Mirfield

I went to Mirfield, in Yorkshire. I honour this place for 117 years of monastic formation. Dietrich Bonhoeffer honoured it for the depth and accessibility of the brothers' psalm chanting. The last time I spoke there, with Ian Bradley, the Prior informed everyone of his three conversions: to Christ, to computers and (on that day) to Celtic spirituality !

Guestmaster Brother Gregory, a lively North American, inducted me into he labyrinthe ways connecting the monastery (men only), the college (female as well as male ordinands), the retreat annexe (anyone except intruders), the large church, the lower church, the refectory, the new refectory and the wifi receiving area and the password which could not be written down. plus the code for six doors which could be written down ... and the Mirfield Centre, which hosts days (mine was the latest) which draw a wider public and orovide income. Except that the Mirfield Centre, I discovered, is a project not a place. We would eat in the Refectory (not the new Refectory where I had breakfast). We would meet in the church (not the big church in which only brothers officiate) but the lower church which students use.

While I was at Mirfield Graham and Ruth went to York to celebrate 100 years of the Sisters of the Order of the Holy Paraclete where there was African dancing and bands galore.

Now Pete and Merryl Sharpe have arrived from the Welsh Borders. Peter has experience with university Adult Learning Resources. Judith Lines joined us as we reviewed and planned improvements to our e-studies courses. I hope to be more available to people who book accommodation on Holy Island and use our Celtic Christian Studies Library.