getting used to new surroundings

May 11, 2010


It is now Tuesday but I’m still savouring Sunday. It is strange not celebrating three Sunday Masses. For me Sunday Mass here was at 11am when I accompanied some of the brothers from this house to a Church in the city. On Sunday’s especially I miss the parish gatherings for the Mass at Our Lady of Victories or the Chathams.


Sunday Mass for me this week was in English in a beautiful church where Mozart once played the organ!

The rest of Sunday and the day since have been peaceful. The day of Sunday rest has hopefully set the atmosphere for the week.

The chapel here at the house where I am staying is a beautiful church housing the remains of St John Baptist de la Salle, the founder of the Christian Brothers of the schools in the late seventeenth century. In the photo the tomb is at the left and tabernacle at right. (The Irish Christian brothers we are more familiar with in Christchurch came later). The de la Salle Brothers have one NZ College (de la Salle College in Mangere Auckland.) Until recently they also staffed Francis Douglas College in New Plymouth.

My room looks out over the garden, mostly trees absorbing at least some of the traffic noise from Via Aurelia. A peaceful and cool place for prayer and reading.

My first reading project has been the talks from “The EdConference” over the last few years. This annual gathering of educators seeks to discover the full responsibility and potential of education, not just Catholic education. You might like to follow the link for more information and the video and transcripts of some of the talks.

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