On the move again

Finally the new chaplain´s house, on the outskirts of Los Boliches is ready. An enormous amount of work has been invested in acquiring and preparing the house of occupation, and there are so many amazing stories behind the extreaordinary provision mof som many things that were needed to make it ready to become a home for a new priest.

After a morning spent packing our bags and tidying Peter and Linda's apartment, we enjoyed a final lunch and then set out with them to take charge of the new parsonage. It's located just beyond the two motorways, which pass through the periphery of Fuengirola, about a hundred and fifty feet above sea level, so it enjoys lots of fresh air and a magnificent view of the Sierra de Mijas from the back bedroom and the study window. The noise from the road isn't intrusive, and in any case, the house is well sound-proofed. It sits on a corner of the urbanizacion with direct street acces and access to the shared garden and swimming pool of the complex. The house is spacious and most suitable for hospitality, with an enviable new kitchen!

This is the nearest you'll get to a selfie of me snapping the house entrance - casa de la esperanza is a very nice name for an inspirational home making project to provide an attractive place for a new chaplain.

We're here for the next three weeks, and looking forward to a visit from Kath, Anto and Rhiannon for Semana Santa, with the added delight of a visit from Owain for the Holy Triduum. On Saturday, my old friend Fr Geoff Johnston, now acting Archdeacon of Spain is coming for the Chaplaincy AGM, and a house blessing celebration for the comunity that's worked so hard to make it all happen. One way or another, Clare and I get to test the capacity and usability of the new house, and attend to the details of shaping it into a new functional parsonage. 

The first time we did this was in 1971, when we installed ourselves in the newly built St Andrew's curate's house in the Parish of Caerphilly, during my first curacy. It was the home into which we brought our first born daughter Katherine. The next time we made our home in a new priest's residence was in Geneva in 1993. In fact we did this twice. The first time was in a house in Versoix Port, then five years later, in a penthouse apartment overlooking the Place des Nations in Montbrillant. All hard work, all wonderful experiences in their different ways. And here we are again, albeit now in retirement, after living in three other apartments during my sojourn on the Costa del Sol.

I consider myself most fortunate to have had such varied experiences of home making as a priest over the last forty five years of ministry. Mind you, adventure notwithstanding, I'm not so sure Clare would say the same!