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Bethan Townsend from Molesey and Hersham Catholic Parish will be consecrated to the Ordo Virginum by Bishop Richard, this Friday at 6.30pm in Arundel Cathedral. The diocesan Communications Team was delighted to catch up with Bethan earlier this week. Reflecting on her vocation journey, Bethan said:

I grew up in Bognor Regis as part of a Catholic family. I am one of four; I have a twin brother and twin sisters who are a bit younger than me, so two sets of twins! We were very involved in the life of the parish. I attended Catholic schools and was an altar server from about the age of 8 or 9 right up until the first Covid-19 lockdown. I became a little more engaged with my faith at the time of my Confirmation – and even more so when I travelled to Lourdes for the first time as a diocesan Redshirt, aged 16. I like to say that around the time of my Confirmation and shortly after, the Lord captured my heart.

Explaining a little more about her vocation to the Consecrated Life, Bethan said:

I am called to be a Consecrated Virgin, which is one of the forms of Consecrated Life, alongside monks and nuns, sisters and brothers. For the vocation that the Lord has called me to, I am espoused mystically to Christ as His Bride. The whole Church is the Bride of Christ, but within this vocation, I perhaps live it in a more profound way, very close to Christ. I live alone, I pray the Divine Office and stay close to the sacraments. I do, however, have to support myself financially and so I have a job. I don’t wear a habit, but I do wear a ring as an outward sign of my vocation, being espoused to Christ, I also live by a Rule of Life, written in dialogue with the bishop and my spiritual director - this keeps me focussed in terms of my prayer life and the promises I will make at my consecration.

Reflecting on her process of discernment, she added:

I have been in conversation and formation with Bishop Richard since the summer of 2019, so about 5 years in total. In fact, I came to know more about this particular vocation through Bishop Richard. I had been discerning religious life, but on hearing that Bishop Richard had consecrated a couple of others within the Diocese, a door was opened to me. It was in my last few months of being part of the Brighton Wellspring Community that the Lord made it very clear that this was what He was calling me to.

Through prayer, reading, and support from the Bishop, my spiritual director and others either living the vocation or discerning it, I have learnt all about what this vocation means. As part of the process of discernment, I entered into temporary vows, firstly, for 1 year from September 2020-2021. I then renewed these vows for 3 years from September 2021 until now. This has brought continued clarity and peace knowing that it is to this vocation that the Lord has called me.

Highlighting what she is particularly looking forward to after her consecration, Bethan said:

I am most looking forward to the graces that the Lord will bestow upon me in my life. I am also looking forward to continuing supporting and serving the Church within the Diocese, and to witnessing to others of a life dedicated to the Lord, and the joy that brings.

People across our community of faith are invited to join Bethan's Consecration Mass at Arundel Cathedral, if you would like to participate via livestream, you can do so here. Please remember Bethan in your prayers.

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