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Journeying from St Non's
Monday 6th March 2023
In the January edition of 'Sharing the Journey', we held a competition and posed the question alongside a photograph of a lonely Chapel, close to sea, 'Where are we?' The first person to correctly identify the location was Joy Rousay, closely followed by Martha Whittaker and David Heathcote.
Alan Jenkins also sent in an entry, and it came with a story...
One thing I remembered clearly was the 'Where are we' photo. It brings back some lovely memories of my first experience of Journeying with you. It is of course the chapel at St. Non's Retreat Centre. That was a wonderful time spent away with God, and with people who love God as much as I do. He gave me some wonderful experiences, and one in particular has stuck in my memory when we were on Ramsey Island, overlooking the bay where the Queen had supposedly had a picnic after being rowed ashore from the Royal Yacht Britannia. A soft gentle wind blew over me as I stood alone in the centre of the clifftop above the bay, and told me that God was right there with me as I praised his wonderful creation.
I have found a few times in my life that when you completely lose yourself in God's presence, he repays you in abundance, and gives you the most wonderful experiences. He fills you so much with his love, that you feel you could stay there forever just being aware of his presence alongside you.
So, thank you for keeping in touch with me, and wasn't our time at St. Non's incredible.
St Non's Retreat lies at the end of a narrow country road, about a quarter of a mile from St Davids in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The last three Nuns resident at the retreat retired last year and for now the centre is closed.
Ramsey Island. Only a short distance from the mainland, the crossing to the island must never be taken lightly. The waters in Ramsey Sound can be dangerous with jagged rocks and a whirlpool racing around (usually) submerged, Horse Rock.
The Island has been in the care of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) since 1992. It is a wonderfully spiritual place...
Among Alan's fellow pilgrims was Christine Grixti, who produced a lovely sketch of the chapel, copied here.
Photographs:
- Alan Jenkins on Ramsey Island
- Christine Grixti (centre) on Ramsey Island, with pilgrims, Sue Peachey on her right and Susan Fogarty on her left.
- Sketch of the Chapel of Our Lady and St Non, by Christine Grixti
- Chapel of Our Lady and St Non, in the grounds of St Non's Retreat.
