Helen O'Sullivan
@helenosullivan.bsky.social
Priest in the CofE, theological educator and supporting ministry in four rural churches. I love theatre, good books, long walks by the sea and am looked after by my bossy cat.
My annual message of appreciation to @jamiedavies.bsky.social as I riff off his teaching for my Revelation session with our preaching cohort.
November 29, 2025 at 8:52 AM
My annual message of appreciation to @jamiedavies.bsky.social as I riff off his teaching for my Revelation session with our preaching cohort.
I was very restrained at the bookshop this morning but excited to read both of these. One inspired by last week’s conversation between Katherine Randell and @jdcrawf.bsky.social and the other a delightful discovery ready for Advent.
November 17, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I was very restrained at the bookshop this morning but excited to read both of these. One inspired by last week’s conversation between Katherine Randell and @jdcrawf.bsky.social and the other a delightful discovery ready for Advent.
Echoes of the past carried on the wind,
As waves shape granite
Birds wheel on thermals above
And the heart is at rest in the wildness.
#Cornwall #WestPenwith
As waves shape granite
Birds wheel on thermals above
And the heart is at rest in the wildness.
#Cornwall #WestPenwith
October 27, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Echoes of the past carried on the wind,
As waves shape granite
Birds wheel on thermals above
And the heart is at rest in the wildness.
#Cornwall #WestPenwith
As waves shape granite
Birds wheel on thermals above
And the heart is at rest in the wildness.
#Cornwall #WestPenwith
Planning the first session of a new academic year for our final year ordinands. Bonhoeffer on community and Peterson on the vocation of telling the story of ‘command, promise and invitation.’
September 1, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Planning the first session of a new academic year for our final year ordinands. Bonhoeffer on community and Peterson on the vocation of telling the story of ‘command, promise and invitation.’
A lovely impromptu birthday adventure. Sea, sunshine, cake and Benedictine worship. What more does a birthday need?
August 21, 2025 at 6:57 PM
A lovely impromptu birthday adventure. Sea, sunshine, cake and Benedictine worship. What more does a birthday need?
A long train journey means starting another pick from Take Four Books with @jdcrawf.bsky.social Looking forward to this one.
July 16, 2025 at 5:58 AM
A long train journey means starting another pick from Take Four Books with @jdcrawf.bsky.social Looking forward to this one.
A wonderful weekend celebrating those of our students being ordained priest and deacon this year. And the icing on the cake was having all but one of my curacy cohort together for the first time in four years. #grateful
June 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM
A wonderful weekend celebrating those of our students being ordained priest and deacon this year. And the icing on the cake was having all but one of my curacy cohort together for the first time in four years. #grateful
Some moments make you stop, breathe deeply and rejoice in the wonder of creation. The world may feel heavy at the moment but a pause on an evening walk back to the car can be long enough to let in a glimmer of hope and a promise of peace.
June 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Some moments make you stop, breathe deeply and rejoice in the wonder of creation. The world may feel heavy at the moment but a pause on an evening walk back to the car can be long enough to let in a glimmer of hope and a promise of peace.
A sad thing to see on a Wednesday.
May 14, 2025 at 3:12 PM
A sad thing to see on a Wednesday.
Today is this sort of a day (out of shot are coffee and book - of course)
May 2, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Today is this sort of a day (out of shot are coffee and book - of course)
It was somewhat disconcerting to discover E.M. Forester’s book ‘The Machine Stops’ on the same day that power failures brought Spain and a Portugal to a stop.
April 29, 2025 at 7:34 AM
It was somewhat disconcerting to discover E.M. Forester’s book ‘The Machine Stops’ on the same day that power failures brought Spain and a Portugal to a stop.
A joy to preach & preside today at Twyford, the church which supported me through so much of my pre-ordination journey. Old friends & new celebrating & reflecting on the breaking open of the tomb & the breaking open of our own imaginations when it comes to the gift of new life.
(Words by Ann Lewin)
(Words by Ann Lewin)
April 20, 2025 at 11:56 AM
A joy to preach & preside today at Twyford, the church which supported me through so much of my pre-ordination journey. Old friends & new celebrating & reflecting on the breaking open of the tomb & the breaking open of our own imaginations when it comes to the gift of new life.
(Words by Ann Lewin)
(Words by Ann Lewin)
It’s taken 3 months but Lord of the Rings is finished. I loved this book the first time I read it & loved it even more this time. You emerge from the journey with Frodo, Sam, Pippin & Merry with a little more hope & determination to face the brokenness of the world & seek the good, true & beautiful.
April 10, 2025 at 6:54 AM
It’s taken 3 months but Lord of the Rings is finished. I loved this book the first time I read it & loved it even more this time. You emerge from the journey with Frodo, Sam, Pippin & Merry with a little more hope & determination to face the brokenness of the world & seek the good, true & beautiful.
Very grateful for the photography course I have been taking this term. A way of paying far more careful attention to the world and slowing down enough to capture the beauty and wonder.
March 15, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Very grateful for the photography course I have been taking this term. A way of paying far more careful attention to the world and slowing down enough to capture the beauty and wonder.
Such a joy to lead a quiet morning today for clergy and LLMs. Holding space for God to minister to those who minister for him.
March 6, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Such a joy to lead a quiet morning today for clergy and LLMs. Holding space for God to minister to those who minister for him.
Brilliant to hear so many great speakers at the Faith & Literature festival & spend far more than planned on books! A real joy to hear @malcolmguite.bsky.social speaking on his new Arthurian project especially as his thinking on the Christian Imagination shaped one of the sections of my MA thesis.
March 1, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Brilliant to hear so many great speakers at the Faith & Literature festival & spend far more than planned on books! A real joy to hear @malcolmguite.bsky.social speaking on his new Arthurian project especially as his thinking on the Christian Imagination shaped one of the sections of my MA thesis.
Booking a photography course has been a real blessing at the start of the year. Still lots to learn but it is lovely having this as a creative outlet.
February 23, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Booking a photography course has been a real blessing at the start of the year. Still lots to learn but it is lovely having this as a creative outlet.
Trinity alumni teaching our students today. Starting a series of seminars on Athanasius ‘On the Incarnation’.
February 8, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Trinity alumni teaching our students today. Starting a series of seminars on Athanasius ‘On the Incarnation’.
Really enjoyed the Medieval Women exhibition at the British Library. Hearing the voices of forgotten scholars, surgeons, leaders and culture shapers whose voices have largely remained unknown was inspiring. Also like the fact that the one pet an anchoress was allowed was a cat. Tilly would approve.
January 31, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Really enjoyed the Medieval Women exhibition at the British Library. Hearing the voices of forgotten scholars, surgeons, leaders and culture shapers whose voices have largely remained unknown was inspiring. Also like the fact that the one pet an anchoress was allowed was a cat. Tilly would approve.
So lovely to celebrate last night with North Hampshire Downs as they welcomed their ‘new’ rector. Great to catch up with the curacy team, much loved parishioners and even a Trinity College reunion!
January 15, 2025 at 11:50 AM
So lovely to celebrate last night with North Hampshire Downs as they welcomed their ‘new’ rector. Great to catch up with the curacy team, much loved parishioners and even a Trinity College reunion!
Winter evening walks.
January 3, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Winter evening walks.
Leading worship in this beautiful 1,000 year old space this morning and reflecting on the wonderful words of John 1.
‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.’
‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.’
December 29, 2024 at 11:50 AM
Leading worship in this beautiful 1,000 year old space this morning and reflecting on the wonderful words of John 1.
‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.’
‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.’
A little light reading for the Christmas break. A re-read inspired by episode 3 of @jdcrawf.bsky.social new radio show ‘Take Four Books’.
December 24, 2024 at 3:20 PM
A little light reading for the Christmas break. A re-read inspired by episode 3 of @jdcrawf.bsky.social new radio show ‘Take Four Books’.
Re-reading GK Chesterton’s ‘Orthodoxy’ and remembering just how much I enjoy his turn of phrase.
December 13, 2024 at 12:30 PM
Re-reading GK Chesterton’s ‘Orthodoxy’ and remembering just how much I enjoy his turn of phrase.
This is what happens when you ask the ex-primary school teacher to preach at the end of term gathering. Exploring Psalm 145 and the now and not-yet of the kingdom via pass the parcel!
December 12, 2024 at 2:53 PM
This is what happens when you ask the ex-primary school teacher to preach at the end of term gathering. Exploring Psalm 145 and the now and not-yet of the kingdom via pass the parcel!