Not Merry Old England - Cold, cold England

May 12, 2010

Peace and Good,

I am still in Canterbury teaching my courses. I have students from great Britain, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Cameroon,and Nigeria. It is always a challenge/blessing to teach such a diverse group. It makes you take stock of what is universal belief and what is culturally determined. So much of what we think is right and wrong is simply the way that we are used to doing it.

I will be giving a few adult ed classes as well over these coming weeks. People are so hungry for scripture that wherever I go, they ask for additional instruction.

One sister asked me to look over a short book that she has written. Again, it is privilege to help someone who is just starting out to write. I have been so blessed in that apostolate that I feel a strong obligation to help anyone who is starting out.

The weather is cold, cold, cold. We have gotten close to freezing a couple of night this week. It is supposed to warm up a bit at the end of the week.

I met a class mate of mine from Rome (back in the early 80's) who now lives in Canterbury. We did Bible studies together at the Biblicum (which, if you have ever been to Rome, is a few blocks from the Trevi Fountain). It was great to see him again after all these years.

I finished one book: England under the Tudors by Arthur Innes. I have always been fascinated by that era of history: Henry VII, his son Henry VIII, and then three of his children: Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth. These were not always the nicest of people, but they reigned in England at a crucial time when England was transformed from a backwater second class power to the ruler of the seas. Henry VIII comes across as talented, crafty, cruel, even paranoid and autocratic. Elizabeth is seen as great, and yet indecisive and devious.

My schedule for the next months is:

until June 11: Canterbury, England - teaching

June 13 - 18, 2010: Provinicial Chapter, Buffalo, NY

June 19 - 30, 2010: St. Victor's Major Seminary, Tamale, Ghana - seminarian retreat

July 4 - 10, 2010: St. Francis Convent, Mishawaka, IN - Retreat for Sisters

July 11 - 18, 2010: Quellen Spiritual Center, Mendham, NJ - Retreat for Sisters

July 19 - 23, 2010: St. Francis of Assisi Friary, Mishawaka, IN - Novice Retreat

July 24 - 31, 2010: Chatauqua Community, Chatauqua, NY - Priest in Residence

August 5 - 15, 2010: Our Lady of Consolation Shrine, Carey, OH - Parish Novena

August 16 - 20, 2010: Maronite Seminary, Washington, D.C. - Seminarian Retreat

August 21 - 27, 2010: Ocean City, MD - vacation

August 28 - September 3, 2010: St. Francis of Assisi Friary, Mishawaka, IN - Novitiate Conferences

Take care and Shalom

fr. Jude