The day of the Pope's resignation announcement

My first Transfiguration Sunday Eucharist was at St Michael's in Cathays, one of the four churches I took charge of when I became Rector of Central Cardiff back in 2002. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces in the congregation, and some new ones too, I went on from there for the Eucharist at St Teilo's, another of the those churches. If anything there were fewer familiar faces in this congregation. There's been more of a turnover here in a studentland congregation. This time around, 'Becca, one of my tutees, preached, much to my satisfaction. I got back late for lunch, in time to take Clare to a train to Bristol for her monthly study group. I spent the rest of the day enjoying doing much apart from tidying my photo archives, glad of free time to recover from busy week.

Back to College early for the Eucharist and conversations with several students and the Principal. This is the time of year when a new College student council is elected, and students run an opinion poll on every aspect of College life. The report is always thought provoking reading and offers staff plenty to think about when it comes to improving the College offer to students.

What a surprise to learn over lunch that Pope Benedict had announced his resignation. Nothing like this has happened for six hundred years. His blunt and humble honesty about his advanced age and increasing frailty making it impossible to continue meeting the demands of his office is impressive. He may be a notable theological conservative, but this hasn't meant that he's merely continued doing exactly what his predecessors did. It's being said that there'll be a new Pope by Easter. I wonder who? And what difference this will make - not only for Catholics, but all Christians.

I took a couple of hours out in the afternoon, before the evening Family Service, to go into the CBS office to see if my old network drive would run on our system and be available its different computers, but had no success. Regrettably a more up to date versatile low maintenance solution is needed.

The Family Service was a cheery affair, led confidently by 'Becca and Wendy involving several others. For once it wasn't a eucharistic service, so what they did was something of an experiment. College needs to be an environment where ideas can be investigated and tried out as well as somewhere that imparts conventional ways of worship. Tradition and innovation are both essential in preparing ministers for what lies ahead of them.