At Cambridge we have established our novitiate, which is at the same time a house of study.
It is a large, family-sized house, just outside the city-centre, built in the 1920s. Its big asset is its nearness to the Dominican Priory of St Michael (Blackfriars), which is the novitiate of the English province of the Order of Preachers. This means that our novices may, by agreement with the friars, share in the lectures on Dominican spirituality, Scripture, etc. given to the friar novices. The professed sisters of St Catherine’s community take their share in the teaching.
The novitiate lasts two years. One year is known as “canonical”: that is, the Canon Law of the Church ordains that at least one year of the novitiate should give absolute priority to prayer and spiritual formation, with no outside apostolic work. The second year continues the emphasis on prayer, study and general spiritual formation, but allows for some outside apostolic involvement, probably helping in a local parish – there are three in Cambridge; or it could be assisting a professed sister with her work.
The sisters attend Morning Prayer and Mass daily at Blackfriars and Vespers on Sundays, as well as other liturgies on important feasts. Once a month, Mass is said in our own convent. Otherwise we pray the Divine Office (Office of Readings, Vespers, Compline (or Night Prayer) in our own chapel, and meditate together for half-an-hour in the evening. Each of us gives time to private prayer daily. Once a week we hold an hour of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.
Our community normally numbers three or four. We welcome Dominican sisters from abroad, who come to pursue studies. Time for study and prayer are a priority in the daily timetable.
Cooking and housework are shared between us – which can be interesting when the cooks are new to the job!
Hospitality is one of our aims. After our monthly Mass we offer those we have invited tea and cakes. Because we have the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in our chapel, and a large garden, we open the convent to one or two groups, for prayer and study. We aim to be a place of welcome.
