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| Network Peterborough |
Sister Pippa says farewell to Welland
 At the end of April Sister Pippa exchanged life on the Welland Estate in Peterborough for the rhythms and routines of the Community of the Holy Name’s Mother House in Derby.The Community is an Anglican religious order and it has had a house at Welland for over 12 years. A succession of Sisters have lived on the estate to provide “a praying presence”.
During the five years that Sister Pippa has been at Welland one of her main areas of work has been with the local primary school, reading with the children and leading assemblies.
“I have enjoyed getting to know the young families and seeing them grow up,” she said. “The children introduce me to their Mums and often people would stop me in the road to ask me to pray for something.”
Wearing a nun’s habit has helped to make these contacts. “A nun is a recognizable character on the estate - like the milkman,” she said. “To the children I am a tame penguin!”
Sister Pippa is the first to admit that being a praying presence is not easy. “Praying is very difficult and I am not very good at it,” she says. It is a claim refuted by Nigel Fry, Vicar at Christ the Carpenter with whom Sister Pippa and her predecessors have worked with closely in the parish.
“It’s fantastic having the Community house here,” he said. “Although we are blessed with a staff team, the Sisters offer something wholly extra. You can share on a different level and they keep me in pastoral rather than managerial mode.”
Sister Pippa, who alarmed her non church-going family when she became a nun 35 years ago, says she will remember her time in Peterborough warmly. “What I will remember most,” she said, “are the courageous lives people lead, often in very difficult circumstances.”
Sister Pauline and Sister Lynfa have now arrived to continue the praying presence at Welland. They hope, once settled and established in the parish, to be able to offer a resource to the wider diocese, leading quiet days or events about prayer and spirituality. You can contact them on 01733 352077.
Photo caption: Sister Pippa with Nigel Fry at Welland, Peterborough.
Reproduced with kind permission from Peterborough Diocese
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