SPRINGTIME AND THE POPE

A glorious spring day and a train trip out of London, alighting at Bicester North...my destination was the extremely agreeable book club run each month by Breff and Jill Kelly at which I was to be this month's guest speaker. Topic: Pope Benedict XV1 and if you haven't bought my book on him, simply send me an immediate comment to this blog INCLUDING AN EMAIL ADDRESS WHERE I CAN REACH YOU and I'll arrange for you to get one...

The room filled up in a friendly atmosphere, freshly-brewed coffee was served,and it was a delight to speak in this pleasant sunny room to an eager audience. I hugely enjoy talking about Papa Benedict, dispelling the media-myths, explaining about his books, his teaching work, life in post-war Germany, and more...afterwards I was entertained to a delicious lunch out on the terrace, seated next to an adorable Kelly baby grandson, lots of talk and laughter...oh, the best, best possible way to spend a day...

Breff K. has a delightful story about Papa B: when, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he came to speak in Cambridge, Breff attended and found it basolutely fascinating. He later wrote to the Cardinal to say so, adding that it had happened to be his birthday and the talk had been a perfect way to mark the day. He didn't expect a reply but....the next year, on his birthday, he recieved a card from Cardinal Ratzinger!

THE POPE'S BAVARIA

And then, in the evening, a meeting of my Catholic Cultural Group, at which the guest speaker was Fr Nicholas Schofield,: I had invited him to speak on "The Pope's Bavaria" as he has made several trips to that land, and indeed has just returned from one. He really made it all come alive for us - glorious baroque churches, and tasty sausages, and all. He spoke at some length about the heroic priests of Dachau - about young Karl Leisner, secretly ordained in this concentration camp and now beatified by the Church - surely a patron saint for today's young men training for the priesthood...If you want to catch some of the flavour of Fr Nicholas' talk, visit his own blog which has pictures and lots of descriptions of his travels...

As it happens, on Friday I am guest speaker at Fr N's parish, which rounds things off rather nicely.