Mike's musings

Paris!

(backposting) Jo was up at 0345, and I didn't get back to sleep before 0430, when I got up to drive to Gosfield for a cooked breakfast with Geoff, after which we picked up John and drove to Ebbsfleet International. There we met Viv, James, Ruth (his wife), Clifford and Anne (his wife). We got to Paris, and did the OpenTour bus ride around the city. We ate and drank (twice, with less drinking the second time), and got to know each other better than we had before. I spent lots of time talking to people, particularly Ruth and Geoff, and on the way back in the car, Geoff, John and I had some very interesting discussions on some major theological and pastoral issues, including:

• reception of the Eucharist by children;
• baptism policies;
• marriage policies;
• marriage preparation.

I had a very interesting time, but the highlights of the day for me were trips to Notre Dame de Paris and the Memorial de la Déportation. I rather dragooned people into going to this, as none of them had been there before. People don't seem to know it: for me, it's a must-see when visiting Paris. It's very affecting, and I cried, as I think I have on each occasion I've been there. Notre Dame, which we did immediately afterwards, was hardly less emotional for me. Although it was very busy, there's an oasis of calm in the middle, and I also joined a little service in the Lady Chapel at the East end. I've never said the Ave Maria that many times before, even if it was in French. Does that count?

Slept a little on the train back, and got home around 0020.

Labels: clergy