Anus Glorificus – A Year In Review

Sister Joy Of Woo

This week began with Saturnalia and ended with the Winter Solstice and a Full Moon too. It has also seen myself and some of my fellow Sisters participating in events across 3 cities.

It feels like a good time to look back, to reflect and share the journey that led me here. This is by no means an exhaustive history of my House in 2018, simply some personal high points and important people I’ve met along the way. I hope by sharing it I might make myself better understood.

20th January was my 43rd birthday and as a present to myself I bought a ticket to ESDR’s Sasha Velour performance in Bristol. As it turned out, we were asked to support THT in promoting their Can’t Pass It On campaign at the afterparty for the show.

In between handing out stickers and condoms, I spotted someone sitting on their own and went to talk to them. Last night, 11 months later, I facilitated their White Veiling, their elevation to a Novice Sister, as their Mother. Cutting back to January, I was asked to do a blessing for someone outside, who happy cried when I did. I’ve bumped into that person several times since and they’ve kindly offered their graphic design services to the House.

At the end of January we held the first Ministry of Martha Queer Cabaret in Glastonbury. This was a leap in the dark but was a beautiful blend of radical faeries, locals and nuns. I also met someone who had volunteered to help out for the night. She joined us a few months later and I’m delighted to say that daughter will be elevating to Black Veil this coming February.

I have long abhorred Valentine’s Day and wanted to create something to honour Lupercalia, the old Roman Festival of the Wolf. So we held an evening in a sex licensed venue with some ritual thrown in. We had 2 sacrifices, one who stripped naked to be asperged with wine and rosemary (followed by the crowd licking that wine off them) and the other was tied into a swing and the group offered loving touch. It wasn’t as well attended as I would have liked but it was a valuable experience and opened up ideas around ritual.

March brought our Exequatur round. That’s the transition from Mission House (new project in a new city) to an established fully professed House. We we visited by Sisters from Edinburgh but also 2 of our American Sisters to mark the occasion. It was the most stressful lovely weekend. It was also the time when I elevated to Black Veil, as I had completed my Novice Projects. I also gained my first daughter that night and at the same time gained a Mother too. Everyone needs support or advice sometimes, or somenun to look up to.

April saw us trawl along to the Arnolfini to see David Hoyle (one of my queer cabaret heroes) and several of us manifested to do so and we also helped out Brigstowe with some fundraising at raising awareness at DTYM. I never know what I’m going to end up talking about with people. That night someone asked me about chemsex and we sat and talked for about 20 minutes. Time like that is one of the most pure expressions of ministry – just making time for someone and talking through something that scares them.

May brought a chance for Novice Sister Divine Transaction and myself to manifest in Glastonbury for the Beltane Dragons parade. Then back into another Ministry of Martha. I sang live on stage (a fisting-themed reworking of Sondheim) and blew bubbles during heartfelt lesbian poetry with Postulant Ura-Mae Zing. It was also where I met Tony, who offered the Sisters use of his B&B, The Covenstead, for intimate gatherings. Between both Ministry of Marthas we were able to fund space for a local LGBTQ youth group in Glastonbury. I also got to spent an evening at a local Radical Faerie gathering fully manifested, which was a new and fascinating experience for me (I was a Faerie long before I became a Sister).

June saw our debut at Bella Cielo, a new queer cabaret night in Bath. We’ve just had our 4th appearance there this week. It’s a great space and a wonderful collaborative family to be part of. They get us and that’s really special.

Later that month we made the pilgrimage to Midsomer Norton Pride, where we met Donna Trump and Meth and also dispensed ministry to the smokers outside. Kissed a lad. Quite a lot. Also helped him stop misgendering his trans friend.

July brought Bristol Pride, Divine’s elevation to Novice and a new potential House member from Manchester as well as a chance to take part in Drag Queen Story Time! It had long been an ambition of mine to take part in that project. Parents were so into having us read to their kids while manifested.

Also later in July was Weston Super Mare Pride. A fun day out and a good chance to connect with people. As per usual, I fell in love about a dozen times. New favourite Pride photos – disapproving onlookers. Perhaps they were judging our Sisters Not Cisters banner.

Sister Ann and I went to the Lughnasadh celebrations in Glastonbury in August and met a rather lovely Boris Johnson doppelganger (fauxbojo).

August we went West to visit our Sister Mission House for Cardiff Pride. It’s always a joyous occasion to get to hang out with our Welsh Sisters and this year did not disappoint.

In August we also made a journey to London to attend Pride Picnic in the Park. A Polish Sister (Sister Merry Peter) was visiting that week and it was a great chance to exchange ideas and practices with a Sister from another land. We met people who instantly recognised us as Sisters and were warmly received.

We also visited Quintasensual, a Somerset-based queer tantra festival, in August. We were invited to attend the opening ceremony and we also provided safe sex supplies for the week. It was a very different atmosphere to a commercial scene venue. Everyone was so welcoming of us.

September was a little quieter. I slept.

In October were back to Bella Cielo in Bath for more shame-busting shenanigans, this time a focus on queer ancestors. A request came in via a northern Sister to host the cafe at The Manchester Leathermen’s Weekend. Since there’s already a House there, we couldn’t really manifest so gold and black Dragon scale armour and a fetish faeries look was implemented instead. Informative day and nice people.

November was all about preparation for me. I painted so many Xmas decorations I nearly went mad. But it was all in preparation for Profanibaubles.

In December we of course marked World AIDS Day vigil. It is always a privilege and honour to be asked to take part in this sacred day. We led the procession from College Green to Watershed and Ura-Mae delivered their speech. They kept the litany from last year and we all joined in on that. Straight after we headed to Arnolfini to launch our Profanibaubles.

This past week I have been elated to stand on the stage at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern for Bar Wotever where we spoke about the difficulties queer people encounter especially at Xmas.

The next night we formed part of the greeting crew at the Xmas Drag Ball at the Spiegeltent in Bristol. It was so lovely to feel valued as part of the crew and to get good feedback about what we do.

Then last night we once again took part in Bella Cielo in Bath. We again received great feedback. We also found a chance to elevate our dear Postulant Ura-Mae Zing to Novice.

It’s been a whirlwind and not everything has worked perfectly. Lessons have been learned and I’m getting better at this.

I am but one nun. There are more than me doing more things. I’m excited to build on the successes of this year. I’m moist to see who joins us this year. But for now, I sleep. Nighty night.