If you are looking for a light summer read, can I recommend Anne Booth's 'Small Miracles'! Set in the fictional town of 'Fairbridge', it tells the unlikely tale of three nuns—the last of their congregation dedicated to St Philomena. They certainly epitomise their reality of religious life in that you do not get to choose your community—they are a God-given gift to you! Srs Margaret, Bridget, and Cecilia are finely drawn characters and, I suspect, that we have all 'met' these nuns over the years. Irish Bridget is warm and gregarious, loved by all from the Pakistani shopkeeper to the parish priest. Her mission, it seems, is to solve the problems that life will throw at us by baking one chocolate cake at a time. Her presence seems to bring out the best in people, even though poor Fr Hugh's waistline expands. She sees that the way to a Bishop's heart is by way of pavlova. She definitely subscribed to Nanna Healy's kitchen philosophy that a cup of tea can only be fully enjoyed with a Kimberley biscuit, a slice of cake, or a ham sandwich—preferably all three. At over ninety, Cecilia is the stereotypical convent schoolteacher: as harsh on herself, as she is on others. In her world there is right and wrong, with no subtle shades of grey in between. Religious life was meant to be harsh and the softly/softly approach of Bridget was not helpful. In her younger days, as a choir sister, she taught history in the convent school, prepared her lessons, and marked books. Generations of girls owed their education and careers to the "Cecilia's" of this world. In the halcyon days of a full convent of sisters, the "Bridget's" did all the domestic tasks from providing a solid breakfast in the morning to ensuring that the teaching nuns' tea was on the table when they came from school. With the school long closed, with sisters leaving to get married, and far too many deaths, Cecilia and Bridget, not natural allies, are forced to live an uneasy truce in an old convent building that is falling apart.

Trying her best to bring unity, but often just pouring oil on troubled waters, is Margaret. She must act as superior, bursar, and referee in this tiny dysfunctional community. In her touching prayer encounters with God, we witness a woman of deep faith, having to shoulder burdens that are neither light nor easy. She sees herself as a failure as a headteacher, unable to live up to the brilliance of the much-loved, and now deceased, Sr Helen. The crumbling convent stands as a simile for the breakdown of their religious life—the only thing that seems to bring them together is their daily recitation of the Office, and Mass. As the final three sisters of the Congregation of St Philomena, Margaret feels that it is case of 'will the last person out please turn out the lights?' In the face of years of neglect of their property, coupled with mounting debts, closure seems to be the only realistic way out. She cannot match Bridget's undying optimism, while the strictness of Cecilia only serves to alienate and depress.

However, it is the harsh Cecilia who falls for the National Lottery—egged on by the slogans 'it could be you' and 'if you're not in, you can't win', the long-retired former history teacher sees the new 'Camelot' as the convent's salvation. While gambling might be a sin, a win of £20,000 serves as the needed catalyst for change—small miracles start happening. From a couple discovering true love in the strangest of circumstances, to Fr Hugh eventually being able to lose some weight. Some might argue that it is too twee, and that the novel offers plot lines that even 'The Darling Buds of May' would find rather sickly sweet. However, it is a story, a story that offers a happy ending. What is wrong with that? We live in a world that sees leading politicians who have let us down badly. We witness authority figures, such as the police, failing us too. Being brutally honest and realistic, the Church has failed deeply too. Who can we really trust? However, this simple and very light read offers us a needed and essential balance in the rather cynical world that we are very much a part of. These women have made a difference, and they continue to do so.

For me, 'Small Miracles' acts as an homage to the wonderful sisters that I have met over the years. Nuns who have been my mentors, directors, and teachers. Nuns who have welcomed me to share a cuppa in the kitchen, with the obligatory slice of cake. Nuns who have worked hard in the parish, youth centre or school; those who have provided deep care and insight—women who have made a lasting difference. Women who have given me a new and realistic approach to ministry. I thank God for those congregations of sisters who have impacted my ministry from FMA to Presentation and Rosminians. In many ways it has been the joint effort of female religious who have been true to the ideals and teachings of Vatican II. As the novel remarks, there is a need for prophetic witness in our Church. Wonderful and inspirational leaders like Maria Dominica Mazzarello, Nano Neagle, and Elizabeth Prout offered a new vision of religious life that stood against a patriarchy that would want to keep them in their place. Pope Francis, in looking for a synodical Church, is finding resistance in some quarters from male priests and bishops. As a listening Church, we must listen to the voices of women children, and young people especially. Jesus sought out those on the periphery, and we ignore that at our peril. Those on the edges have a unique perspective that needs to be heard. What is your parish doing about the Synod—is your parish priest prepared to really listen? In this delightful book, a holy trinity of very special women help us to ask some serious questions about our faith, while having lots of fun along the way. I hope you enjoy the read—we need some fun this summer. Take a chance to pause and thank God for those wonderful religious sisters in your life.

Author: Fr Gerry O'Shaughnessy SDB

Image Illustration: ©Harriet Seed