Between the busy time in England, Scotland and Brussels – today I have time for sightiseeing. Thanks to the kindness of a Polish family who has lived here for 6 years I was able to set off to visit Edinbourgh and St. Andrews.

Unusual cities and extraordinary architecture. Especially St Andrews – university town with so many students. I walk along the narrow streets, passing by plenty of young people. Despite the strong wind and the bitter chill, the whole town gives the impression of warmth.

I walk to the sea shore. On the other side of the water – Denmark and Norway. From the bay you can see the North Sea. But if I strained my eyes, I could probably also see as far as the Wolin Island*.

Tomorrow I’ll be travelling to Brussels via London. I needed that quiet day.

With the memory of you in my heart,

Your – still Scottish – correspondent

Fr. Jay

Before I go on to write a few words about the Conference, I have to mention Fr. John. It’s a most unusual priest. He’s been the chaplain to students for 14 years, and at the same time – a parish priest of one of the parishes. He gave up his room in Chaplaincy for the students, and moved to a tiny room in the basement. From dawn to dusk he is there in the Chaplaincy for the students. When I was leaving at 10 p.m., he was still talking to somebody. He is the soul of that house. It was his idea to hold this mini-conference:

Students, adults, priests, from different countries. The first speaker was Fr. James Pereiro, who “stole” the beginning of my talk, because he apologized for his accent. It seems to be not only my problem then. 🙂 After a short break we started our journey along “Love and Responsinility” by Blessed John Paul II.

It was nice to see people interested in the subject and reacting to the content – both by being very focuesd or laughing. At the end there was a discussion which showed that the subject was practical and important.

Now, once it’s over – I feel a great relief in my heart. And I feel I need some well-deserved rest. Until Friday, because on Friday I should be in Brussels getting ready for the I+YOU=WE couple retreat.

Thank you for your loyal assistance in prayer for a priest from Poland, cast here and there to do his service. Please, continue to remember me in your prayers. 🙂

With heartfelt prayer,

Your Scottish correspondent,

Fr. Jay

After a wonderful visit at Maryvale Institute and the Birmingham Oratory with Louise and David – I’m sitting in the train to Glasgow. Tomorrow evening I am to take part in a conference about Reason and Faith. It will be very interesting, it seems. It will also be my first visit to Scotland.

For now, the calm English scenery is passing me by. I’m taking my time to say “thank you” for all that happened. I was looking for some symbol, some image, that I could associate with that trip to England. And what came to mind at once was the crocodile/aligator waiting for me in my room when I arrived at the place destined to be my shelter in Cheshire for those several days. It’s as English as anything could be. At least for me. I enclse a photograph.

Inside, as some of you may suppose, is the “hot water bottle” which makes it possible to survive the English distance towards everything – also towards the chill. Our winter coats greatly impressed English people, who wore either T-shirts or only jackets.

Thank you for that unusually warm and homely reception which I (and we) were offered. It will stay in our memory forever.

From the center of England, on the way to Scotland,

Your correspondent,

Fr. Jay

Dear Louise with her two friends has taken us today to visit St. Joseph.

Peak District, hills covered with heather, so very English that you can’t get any more English than that. There’s a bee-house-shaped chapel there, dedicated to St. Joseph.

A small shelf that can act as an altar and a kneeling bench, all covered with small papers with requests to St. Joseph and gifts, candles.

We asked him for help and we gave Him all our problems. We know that He was with us and changed our hearts, that He wonderfully took care of everything.

And later a true picnic. It didn’t matter that it was the beginning of March. There’s no trip without a picnic. We had blankets, flasks with coffee, sandwiches, salads, plates, cups, napkins.  Not even the smallest detail failed. Even the sun was shining and some snow around did not bother us at all.  It really fit in.

Today is a break, the day to say farewell to the team members: Margaret and Andrew. They helped so much, it’s so good they were here. They gave such a good testimony. The next weekend Karolina and Tadeusz will be asked to do the same in Brussels. Perhaps somewhat easier, because in Polish, but it’s always an effort and big responsibility.

Tomorrow, on our way to Glasgow, we shall visit the blessed cardinal Newman. It’s good to visit him first because in Glasgow we’ll have a conference from Newman to John Paul II.  🙂

Please pray for me and for Margaret and Andrew’s return trip, and for my further itinerary. You get always so many of intentions for prayer from us – but we remember you, too.

Your traveller

Fr. Jay

First some facts. Our host is Fr Jonathan Mitchell, and he recieves us at his parish house. 5 couples take part in the Program. The eldest couple has been together for 43 years, and the others have been married for 34, 26, 25 and 13 years, respectively.  As you can see, our participants, in majority, are mature and experienced, and working with them is a pure pleasure. They are very responsive and have a great sense of humour, so in the end we have no idea what the famous proverbial “English sense of humour” is all about.

But the most outstanding hero of the Program is our Host – Fr. Johnatan. Not only does he take part in the retreat, but also cooks delicious meals for all of us, washes up, prepares excellent coffee and pampers us in all ways… A former hotel manager and a rugby player, a would-be chef, and a convert. He wears his cassock all the time, even when he goes shopping (before noon he fetched some additional items, the bags full of which he then brought with himself into the kitchen). Being the only relatively “free” person in the team, I do what I can to help, which gives us the opportunity to talk and share our experience of being a priest.

Today we had so many intense hours of work, in a very warm and homely atmosphere  which reminds me of the Program in Springfield. The retreat finishes tomorrow.

Let us not stop praying,

Fr Jay

We’re after the Connference. The tension slowly subsides. In spite of my stage fright, I managed to speak in a foreign language about the beautiful and fragile gift – human sexuality. And to say how important is what we show and say to our children so that later they can live their lives, creating the civilisation of life and love. Your prayers have helped so much.

The organisers were nicely surprised at the numbers of the participants – though we are all fully aware that we are a minority. But still, as Benedict XVI said, it is a part of society that can contribute to it so much. When Jesus called the 12 Apostles, he knew very well that it is not even a tiny drop.  And He keeps giving us tasks that are beyond our strength.  He wants us to count on Him, trust Him, open ourselves to the grace and try to do the impossible.

And we need to bear in mind that the Catholics are a real minority here – 2% of the society are practising Catholics, a large part of them used to be Anglicans or Methodists, they have the government and the media against them and it requires from them a lot of efforts and work.

After the challenging conference, according to the guidelines of Alfred Hitchcock, we need to go up one level and organise Programme 1 for the British participants. Which means the continuation of prayer alarm with support for our Team.

Fr Jay

being ripped off our continental habits.

David Kirk, Louise’s Husband, was so kind to come and pick us up from Manchester Airport.

After a 40-minutes’ drive – getting this strange feeling that we’re on the wrong side of the carriageway – we arrive at a beautiful farmhouse, dating back to the 16th century in its oldest part. Being welcomed in such a place gives us an extraordinary feeling.

At dinner we meet Tom, a friend of David’s from the times of his study at Oxford University. He is the editor of Louise’s book on educating children in sexuality, which will be launched tomorrow during the conference.

We could go on talking till the morning, but our better judgement tells us to go to our rooms. For us it is already 1 o’clock a.m. (local time is 1h ahead of Poland). It’s been a very intense day, and we should expect tomorrow to be even more busy.

We commend ourselves to your prayer,

Your English correspondent,

Fr. Jay

(with Margaret from our blog team and her Husband Andrew)

It is about all of us. And each of carries a treasure within.

Moses was chosen to speak to the Pharaoh. And he stuttered. Peter was impulsive. Thomas was distrustful, very critical, he was afraid of the rain even on a sunny day. The Sons of Thunder would have preferred the use of force, etc.

And still God doesn’t mind. It is this way so that He can show His great strength and not we.

We are so easy to hurt, touch, harm. We feel so easily offended.

Lent is the time when we need to believe Love, that we are loved just we are. We are not created as metal or iron pots that do not fear a fall from a height, that do not have  to cry over spilt milk because they are strong.

He wants us to to be fragile, delicate, vulnerable. He wants us go to through through life, concentrated on every, even the smallest piece of love.

She is quiet and delicate. She wakes up at every movement of the child. She is happy with every smile and every sign of love. She will justify, explain, save everything.

Father Jarosław

How very different is the House which was for 10 days since morning until late evening (the longest working day finished at 00.30) so full of life. Now the corridors are empty, there are no people in the rooms and there’s no-one in our small, nice cafe.

But there are memories. The chapel is still full of prayers left by the participants of the courses, the rooms are filled with words that have not yet died away, the corridors echo countless conversations and consultations.

It’s so good to have been part of it. Many people said – this was a real retreat, we leave strengthened (although dog-tired), it’s pity it’s the end… 

We were bound by something important. Each of us could, through the example of others, believe in love again, because love comes on so many paths, in so many ways.When there’s love, it gives strength for everything.

I wish you a good Sunday so that you won’t forget that it’s given us to find each other, to get closer to each other than every day, to look for love in places  different than every day.

With my warm support

Fr Jay

is not only the day of farewells, this time until we-don’t-know-when and we-don’t know-where but also the day of exams, so in the Institute we have an atmosphere of reflection and solemnity. Because of the written and oral exams and presentations the students were divided into small groups:  Educators, Practitioners, Medical Consultants and  Double Programme participants.

And besides – we care for each other, support each other and consult quickly. It’s exams’ time after all…

Archbishop Henryk Hoser, who visited us today and held the Holy Mass, explored with us at depth NaPro  both as a doctor and a theologian. We needed this very much. We will gladly publish the sermon once it is published. And now we come back to work because there’s s still a lot to do. See you tomorrow.

I always remember you warmly.

Father Jarosław