So Far This Week.....

The cloister garden at my Theological College.

Bolton Priory Church.

The inside of same.

Our old thurible.

So far this week, I have been studying hard at my Theological College, preparing for this weekend in Wakefield where I shall be attending a residential course concerning how to work with children and young people. I dare say there will be plenty of opportunity for people to tell stories of awful Priests they have known, horrendous Church Schools they have read about, chance for those who indulge in such behaviour to say 'but they are our future (pious look, snort of nasal breath) without children we have no Church' and of course the old favourite 'you cannot be too careful, I mean, it's a CHILD we are talking about here!' as though they have some sort of monopoly on them. However, it will be useful, I am sure. The bar, I am informed, is subsidised by the Police Federation, whose building we are to use, so thank you, fellow taxpayers, I shall have one on you!

I have also been thinking about the Parish Summer Day Out as well, two years ago we went to Stonyhurst and sung High Mass for two hundred and fifty souls, enjoyed a lovely lunch in the Great Hall, toured the building and were given Benediction to round the day off, last year we arranged the first High Mass since the reformation in Stydd Chapel and had lunch in Clitheroe before Evensong in the ancient Parish Church of Whalley, so we are setting a precedent! I am hoping to arrange High Mass at Bolton Priory, then lunch in Skipton followed by a tour of the Castle followed by Benediction in the private Chapel at Broughton Hall, so we will see. However, I am so busy at the moment it might be a McDonalds Happy Meal for a hundred!

We are all so pleased with the new thurible that we have decided to sell the old one on Ebay once Lent starts and the market has picked up a bit, unless any of our esteemed readers would like to make a bid first, we would like about eighty to a hundred pounds, really, as I sold an inferior one privately on Ebay last year for the same. It is in good condition and has a large bowl for those who like a large amount of smoke. It is well seasoned and includes the ash and tar.