REMEMBER THE REUNION.

As you have already read in the opening letter, the reunion will be on SUNDAY 5™ JULY, FROM 2.30 ONWARDS. Those of you who have attended previous ones will know that they are informal gatherings which give you the opportunity to catch up with other past pupils over a cup of tea/coffee.

Announcements are kept to a minimum and you can come and go as you please. We usually have some photos and memorabilia on display; if you bring some of you own please ensure that your name and address are on the back, in case they get left behind.

Our OLD BOYS are very welcome too, some faithful ones always attend, we would like to see more. Some past pupils get in touch through the website. We are a good venue for arranging a meeting with some of your contemporaries.

PLEASE SIGN THE VISITORS BOOK, it is the only record we have of those who attend and is also useful for us to check on any changes of address.

LINDA HOOPER, (HERBERT) has given some gifts to raffle at the Reunion, so tickets will be available there and the winners will be drawn after the few Announcements, about 4.30p.m. Tea, coffee etc. are not charged for, although you are usually generous with donations.

There is limited parking inside the school gates, if disabled drivers require a space I will reserve a place for you, if requested in advance. Other parking is on the roads in the area. The Chiropractic College Principal is. once again, kindly allowing us to use the Car Park, in front of the former Hall. on Parkwood Road, opposite Harvey Road.

In January we received our eagerly awaited letter from SR. PATRICIA MACKENZIE in Yorkshire. Those who contribute to the Hamper, which we have delivered to the Carmelite Convent at Christmas, are sent a copy of the full, much appreciated letter.

Our thanks to MARGARET SIMPSON (ATKINS), who organizes the choice of contents and delivery of the hamper and, on receipt of SR. PATRICIA'S ' Thank you' letter, has it printed and sent to all the contributors.

We receive our thanks with the powerful prayers of the Community and the knowledge of the pleasure the extra treats bring; the letter is a welcome bonus. With the difficulty of choice I reproduce extracts, which I am sure you will enjoy.

"Carmelite Monastery, Trip Lane, Wetherby, Yorkshire. LS22 4HZ
January 2009.

Dear Everyone,

It never ceases to amaze me that you are so generous in providing a marvellous hamper at Christmas. As I've said, doubtless many times before, we can only thank you with our prayers. All the more so because some of you will be hit by the financial crisis....

Morrisons duly delivered the hamper on December 24th, in plenty of time for us to unload your so welcome gift.

We made plenty of fruit salads with the pineapples, grapefruit, bananas, Clementines and, to us the more exotic kiwis mangoes and avocados - not that we didn't eat them individually too...

In the P.P. Association Christmas letter I read that JEAN WALSH and ANGIE journeyed from Devon to the Reunion last July. I have immense admiration for Jean's courage in doing so with a prosthetic leg - and on a windy day. What a wonderful President she is and how grateful we are to her for being the original provider of the hamper.

I'm only sorry that I missed her 92?d birthday in November. I offer my belated congratulations and assurance of our prayers. In reference to that P.P. A. letter.

I already knew of the tragic, sudden death of LESLEY COUPLAND (POPE) 59 year old mother of five, in a climbing accident on Dartmoor. I learnt this from another past pupil of mine; ANGELA DOWSON (WILLOUGHBY- MEADE) who visits and writes to me. I can well remember Lesley and am praying for her, her husband and five sons.

Not since the years of the Wood Hall Pastoral Centre ( and Mgr. Michael Buckley) has life been so very full and varied as this Carmel in 2008. A real year of activity but an enjoyable one.

One of the highlights was the arrival in February of Sr. Veronica of Langham Carmel, bringing a beautiful Icon of Our Lady and Child. She is a trained iconographer and had painted it herself. After it was blessed at Sunday Mass, it was placed in our Choir at the heart of our prayer. The Icon represents Our Lady of Unfailing Help.

Every night we sing the seasonal hymns to Our Lady in front of it and on Saturdays, holding our lighted candles, we sing the Salve Regina there. Our Lady of Unfailing Help is the patron of Leeds Diocese, and we pray particularly for postulants to come here. We need them.

Sr. Vilma Seelaus, a Carmelite from Barrington Carmel USA, came fora weekend. One other interests is composting and she ingeniously linked this with the spiritual life.

As the compost heap converts all that it receives, which is mostly rubbish, into new life giving soil, so everything can be handed over to God, the good and the bad, the failures as well as the successes; and God takes all we offer Him and brings forth fruitfulness for us and for others - most often out of our weakness. This we found encouraging !

September brought an influx of visitors en route to the General Assembly of the British Asssociation, which is held in Leeds. Sr. Rebecca, President of Oceania, travelled all the way from Australia.

From the Netherlands came Sr. Lucia and her lay assistant, who is married to a Deacon in the Dutch R.C. Church. From Ireland we welcomed Sr. Clare of Malahide Carmel.

We had a wonderful time with them staying here: praying, sharing, learning and celebrating together. Naturally other Carmelite Prioresses and their delegates called in too, on their way to or from the meeting.

I have mentioned circle dancing before and this took place during one of the recreations with the visitors. Unfortunately, one (who shall be nameless!) trod heavily on my toe as I was watching them and cannot dance because I need a stick for walking.

Later it was discovered that a toe had become septic and an antibiotic was hastily prescribed. " Tripping the light fantastic ?" Sr. Philomena, of our community, was re-elected President of the Assembly for a further three years.

The high point of the year was the First Profession of Sr. Hilary Therese, our novice, on November 14th, the feast of All Saints of the Carmelite Order. More celebrations followed the Mass of Profession, of course, including a slide/music presentation on the theme of vocation - "Come Follow Me".

The garden and orchard, particularly apples but much fewer plums, continue to flourish but, as we all know, it's a constant battle against pests and diseases. Over the last two years we have been invaded by snails, hundreds of them ! We are reluctant to use pesticide but began to have second thoughts when they started coming into the house.

One sister found that the copy of her vows, stored in her bookcase, had provided a meal for one of them. It was a sorry sight, nibbled all round and inroads made into the text! Paper must be an irresistible delicacy for snails!