This summer I had to go to England twice. The first trip was for a conference on Catholic Priesthood at St. Mary’s University in Twickenham (London). The conference was organized by both the Theology Department of St Mary’s and Ave Maria University (Florida) hosting a great variety of speakers. It was a joy to present a paper and to listen to inspiring conferences on a topic so central to our Catholic faith. It was special for me as I approach 30 years in the ministry. What struck me the most was the “at home” atmosphere in a Catholic academic and prayerful environment. It was a breath of fresh air.
Once the conference finished, a dear classmate from Maryvale and I enjoyed, among other things, religious art at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square: a feast for the eyes looking at scenes from the life of Christ and different beautiful Madonnas. We were also lucky as The Last Caravaggio was displayed. We ended Sunday with a visit to Westminster Catholic Cathedral in central London Victoria. This time, it was a feast to our ears. We walked in when Vespers was about to start. The children and adults’ angelic voices took us to heaven for about half an hour which ended with the benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.
Mesmerizing Cathedral
For some reason I find this Cathedral mesmerizing: a combination of beautiful chapels, its mosaics, and a contrasting unusual dark ceiling. I had been there many years ago and could still remember the chapel dedicated to the martyrs. For some mysterious reason the English martyrs John Fisher, Thomas More and others exert a special attraction on me. And then I prayed at the Chapel of our Lady of Walsingham, where one can find this interesting reference: “When England returns to Walsingham, Our Lady will return to England,” prophetic words pronounced in 1897 by Pope Leo XIII. Our Lady of Walsingham is the Seat of Wisdom, and the Child sits in majesty and communion with his Mother. How can you not feel at home in any Catholic Church where you find the same faith and reverence, our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and feel the protection of Our Lady? England was no exception to this!
My second trip to London and then Portsmouth was for the ordination of a friend, a convert from atheism to Anglicanism and then to Catholicism. He was ordained at the beautiful Cathedral of St John the Evangelist in Portsmouth. I was honored to vest him during the ordination ceremony, and then preach at the celebration of his First Mass. What a day! We were both joyful!
A Wish
Well, I do not know how these could relate to today’s readings, but I hope I stirred your curiosity to Google these places, and to say a prayer for souls to our Lady of Walsingham. And by the way, happy memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
God bless you all.
Author: The Contribution of Cornelio Fabro to Fundamental Theology. Reason and Faith, Cambridge Scholars Publishing: htps://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-9315-2
