. Each member was given a copy of the Gospels as reminder of St. Francis’s exhortation that we should live from ‘Life to Gospel and Gospel to life’. A St Damiano crucifix and a lighted candle were also received by each of the newly professed.
Mass was followed by a celebratory shared lunch and a further talk by Fr Dónal in the afternoon.