What I have been up to Part 2

Canterbury

My two and a half days in Canterbury were delightful. Staying with Br Austen was such a gift. Joining him for morning prayer each morning. Gently walking into Canterbury. 

The hospitality was not rushed off our feet. The conference people did not include it in the publicity. Br Christopher John did try to tell people about it. On Wednesday some maintenance people parked a cherry picker over the door. Not very helpful. But we had some good conversations with the Bishops who did find us. On Tuesday night the Community of Saint Anslem - a community of young adults from around the communion living and ministering at Lambeth Palace came and chatted. It gives me hope being with such a diverse group of people, including a young TSSF man from Sri Lanka. Talking to the young man from South Sudan makes me again realise how small my problems are.

Austen was in the Greyfriars chapel, part of the original building complex from when the first friars came to England in 1224, 2 years before Francis died. This building straddles the river so was too difficult to demolish during    Henry’s demolition campaign. It was a joy to sit in prayerful silence with Austen when we first arrived, and to again join him and others for midday Eucharist on the Wednesday. It is a good thing to take part in things that are done in very different ways from what I do, and to do so prayerfully and joyfully.

Austen and I went out for dinner on Wednesday night, and he took me for a longer tour around the walls and told some of the history of Canterbury, and pointed out some of the sites.

Thursday I trained up to London, and on Thursday night had dinner out with a friend in Canary Wharf. It was a lot colder than I thought it would be. Bonnie and I had cycled there when we were in England in 2017, but it was nice to explore further. And it was really nice to see Carolyn again. 

Wales 

Friday I trained up to Bangor. The Wednesday train strike was still rippling and the train was very full. I have been mostly following a policy of when inside wear a mask. I think I was the only one in my carriage wearing one. But honestly, who cares. Covid is still around here, people are getting sick and dying, and I don’t want it.

Tim and Pauline Higgins picked me up and we had a full few days of exploring arranged. It began with a picnic lunch on the promenade created by Belgium refugees in WW1. Then we spent time on Ynys Gored Goch in the Menai Straits, in St Tysilio’s church.  

Tim and Pauline live on the Pen Llyn/Lyeyn Penninuslar. It is an ancient pilgrimmage route to Bardsey Island, with a number of churches along the peninsular offering shelter for pilgrims as they made their way to St. Mary’s church before the hazardous crossing to Bardsey. Over the last few days we we stopped at several of those churches. On this day we stopped at St Beuno ‘s. On Monday we went to Holywell near Chester, where Beuno is said to have healed Winnefride whose head had been severed by a would be suitor/rapist. For some this is the beginning of the pilgrimage route.

We finished the day at Ty Coch Inn, which is described by Lonely Planet (I think) as one of the best beach pubs in the world. A delightful place beach and little community with a great outdoor bar. No masks here.

Saturday began fine but slowly got mistier and wetter.   After a slow morning we set off for Amugueddfa Forwrol Llyn Martime Museum, which is in a little church (old St. Mary’s) in Nefyn. Hidden away I wonder how it keeps going. It explores the maritime history of this area. As an aside, when the Roman church arrived it build churches on top of, or renamed British churches as “St Mary”. There are a lot of churches to Mary around here.

Later we went to Eglwys Hynwyn Sant in Abderdaron. This little church is one of those where R S Thomas was vicar, and ti was Jim Cotter’s last parish, before he got too sick and had to retire. We also went to Llanfaeirhys where RS was also vicar.

Sunday we were off to church at Eglwys St Pedrog in Llanbedrog. Ven Andrew Jones is the vicar. Lots of Welsh, High church. No incense. No masks. No cup.

Morning tea was at the Plas Glyn y Weddw Gallery. Nice coffee, and wonderful art, both painting and crafty stuff. O to have a spare 800 pound's. And after some wonderful art and such, lunch at the local pub  (Glen Y Weddw Arms)- a carvery, with yorkshire pud and baked potatoes and mashed potatoes and peas and delicious ham and beef. Then a chat to Archdeacon Andrew about Celtic or British Christianity, as he names it. I am interested in reading “Every Pilgrims Guide to Celtic Britain and Ireland.”

We then drove to Porth y Swnt in Aberdron, a wonderful place that introduces the amazing natural environment through audios, poetry, videos, sculpture and other artwork. I was chased out by the vacuum cleaner. At 5pm we joined the people of Eglwys Hynwyn Sant for a sing on the beach, some in English and some in Welsh. They were singing under the balcony of a pub. The people there asked for songsheets and joined in with gusto, especially for the Welsh hymns. And then spit roast boar for all and sundry. A beautiful evening. We finished it by driving out to Mynydd on the end of the peninsular to look out to Bardsey Island where we hoped to go on Tuesday, weather permitting. We walked down to St Mary’s where the pilgimes  left from on their way to Bardsey or eternal peace.

Monday was a big day. We went to St Asaph’s to meet some of the local francsicans, and to explore the cathedral and the exhibition about the translation of the bible into Welsh. It is a great story of this translation, and the ones shortly after, playing a significant role in saving the Welsh language. I wonder what role the Paipera Tapu and the Rawiri plays for te reo Maori. Next we drove nearly to Chester to visit Holywell, one site that tradition says the pilgrims to Bardsey would leave from. This is where Winefride (Gwenffrewi) was beheaded and healed by Bueno. A stream sprung up and is still a site of healing today. While we were their families came and fathers reverently dunked their children in the cold water, others swam, or splashed. And two young women reverently and slowly walked around the pool praying the rosary. We spoke with a Hong Kong family who left a year ago to find a better life. My time here began with refugees and now here are some acceptable refugees for today. At least they have been welcomed.

We drove home through Snowdonia as the weather packed up, the mist came down, the mountains fled from view, and our chances of going to Bardsey were blown away. We stopped for coffee and or beer at Betws-w-Coed. Bonnie and I stopped here in 2005 on our way down this road. A nice reminiscence.

Tuesday I awoke (at 5am when the sneaky sun pops up) to wind and rain. No trip to Bardsey. Today we explored the radical David Lloyd George, one of the great Welshmen, who radically changed Britain. 

Tomorrow I am off very bright and early with Tim into London for a Central Fund meeting. And then on Thursday I am back to Canterbury for a meeting with bishop protectors. This has been a busy and wonderful time with Pauline and Tim. We have had some TSSF conversations. But mostly we have explored this part of Wales and explored what is in common, and how my experience speaks to all of this. I have been very well looked after.