Final Sung Vespers
September 7, 2008
If actions speak louder than works, smiling relaxed faces are a pretty good indication that people enjoyed their day off yesterday. The energy in the room at breakfast and people chatting about the the different things they saw and places they visited, was probably good preparation for our retreat this week. People were very pleased to have a day free and without any commitments, this too, despite the miserable weather. Saturday aside, we’ve been fortunate to enjoy excellent weather.
One story that has emerged and that has an element of mirth, was the dinner arrangement for Edwin, Matt, John and John. Earlier in the day they’d agreed to meet outside the Lyon Cathedral at 6pm. Matt and John arrived at what they thought was a little early and attracted by the free WiFi called into the pub opposite only to find John Beckley. Approaching 6pm, where was the normally punctual Edwin? John went looking and waited a while outside the Cathedral. Fearing his wine may be in jeopardy he returned to the free WiFi zone. Nearer the arranged time he went back across the road to the Cathedral and found Edwin as arranged outside the front door. John explained what had happened, to which Edwin replied that he’d been inside the Cathedral for the past 30 minutes where there was no free WiFi. If there was further evidence needed that the Chapel is the last place a Marist looks for his confreres, the ‘rule’ is clearly paradigmatic and now applied to Cathedrals too.
Denis O’Brien was very pleased with his day too. There has been a nagging issue here with one of the house computers that has a virus. It appears there was no anti-virus software on this computer and when installing one it conflicted with the CD ROM software. It’s been an on-going problem for the last week, but today Denis solved the problem and everyone’s grateful to him.
There are new discoveries every day, particularly with a place this size, and today Charlie discovered several Petanque sets. The loose chip pathways at La Neyliere are idea for Petanque and given tomorrow we go into retreat, Bernard, Micka, Denis, John and Charlie extracted the last from the post tea daylight and played until they could no longer see the small caddy ball. As they made their way around the pathways of La Neyliere, no one kept score, but Bernard emerged the clear winner.
This being the last Sunday at La Neyliere, and with some yet to return, Paul Loubaresse (pictured), invited us to the Marist Community room for “Sung Vespers.” Now a tradition, perhaps not one started by Fr Colin, but all agree that tradition should be a living thing.
With this section of the journal coming to an end it is a good a time to say thanks to Bernd, Paul and Jean-Bernard Jolly for the respective parts that they have played in making our pilgrimage of the Marist Places such a positive experience. While it has been Bernd who has led the way, we all know that it’s a community effort and so we thank them for their welcome and making us, as fellow Marist priests and brothers, so much at home.
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Hi There, Enjoying every day your report/s. May your retreat be blessed in every way. Shall be praying for you all. Look forward to your Rome visit and reports.
God bless for now Pius.