London, England!!

Our flight left this morning at 7:30 am from Rome to London. We were sad to leave Rome with so many great memories and laughter but, we looked to England with great anticipation in the days ahead. It was a pretty short flight, only 2 hours. The captain gave us great insight into England when he reminded us to listen to the rules of the airplane even if we have heard them before. The English love to stick to rules and it is a great contrast to Rome. Now we will not step out in front of big Mercedes Busses and expect them to stop for we will be breaking the rules and they will not tolerate such things here in the UK. Br. Barnabus met us at the Underground Station where we heard countless times, “Please mind the gap between the train and the platform!” We went to the Brompton Oratory for Mass. The liturgy was absolutely amazing and a beautiful letter was read that was written by the Bishop to all in his Diocese. The Letter was an amazing discourse on the Holy Family. You can read it here… It was a beautiful Church, not as grand as the ones in Rome but it was almost like the ones we visited. We went to the Friar’s for evening prayer and for supper and opened ‘Christmas Crackers’ that had riddles, little toys, and silver paper crowns! This is the first time we had ever actually opened Christmas Crackers. We were treated to a real Capuchin Happy Birthday song for our host Carol a friend of the Friars. “Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Gloom and sadness fill the air people dying everywhere but Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday.” You cannot also forget that they were clinging spoons on the Glasses as well as singing. Always the Capuchins are reminding us of our mortality as in the Bone Church the Immaculate Conception which we visited where the bones were made into some art to ponder our mortality. Sometimes we need the reminder of mortality to begin to live life with great vigor and faith…
After supper, we went to Carol’s house on the White Cliffs of Dover, where we are staying two nights. The white cliffs of Dover are an amazing sight. We cant wait to see them! We saw our first Castle on the way to Carols house. High on a hill it reminded us of the deep history that flanks this country. So much History in such a small place…St. Thomas Beckets Feast day is tomorrow and Carols birthday! We will experience the suppression of Catholicism tomorrow in the most beautiful Cathedrals in England.
Good night or good afternoon to you in America…