Yesterday (Feb 4 2025) was the feast day of the English Abbot St Gilbert of Sempringhham and founder of the Gilbertine Order in the Middle Ages. We held our third Ordinariate Mass in Dover celebrated by Father John Joseph of the Little Eucharistic Brothers of the Divine Will. The Ordinariate Mass was celebrated at 5:15 pm at St Mary of Hope Catholic Church in Dover which is part of the parish of the Sacred Heart Parish of the Huon Valley in the far south of Tasmania.
This date is special to Brother Gilbert Joseph who took his consecrated name in honour of St Gilbert of Sempringham whose middle name was also Gilbert, before he was a consecrated brother, after his father whose first name was Gilbert. Brother Gilbert's father Gilbert, an Anglican since he was 36 years old, died on Feb 4 1994 at 57 years of age on the feast day of St Gilbert, after Brother Gilbert (then a 30 year old seminarian overseas) had completed a nine day novena for his father who was dying of a brain tumour.
Brother Gilbert Joseph of the Divine Presence had taken his first vows as a consecrated brother on Feb 4 2011 and his final vows on Feb 4 2013. St Gilbert had been one of the inspiration behind the charism of the Little Euucharistic Brothers of Divine Will. It was emotional for Brother Gilbert Joseph who after the Ordinariate Mass renewed his vows in union with Our Lady. The brothers then celebrated with a lovely meal back at their Beit Achim (House of Brothers) in honour of St Gilbert of Sempringham.
No comments:
Post a Comment