Catherine Bibby fcJ
Secondary School Teacher
I am a teacher at Upton Hall School FCJ in the Wirral. Upton is a Grammar School for girls having 820 students ages 11-18. I teach Mathematics and Religious Education there and am also Form Teacher to a Year 7 form. At the moment I am the only FCJ sister on the staff. I try to liase with the older girls in their spiritual journeys and have encouraged girls to go to Lourdes, World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto and Romania to the FCJ Youth Camp. I invite the girls and staff to evenings in our house for prayer, good company and good fun!!
In conjunction with school I do a great deal of fund raising for St John's Hospice on the Wirral.

I try to keep this going all the year round - selling goods to the students, raffles and cake sales and also through my hobby of cake decoration. I make wedding and celebration cakes for friends and give any profit to the Hospice.

Another of my 'hobbies' is Holistic Therapy - I am qualified in Reflexology, Body Massage and Indian Head Massage. Unfortunately with pressure of school work I do not get much time for this - perhaps in the future! I have been able to give workshops in a local parish and in Katherine House (a small FCJ Spirituality Centre in Salford), treatment to friends, and lessons in Stress Relief to our Year 12 students.

Helen Costigan fcJ
Hospital Chaplain
For some twenty years now, I have been involved in hospital care, working with hospital chaplaincy teams in various settings. I began my training in the summer of 1983 in St George’s Hospital, Tooting, South London and moved to the Maudsley Hospital, Camberwell very soon after that. I was to remain on the chaplaincy team at Maudsley for over 9 years, as the R.C. chaplain linked with the local Sacred Heart parish, Camberwell. I am at present one of the members of our Ecumenical chaplaincy team at Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral Trust, meeting patients and staff from all over Merseyside and north Wales and the Isle of Man.

My main ministry is still centred on Mental Health Care. For two afternoons each week I spend time with our patients and members of the staff in the Mental Health Services Unit. Members of staff are most supportive of the services the chaplaincy offers especially at Harvest Thanksgiving time, at Christmas for our Carol service, and during prayer times arranged in Holy Week.

For just over three years now, I have been giving special time to gatherings in our multi-faith prayer room. We have space and time to consider ‘Life Issues’ in a quiet, bright room. Hopefully, they are life giving and reassure both women and men, during such a critical time of their lives, that there are others present to offer understanding and hope for a better future. Another part of my ministry in this hospital is spent on the Oncology Unit – the well-known cancer care unit for the Northwest.
There are approximately 150 resident patients receiving full-time care at any one period, and an ever-growing number of day patients attending a variety of treatment clinics. We are blessed in having a very fine staff and all of us have many opportunities of meeting with some wonderful people, people of great courage and deep faith. The positive atmosphere on the Unit is truly remarkable. I know that I continue to learn so much from those I meet each week and to I feel privileged to share something of the lives of patients of all ages...;and members of families who bear so much when loved ones are anxious, confused and suffering.

Victoire Finlay fcJ
My name is VICTOIRE, taken from one of our Foundress' names whose life I had studied in school and which attracted me and sustained me through some very difficult situations leading up to my joining the FCJs.

Most of my religious life has been spent in teaching; but since my retirement, I have been involved in pastoral, parish work. Fortunately my own temperament is steady and happy, humorous and fun-loving - with a reflective streak. I love being with people but I have a leaning towards the needy, spiritually and materially. I hope I can bring them joy and a deeper friendly-spiritual relationship with God (as well as a little sweet-something occasionally!).

Confirmation classes and youth are also an enlightening part of my work - enlightening because of the way they interpret and view life and the Church. (It's a good thing that I'm shockproof!) the highlight of my parish work is being with the Union of Catholic Mothers at their meetings. About 50 attend and their ages range from 40 to 80 years. They're all very vibrant and we don't just sit around knitting and gossiping. We have a very varied programme of monthly events with two concerts a year, put on by the members to which we invite everyone. Our work for the Hospices makes about £1,400 annually and it's great fun. I'm usually the 'stand-up comedienne'!

So, what keeps me going?? Well, I'm quite active and mobile and it would be a pity not to share the richness of my life with others; a richness which I owe to my life as a Faithful Companion of Jesus.