I remember, in the mid-sixties, when she first arrived in Combermere, having served the poor in both the inner city and overseas.

 

There was a radiance about her which, in near forty years of friendship we shared on earth, and now seven years of her heavenly intercession, seemed to grow stronger.

It is of Jean Fox [1931-2204] of whom I speak.

Successor to Catherine Doherty the Foundress of Madonna House, she was personally formed by Catherine.

In December 1985, just after Catherine’s funeral Jean came to me, knowing she was to be the first Director General of Women, and asked me to pray over her that she might share Catherine’s charism.

Jean was to be re-elected time and again, serving as Director General until her own death at the beginning of Holy Week in 2004.

Over those  years she gave many talks, wrote many letters and some of her writings have been gathered into a wonderful book: INFLAMED BY LOVE meditations for spiritual pilgrims.

One sample of her words: “All of us must go through the agony in the garden and walk the Via Dolorosa to be glorified through God’s mercy. There is no other way. Let’s walk hand in hand into that glory quickly, for the salvation of souls.”

Her book is available at: http://www.madonnahouse.org/publications/fox/ibl.htm