Eucharistic Catholic Church
Eucharistic Catholic Church
Donate Now Through CanadaHelps.org!
  • Welcome
    • Blog
    • Newsletter
  • About
    • History
    • Beliefs
    • Photos
  • Administration
    • Liturgy Schedules
    • Pastoral letters
    • Homilies
  • Vocations
  • Ministries
  • Contact
  • Donate

​

Helter-skelter and Julian of Norwich

8/10/2019

1 Comment

 
Picture
by Father Richard Sorfleet

​The BBC recently reported on the erection of a 'helter-skelter' slide inside Norwich [UK] cathedral to attract visitors. Amusements are nothing new with Rochester cathedral having been at one time turned into a mini-putt golf course. Yet Norwich's fame as a religious center of English Christianity does not need to rely on seaside distractions as one of the most famous of female medieval mystic writers Julian of Norwich lived there as an anchoress in the late 14th and early 15th C.

Almost nothing is known about Julian's life (c. 1342-c. 1413)  not even her real name. As was the custom of anchorites, she took the name Julian from the name of the church where she lived in a cell. The Norwich church was named for St. Julian (337-352).

What information we have about her is in her writing, The Revelations of Divine Love In this volume of which there are two versions -long and short, she explains that she was thirty years old when at the end of a grave illness she received fourteen revelations or "showings." Later two other visions followed. 
In her fifties, Julian wrote about the meaning of these showings. She described her struggles with sin as well as sin's effect on humanity and on personal relationship with God. The theme of her writings, one of the masterpieces of Middle English literature and with proof as authored by a woman, is the great love and compassion of God.
 
She refers to God the Creator as father and mother and refers to the second person of the Trinity as mother. In the Revelations, Julian presents a vision of God in the feminine maternal role. She says God is mother, not simply like a mother.

Julian has been called the first English theologian to write in English. She reflects Christian optimism which is not dominated by sin and the Fall which was the more common theme of medieval and Reformation theology. Her spirituality is animated by grace and love.

Julian is commemorated on May 8th.
​
​Most holy God, the ground of our beseeching,
who through your servant Julian
revealed the wonders of your love:
grant that as we are created in your nature and restored by your grace,
our wills may be so made one with yours
that we may come to see you face to face
and gaze on you for ever;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
[Common Worship] 

1 Comment

    Blog

     

    Our blog offers information on our monthly liturgical services, special events, news, and donation requests for our church and missions.  It will also contain homilies for reading or printing.

    Archives

    January 2021
    June 2020
    May 2020
    January 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Categories

    All
    Abp. Roger LaRade
    February Liturgy
    Homilies
    January Liturgy

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Welcome
    • Blog
    • Newsletter
  • About
    • History
    • Beliefs
    • Photos
  • Administration
    • Liturgy Schedules
    • Pastoral letters
    • Homilies
  • Vocations
  • Ministries
  • Contact
  • Donate