Meeting with the brothers

Brockenhurst 003

On a glorious English late spring day I travelled down on the train yesterday from Waterloo to Brockenhurst and then onward to St Dominic's Priory in the New Forest to speak to the Western Chapter of the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy, organised by Fr Tom Dubois. My talk was an amalgamation of two previous talks that I have given on the renewal of the spiritual life of the priest as a result of the reforms of the Council of Trent, and the relevance of that reform to us as priests today.

It was great to catch up with Mgr Edwin Barnes, one time "flying bishop" in the Church of England and now one of the senior members of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham.

The hospitality of the Dominican sisters was friendly and welcoming, and I did like their chapel with its wooden beam structure and genuine noble simplicity. They kindly gave me a copy of "Anchor", a short catechetical course for adults, aimed particularly at parents whose children are preparing for the sacraments, though it would be suitable for other adults who have had limited catechesis.

Off today up to Soho Square for the London Chapter meeting.

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