Party time

The garden comes into its own for a party

Hospitality is one of those elements of the Patrimony which some say is Benedictine. The recital of the daily Offices by the clergy, saying the entire psalter each month, is another. It would be a good exercise to try to discern just how much of what we take for granted in the Patrimony is in fact inherited from the Monastic formation of the Church in England. At any event,  our Ordinariate Group responds to every chance of a party.

F rDarryl and head Server Trevor

We've had a summer luncheon for our Ordinariate Group each year, and Fr Darryl was happy for us to continue the tradition this year. So on Sunday after Mass about forty of us (which included a few non-Ordinarians - Catholics who regularly support us and seem to enjoy worshiping with us at St Thomas More, came over to our house in Lymington.

John and Teresa are off on a week's  cruise soon!

Sadly a few were prevented from attending by illness or prior commitments, but it proved a very happy occasion; not least because in such a setting you can talk to people you would otherwise not know very well. The weather was much better than forecast, and some bad brought their own garden chairs, so there was room for everyone.

Some took to the house to avoid any possible insects!

Once again, there was food and drink enough and Jane had provided two hot main dishes and any number of puddings, cheese &c.We filled not just the house and garden, but also the conservatory .The overwintering plants were pushed out to take their chance... fortunately we avoided any frosts before I cold restore them to shelter.

Some of the younger guests enjoyed chippolatas on the grass

If the Ordinariate is to flourish, it will have to make many more such occasions - we cannot rely on just one or two annual get-together in Westminster or Walsingham. Perhaps we need to start inviting other groups to join us across a region? I'd quite fancy a run down to Torquay, or up to Reading - and they'd enjoy Bournemouth, I think. We don't always have to go to London to meet! What do you think?

Jane dispensing food at the serving table

Busy week

Dejeuner sur l'herbe

Busy week: the Bournemouth Ordinariate had a bring-and-share lunch party, in the home of Mary and Martin Taylor. Their garden was lovely in the perfect summer weather, so we were able to spread ourselves through house and garden. The pictures will tell it better than my mere words . It was especially good that Fr John Lee was able to be with us (along with several other old friends). Fr John prepared most of the members of our Group for reception into the Catholic Church, and has been a great pastor and counsellor to many of us. Soon he is to move on from his parish in Christchurch to a parish in Maidenhead, in the far north of the diocese. We shall miss him greatly.

Fr John makes a point

Our Welsh grandson was staying for a few days while his parents went on a course together - learning how to build eco-homes with straw bales (honestly). Huw and I went swimming together in the sea at Barton a couple of times (no pictures from there, mercifully) and on Friday had a great day at Marwell Zoo - pity we need the excuse of a young person to visit such places. Besides the animals there were diverse model Dinosaurs which roared and flapped wings and generally looked terrifying. Great fun  

Tererible Lizard - deino-saur

Huw joined us at Mass on Sunday and at the lunch party afterwards; and approved of it all. Everyone was very friendly, he said, and the food was great. From a 14 year-old Welshman that is real praise. Which set me thinking that perhaps one of the less acknowledged bits of our Anglican Patrimony is hospitality. I do hope so for if anything can win English men and women back it will be food and friendship – that and a solidly based faith, with a readiness to share it without any hard sell. We hope the Ordinariate's Open House on Sept 6th will be just such an exercise.