Two retreats and a pilgrimage

I have had an extraordinary fortnight.  First, to the Benedictines at Douai Abbey near Reading for a Carmelite retreat led by the wonderful Fr Matt Blake OCD, who is delegated by the Order to look after the Seculars.  We were exploring St John of the Cross with Fr Matt;  I sometimes get the feeling listening to Fr Matt that St John of the Cross has been reincarnated for our times – such is his sensitivity to the thought of the sixteenth-century Spanish saint.  Then last Monday to that other great Benedictine Abbey, Ampleforth in Yorkshire, for a mini-retreat of three days run by the Coming Home Network, an American outfit designed to help converts in general and more specifically ordained ministers who become Catholics. They have had so many inquiries and requests for help from the UK that they decided to organise a function here for the first time.  Finally to Norwich, where a group of us shared a couple of days at the Julian Centre, travelling to Walsingham from there on Saturday last to attend the Carmelite Pilgrimage.  Unfortunately the heat on the day was such that we were advised not to do the walk, but we had a full afternoon in the shrine church with adoration and benediction and the rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet.  At Ampleforth a monk had preached about the English martyrs, and over the fortnight I was constantly reminded that we should be giving thanks every day for the freedom we have in this country to worship and to proclaim our faith.

Intercessions:

Brian Davis – cancer

Cancer: Marie, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Sue B, Theresa K

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS - housebound

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – seriously ill