Stories of Vocation - Sr Patricia Ainsworth

My life began in Lancashire. I was brought up in St Joseph’s parish, Bury and attended St Joseph’s primary school, going from there to Bury Convent Grammar School, as it then was. My Dad had attended St Joseph’s school also and left at aged 14 to work in the various mills. My mother was brought up in Guardian Angels parish, having attended the school there, and like my Dad left at aged fourteen also to work in various mills. Both had known the Daughters of the Cross as the Sisters still taught in the parish schools and ran the Children of Mary and Guild of St Agnes. My Dad used to talk about Sr Willibalda and Sr Ubalda who I gather were quite stern.

 I never met any Sisters until the 9th September 1952 when I spent my first day as a pupil at Bury Convent Grammar School. Sr Emilie Mary was the Headmistress. She was a gentle person who led the assembly everyday. I remember vividly the Corpus Christi processions which took place every year; how I loved them. Strangely I do not remember being told anything of the story of the Daughters of the Cross but I felt drawn to the Sisters. When I was aged 13 a Sister from another congregation came to speak in our parish about the life of their Sisters. I felt inspired especially after watching a film of their life.They seemed to sing and pray all the time even though it was not a contemplative order. I then put all thoughts of being a Sister to the back of my mind but I believe the seed of a religious vocation had been planted by that Sister. By the age of 16 I was thinking more seriously about entering. The Sisters in Bury always seemed so happy and whenever I visited the lovely little chapel there was nearly always a Sister in there praying. However my parents would not hear of me entering at such a young age but they did allow me to leave school and go and work at St Elizabeth’s for 18 months. Being there just strengthened my resolve, as I was with the Sisters 24 hours of the day and got a good idea of their lives and felt truly inspired.

On the 5th September 1959, I took the big step of entering the postulancy in Carshalton and so my life as a Daughter of the Cross began. The life then was very different and changed radically after Vatican II. The foundations that were laid for me in my early days as a Daughter of the Cross stood me in good stead, especially as regards the life of prayer. Always we were made to realise the importance of prayer in our lives as active religious. Throughout nearly fifty years there have been various ups and downs, opportunities, challenges, etc. The life of a Daughter of the Cross is one that follows the way of the Cross leading ultimately to the joy of the Resurrection.

Most of my religious life has been spent in teaching young people with very special needs. Since retiring six years ago I have spent time setting up and running a counselling service for staff members throughout St Elizabeth’s Centre. More recently I have been asked to take on the task of vocations promotion. This has made me reflect with gratitude upon  my own religious vocation as a Daughter of the Cross, and to thank God for all those who have helped me and inspired me throughout the whole of my life, most of all my parents who at a great cost to themselves, allowed me to enter all those years ago.

Sr Pat Ainsworth

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