My new blog

Ten years ago I set up a blog to use while I was in Chicago for a year of study. I used it both for my own reflections, and to keep in touch with family and friends back home. It proved to be such a valuable tool, and better than the short-form of facebook posts. Two years ago I set up another blog to use in a similar way for my time in Omaha. But as it was named "frjimatholycross" and I'm no longer at Holy Cross Parish Kincumber, it seemed time to set up a new blog for a new year. So click here if you
 want to read what I was doing last year,
or read on for my adventures this year.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2002

Image
 I had thought myself to be a bit of a pro at youth ministry. But I had a whole lot more to learn in Toukley.  Our parish and school youth ministers had arranged a fantastic pilgrimage to Uluru. But because there were only female leaders, only girls went. And they came back saying what a great time they had and how they were able to be much more open because there were no boys around.  This made me realise that there is a need for the boys too to have a tailor made program for them, because teenage boys are probably more in need of prompts to spirituality than teenage girls are. So I launched the Boys Beach Pilgrimage: five days in a borrowed minibus with me, another young adult youth leader and ten Year 10 & 11 boys, camping in national parks and on beaches up the north coast, including climbing Mt Warning to see the sunrise, pictured here. Along with the boisterousness of lots of beach soccer and cricket and swimming, we took time for affirmations and for silence, both of which w
Read more

1999

Image
 Today the Camino began. And it's off to a great start.  There was some nervousness about the weather with a thunderstorm and a lot of rain forecast, which would be difficult in the 1300-1400m section. I decided to check the weather forecast first thing in the morning, but I heard people start walking with their backpacks and poles at 5am!  So I began. In darkness, because the sun doesn't rise in Spain till 7.30am due to being on the same timezone as most of Europe. The road began to climb and climb. There should have been spectacular views, but I was in the midst of cloud, and it was so foggy and misty I expected to find the ghost of Heathcliff. Instead, I met (and overtook) many many pilgrims from around the world with varying levels of English. So I would greet with hello, either chat in reply, or give the standard "Buen Camino" and walk on.  There was a cafe in a little town called Orisson about a third of the way up, which was great for a coffee, and then, the he
Read more

2004

Image
 Today I walked from Puerta Le Reina to Estella. It was a cooler day and made for easier walking, despite my ankle flaring up at times during the day.  The walk took us, as it has most days, through beautiful little villages with what to me is extraordinary architecture. The church here in Estella, or should I saw, one of the 3 churches here in a town of 14,000 was first built in the 12th century, and then continued to be added to until the 18th century. You can see the change in architectural style move from the heavy Romaneque to the lighter and airier Gothic with its vaulted ceilings and stained glass. It would be a fine cathedral in many places, but is just the local church in a small town.  I should mention last night's Mass in Puerta La Reina. Most towns seem to have an evening Mass at 7pm. Whether that is deliberately for the pilgrims or just works out conveniently I don't know. I could feel the young Indian priest praying every word of the Mass, not just saying it. I fe
Read more