...of welcome at Maryvale, hugs from the Bridgettine sisters, supper waiting, lots of cheery talk as students gather and news is swapped...I was so glad to be there that I found myself beaming at everyone and everything in what I am certain was an extremely tiresome way...
Excellent lectures from Fr Robert Letellier who was simply wonderful in opening up the New Testament in ways I had never thought about before and with an ease of style that made it all understandable and rather thrilling, and the Dominican Fr Richard Conrad . The latter is an old friend - famous in our family circle for his excellent cakes - but I had never heard him lecture before, and it was terrific. He has good throwaway lines ("East Anglia has lots of good things - Colman's Mustard, Julian of Norwich...")and a casual way of doing enjoyable things: the lecture was "De Deo Uno at Trino" and he began cheerily in Latin before smoothly switching to English...
On Saturday night I sat long and late in the library relishing the access to a wonderful range of books. No one else was there so I kicked off my shoes and nibbled chocolate while tackling much necessary reading for the next essays. Overslept on Sunday morning and was woken by the sound of the Sisters singing their office in the chapel. Our Mass followed and I was just in time. Hurrying up and down the main staircases at Maryvale is an odd sensation because they are slanted with venerability in a rather pleasing but mildly disconcerting way...
Memorabilia from Cardinal Newman in a display case in the hall, a hearty Sunday lunch, huge regrets at leaving when the weekend finished...as a group of us chattered in a taxi to the station we swept past a great Mosque, new and gleaming, occupying a massive presence alongside the busy main road. A reminder that this 21st century presents us with challenges and needs that Newman's era could not have imagined...
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