The Daily Mail have a little more on Mother Richard or Riccarda, who was received into the Church at St Mary Magdalen. Simon Caldwell who wrote the original article has sent me a photograph.
Apparently the Bridgettines are referring to her as a Servant of God so obviously her cause has been accepted.
Here is a prayer for her Beatification composed by the sisters
AMOR MEUS CRUCIFIXUS EST
Prayer for the Beatification of the Servant of God
Mother M. Richard Beauchamp Hambrough, O.SS.S.
(1887 – 1966)
We thank you, Lord,
because You have moulded a simple and generous heart
in Your servant Richard,
capable of total confidence
and heroic adhesion to Your project of life.
Grant to us,
who venerate her memory,
that we may follow in her steps,
and have her as a sister and as an advocate
before Your throne of mercy.
Glory be … 3 times
In the event of graces granted through the intercession of the Servant of God you are kindly asked to inform:
Motherhouse, P.za Farnese, 96 - Rome - 00186 - Italy
Tel. +39 06-68892596.
Perhaps someone might like to compose a prayer for our parish?
19 comments:
Here's my effort at a prayer.
Almighty and Eternal God.
You raised up Mother Mary Richard Beauhamp Hanrough as a witness to Your merciful love.
In giving shelter to the persecuted People of the Covenant, she gave witness to the God-given dignity of the human person at a time when man's capacity for evil appeared to have overcome the undiminished Light of Christ.
Grant that by virtue of the great merits bestowed upon her by Your Grace, we may know the power of her intercession with You and follow her example in proclaiming through our lives, Your boundless mercy for all of mankind.
We ask this through Christ Our Lord.
Amen
Dear Father,
Will you be having a card printed soon? Then we can all make a donation to expenses.
In spite of the grave situation in 'The Dowry of Mary', we need no further proof, that the tide is on the turn. An amazingly timed and apposite counter to the Shoah deniers. And an Englishwoman! Let the secular press publicise THIS as widely as they have the 'other business'.
I do not believe it is a coincidence that we happen to be in the nine day novena leading up to the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Laurence: Sincere thanks. Will print this off and use it.
You know Father, if I were a parishioner of yours, I would be hoping YOU would be writing a special prayer for the parish. We laity are soooo demanding!!
With the assurance of my prayers for the beatification of Mother Richard (Ricarda), yourself and your parishioners,
Jane
Like Laurence's, but what about adding something like, "Having called her into your Church, in our Church" before "In giving shelter..."?
And the priest who apparently nurtured her vocation? Fr BENEDICT
Williamson. God must have a sense of irony.
I am sure that if Mother Tekla (superior of the Brigiditines) is behind this she will soon be beatified. She is fondly called La Papessa in Rome!
Thanks for that Fr Ray. Have recently joined the sisters in prayer at Maryvale & Holywell...wonderful.
I have been reading/following this 'story' with fascination. How exciting for you and for your parish commmunity! I join my prayers to yours, for the Beatification of this Servant of God.
Do you have any relics of her? Perhaps her family donated something to the church?
It may be worth having a rummage in the old cupboards; they could be (spiritually) valuable.
Although Fr Benedict Williamson retained the name Benedict, he was only a monk for a very short time and by 1912 was PP of Earlsfied. Before he became a priest he had trained as an architect and even after ordination designed Catholic Churches including Tooting St Anselm, but more interesting for you I believe he designed the church at Portslade (certainly one of those churches along the coast)
Thank you, Father Ray, for the picture and prayer. I shall begin using it at once, for a number of intentions. The only unsettling thing is she does rather look like a Dalek.
Fr Clifton mentions the church at Portslade. Am I right in thinking this church was demolished some time ago ? I have no idea for what reason.
All praise to Lawrence for writing his prayer and so quickly too. It would be difficult to improve on it - his words are so well chosen.
I am intrigued by the very unusual habit which the Bridgettines wore. Does the order still exist today and if so do they still wear this habit? There is probably a symbolism to the white bands - must have a look on google.
Pelerin,
see the modern habit:
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0eYS0uKawR2MC/610x.jpg
The headdress is a cross with 5 red spots, the wounds of Christ.
Father Owl,
That is our saint you are talking about. A Dalek! a vision of holiness, I think!
Thanks for the reference Father although this failed to find it for me probably due to my stupidity with the computer! However you have answered my query as to why such an unusual headdress was designed and if I am asked about it I shall be ready with a reply.
The 'Owl's' comment on resembling a dalek made me laugh!
Congratulations Fr. Ray - you must be dead chuffed!
Perhaps the members of the ADL will read this before they go off ranting on how the church did nothing to help the Jews in the Holocaust...
Glad to see her at the top of your blog. But glasses apart, she does look as though she's walked straight out of the Bayeux Tapestry!
She was notable because she helped the people out of whom the Lord did come. If it had been usual it would not be so notable. Perhaps in Heaven she will be welcomed by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, not to mention St Edith Stein. Definitely a saint for our time ,and from Brighton of all places.
I just want to tell someone that this story is so amazing and that I love knowing about my ancestor. My mothers maiden name was Hambrough. Her Grandfather, Worsley Grey Hambrough, and the father of Sister Ricarda were brothers. She was a first cousin to my grandfather, Oscar Worsley Hambrough. I am so proud to know that a member of my mothers family was such a wonderful person. Thank you for sharing this story on line. I will try to follow the story as best I can from California.
To be made a saint in the Roman Catholic Church today (should anyone wish to be) your best chance lies in being a celibate nun or monk or cleric or a recent Pope. This leaves out the great majority of mankind. What is this saying about sanctity and the universal calling to be holy? Are there really so few examples among married laypeople, mothers and fathers, that could be honoured by the Church?
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