Olympic skater who became nun, to speak at Westminster festival

Sister Catherine Holum

Former Olympic speed skater Sister Catherine Holum will be the special guest speaker at this year's Towards Advent Festival. The event - now in its 12th year - takes place at Westminster Cathedral Hall on Saturday 24 November and will be opened by Archbishop Vincent Nichols.

Sister Catherine - who as Kristen Holum skated at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Japan - comes from a sporting family. Her mother Diane won a gold medal at the 1972 Olympics.

In this Olympic year, Sister Catherine will tell the story of how as a teenager she first sensed a call to the religious life, and how she gave up speed skating and is now a Franciscan Sister of the Renewal, based in Leeds. She first sensed her vocation during a childhood visit to the shrine at Fatima, and then in her late teens she took part in the World Youth Day at Toronto with Pope - now Blessed - John Paul II. It was there that she had a deep conviction that she had a call to give her life fully to Christ.

The Towards Advent Festival opens at 10 am and tickets for Sister Catherine's talk - which is at 1pm - will be available from the Welcome Desk.