Carthusian class

At this time of year, my class at the Carthusian Monastery of Parkminster begins at 2.30pm and ends with the bell at 4pm so that the students can go back to cell and recite Vespers from the "Little Office" of Our Lady before being summoned to choir by the great bell. The above photo was taken just after they had all disappeared off to cell.

The classroom is ideal; it has a large crucifix to distract attention away from me and towards the Lord, there are heaters to take the chill off if necessary, and a new addition has been provided by some venetian blinds to prevent student from being dazzled by the sunlight. (My rhetoric is unlikely to dazzle them!)

Today, we began a new tract. Having finished the De Deo Uno et Trino, I moved onto the De Verbo Incarnato, beginning with the Jewish and pagan sources referring to Our Lord or the early Christians and then moving onto Pope Benedict's sage advice on how we should approach the New Testament.

I am afraid that I may have spent too much time today speculating on the contribution that Liturgical studies could contribute to a Christian exegesis of the scriptures. After all, the scriptures are essentially related to the Liturgy and we should examine how the Sacred Liturgy presents the scriptures, particularly in the proper texts of the Introit, Gradual etc.

Once the students had gone to recite the Little Office of Our Lady, I took a photo of the cloister lit by the afternoon sun. The scale is deceptive; it would take you a few minutes to walk the length of this section:

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