THE SISTERS OF CHRIST FORMERLY THE RELIGIOUS OF THE CROSS.-
SISTER RUTH MARY BROWN hopes to be able to attend the reunion in July. Since last September aii the provinces of The Sisters of Christ in Europe, that is England, France, Belgium and Italy, have been united into one Province.

This necessitates travelling to France for meetings. Sr. Ruth acts as interpreter for French/ English. As well as being responsible for the Convent at Bedhampton she is very involved in work in the parish and with Oaklands School.

SISTER JOAN is with her at Bedhampton, we hope to see her in July too.

SISTER MAY continues to look after the Convent and its residents at East Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

SISTERS MARY AGNES (NORAH LOFTUS) and CATHERINE MORTON are due to arrive from Cameroun, via Belgium, on June 22nd. Brother Ralph Loftus will meetthem at Heathrow. Brother Ralph and his sisters Norah and Nelly will have several family reunions with another sister, who is a Poor Clare Sister in Devon and a sister-in-law, who is over from Melbourne, Australia.

It would be so good if Sisters ; Mary Agnes and Catherine Morton could get to Boscombe for our Past Pupils' reunion.

SISTER MARGUERITE COWERD moved from Springhiii Convent at East Cowes to Sittingbourne last November, as we told you in the Christmas newsletter. Sister Marguerite promised to write us a piece for that edition; unfortunately, due to ill health, the article arrived too late for publication so I include it with her news.

After the 6th September Golden Jubilee celebrations SISTER MAY went to Ireland to celebrate with her family, as you read in the last edition. SISTER MARGUERITE continued to look after Springhiii, the Sisters who lived there and the guests. At the same time she had to pack, quite a task after having spent 46 years of her life there!

It was a traumatic time and not surprisingly Sister Marguerite went down with a heavy cold, after she arrived at Sittingbourne on 3rd November. No sooner had she recovered from that than she succumbed to shingles, which is very debilitating.

The house is a complete contrast to Springhiii; instead of looking out over green fields to the sea she is now 6-10 yards from the main road (A2) and traffic goes up and down it day and night. We do hope that you are fully recovered now, Marguerite, and that you are feeling more settled. The convent and the parish are surely reaping great benefits from your care and expertise.

The Convent is surrounded by houses but Sister Marguerite ensures that their little garden is an oasis of colour. Hanging baskets are being prepared as I write! She and Sr. Monica, from Madagascar have joined the Parish choir and Marguerite is helping with the children's liturgy.

SISTER HILDERGARDE, who was 94 in March has just moved from Springhiii to Sittingbourne where she will be able to have day and night care.

THE HANDMAIDS OF THE SACRED HEART OF JESUS
On Friday 19th March, the Feast of St. Joseph, SISTER FRANCES LOTINA, the Superior at the Convent in Parkwood Road, celebrated her Golden Jubilee. It was a wet day with gale force winds but SISTER BERNARDINE drove down from London with SISTERS ROSA CRONIN and KATHLEEN GARROD.

We had a lovely Mass of Thanksgiving at 10a.m. in Corpus Christ! Church. At 5.30p.m. some of the parishioners hosted a reception for Sister Frances in the Hall of St Thomas Garnet's School.

David Bate and his wife JENNY (SHEPHERD) were there, David has just completed his term of office as the President of the Bournemouth branch of the Catenian Association. The delicious cake was made by Gaby Huggins, mother of past pupil MARIE MORRIS( HUGGINS).

When the Handmaids moved away from their convent school in Highcliffe Sister Frances became sacristan at Corpus Christ! Church. Since then she has worked in the convent in Beckenham, Kent, and did excellent parish ministry in a very poor parish in the suburbs of Glasgow.

When the Sisters moved away from Glasgow she worked for a short while in Dublin before coming back to Boscombe as Superior of the Convent Community. Sister Frances has a sister in the same Congregation who has worked for many years in the Handmaids' Mission in Cameroun.

Her brother, Michaelangelo Lotina, is a well known footballer and is currently the manager of a prestigious football team in Spain!

The Boscombe Convent Past Pupils' Association sent our congratulations and requested a Mass to be offered for her intentions. Sister Frances sends her sincere thanks to you all.

SISTER CATHERINE REYNELL is still very ill, we ask for your prayers. At the time of writing she is in a Nursing Home in Southbourne.

SISTER IRENE is as cheerful as ever, despite her poor health.