Johanna
is a chaplain to the Traveller community and is an RE teacher formerly
serving the Roman Catholic Church in Austria and in Southern England.
Johanna says: 'I work as a volunteer chaplain to the Margaret Clitherow
Trust, serving those on the margins in the Travelling community. I
visit people in caravans, on sites, in social houses. I mainly meet
members of the Travelling community through their desire for
sacramental care for their young people (Reconciliation, Eucharist and
Confirmation). We developed a sacramental preparation programme which
is delivered through a succession of short videos which parent and
child watch together and to which the candidates have to respond'.
Johanna's ministry tries to address the problem where catholic parishes deny access to the sacraments, as the parish priests are at a loss on how to prepare the children, who are often not able to attend a lengthy parish preparation programme through a lack of literacy or through any prolonged absence for whatever reason. Catholic parishes are often grateful for a way forward in how to sacramentally minister to the Traveller Community.
Johanna's ministry is not area bound, mostly serving Traveller families in the South of England, but also in the Midlands.
Johanna also serves and accompanies those who struggle with life or who want to explore their faith more. She has trained as a Spiritual Director and spent a year at Anglia Ruskin University studying chaplaincy. In secular work she is a lunchtime supervisor in the local catholic primary school and has been a parishioner in her local RC Church for the last 25 years. She is a Eucharistic minister and part of the children catechesis team which provides the Sunday children’s liturgy. Johanna says 'I am grateful for all the good things I learned in the RC Church. Originally I am from Austria; and was employed by the RC Diocese of Innsbruck, working in family accompaniment, organising youth clubs, liturgies, summer camps as well as an RE teacher in primary school.'
Johanna is married with three grown up children and is supported by her husband, who is a builder. She also practices Centering Prayer (Thomas Keating) daily and belongs to a small prayer group, a
supervision group, and receives Spiritual Direction regularly.
