Night of Peace
Cardinal Newman once said that we are responsible for the inner attitudes on which faith depends. Why do I sometimes drift through life like an unbeliever? Because I forget to remember. I forget to nourish my recognition of the larger reality that God is with me. I need spaces of focusing. That was the wisdom of the monastic timetable, with set intervals of prayer. Without pausing to ‘realise’ faith (literally), that whole vision can fade, allowing laziness to invade the imagination.
Our monthly ‘Nights of Peace’ for students and staff allow that ‘space’ Newman talked about. The space ‘to remember’, ‘recognise’ and ‘focus’ where God has been and is currently with me on the journey of life. In other words finding God in our imperfect worlds and lives or more simply ‘finding God in the mess’.
Throw into the mix, candlelight, reflective music, scripture, God’s ultimate gift in the ‘Eucharist’ exposed, peace and quiet and you have the recipe for a little piece of tranquility – and all before bed-time.
This monthly night of reflection with the Blessed Sacrament was initiated by Mr Niall Leahy SJ and Ms Anne-Marie Dolan in 2014 and has been going strong since. The latest Night of Peace took place on Monday 19th November, when there were two separate times of reflection in the People’s Church (spiritual home of Blessed John Sullivan):
Third & Lower Line: 21.15
Higher Line: 22.15
The opening of each Night of Peace is an invitation to simply ‘sunbathe in the presence of the Lord’, ‘meditate on the word of God’ and ‘speak to a friend (God) as one speaks to another.’
Ms Anne Marie Dolan, Pastoral Co-Ordinator
