Sant Sior, nawddsant Palesteina a Syria - Lloegr hefyd

I went into College for Morning Prayer as Fr Mark Clavier, the new Dean of Residential Training was due to give his first meditation/reflection at the service. I was impressed that he stood in the aisle and spoke for the allotted time without notes on the cosmic frame of reference in which the church's ministry is exercised. Later in the morning he came to his first three hour tutors' meeting and listened to us discuss the drafts of final reports recommending to their respective Bishops the nine students due to be ordained in ten weeks from now. A good opportunity for him to get to know those entrusted to his pastoral charge, even if they'll soon be on their way. Over the coming years of their in-service training, they'll return to St Mike's on a variety of occasions, and he'll be there to welcome them back.

Before the evening's tutor group meeting I celebrated the Welsh language Eucharist. Being St George's Day I reminded the three worshippers present that he was patron saint of Palestine and Syria as well as England, and for a much longer period of time than our near neighbour. At the end I turned the page to give one of the paschaltide prefaces to the blessing, and then my mind went blank, I simply couldn't recall the trinitarian benediction formula in Welsh, which I've memorised - well you need to as it's not printed where you'd expect to find it in the book. Annoying and embarrassing.

The tutor group decided that it would like to do bible study again this term, focussing on one continuous text. 1 Peter was chosen, as it can be covered a chapter a week in the sessions remaining to us this term. It was good that Fr Mark was with us, especially as he's conducted a bible study of 1 Peter in the recent past. Not that we knew this when choosing. I was surprised that the students didn't seem to realise how important 1 Peter is as an Eastertide text and in relation to the baptismal vocation of the People of God. I thought someone might have remembered that much from the liturgical lectionary, or from lectures introducing them to the bible. Sometimes I wonder what they do learn from university theology.

How pleasant that it was warm and dry enough to ride my bike down to the evening's Chi Gung class. How good to get right back down into the body after a day in the head.