We welcomed Capuchin Brothers Paul and John to the parish this week. They stayed at the presbytery with me and visited both parish and Franciscan fraternities each day. Wednesday was our busiest as we journeyed to Holy Island for their first visit there. The Anglican Franciscans at Alnmouth welcomed us kindly, and then it was off to visit Franciscan hermit, Brother Harold. An exhausting, but fascinating day. The Capuchins are still on course to join the parish at Tenter House in August.
The easing of lockdown rules on the 19th of July is being welcomed with great caution by so many. In fact, I have yet to meet anyone who is wholly enthusiastic about it. With a rampant variant, we do not want to do irreparable damage to the great progress we have already made. Can I ask for great caution. Let us preserve for the foreseeable future what we already have in place, by way of sanitising, social distancing and house visits. We have a massive responsibility to do this, irrespective of directives. Thanks.
“The scars of others should teach us caution.” St. Jerome