Icon of ‘Our lady who breaks down walls ‘

On Easter Sunday after the celebration of Mass of the Resurrection, this icon was presented to Matlock Convent by Professor Gerry Slavin, a long-time friend of Sister Frederica and the community.

Gerry, who with his late wife Brenda had always been pilgrims to Bethlehem, knew the artist Ian Knowles who had been commissioned to paint a copy icon of “Our lady Who Breaks Down Walls“  and he, Gerry, was lucky enough to be able to buy it.  (Ian had left Bethlehem but the painting was undertaken by his pupil Madlein Manneh).

Professor Slavin, in presenting this beautiful piece of art, speaks of his reasons for making the gift to the Presentation Sisters :

‘“The work of the Convent for Matlock has been obvious for generations, as a school and now as a care-centre where my mother was resident for her final five years. But, in particular, I wish to draw attention to the love bestowed on the parish by Sister Frederica where she worked for many years as Parish Sister.  My family experienced that love directly as she cared for Brenda in her final illness and for the family in our grief.  I also saw it when I often chauffered her to outlying parts when she was acting as Eucharistic minister …..  the people we met on those drives, both Catholic and non-Catholic, showed that her love for the Parish and district was reciprocated.”

The original icon can be seen on the ‘Separation Wall’ which divides and distorts so much of Palestinian West Bank. I also know that the Presentation Sisters from the Bethlehem house go there to pray on Fridays; they say the Rosary  praying that the Wall will be removed and that justice will prevail on the West Bank and Occupied Territories.” ( Professor Slavin )