In principio

Well actually, the real beginning happened 6 months ago in the Holy Land - but that's a story for another time...

Benedict XVI House

In just a few hours, I'll be collecting the keys to Benedict XVI House - a brand-new, residential community here at St Mary's University College, Twickenham. The Holy Father will be visiting the college on 17th September (details here), and the House will form a major part of the Visit's legacy. I'm sure you'll agree that the House itself - formerly known as 'Wellspring', and leased from the Presentation Brothers - is a fitting tribute. For our own part, we hope and pray that we live up to the name!

The lounge

 The basic idea is for a small group of staff and students to live together, pursuing a communal life of prayer, study, and service. Many of the details are still to be decided, but we'll certainly have community meals, and daily lauds and vespers. Plans are also afoot for regular rosary, film nights, 'theology on tap', speakers, barbecues, cake mornings, pilgrimages, processions... Above all, we hope to practise the corporal works of mercy. We plan to be of service to each other, to St Mary's as a whole, and to the wider community.

Our chapel/oratory (work still to be done here!)

The purpose of this blog is, primarily, to let others know how we get on - and to invite them to participate, in person or in prayer, with certain of our ventures. Hopefully, several members of the House can be persuaded to contribute here, at least occasionally. Unfortunately one of our residents, Catholic With Attitude, is currently on 'sabbatical'. 

Though today is the birth day of Benedict XVI House, it won't be until next week that the House starts properly filling up... 

Whatever else may come of it, it's sure to be an interesting and challenging (initial) 12 months! Still, as the servant of God Dorothy Day was fond of saying, 'by little and by little...' And as Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati was fond of saying, 'Verso l'alto!' ('To the heights!'). (You'll be hearing a lot more about both of those in the months to come.)

Needless to say, we'd be very grateful if you'd - in descending order - a) pray for us; b) follow us; and c) link to us.

Stephen