The Oratory School....

...near Reading, is a superb place for a conference, and young Catholics from across Britain gathered there this weekend for the annual EVANGELIUM event, organised by the splendid Fathers Marcus Holden and Andrew Pinsent. Bishop Philip Egan came on Sunday to celebrate Mass and preach, there were talks and workshops on a wide range of topics, the splendid Dominican Sisters of St Joseph were there, we had beautiful Masses in the school chapel...

Auntie spoke on Saint John Paul: to young people he is a sort of magnificent legend, and they love to hear about him. It feels strange now to remember what it was all actually like, in the Europe of pre-1989, when the Iron Curtain was a reality...and to realise that they have all grown up with World Youth Day as a great part of Catholic life, and images of Popes flying to all corners of the globe as quite normal...

The weekend finished with a rallying-call to evangelise, by Father Ed Tomlinson: in a lively address he urged that we study the Faith, be active missionaries,  show our beliefs by the way we live, attract people to Christ through friendship and example, recognise that it is God who does the work and that we are simply called to help lead people towards truth.

The school grounds lush and green, great banks of gloriously scented lavender along the terrace, sunshine dappling the Georgian manor house which forms the core of the school, lively talk and laughter as groups of young people gathered on Saturday evening after evening prayers for drinks and music.

In the school chapel there are of course War memorials to the boys of the Oratory School who were killed in the two great World Wars. Long lists of names. Especially poignant to look at these as the centenary of the First War is marked tomorrow. We are all being urged to put the lights out at 10pm and light a candle in the window...