Centenary Year of Women of Prayer – On St. Telio’s Day 1923, a small group of women came from Chichester, Surrey, to Tymawr, near Monmouth, Wales, to begin a life of contemplative prayer dedicated to God and living off the land. The present day community of contemplative sisters invite you to join them in this programme of Quiet Days, Pilgrimage and Eucharist honouring Women of Prayer.
Quiet Days
11 February 2023 Contemplative Prayer and Mission withDr. Jane Williams – Whether we notice it or not, our practice of prayer is deeply connected to the character and purposes of God. Far from being a private, life-style choice, to be a pray-er is to be drawn into the action of God for the world. Jane Williams is McDonald Professor in Christian Theology at St Mellitus College. She is the author of a number of books, including Lectionary Reflections; Why Did Jesus have to Die?; and The Art of Christmas.
13 May 2023 Widows, mothers and virgins: praying with women through hard times with Rev Dr Hannah Lewis SCL – Hannah Lewis is a BSL using deaf priest currently working in the Diocese of Oxford with the deaf community. She is also a liberation theologian and a single mother and has taken life vows in a Single Consecrated Life. Prayer is the only way she holds all this together.
3 June 2023 Teresa of Cartegena and God in the Silence with Venerable Karen Lund – Karen is Archdeacon of Manchester. She is a poet, mystic and lover of God and trees. She is also a creative felter, basket weaver and horsewoman.
1 July 2023 Mary Ward: a radical contemplative with Sr. Gemma Simmonds CJ – Gemma Simmonds is a sister of the Congregation of Jesus. She is a senior research fellow at the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology in Cambridge where she is director of the Religious Life Institute, teaching Christian spirituality and pastoral theology. An international speaker and lecturer, an honorary fellow of Durham University, past president of the Catholic Theological Association of Great Britain and chair of trustees of the ecumenical Community of St. Anselm based at Lambeth Palace, London.
2 September 2023 Praying with women poets with Professor Nicola Slee – Nicola Slee is Director of Research at the Queen’s Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education, Birmingham, and Professor of Feminist Practical Theology at Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam. Both poet and theologian, Nicola has authored many books concerned with women’s faith and spirituality. Current book with Canterbury Press, Abba Amma: Improvisations on the Lord’s Prayer
7 October 2023 Finding an ordinary Nazareth: insights from the French author and mystic Madeleine Delbrêl’ with Revd. Catherine Duce -Catherine Duce is a priest at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, with responsibility for the Nazareth Companions, an online contemplative community. She is a founding member of the wider Nazareth Community which began in 2018. Catherine is a recent new mum and lives in North London.
4 November 2023 St Non: the faithful and surprising prayer of self-emptying love with Rt. Revd. Mary Stallard -Mary Stallard is a bishop in the Church in Wales and a founder member of MaeCymru (Merched a’r Eglwys: supporting women in the Church in Wales). She is a Welsh learner, married to the Rev Andrew Sully, and has two daughters.
Women of Prayer – Each Quiet Day begins at 9.30am with the Office of Morning Prayer, followed by our speaker for the day and time for rest and prayer before the midday Eucharist. After a ‘bring your own’ lunch, our speaker will lead the afternoon session, which will end with Vespers at 4.30pm. Please book your place for each Quiet Day by email to SSCchaplain@gmail.com or by post to The Chaplain, Tymawr Convent, Lydart. Monmouth NP25 4RN.
Tymawr Convent – We are a small group of women committed to a simple life of contemplative prayer, living a few miles outside Monmouth, South Wales. The convent is situated in 65 acres of gardens, fields and woodlands, which are sustainably managed to produce most of the fruit and vegetables we use. We come from all walks of life and range in age from 30 years to 84 years. Our life is centered on a daily Eucharist, the monastic Offices and we offer hospitality to guests who come on Retreat.
The Society has a large group of Associates, Oblates and Companions who are committed to support the community through their life of prayer. We also welcome women who wish to explore a calling to a contemplative life of prayer, or to deepen their prayer life, to live alongside for a period of discernment and formation. If you are drawn to discover more about any of these ways of being a woman of prayer, please contact the Reverend Mother by letter or email to katharine@tymawrconvent.com