Our final meeting of 2011 was held on 13th December - our Christmas Celebration at Diana's home. It is always a very happy occasion and we enjoyed a lovely meal to which we all contributed. Diana was given a token of appreciation from members as Leader of Hay Branch.
We concluded with Diana's mind-bending quizzes and "entertainment".
Our first meeting of 2012 was also hosted by Diana, where we were pleased to welcome Father Richard Williams, our Parish Priest, recalling his three years of training to be a Priest, with the Community of the Resurrection at Mirfield Monastery in Yorkshire. He showed us postcards of the beautiful buildings comprising the Community, the stone used in their construction being hewn from the surrounding landscape.
Upon entering the monastery, which was founded in 1890, the Brothers relinquished their own names and adopted names appropriate to their new status. In early days of the Monastery, there were 40 monks in residence, but in recent times this has reduced to 20. They live simple, structured lives, of prayer and devotion and hold five services a day ending at 10 pm with Compline.
Father Richard was thanked by June Pugh for a delightful talk which we all enjoyed.
Our next meeting is a visit to Swansea Waterfront Museum on 8th February to see the Mothers' Union exhibition on "Marriage".
Thelma Ballance-Phillips