Wednesday, April 14, 2010

A quick round-up of Auntie's activities...

...in recent days (been too busy to blog until now)...

A good crowd of Catholic Walkers met on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral on Monday evening. Began with prayers for the Holy Father's visit. Distributed copies of the important article by Phil Lawler (download it, print it off, and do the same). It being 6pm, at the suggestion of an Anglican clergyman who was of the group, we sang the Regina Caeli. Then off on a ramble through the City, taking in various churches, the Guildhall, and, finally, the plaque marking the birthplace of John Henry Newman, where we had a final talk and prayer. (The plaque is near the Stock Exchange. Newman was baptised at St Benet's church which stood nearby but which was demolished to make way for neccessary road widening in the mid 19th century - some of the artefacts went to a new St Benet's in what was then the expanding suburb of Tottenham).

Next day, off to Wales, where my travels took me to Pantasaph: there is a magnificent Franciscan shrine there, which I noted as I passed...I had never heard of it before, and learned that it dates back to the 19th century and is on land donated by the Earl of Denbigh.

I was staying at a local b-and-b, so after supper I went to explore the shrine. It has a fine outdoor garden-chapel, with a great statue of Padre Pio, to whom I confided various intercessions. A gate led through to some woods, so I opened it up...and there was a steep hill path, following by curls and zigzags the Stations of the Cross up to a great Calvary...as I followed the Way, I was alone in the woods in the dusk, with startled rabbits scampering away at my footfall, and birds suddenly rustling in the trees...at the great Calvary, Christ extends his arms from the hill, and takes in all sorrow, all worries...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Joanna, I just found your blog and wanted you to know that

1) Love "feast and seasons" series. I own it as well as the book
2)Appreciate the Military orders and the Crusades series w/ your husband. I have learned a great deal about that area of history that I knew very little about
3)Praying for Britian and all that the Church is dealing with there, as well as the success of the Pope's visit in Sept.

Keep up the good work!

Dawn
A New England American Catholic (Hartford, Connecticut Archdiocese)

Anonymous said...

Dear Auntie Joanna,

Some of this is a duplicate of Dawn's post.

I absolutely love "Feasts and Seasons" and look forward to giving the DVDs to one of my brothers for his birthday gift (I am not a cook but enjoy the history of it all) and also so enjoying the Military Orders series with your husband and look forward to giving that series as a birthday gift to my other brother. :)

Praying for the UK, our beloved Benedict XVI, and for the communion of all believers.

Deo Gratias!

MDB

Georgia, USA

Stacey said...

Dear Joanna,
Ok 3's charm...mine is also a duplicate of Dawn and Georgia. I have enjoyed watching Feasts and Seasons for a couple of years now. I really have learned a lot. More recently(actually last night) I watched you and your husband's show on EWTN about the Crusades. I love to learn about history!
Additionally, I am not a Catholic, however, I am very drawn to Pope Benedict XVI. I have been praying for him.
Thank you for sharing your traditions and journalistic appreciation for the truth!

-Stacey, Los Angeles,CA, USA

Jackie Parkes MJ said...

I had a great visit to Pantasaph when staying with the Brigittines in Holywell..have some fab pictures..glad you liked it..