...of England. Yesterday I went to Dover, to speak to pupils at St Edmund's Catholic school, and later to address an evening gathering of local Catholics from neighbouring parishes in the school's new Carmel centre.
Topic for each meeting was "Celebrating feasts and seasons of the Church's calendar". The evening gathering was great fun, everyone v. friendly, hugely enjoyable. I had been more worried about the afternoon one - talking to an RE class of teenagers is always a challenge, because the faces say "Aaaargh...just know that this is going to be booooorrriiiiing..." But after a while most sets of eyes indicated "lights now on inside this head" and a connection was made. Of course in question-time there had to be "Yeah, but, like, all those miracles of Jesus....like, well, I mean, like, we've done science and philosophy and that [???] so I know that, like, well, miracles aren't, like, miracles really, are they?" but I don't mind that sort of question because it does get a discussion going. It all takes me back: we too were cynical, assumed the Church was slightly out-of-date, were certain we were knowledgeable. But they are more assertive, if less articulate, in their ignorance and assumptions than we were in the 1960s/70s, more moulded by TV/media-driven jargon, more certain that the Church is likely to be wrong...
I was glad to see some good CTS booklets and materials on a display stand in the room...hope they get picked up and read...
The school has had massive funding and has a Media section, studios for recording music, a top-class Business Centre. I was made v. welcome, everyone was most hospitable - tour of the whole place, delicious tray of snacks and sandwiches etc...I also went into the town and pottered about...seagulls calling, and a whiff of the sea. France is only 22 miles away. Exploring, I walked up the hill beyond the school, with a view of the town and castle in the setting sun...there is a huge cemetery there, with many military graves, soldiers of the Great War, brought back here from France, wounded, to die in the military hospital- just a few months older than the teenagers in the school below: "aged 18" "aged 19". White gravestones against the fresh green grass of early spring, and evening falling.
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Hi Joanna, I was sorry that I was not able to get to see you at the new Carmel Centre in Dover. I am sure that it was a much enjoyable talk. My husband has been watching your feasts and seasons on tv but I don't always get time. My youngest daughter went to St Edmunds and it was a very good school; she is now doing art at Canterbury.
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