St Elizabeth's

It has always been accepted that each group of Associates will be different. The group at St. Elizabeth’s in Much Hadham meets on the first Wednesday of each month. We are a small group but very united and supportive of each other.

We see ourselves as a group of people who have come together to learn more about the charism of the Daughters of the Cross, to grow ourselves spiritually and to support each other by our prayer and in practical ways too. It is a time when we can put aside our worries and concerns as one associate put it ‘it is an hour for my fellow associates and my God’.

We have seen changes in the group , one member went off to live in America, one got married and left the area, one retired and felt unable to make the long journey to St Elizabeth’s and Pam died. Talking to Pam the week before she died really made me appreciate the great sense of belonging the Associates experience. Pam loved the meetings and in her own words’ valued the spiritual input of the meetings and having time to be’. She also felt much supported by the prayer of the group.

For all busy people to have an hour to pray to chat and to meet people of like mind is so refreshing.

Each year we host a meeting of the English Province Associates. A priest facilitates the day. We have Morning Prayer, two talks, Mass when we all renew our commitment and then we end with a barbeque. When we have a new member he/she makes her commitment on that day.

Another associate said ‘it is the first time I have belonged to a group where we did not end up having to raise money or help at something’. ‘I do so much of that in my church; I treasure my spiritual hour once a month’.