Churches join in celebration of ‘Revelations of Divine Love’

Submitted by Sister Joanne Kollasch, OSB

The following is excerpted from an article entitled “Churches join in celebration of ‘Revelations of Divine Love’” by Madoc Cairns in the May 20, 2023, issue of The Tablet. I am touched by this ecumenical celebration of the English mystic, Julian of Norwich, and the Pope’s prayer for consolation and strength based on her writings.

“Julian, an anchorite, or enclosed hermit, living in Norwich in the fourteenth to fifteenth century, began receiving visions of Christ’s Passion in 1373 when she was 30 years old. The Revelations of Divine Love is the oldest surviving work by a woman writer in the English language.

A Papal message and blessing marking the 650th year since the medieval mystic Julian of Norwich received her Revelations of Divine Love has been sent to all those participating in commemorations. The Pope’s blessing, sent to both the Catholic Bishop of East Anglia and the Church of England Bishop of Norwich was read out at a special service in Norwich Anglican Cathedral [on] Sunday, 14 May.

In a joint statement, Bishop Peter Collins and his Anglican counterpart, Graham Usher, stated they were ‘very grateful’ to the Pope for his blessing and ‘delighted that Catholics, Anglicans and Christians of other denominations will be coming together to pray and be inspired by Julian’s life and witness’.

Referring to Julian’s famous apprehension in a vision that ‘all manner of thing shall be well’, the Pope added that he prayed ‘all who face the pressing challenges of war, injustice, ecological disaster or spiritual poverty, may be consoled and strengthened by these enduring words of wisdom’.”