DRAKESTEIN, YVONNE BOSCH VAN

Noted Catholic lay leader; b. Holland, April 13, 1903; d. Combermere, Canada, Aug. 2, 1994. Daughter of Lucie Adele Cornelie Serraris and Jean Louis Paul Bosch van Drakestein van Hieuw-van-Amelsweerd, members of the Catholic aristocracy. Drakestein was baptized Yvonne Caroline. In 1927, after studying art history, she joined the Women of Nazareth, a group of committed lay women founded in Holland in 1921 by Jacques van Ginneken (see grail). In 1929 she was sent to Java (now Indonesia) where she hoped to spend the rest of her life working with women.

Unexpectedly in 1932, Drakestein was sent to England to start the Grail, as the Women of Nazareth had become known. She did this with flair and flamboyance: colorful uniforms and banners, processions and marches, spectacular plays with 500 to 1200 participants in London's prestigious Royal Albert Hall, and a magazine called Fire. All witnessed that Christian ideals were alive and flourishing among Catholic youth.

A less glamorous period of consolidation came from 1939 to 1945 with the war. Grail members distributed leaflets and campaigns to sustain morale in bomb shelters: booklets bringing lay spirituality in attractive and readable form were published; papal encyclicals were simplified and distributed in millions; and the Grail became an inspiration to young women up and down the country through the national Girls Training Corps. Throughout this period, Caryll houselander was a valued colleague of Drakestein: Houselander contributed regularly to the Grail magazine, and her This War is the Passion was published by the Grail.

Postwar Years. Another period of development took place after the war, beginning in 1949 when the English Grail became autonomous at the instigation of the hierarchy. After much heart-searching, Drakestein felt her responsibility was to remain in England and continue to develop what she had begun. Her Dutch colleagues returned to Holland. The rightness of her decision was born out by the development of the movement's work that was steady and manifold: the small remnant of a community was enlarged by a flow of English recruits. Grail training outlines were produced for parish groups of girls and women all over the country. Ahead of her time, Drakestein did for professional and middle-class women what her friend, Patrick Keegan of Young Christian Workers, was doing for the re-Christianization of the working class. Grail Family Circles developed for groups of married couples. Discussion material was backed up by weekend and longer courses at the new headquarters, Waxwell Farm House, Pinner, Middlesex. Drakestein emerged as a strong leader, with serendipity, farsightedness, and inspiration, although at times a little autocratic. Early on she recognized and encouraged individuals and movements preparing for the renewal of the Church through Vatican II. It was she who drew together a small group of translators who produced the Grail psalms, providing a ready translation with sanction from Rome for liturgical use for the English-speaking world in 1962.

During Vatican II she lived in Rome with the small Grail secretariat set up for the English and Welsh bishops. She made the most of this opportunity to meet key figures promoting aggiornamento in the Church. Back in England, she worked tirelessly to forward renewal: she advanced theologian and scripture scholar meetings; set up weekend and longer courses for clergy and lay people; encouraged Grail members to be active in the early catechetical movement; encouraged ecumenical relationships and liturgical reforms. The Grail expanded as the Grail Companions were admitted, single women with active commitment, some in secular occupation. This was followed by the formation of Grail Partners, married couples who made similar commitment. With Archbishop Derek John Worlock of Liverpool, Drakestein was in the vanguard when the vocation and status of secular institutes were developed in Rome; c. 710-711 of the Codex Iuris Canonici owe much to her vision and perseverance.

Drakestein stepped down as president in 1969, beginning what was probably the happiest period of her life. Her final 24 years she lived hidden and prayerful as a poustinik member of the Madonna House in Combermere, Ontario. She became a much loved confidante and wise woman to the many hurt and needy people seeking healing at Madonna House. Even during her last five years with Alzheimer's disease, she was an inspiration and support for her nurses and many visitors.

The English Grail to which Drakestein devoted much of her life continues to develop and flourish. The full-time community now shares responsibility for the Grail movement with the Companions and Partners on a more equal footing. New branches have been formed: Associates, a large number of people from all walks of life for whom the Grail is a spiritual lifeline; the Family Network, which organizes weeks and days for families; and the Grail Young Adults, which organizes meetings and activities for themselves and others. Together all these Grail people work for the refounding of the Church and renewal of society and the environment in a multitude of ways.

[c. widdicombe]