Saints and Souls

Saints and Souls

The fine line between the Saints and the Souls was very thin indeed. We had always welcomed the Saints at the Abbey with the Franciscan fathers. We were only allowed to take the sacraments at certain times of the year, the Lord of the Manor kept us locked out of the Abbey because it was part of his estate and he was very jealous of the fathers time. He paid them well to pray for him, currying favour with the Bishops and Cardinals away in Winchester.

This morning we had been allowed to go to Matins and Lauds at dawn and if we were lucky we would be allowed into the Abbey to observe Compline.

As the day wore on and no word came from the Abbot I looked to my husband but he would not beg, I knew him too well, he would not go to Lord Fendrel either and put our case before him asking him to intervene with the Abbot. He was a good man my husband but not one to push himself forward to create disharmony. How was I going to pray for the lost souls of my children, the ones the God of God’s had taken from me when they were so young. I had lost three at birth, a boy and two girls, they had gone before a monk or sister could be called to administer the sacrament of baptism. Another I lost to the croup the wee girl was just 8 months, but at least she had survived birth and was baptised.

My darling boys now 8 and 10 were strong and hearty like their sire and would in time give me grand-babies, but it was this time between the Saints and Souls that I felt my lost ones close, I wanted to be able to go to the Abbey and speak to God, ask him to care for them but more I wanted to beg for the life of the child in my belly, the one that was to come to birth about the time of God’s own son.

There was a knock on the door and my husband drew it open there framed by the light of the candle lantern he carried was Fr Vincentia he did not speak but beckoned me to follow him.

Ah, such joy I can feel the child moving as I walk towards the Abbey I would be allowed to pray for those lost, those still among us and the one to come. My heart was filled with joy and I prayed to the Mother of us all as I walked. All would be well with this one, I was sure now.