The House
On the ground floor there is space to welcome groups.
On the first and second floors are spaces for guests looking for quiet and silence.
The Chapel
The Chapel is a welcoming space with stained glass windows and a high wooden ceiling. It can be used for personal and group prayer.
You are also welcome to join in prayer with the community:
Monday-Thursday:
- 12.30 pm to 12.45 pm: Silent Prayer
- 6.30 pm to 7.00 pm: Evening Prayer
- 8.00 to 8.45 pm: Night Prayer
Friday:
- 12.30 pm to 12.45 pm: Silent prayer
- 6.30 pm to 7.00 pm: Mass (Please phone or email the day before to confirm)
- 8.30 pm to 9.00 pm: Night Prayer
Saturday and Sunday:
- 12.30 pm to 12.45 pm: Silent Prayer
- 6.30 pm to 7.00 pm: Evening Prayer
What Happens During Community Prayers?
- Evening Prayers are usually sung. All are welcome to join in singing.
- At the Evening Prayer, there is a hymn, psalms and scripture reading followed by a short time of silence, a time of free intercessions followed by the ‘Our Father’, a blessing and a hymn.
The Gardens
The gardens that surround the house are mainly left as a meadow to promote biodiversity. We keep sustainability in mind: water butts collect rainwater, no chemicals are used, and there are insect hotels, bird houses and feeders. The gardens are an ideal place to meditate, to contemplate the beautiful trees and the flowers, either sitting on one of our many benches, or walking slowly.
There are several themed trails in the gardens to assist prayer and meditation:
- ‘In the Garden: A Meditative Trail’
- ‘A Bible Trail: Plants and Trees from Scripture’
- A ‘Creation trail’ describing various initiatives that help care for our Common Home
Do not hesitate to ask one of the Sisters for a trail guide.
Prayer Labyrinth
Nestled between the chapel and a tall hedge is our prayer labyrinth. It is not a maze, there are no dead ends. Rather, the labyrinth is a prayer walk, like a mini-pilgrimage where the pilgrim is guided to the labyrinth’s centre. The path to the centre is not straightforward, and the pilgrim meets surprising bends and turns along the way. The prayer labyrinth then can be understood as a parable of the journey of our own life.
Walks
There are many possibilities to walk in green spaces as South-East London is blessed by a number of lovely city parks. Greenwich Park, Manor Park and Manor Gardens are all in an easy walking distance from our house. Walks are also possible in Blackheath, Greenwich, Canary Wharf, Surrey Quays and along the Thames Path. With public transport you can go even further.
A walk provides a way to gaze anew on city life contemplating ordinary life: children going to school, passing buses, police on horseback, road works, people shopping in the market…
Accessibility
Our house has the following features for reduced mobility access:
- A ramp from the car park to the front door
- An accessible toilet on the ground floor
Residential retreats:
Please be aware that unfortunately we do not have the facilities for wheelchair accessible residential retreats. Our house has several floors, and guest accommodation is on the higher ones. We do have a lift for everyday use, but it is not to be used in case of fire, so in the event of emergency evacuation guests will need to be able to use two flights of stairs themselves. Please take this into consideration if you have mobility issues.
