In addition to my work in school, I am also responsible for vocations work within the Province. It is always a real privilege to accompany people who are seeking to understand more fully the call of God in their lives.

I started my two-year novitiate year in September 2001. It was a blessed time full of new challenges and insights, moments of joy and of pain . I have discovered some very beautiful things inside me, and I have realized that I still have a lot to learn.

On the 30th August 2003 I made first vows as a Faithful Companion of Jesus. I cannot describe the moment when I pronounced my vows and received the FCJ cross. Wonderful!

I now live in Liverpool and teach mathematics in Bellerive FCJ Catholic College, and I enjoy it immensely. There is something very life giving in working with children. It is both a huge responsibility and a great privilege. And everyday is different.

I am also involved in the area where I live. It is a pleasure to welcome our friends and colleagues for Mass in our Chapel every week. After Mass we take time to share a simple meal and companionship.

Our house is always a hive of activity. We organise various opportunities where different people can come and reflect, pray, meet, laugh ... We often have visitors: women who want to come and live community with us for a while, as they try to make space to listen to God's call.

Our motto - Never a dull moment!!

If I hadn't entered the FCJ Society I would have gone to art school and life would have been very different indeed! I would not have studied science in Dublin, nor taught maths and biology at Holt Hill, Birkenhead, nor had the experience of secondary school leadership in Middlesbrough. Quite recently I was at reunion of 'girls' from Holt Hill. It was truly wonderful meeting former students, (...;and affirming to be told I had lifted the veil of mystery from mathematics.)

I love being with young people.

I enjoyed my years in province leadership and have just returned from an enriching sabbatical in the US. After a renewal programme at Sangre de Cristo in New Mexico I attended the Institute of Pastoral Studies in Chicago (and lived in community with the Religious of the Sacred Heart on Kenmore Avenue.) It was a wonderfully formative experience in which so many strands of life came together for me. My deep love of art, a fascination with things ecological and the inspiration of Ignatian Spirituality all converged in the pastoral studies classes. I was energised for this next phase of my journey.

I have two areas of ministry now; Catholic Chaplain at Hope University College in Liverpool and Schools Officer for the FCJ schools in Britain. I have often heard it said that Liverpool is a great place to live ...;and I readily agree. It is a friendly city. The FCJs have been here since 1844 and I am proud to be part of this 'long line' of committed women who have served the people of this city.

...;Yes, I am very happy that I did not go to art school!

Over the past few years I have been prayer guide to a Christian Life Community (CLC) group. This involves meeting the group each week as they share their life of prayer together, and encouraging them to deeper reflection as they carry out their apostolic work. It is a great privilege to accompany them.

From time to time I also work alongside the Jesuit Communities at Loyola Hall, Liverpool and St Buenos, Wales, directing those who come for retreats. It is always good to work with others in helping people to listen to where God is guiding them in their lives.

I am Brigid and I am on the far right of the photo talking with two other FCJs. I have seen Bellerive School FCJ, Liverpool, evolve from a girls' grammar school to an inner city comprehensive. The evolution has been slow and challenging.

Over the last four years we have moved from being split site to being on one site, (well almost!) Our school occupies four beautiful buildings and is surrounded by magnificent city parks. I think our art and technology rooms must have the best vistas of any art rooms as they overlook Prince's Park. Two of our buildings are already connected by a subterranean walk-way and very soon all our buildings will be interconnected because we have another walkway fast approaching completion. (This puts a new gloss on interconnectedness.)

We face the challenges of any other inner city comprehensive school especially that of promoting high academic standards. We are very proud of our academic attainment and our commitment to community. Girls come to Bellerive from all over Liverpool. We have girls from many ethnic backgrounds especially many black British girls. Eastern Europeans are now joining our ranks, and we have a few from South America.

When Bellerive was a grammar school it had an excellent reputation for science. This is still strong and we have just applied for Science College status. (We had to raise £50,000 as part of our bid and spent a Saturday packing bags at Tesco's. We raked in £1,775! If we spend another 50 Saturdays in Tesco's there is no telling what we might be able to build!)

Whilst the responsibilities of school leadership are quite challenging, they are also most rewarding and I am glad to have the opportunity of leading Bellerive into this new Millennium.

Our school's motto is , "Suaviter in modo fortiter in re" which translates roughly as "Be strong in action and gentle in manner". It is a succinct expression of what we encourage our school community to live out.