Among the 90 or so present there were representatives from all over the world, including Australia, France, Belgium, Holland, U.S.A, Japan, Poland, Malta and Ireland. Although most alumnae were based in England, three made the journey from Belgium - Cecile Sprokholt-vanLoon, Dutch President Majijke Clabecq-Hermans and Elizabeth Hendrickx-Hermans (Majijke and Ells for the second year running!)

A wonderful bonus was to receive a message on the night from Trish Burns, sending us her best wishes and inviting us to Sydney for the World Meeting in 2002.

There was great enthusiasm for the planned celebrations in Brussels on 28-30 October 2000 for the Bicentenary of the founding of the Society of the Sacred Heart. I am sure that there will be good representation from England. It is hoped that following the Belgian's visit to four of our schools last November, that these schools will take part. Representatives from Woldingham School and Tunbridge Wells will be attending a meeting in Brussels on the weekend of 8/9th of May. We were delighted to welcome Mrs. Maureen Ribbins, Head of Woldingham School, to our party once again.

We also took the opportunity to thank Caroline Griffith for all her work as President, in holding the Association together following Mary Don's death. We do miss her at the helm - but I am pleased to say that she is still very much a part of our committee and in addition has now become our editor. We have also welcomed Geeta Alvares Meneses, Clare Hauptfuhrer, Christine Kaming, Ingrid Lloyd and Anne Motion on our committee - a very talented group.

We are having a new style AGM on Sunday, 9th May, to include a family picnic. Father Seed, from Westminster Cathedral, has kindly agreed to celebrate Mass.

Anna Clark
28 April 1999

News from Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology

Wholehearted support for the work of the Institute was given by Cardinal Hume when he hosted a fundraising reception for the Institute at Westminster in October. "we need the contributuion of women with theological formation - we need you, and therefore you will have all my support... you're doing a good job, an important job, and we're all behind you." Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, Master of the Dominicans, was no less enthusiastic: "Everywhere that I travel I see how much of the ministries of the Church are conducted by women... and if you go to the poor places... then you will find that is it the women who are providing the only health care, the only education, the only catechism, the only preaching... Theology is about as practical and down to earth as you can imagine. It's what happens when the word of God meets the questions, the hopes, the problems, the aspirations of people in our society. For this work women need theology."

Back at Cambridge, ecumenical history was made in November when each member body of the Cambridge Federation of Theological Colleges had its inspection/audit by a team of inspectos from the Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican and United Reformed Churches. Previously each member body was inspected by its own church authority, but so much teaching, worship and other activities are now done federally, the nature of the inspection was changed to reflect this ecumenical development and co-operation.

On the fundraising front, work is progressing on the appeal and seven distinguished Patrons have pledged their support for the Institute and its aims. One of those Patrons, Baroness Masham, hosted a dinner for the Institute at the House of Lords in February, where again Cardinal spoke in support of the work of the Institute.

The second Mary Ward Lecture was delivered by Elizabeth Johnson CSJ, Distinguished Professor of Theology, Fordham University, New York in February and Study Days and Public Lectures to attract visiotrs to the Institute.

- Caroline Griffith