...with the city shops bright with Christmassy things, and a warm welcome at the Aquinas Institute where I had tea with Fr Richard Conrad. I needed to consult him on a theological point - and he was patient, helpful and logical, and just what a useful Dominican should be. Later I went to Blackfriars for an evening Mass for the eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. at which he was the celebrant. He preached on the history of the church's understanding of this important doctrine. There are usually a lot of Dominican friars in the choir-stalls, but on this Friday evening there were only one or two, and as Mass ended he explained that this was because on this feast day the Franciscans - "who were right about the Immaculate Conception all along" - invite the Dominicans for Vespers and supper..
On Saturday, I spoke at a study day at Winton - again a wonderful welcome. We were looking at the "gender issues" and the ideology now being rather rigidly enforced in many academic centres...
later, a meditation on the Feast Day in the beautiful chapel, an opportunity for Advent confession...
Oxford glowing in the evening dusk: it was bitterly cold but the city with its pre-Christmas feel was a delight, and just walking down to get the bus at St Aldates was enjoyable.Some Christmas shopping at Waterstones, some coffee, and then a bus ride across Folly Bridge and off to stay with family...
It's not going to be fun for everyone in Britain this Christmas, though..While I worked on Christmas cards and wrote up this blog, a relative was cutting and folding scarves for the big distribution of clothes for the homeless...
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