57: I only did one thing. I only loved God.

Episode 57: Olimpia's story begins in Romania in the Communist era. A setback in life has taught her to trust God more deeply - and she welcomes 'the peace and joy we feel when we pray.' The title of this episodes is a quote from Venerable Mary Potter. Olimpia explains how this woman's resilient service inspires her faith today. 

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Mary Potter Heritage Centre

Little Company of Mary Sisters

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Transcript

You're listening to All Kinds of Catholic with me, Theresa Alessandro. My conversations with different Catholics will give you glimpses into some of the ways we're living our faith today. Pope Francis used the image of a caravan for our travelling together on a sometimes chaotic journey. And Pope Leo, quoting Saint Augustine, reminds us, ‘Let us live well and the times will be good. We are the times.’ I hope you'll feel encouraged and affirmed and maybe challenged now and then. I am too in these conversations. And if you're enjoying them, it helps if you rate and review on the platform where you're listening. Thank you. 

Listeners, thanks so much for tuning in today to listen to the podcast. I've got a really interesting guest today. We're gonna find out a lot of things, partly about growing up in a different country and partly about a woman whose example here in Britain has really helped my guest today. So welcome, Olimpia. 

Oh, thank you very much for inviting me, Theresa. 

So, Olimpia, may we begin then? As I kinda hinted, you grew up in a different country, in Romania. Can you tell us a little bit about what your childhood was like and where the church fitted into that, if it did? 

I was blessed to grow up in a Catholic family rooted in faith on both sides. In fact, I have two uncles who are priests. One from my mother's side and one from my father's. That in itself created a strong, spiritual atmosphere around us but the real seeds of faith were sown in my childhood. As you already mentioned, I am originally from Romania, and a few years of my childhood took place during the communist era, a time when practicing your faith wasn't always easy or accepted. I was nine years old when communism ended but those early years left a lasting impression. During school holidays, my sister and I would stay with our grandparents who lived in a small village where everyone was Catholic. And that village life, simple and rooted in tradition, had a deep impact on us. And with both our parents working full time, our grandparents took care of us and, most importantly, passed on the faith in a way only they could. Our grandmother was especially influential. So she took us to daily Mass, taught us prayers, of course, and surrounded us with a quiet, powerful witness of devotion. I remember in the winter evenings, neighbours gathering in their home, and together we would pray novenas and the rosary. I think, you know, it was a community held together by faith, and those early experiences shaped the way we came to understand and live our Catholic identity. And as we grew older, our parents continued to encourage us in our faith. And of course, it was also the parish priest, who shaped this. I was part of a youth group formed by our parish priest and he'd invited us to Saturday retreats, organise activities, and gradually involve us in parish life. For example, leading first Holy Communion groups, preparing hymns and readings for Mass, leading holy hours. We looked forward to every Christmas season, not just because of the festivities, but because we got to participate in plays and concerts, more than just performances. They were our way of expressing joy and pride in our faith, you know, making our families proud and giving back to our community. And one of the most beautiful memories I have is going carolling, Not just to friends or family or around the city's parishes, but to care homes and homes for abandoned children. And the happiness in their eyes was the best reward we could ever receive. And that youth group became like a second family to us. Despite the fact that we are now spread across different parts of the world, we are still very close. In fact, this year, we are planning a reunion in our hometown and we are inviting the priest who formed us to lead a retreat day for us and celebrate Mass with us again. And our children, they are amazed at the bond we've kept and the joy we experience, not just in living out our faith but in sharing it. And, of course, as life moved on and we got married, we faced one of life's most powerful lessons. Without God, we really can't achieve much, not for long anyway. I think sometimes when things go well professionally or we live a comfortable life, it's easy to forget God. But it doesn't take long before life gently or sometimes harshly reminds us that success, without faith, is empty. And I think true peace and purpose only come when God remains at the centre. 

You've painted such a picture there of a wonderful childhood and young adulthood in Romania. There's a couple of things I'd just like to dig into a little more. One is about the political situation there. You mentioned that it was a difficult time to be a Catholic. And what did that look like? Were you as a child aware of family members - I don't know what that meant - were there jobs they weren't able to do? Were there things they needed to keep quiet about, you know, not share so much in the workplace or in the community? 

Yeah. Growing up in Romania under communism meant that living the Catholic faith had to be done quietly, at least for my parents and grandparents. This is what I, you know, my grandma used to tell me. I was only nine when regime fell, but religion was suppressed. Churches were closely monitored, and public expressions of faith were discouraged. In Romania, Catholics made up only about 12% of the population. But in our homes, especially in the small villages like the one where my grandparents lived, where everyone was Catholic, faith remained strong. And I remember my grandma telling me that people gathered to pray. They went to Mass despite the risks and passed down their beliefs through family traditions. I don't think it was - I don't believe it was easy to be a believer in those times, but I think it made faith deeper. And I think they learned to trust in God, not in comfort, but in quiet perseverance. And I think sometimes faith is about holding on to the truth gently but firmly, especially in a world that, you know, tries to silence it. Yeah. It wasn't easy for my grandparents, especially.

I'm really glad that your experience of the witness of your grandparents is brought to a wider audience through the podcast. You know, how lovely that other people will be inspired by them. And then you mentioned that youth group was really important to you, and I think that will resonate with listeners. I think youth groups, faith youth groups, remain important in many people's lives. You kinda suggested that there was a little bit of time there where you your faith was not so important. Things were going well in other ways, and you maybe had to be reminded to come back to your faith. And was there something that particularly gave you that nudge back onto the track? 

Yes. It was that time when, you know, when you realised that we lost one of the most important things for us as a family. We lost our home in Romania. And, you know, we kind of got to that point where we are like, Gosh. What shall we do now? So we had to start a new life here in the UK. And, of course, that's when we realised we have nothing but God in our life, and he will guide us. He will protect us. He will look after us. The only thing we need to do is to go back to Him and ask Him to, you know, to allow us back into, you know, the Catholic faith. Yeah. It wasn't easy. It was a lesson which we learned, my husband and I. But we, looking back now, we don't regret it. I think, you know, for us to lose an object and to gain your faith back, I think it's something which I personally would treasure any time, any moment. Because the peace and joy we feel when, you know, we pray and the comfort we are given, it cannot be exchanged with nothing. It's priceless. 

Absolutely. Thank you. I think listeners will be deeply inspired by your story, Olimpia. Thank you for sharing that. And now may we talk on a brighter note about your work? The Lord has blessed you with some really good work, but that also is rewarding you too in continuing to nurture your faith. So tell us a bit about the centre where you work and what that's all about. 

So I work at the Mary Potter Heritage Centre in Nottingham, not far from the Cathedral. Mary Potter was a woman of deep faith, compassion, and strength. Despite lifelong ill health and many challenges, she remained devoted to her mission, to care for the dying and pray for those in need. She was guided by a profound sense of God's presence in every moment of her life. She led by example with a love that knew no limits. And after founding the Little Company of Mary in Hyson Green in Nottingham, she inspired the Sisters to reach out to anyone in need. And at that time, there was no NHS. This was happening in the nineteenth century. So during those times, there was no NHS. Sisters were visiting the sick and the poor. They were often entering homes others avoided; poverty and contagious illnesses like typhoid fever, scarlet fever, tuberculosis. And their care and presence brought dignity and hope for, you know, to the most forgotten. And today, the Mary Potter Heritage Centre takes visitors on a moving journey from the nineteenth century to the present day. Her story comes alive, one of resilience, commitment, and enduring hope. Through her story, the centre inspires people to believe that even, I don't know, small acts of kindness and prayer can have a lasting impact and that a life lived with purpose, love, and faith can make a difference in our lives. Our mission, because we have a mission as well here at the Heritage Centre, is to preserve and share Mary Potter's legacy. But she was saying in one of her quotes that, ‘I only did one thing. I only loved God.’ Powerful, powerful, and inspirational quote. There is a quote which caught my eye when I first visited the Heritage Centre. It says, Each and every one of us has a mission from God. And that hit me when I first read it and yeah - Every time I go in that room and I read that quote, I do take a few moments to reflect on what is my mission, you know, what is God wanting me to do?

In preparing for today, Olimpia, I looked up Mary Potter a little bit. I think resilience is a good word for her, isn't it? Because I could see in her story that there were setbacks on the way, and I particularly noticed that a previous bishop of Nottingham, Bishop Bagshawe, said something about, he didn't really understand what she was trying to do, which -  I just thought, Oh my goodness, you know, she really had to find that resilience. And I guess having a sense of her own mission is what kept her going through those ups and downs of trying to get her work spread around. But she did manage to change lives, didn't she, and get other people involved in this mission over time? I know you were saying to me before that when a school group comes, it really lifts the place and brings it to life. Tell us a bit about that. 

The centre comes alive when, you know, there are people visiting. And, yeah, of course, we have different groups visiting. There are individual groups, parish groups, formation groups. We’ve had confirmation groups visiting, I don't know, a history lover looking for inspiration, or just curious. We love to welcome school children, primary school children, because they are so open and, you know, you can tell by looking at the reaction whether they embrace the story or not. We encourage them to open up, to ask questions, to come into this conversation with us. And it's a joy and a pleasure to welcome them. 

And tell us a little bit about the Little Company of Mary that Mary Potter founded. Where is that today? Is there still a big community? Are they all over the world? Are they like many religious orders shrinking to just a few members now? 

Yes. The Little Company of Mary Sisters is shrinking. But Mary Potter's vision was, alongside the sisters, Mary Potter wanted laypeople, which are affiliates and associates to come into this and support the sisters in praying for the sick, the suffering, and the dying. I am an associate, and we do have quite a few associates here in Nottingham, which meet on a regular basis. Every month, we meet at the centre. And there are also affiliates who commit themselves to pray in their own time for the sick, the suffering, and the dying. And this Greater Company of Mary, this is what we call it, is spread across the world, is international. The numbers of associates and affiliates is greater than the numbers of Sisters. 

That's really interesting that the charism of the Little Company of Mary, praying for the sick and the suffering and the dying in this time when, you know, this assisted dying bill is going through parliament, that suddenly seems more relevant, doesn't it? That we need to bring people who are dying into our thoughts and our prayers more so than ever before in some ways in this society. So I'm not surprised in a way that the Greater Company is reaching lots of people and attracting people who want to be part of that. 

Yeah. And from its roots in Nottingham, the Little Company of Mary has spread across five continents, and each foundation was created in response to real needs. It's really, really interesting. And when visitors come, we have a globe which tells the foundation stories of each place which was opened during Mary Potter's lifetime. It's very interesting to see the needs of the world and the role she played in the world just to try and support those in need during those times. 

I mean, in some ways, we've skirted around it a little bit, Olimpia, but I wonder if you can put into words how Mary Potter's life continues to nurture your faith.

Well, for me, she's like a role model. Despite her health problems, her door was never closed. So she was always there to support others. And, you know, from time to time, we do get pains and aches and all that. And you tend to be like, Gosh, leave me alone. I ain't got time. I'm in pain. I don't want to see anyone. But now after I've learned Mary Potter's story, Oh my gosh. I shouldn't be moaning because my pain is nothing in comparison to what she went through. She was born with this congenital heart and lung defect. It wasn't easy for Mary Potter, you know, and learning her story fromthe day she was born until the day she died. I feel like, Oh, she is such an inspirational woman. She's a woman who loved and trusted God. And in my own life, when I go through difficulties, through challenges, I kind of always try to look at her life, try to take her as an example, and it helps. It helps a lot. So she died in Rome. She developed breast cancer when she was in her early thirties. And then towards the end of her life, she developed a tumour on her left shoulder. But despite this, she lived her life as fully and joyfully as possibly she could. And she continued to share the spiritual reflections, often asking others to write down her thoughts when she could no longer hold a pen. You know, she is an inspirational woman. 

And some of the way you're speaking about her inspiring you reminds me of looking at the lives of the saints. At the moment she's a Venerable Mary Potter. Is there some work being done to think about whether there's a cause for canonisation? 

Yes. So she's on her way to being canonised. There is a Vice Postulator in England, Father Julian Booth, who is looking after her cause. We pray novenas. So we encourage, you know, people who need, who would like us to pray a novena for her. We do pray novenas, the associates, affiliates and the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary. And of course, we need a miracle. So we are now praying for a miracle to happen. Every year at Saint Barnabas Cathedral, there is a special Mass for her, and of course, we have also Sisters travelling from London. We are praying for the beatification and canonisation of Venerable Mary Potter. We hope it will happen soon. We need a miracle. 

Any listeners that are in a situation where they're looking for a miracle, we could commend Mary Potter. We're working towards the end of this conversation now, Olimpia. I wonder if there's one last thing you'd like to just share with listeners, something that comes into your mind now about your own faith, something that supports you in your own faith? 

What I would like to say is to encourage people to trust God and, you know, prayer. It's a powerful tool, which helps us navigating through life. When you realise that, when you feel like, I don't know, you need a companion, you need someone to support you, to lift you up when you're down, Turn your face towards God because that's where I take my power, my everyday power. What I normally do when I come to work, I stop in, I go in the church, and I have that moment in quiet. It's so uplifting. It's that peace I get and I don't know - I get that sense that everything will be okay because I feel like God is beside me all the time, and he's protecting us. You know, my children, my husband, my family. And, yeah, that gives me comfort, and it's put my mind to rest. 

Thank you for making some time to talk today, Olimpia. It's been really lovely talking to you. I've been very inspired by the way you describe Mary Potter's life and the impact it has on you, but also thinking about your grandparents and your family in Romania, staying faithful in difficult times and doing such a good job of handing on the faith to children and young people. That's encouraging for all of us to hear those stories. So thanks so much for taking time to talk today. 

Thank you for having me, Theresa. I have to admit, I was both excited and slightly nervous because it's not every day that I get to talk about my faith, my faith journey, in a public way.  But I think that's what makes this podcast special. It's a safe space for real conversations. 

Thanks so much for joining me on All Kinds of Catholic this time. I hope today's conversation has resonated with you. A new episode is released each Wednesday. Follow All Kinds of Catholic on the usual podcast platforms. Rate and review to help others find it. And follow our X/ Twitter and Facebook accounts, @kindsofCatholic. You can comment on episodes and be part of the dialogue there. You can also text me if you're listening to the podcast on your phone, although I won't be able to reply to those texts. Until the next time.