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There was a good turn out from
the pastoral area on Wednesday, 24th February
and Fr Kevin welcomed everyone to the evening's Lenten
Reflection.
It was also the celebration of the newly published book,
Glimpses of the Divine written by Sr. Gemma
Simmonds, who teaches at Heythrop College.
The reflection was based on paintings by Fr. Seiger
Koder, a German artist. and the book contains colourful
and highly-evocative images of the Bible painted by the
artist.
The book is published by Pauline Books & Media as a
prayer resource for Lent 2010. |
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Sr. Angela Grant
from the
Daughters of St Paul community. |
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Gemma Simmonds
is a sister of
the Congregation
of Jesus.
After a career
in teaching she
worked as
chaplain in the
University of
Cambridge and at
Heythrop, where
she also
co-ordinated
Student Support
services.
Since her return
from study and
work among women
and street
children in
Brazil in 1992
she has been a
volunteer on the
chaplaincy team
in Holloway
Prison. |
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She
has
worked
in
spiritual
direction
as a
teacher
and
retreat-giver
after
training
in
the
Jesuit
Centre
for
Spiritual
Growth,
Wernersville,
PA,
and
has
been
involved
in
religious
and
priestly
formation
since
1993.
Her
work
as a
conference
facilitator
and
simultaneous
translator
has
also
led
her
into
translating
theological
works
in
French,
Spanish
and
Portuguese.
She
re-joined
the
staff
at
Heythrop
as a
Lecturer
in
Systematic
Theology
and
Spirituality
in
2005.
She
is
also
Course
Convenor
in
BA
Philosophy,
Religion
and
Ethics
and
Co-ordinator
of
the
Erasmus
&
Socrates
Exchange
Programmes. |
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Fr Kevin, pictured below with
Sr Catherine Skelton the superior of the community,
thanked everyone for the incredibly interesting and
moving evening.
Some copies of the book will be available in the narthex
to purchase or copies can be ordered on line from
Pauline Books. |
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“Real beauty captures
the soul for God,” said John Paul II.
In Glimpses of the Divine: The Art & Inspiration of
Sieger Köder by Gemma Simmonds, two artists combine
their gifts for image and word to create a masterpiece
to nourish the soul.
It is published by Pauline Books & Media as a prayer
resource for Lent 2010
and is available in all
Christian book shops.
Glimpses of the Divine contains 16 colourful and
highly-evocative images of the Bible painted by Köder.
The Struggle, Holy Ground, All Are Welcome, Faithful
Women, Our Hearts Burn are some of the images in the
series. Through poetic language and profound insights
Simmonds provides helpful ways for engagement with the
pictures.
“Her words are never too complex nor too simplistic,
revealing a deep awareness of the ways of God and
people, Scripture and the Christian tradition,” said
spiritual director Nick Helm. He added: “The themes
covered by the series address the major aspects of the
journey of faith which is an excellent resource for
people and groups exploring their life of faith and
spiritual development.”
Author Daniel O'Leary writes: “Glimpses of the Divine is
a tender and beautiful epiphany of the closeness of our
incarnate God, bringing healing and joy to you and those
around you. Read it, ponder it, believe it - your life
will be profoundly enriched.”
Sieger Köder is a German priest who uses painting as
Jesus used parables. He reveals the depth of the
Christian message through metaphors. Köder dips his
brush into the very essence of Scripture and with colour
describes the wholeness of human life. The Good News is
vibrantly expressed in a contemporary rendering:
powerful yet easily accessible for individual and group
meditation.
Gemma Simmonds is a sister
of the Congregation of Jesus. She lectures in pastoral
theology and spirituality at Heythrop College,
University of London. She has a background in teaching,
university and prison chaplaincy and spiritual
direction.
She has written other meditation booklets on the art of
Sieger Köder entitled: A Time to Celebrate - The
Invitation, The Promise and The Closeness of God.
Glimpses of the Divine ISBN 9781904785422 is priced at
£6.99 and is available at Pauline Books & Media Centres,
www.pauline-uk.org
<http://www.pauline-uk.org> and all Christian
bookshops. |
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To Order
Glimpses of the Divine by mail order please click on
the Pauline logo |
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Pauline
Books & Media UK is an expression of the
ministry of the Daughters of St Paul, a
group of religious sisters whose
ministry is to proclaim the Good News of
Jesus Christ using the means of
communications. Present in 53 countries
throughout the world, the Daughters of
St Paul in the United Kingdom operate a
publishing house and four bookshops
which have been serving the needs of
Christian communities since 1955. |
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Photography: Sister Mary Lou
Winters |
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