Remembering Olivia
November 20, 2013
by Minette Quick
Many, many thanks to all of
you who tuned in from afar and supported everyone present with their love at
this sad time. There was never going to be room in the Temple for everyone who would have liked to
have been with us for Olivia’s Dulce Domum. Cressida crafted and led this most
beautiful and moving private ceremony truly exquisitely, in the presence of her
family, their guests and those of the Fellowship whom she had personally
invited.
To go back a little, the days following Olivia’s passing, which her great
nephew Alexander very kindly informed me of shortly afterwards, were marked by
a great peace and the weather which had been wild, wet and windy became calm,
dry and bright, and much warmer for a couple of days at least. It was as if
Nature was marking and welcoming her passage into spirit. I walked my dogs and
drank it all in and reflected upon the personal relationship which I had with
her over the past number of years, as she strove to provide the Fellowship with
everything which she could to enable it to thrive and grow in grace in the
future.
I found myself reminded time and again of something she said to one of our
members shortly after she had fractured her ankle and was in hospital in early
June. She was puzzled as to “why” this had happened to her. Eventually, after a
customary consultation with her guidance on the matter, she reported that she
had finally realised “that it had never occurred to her to step down” - at
96! And many members had become used to receiving personal answers to the huge
pile of letters which arrived in the post for her every day. In addition, she
worked with me on general matters and keeping up to date on writing articles
for Isian News; sending emails out to the sites and individuals; and virtually
single-handedly planning and running the 8 Festivals with the assistance of the
priesthood mainly on the day.
It was a quite astonishing workload for a lady of her age even if, as we all
know, she had been “decentralizing” for many years. But so great was her devotion to the
wellbeing of the Fellowship that she continued to focus on it right up until
very shortly before she finally passed on. Mercifully she had been in good
general health and in full possession of her faculties throughout her time in
hospital until then. Fortunately she had asked the Circle of Brigid to host
Festivals at Foundation Centre in her absence and this has been done since the
Summer Solstice. You will be delighted to hear that at the warm invitation of
Alexander supported by Olivia’s extended family, and in particular, Olivia’s niece,
Cressida Pryor, her appointed successor, we will continue to hold the 8 Annual
Festivals at Foundation Centre at Clonegal into the future.
The day before the Funeral, the family graciously extended the customary invitation
in Ireland
to those who knew her locally to come to her “Lying In” within the
Castle and a number of our members were honoured to be included. The weather
was mild and the atmosphere full of light as we entered the Yard from the far
end. We were assured by some of our members coming out that we could go down
into the Temple if we wished and then on upstairs to the dining-room and to
Olivia’s drawing-room which adjoins it to pay our last respects.
In going down to the Temple
first, we were greeted by a most beautiful atmosphere. Everything shone and
gleamed with the loving preparations which had obviously been made by so many
family members for the Dulce Domum next day.
Standing for a moment
between the pillars facing the High Altar I was transported upwards by the
powerful energy of the Goddess and the words of the rite floated into mind – “Rejoice.
Olivia is Isis Risen” and I was reminded that immediately above was the
true “Holy of Holies” - the place in her private drawing-room, where she had
communed with the Goddess, meditated daily, received inspiration and written
the Liturgy. This was the very place where Olivia’s body now lay in waiting for
her last earthly journey home. Leaving the Temple and going up to the Castle
dining-room, everything was beautifully prepared to welcome each guest as they
arrived. Members of the family served tea so that they might feel at ease, and
share a few words and memories of Olivia before going in to see her one last
time.
It was an exquisite experience - she lay at rest, cradled in a beautiful light wicker
casket draped at the foot with one of her familiar velvet hooded cloaks in a
soft violet, with a small posy of the last of the summer roses from the garden
resting on it. She looked totally dignified, as she would have liked,
surrounded by her most treasured belongings. She was not there but it didn’t matter for
she was everywhere else - in the Temple
- in her kitchen where we had spent so many hours together - and above all, as many of us agreed, outside in
the Grounds, where she had walked every day since childhood. Nature again
conspired to honour her, reflecting the many moods of this whole period of
mourning but also rejoicing in her wonderful long life.
I will leave the detailed description of the day of the Funeral to others in
the main. It was bitterly cold but dry and clear, though it had rained hard
during the night. Suffice it to say, the magnificently coloured leaves were
coming down and sun lit up the distant hills as I came into the Yard. The tall
great lime trees at the head of the Avenue waved their branches and bowed in
the breeze as the sun came out from behind the clouds in a burst of warmth,
just as Olivia’s casket was carried out through the front door of
the Castle, and down the steps, on the strong young shoulders of her great
nieces, something which Olivia would have absolutely loved, to be placed
reverently into the Hearse, to be led by a Lone Piper followed by the family,
friends and Fellowship members down the Avenue to St. Fiaac’s Church of
Ireland Church for the service and burial there with her beloved family members
in this lovely ancient cemetery, overlooking the Valley of the River Slaney
which flows through Clonegal and on to the sacred coming together of the two
rivers which she spoke of so many times.
May her memory be blessed.
Much love to you all,
Minette
Report sent by Minette Quick, Circle of Brigid, Ireland. Thank you Minette!
Photo and text © Fellowship of Isis Central Website, Circle of Isis Advisory Board. Photo courtesy of Dennis Murphy of Logic Reality.
