St John's House
652 Alum Rock Road
Birmingham, B8 3NS, UK
Tel: 0121 327 4174
Email: csjdbirmingham@aol.com
Registered Charity:
No. MAR 210 254
Since the time of our foundation, we have always been a pioneering community. In the early years of our history,
the Community played an important part in the establishing of new standards for Nursing and Midwifery, both in
hospitals and in people’s homes, as well as responding to health epidemics at home and abroad.
The Community has responded in more recent years to the challenge of change in Religious Life. The ethos of CSJD
has broadened to cover all aspects of health, healing, reconciliation and pastoral care in its widest context ...
ministries that all seek in helping people to find wholeness. The underpinning of our life and work is a spirituality
based on St John, the Apostle of Love.
The exploration of the way ahead is based on much prayer, reflection and discussion. This is bringing to birth
a new model for the Community. We now accept Lay members, who live with the Community for one year. This offers
a structured life of prayer, work and study, which provides time and space for discernment of where God is leading
each person. There is no expectation that Lay members will ask to enter the Novitiate, although this is one possibility,
but it is broader in its aim. It is an encouragement for each member to explore their own spiritual journey and
where the Lord is leading them.
We are still at the beginning of this new chapter. Yet, as the Community celebrated its 150th Anniversary in 1998,
we pray we may be open and responsive to God’s leading and that there will be others called to share the challenge
and commitment of our future direction.
The corporate life of the Community centres around a weekday daily Eucharist celebrated in the House and the fourfold
Office taken from Celebrating Common Prayer. On Sundays, Sisters attend local churches of their choice.
Mother Christine CSJD (Revd Mother Superior, assumed office February 1992) Sister Margaret Angela CSJD (Assistant Superior)