Bishop Egan to speak at Confraternity of Catholic Clergy Colloquium

The 2012 Autumn Colloquium of the Confraternity of Catholic Clergy (British Province of St Gregory the Great) will take place on Tuesday 23 and Thursday 24 October at the Oratory School in Reading.

It is great to hear that among the confirmed speakers are Bishop Philip Egan who will by then be Bishop of Portsmouth, Mgr Keith Newton, the  Ordinary of the Personal Ordinariate of our Lady of Walsingham, and the Rev Dr Andrew Pinsent.

These gatherings are enjoyable not only for the great speakers but also for the company of good like-minded priests. Along with the theological discussion, there is a great deal of swapping of pastoral ideas along with that solidarity which comes from similar ups and downs of experience in parishes. Hard-bitten footsloggers like me can do our best to encourage and support (and sometimes even advise) the younger clergy, and there is much that we can learn from their enthusiasm and dedication.

Nowadays it is increasingly common for me to meet up with former students of my Sacramental Theology course doing sterling work in the Lord's vineyard. Any teacher of anything will know what a consolation that is.

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