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Franciscan at Home

Forming those who form others

Barbara Davies

As a teenager, Barbara Davies had intended to work with children with special needs. She therefore took a degree in Psychology and obtained a teaching diploma, thinking it wise to work in general education before pursuing her specialization in further studies. The Lord, however, had other plans as a call to serve Him with her whole life became increasingly pressing. Feeling no call to the religious life, Barbara looked for commitment as a lay woman.

In a conversation with a priest friend, she learned of a center of cultural formation in Lourdes, France. There she met women from all over the world, and received confirmation of the two things she had desired for years: to be an apostle as an ordinary lay woman, and to serve the Lord without membership of anything other than the Church herself by doing so in union with her bishop.

Returning to her home diocese of Shrewsbury, England, Barbara quickly encountered other young women in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia who experienced the same kind of calling. Since she was by then involved on a full-time basis in formation and giving seminars on the Christian life for lay people, her original plans receded from view.

Barbara was soon invited to join the staff of the Lourdes’ center where she spent nearly forty years following courses given by some of the greatest minds in the English-speaking world, but also directly in French or in translation from German. The aim of the program was to equip lay people to have an “instinct” of the faith in dealing with the challenges of today, with studies in Scripture, Philosophy, Theology, the Church Fathers, the History of the Church, Catholic Social Teaching, Mariology, etc. She herself maintained a teaching program, and has often been invited to give presentations in northern Europe, North America and several English-speaking countries in Asia.

Presently, Barbara is the Coordinator for New Evangelization for the Diocese of Shrewsbury, England. Barbara has over the years given many conferences and written several articles on different topics. Aware of how greatly she has benefitted from so many years at the feet of Our Lady in Lourdes, she is writing a book about the apparitions.

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