Sr Gabriel Davison
Poor Clare nun of the Arundel community
My name is Sr Gabriel Davison and I am a Poor Clare nun of the Arundel community.
I was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne where I lived until I went to read Engineering at Salford University. During the final year of my studies I thought that I might have a vocation, so with the help of the Catholic Chaplaincy I began to look at different vocations within the church and it was then that I learned more about the contemplative life.
I had a great inner struggle as I wanted to use my degree to help other people but I was also drawn to a life of prayer. During my discernment year it was then that I discovered that God wants us for who we are and not for what we can do and so my focus changed from ‘doing’ more to ‘being’.
I had various ‘live in’ experiences with different orders and I knew from that experience that I wanted to try my vocation with the Poor Clares.
The simplicity and poverty which radiated from the sisters spoke to me of a God of tenderness and compassion and it was something I wanted to be a part of. I have been in the order for more than a decade now and although at times it has been difficult not for one moment would I wish to be doing anything else.
www.poorclaresarundel.org