Archive by Author | Mair Allen-Williams

This unity, which comes from the inner life of each person

This unity, which comes from the inner life of each person, is only possible when, stone by stone, the walls around our vulnerable hearts come down.

“Then we no longer judge ourselves as unworthy and we no longer judge others as unworthy. We see them and in ourselves the light and love of God. There is no longer a void or anguish or terrible loneliness, but a new life, the very life of God, surging up from within us. It is an experience of freedom and oneness with others, an experience of a fullness of life where one’s very identity has mysteriously given way to a new identity that flows directly from God.

“This wondrous unity is a promise of what will be given to us as we become transformed in God. On earth we may live glimpses of it, but most of the time we struggle against the chaos within. We struggle to keep welcoming people, to love those whom we do not like or who do not like us. We struggle to love those who are different or who appear to be rivals. We struggle to love our enemies, those who hurt us. We struggle not to judge or condemn people.

“Peace comes as we enter this struggle, as we work for unity in our family and community, in our church and between all followers of Jesus, and between all our brothers and sisters in humanity.

“Peace comes as we no longer seek to prove that we are right, as we live the truth of forgiveness and reconciliation and accept the light and presence of God within us and within others.”

(An Excerpt from Drawn into the Mystery of Jesus through the Gospel of John by Jean Vanier)

Dear Co-worker of Christ

Jan18

Dear Co-worker of Christ,

You had said “Yes” to Jesus – and He has taken you at your word. The Word of God became Man – poor. Your word to God became Jesus – poor and so this terrible emptiness you experience. God cannot fill what is full. He can fill only emptiness – deep poverty – and your “Yes” is the beginning of being or becoming empty. It is not how much we really “have” to give – but how empty we are – so that we can receive fully in our life and let Him live His life in us.

In you today – He wants to relive His complete submission to His Father – allow Him to do so. Does not matter what you feel – as long as He feels alright in you. Take your eyes from your self and rejoice that you have nothing – that you are nothing – that you can do nothing. Give Jesus a big smile – each time your nothingness frightens you.
This is the poverty of Jesus. You and I must let Him live in us and through us in the world.

Cling to Our Lady – for She too – before She could become full of grace – full of Jesus – had to go through that darkness “How could this be done?”. But the moment She said “Yes” she had need to go in haste and give Jesus to John and his family.

Keep giving Jesus to your people not by words but by your example – by your being in love with Jesus – by radiating His holiness and spreading His fragrance of love everywhere you go.
Just keep the joy of Jesus as your strength. Be happy and at peace. Accept whatever He gives – and give whatever He takes with a big smile. You belong to Him – tell Him:
“I am Yours, and if You cut me to pieces every single piece will be only all Yours.”

(Mother Theresa of Calcutta)

CV

Jan20

Elizabeth Allen-Williams, née Hubert.
Date of Birth: 19/11/1948, Salisbury UK.
Marriage 1974 Divorce 1996
Children: Mair, born 30th January 1981, Catrin, born 30th December 1982.

Baptized, 1949 Confirmed, 1964
Membership, Religious Society of Friends, 1991
Oblation CSMV, 1994-2006, (when entered the Community as an Aspirant).

Society of the Sacred Cross, Tymawr, May 2008—

First Profession 4th January 2011
Profession of Life Vows 2 February 2014

Education
Early schools, army schools in Egypt and Cyprus (Nursery in Belgium?)
1957-1965 Guildford High School
1966 Language school in France, few months
1966 Secretarial College in Guildford, certificate awarded
1967 – 1970 St George’s Hospital, London, School of Nursing
1973 Language School in Italy, few months
1977, day release, diploma in nursing course, Bristol Technical College
1986-90, very part time training as ballet teacher
Over the years in Lincoln, 5 counselling courses, training as bereavement counsellor, German, Spanish, French.
1996 Back to Nursing course, 6 months part time, Queen’s Medical Centre
1996 Prison Service College, Wakefield, Prison Officer Training, 3 months
Various in service trainings including specific health care ones, social work, plus the general ones, Race Relations, Control and Restraint etc.

Qualifications
GCE’s – French, English Lit, English Language, Maths, History, Geography, Biology. 1965
Various outdated music and language exams and certificates, none at professional level
Also Bishop’s course (6 terms), later I facilitated two of these over 4 years. Have certificate.
Secretarial Diploma – 1966
State Registered Nurse (now, RGN) 1970
Registered in France, 1971
Diploma in Nursing Part A, 1978
Back to Nursing Cert, ENB 902, 1996
Associate, then Member of the British Association of Teachers of Dance (classical ballet).1988, 1990
Qualified as Prison Officer, 1996 (Certificates)

Work experience
Secretary for car sales, Wadhams Motors 1967 (months only, left to train as a nurse)
Nursing – at St George’s until 1971, then agency, a bit less than a year,
Nursing in France 72-3(14 months),
Switzerland for a few months working with children in a boarding holiday school
Nursing: St George’s Hospital as a Night Sister (1974). Left to get married
Secretary: Saudi Arabia, brief stint as a part time bilingual secretary – left to go to Africa
Nursing: Kenya, part time over a couple of years as a volunteer nurse tutor (1974-77)
Nursing: Ham Green Hospital Bristol, Ward Sister (1977-78, 18 months). Left to go to Indonesia
Indonesia, a bit of ballet teaching; 1979,80 (18 months)
Returned to UK and had children. (Mair 30.01.1981; Catrin 30.12. 82).
Voluntary work included Mothers’ Union things, including speaker, Bereavement counselling (with continuous in-service training), facilitating Diocesan ‘Bishop’s Courses’, National Childbirth Trust befriender, teaching French in junior school, liturgical dance group, various roles for churches and Quaker Meetings, teaching classical ballet until entered a Religious Community.

1996-2005 Health Care Officer, Prison Service.
Two year participation in Chaplaincy group for prisoners facing long sentences, including Life. Did a fair bit of translating with French speakers, and a bit with Italian. First Night Centre team. SWIP Officer (Social Work in Prison). Lifer Management.
2005 – 6: Age Concern as Befriender. (CRB check)
March 2006 – March 2008 Two years in the Novitiate of Anglican Religious Community (Community of St Mary the Virgin.) (CRB check)
May 2008 Society of the Sacred Cross. RGN Registration maintained; nursing in the community and PREP done. RCN Member