De La Mennais Brothers: Making Jesus Christ better known and loved by young people

This morning I re-read Day 1 of a Bible devotional in my YouVersion Bible app by the group Tenth Avenue North on the themes of their album from a couple of years ago "The Struggle", and it really resonated with me. I've found myself thinking along the same lines a fair bit in recent times and I thought I would share it: Don't Stop the Madness I'm sitting in a small airport in Montana right now, sleep deprived and delayed. I've been gone from my family for what feels like forever and just want to get home. You know that feeling right? When you just want to get home? But as I sit here on the floor and stare red eyed at my computer screen, I have to remember one thing. God seldom works in the easy and comfortable. Can He? Sure. Does He? Sometimes. But more often than not, the times that shape me, the times that make me more loving and more gracious, aren't usually what I look back on as "good times." Isn't that strange? I mean, sure we all want ...

I thought in advance that this would be another worthy, workman-like war "true story", but I was pleasantly surprised. It's beautifully shot, the final sequence, in particular, took my breath away. The cast was a mixture of Irish (north + south), English and native Czech. If you can get past the resultant kaleidoscope of accents what you get is a dramatic, well acted, artistically filmed and ultimately moving retelling of a major event in the history of the Czechoslovak peoples that is seemingly much less well known elsewhere. It also benefits greatly from a wonderfully atmospheric score by Robin Foster. The plot partially reminded me of the true story behind Sir Michael Tippett's wonderful oratorio, "A Child Of Our Time". (Look it up. It's worth it.) Thoroughly recommended. Oh and Cillian Murphy burns through the screen, as usual.

Just read this wonderfully wise passge and it has very much struck a chord with me: "If we are to love our neighbors, before doing anything else we must see our neighbors. With our imagination as well as our eyes, that is to say like artists, we must see not just their faces, but the life behind and within their faces. Here it is love that is the frame we see them in.” (Frederick Buechner)

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated the 50th jubilee of Bro. Jacques Jouvance, member of our community in Liverpool. Bro. Jacques came to Liverpool upon his retirement as a teaching Brother in France in 2009, the year I transferred to our Southampton community. We've been in community together in Liverpool now since 2013. Jacques is a wonderful cook, green-fingered gardener and lovely company in community. This summer we went to World Youth Day together, helping to accompany a group of 120 French and Spanish young people. Twenty years ago this month I took my final vows as a De La Mennais Brother during a Mass at SFX College (it's 26 years since I started my life as a Brother). It's been a wild and wonderful ride since then. So many amazing experiences in the service of young people. It's been a privilege sharing them with the Brothers and lay people God has put on my path. And I've been so blessed to have made many friendships that continue to sustain and enrich me...

As I’m sure most of you will know, World Youth Day, the international Catholic youth festival held twice every five years, took place in Poland this summer. Here’s a sample of the Facebook posts that I wrote during the event, to give you a flavour of what we got up to. July 20th Met up with the 120 French and Spanish young people, accompanied by our team of young adult group leaders and Brothers. I hadn't finished eating and I was already being interviewed by Polish tv!! And now, we are in a local stadium doing The Birdie Song in Polish!!! Happy days :-) ... followed by some crazy zumba and Uptown Funk!! 2 local Polish priests got in on the act!! A beautiful mass in Kluczbork with our Polish hosts, the music led by a talented group of local young musicians. July 21st It's a small world. One of the Polish priests I spoke with last night is a missionary in Togo. He's brought to World Youth Day in Poland two young Togolese men from his parish in... Kara!!! = just next to the p...

Yesterday afternoon, Col de Val Louron-Azet in the Pyrenees at 1,580m. Av. 8.5% gradient climb over 8km. First couple of km felt like I was going to melt. Temperature eased a little as I got higher and I finished quite strongly. Wouldn't normally ride here in the afternoon but wanted to get the legs turning after the long journey driving. A day hiking tomorrow, Pla d'Adet + a small Col Tues. then Aspin + Tourmalet Weds. Then it's over to our house near St. Jean de Luz for a week cycling and hiking in the western Pyrenees of the Basque region. It's a hard life!

Arrived this morning at our congregation's residence at Bordères-Louron, 800m up in the Pyrenees, after a 2 day drive with Bro. Francis, visiting friends of mine on the way. While he's out hiking in the baking heat this afternoon with a few other Brothers, I'll be cycling up to the Col d'Azet at 1,580m, as a prelude to further Tour de France mountain passes in the next few days.