ragon
THE
P RTAL
October 2011
Page 8
Madrid 2011
from two young people who went to WYD
We arrived
in the historic town of Toro. We were welcomed to lunch by our host
family, the local parishioners, and a nearby convent. Being in Toro allowed us to see exactly
what it is like to be in a Spanish parish, and to acclimatise to the heat before hitting the masses
of the pilgrims in the hot streets of Madrid.
The culmination of our trip was the freak storm that hit us, the vigil was very moving. We
vigil which 1.5 million people attended then slept outside and awoke to Mass on the Sunday
with the Pope. Apart from a 15 minute morning.”
Patrick
The experience
of WYD itself was massive, it felt like nothing else I have ever
experienced and showed me how strong people’s faith is. All you needed to see this is the
reaction of the Pope’s arrival, and how, even though hit by a storm, and sitting in the blistering
heat all day, people continued to celebrate.”
Matt
Blessed Cyprian Tansi
Few enjoy a change of direction. Many in the
Ordinariate have felt the pull between remaining in
the fleshpots of Egypt or journeying to the Promised
Land. coming to England where he did indeed become a
Cistercian monk at Mount Saint Bernard Abbey. He
was confident that in this way he would be a more
effective apostle on his return to his native land.
If only the good Lord would leave us where we are!
So ponder the life and death of Blessed Cyprian Tansi,
beatified by Pope John Paul II. Michael Tansi was a
diligent and energetic priest in Nigeria where his care
for his people was exemplary. But then the Lord called
him to the contemplative life, which necessitated After 13 years of the monastic life he was ready to
return. Then just before he set out the Lord called
him to Himself. A premature death? Fr Cyprian
rather believed that God had completed his work. His
beatification was the church’s stamp on his total self-
giving.
Weddings
How much do today’s weddings cost? Quite a lot, seems the answer. As most couples have already
been living together, and have sufficient luxury goods
to start with, the wedding day has to have some extra
zip beyond the dull routine of getting married. So why
not take the guests on a boat (affectionately known as
the booze cruise ) betwixt marriage and reception? dresses, to flowers, to balloons, to table napkins? Why
not have not just one, but two men employed from
dawn to dusk (and beyond to the evening disco) who
circle every minute detail with fuss and excitement?
Of course it all comes with a price, but with a couple
of tickets for a far-off destination thrown in for good
measure, who’s counting the cost on the special day?
Why not have a colour theme (purple and white)
that runs through everything from the bridesmaids It is no wonder that many clergy prefer a funeral to
a wedding!
Stocking filler
Pope Benedict’s
latest book, “Great immensely stimulating essays on the likes of Jerome,
Christian Thinkers: From the Early Church through Anselm, Benedict and Julian of Norwich. Some 70
the Middle Ages” SPCK £12.99 978-0-281-06474-8
portraits in all. Entirely pre-Reformation. To quote the
reviewer again,” Here is a highly readable collection, in
The headline in the review claimed that the Pope which the thinkers are presented as characters, each in
had brought these thinkers to life. They appear to be his or her essence.”