Thursday 26 September
This morning was an early breakfast and taxis at 8.00 for Porziuncola. Everyone was on time, in place and no hiccups. Praise the Lord! We had Mass almost as soon as we arrived, a little ahead of schedule but that pleases the sisters in the sacristy who then have ten minutes or so in hand if something gets out of schedule later on. There did not seem to be as many people as some years which meant a nice peaceful Mass with Andre's excellent homily about our Lady, one of his best. After Mass, they have a historical visit with Murray and Andre and I went off to be there when the picnic lunches came. This is the time when the pilgrims are paired off and given a cestina or picnic and invited to go off together and share. The names are drawn out of a hat so it is always interesting to see who God has decided to pair off with whom. As far as I heard, it all went well and in some cases very well indeed and no disasters! In fact there is no need to stay with a disaster if they dont want to since they all have bus tickets to return to the Casa and can do so whenever they choose.
They had a lecture that evening which I think was Murray on the Canticle of Creation, one of his best. I seem to have used the back of that sheet of the schedule for something else! Andre also taught them the Canticle in the Umbrian dialect which I havent heard yet but imagine they are going to sing at some point. There are some good singers in the group so everyone sings better then their best, always a good feel.
The next day, Friday 27 September we all went to San Damiano, only one visit this year, usually we have gone once of Francis and once for Clare, but it makes a-lot of overlap sow e tried only the one visit this time.
They had a power point presentation of the work Don Marino Bigaroni believes Francis did on the building and we had Mass in the small side room during which I disgraced myself by getting poorly. I have had a chest infection which is going round and the Farmacista gave me some powerful antibiotics. This was the first day. As Mass went on I felt sicker and sicker, in the end I said to Andre 'Is there a sink here?' He was saying his prayers so said 'what do you want a sink for? So I said firmly I am going to be sick! Not sure what happened next but I found myself outside amid hundreds of tourists, my head in a large paper bag over A Waste paper basket being held by someone else. In the event the moment passed but it did mean that when each day the antibiotic had this effect, i was ready for it! In the end nothing happened but easily could have! Fortunately, as it cleared I felt better and was able to do my work there which was the guided tour and explanations etc etc. It went OK and as I got to each room, i remembered what i was supposed to say in it, so I think it went off well enough.
Somewhere in all this, ironically enough, Murray and I did a healing service at San Damiano and anointed everyone including each other, and it seems to have worked for them all though maybe not for me! Then back to the Casa for pranzo and riposo, much needed, and in the late afternoon there was supposed to be a film of Assisi in World War II but we could not get thenDVD to show the English subtitles. This was the first big hiccup but was followed next day by my power point on Clare and the San Damiano crucifix when the laptop refused to show it from-a flash drive, we changed the laptop, no. One of the pilgrims had an idea, No. we tried every suggestion made but no, so in the end I told them what it said, ot the same actually but the best avaioable, the third crash was when we got to San Paolo in Bastia and the Benedictines for the first time ever, did not show up. After a while I rang them but they seemed to know nothing about us! Yet i had not only been in touch with Sr Noemi the Abbess but had had a warm reply from her and, thank heaven, forwarded it to Andre. So we did not have Mass but had a liturgy of the Word, i gave the homily and the three Poor Clares renewed their vows, and it was lovely, nicer I half think!
The rest of the Bastia day, which was actually today, Monday 30 September, went well. The visit was good, the talks went alright, after dinner I took the two Poor Clares to the Protomonastery to see the place. I did not go myself, or not beyond the door, as I went off to buy a pair of walking shoes, much needed, since the ones I had bought to come were too tight and gave me black toes, so I gave them away. This time I asked to of the pilgrims to come and help me make a better choice and they did. I tried on about six or eight pairs, resisted pink shoes with flowers on and finally managed to buy a pair that were the ultimate in comfort and were totally vegan as well, lots of bonuses!
Tonight the Casa are hosting a dinner party for Murray for some of his friends here in Assisi, about 20 are coming, i am rather dreading it, all in Italian and lots of people who only know me as a hanger on to Murray! But he is dreading it too though he jumped at it when Andre suggested it first and spent yesterday writing a speech in his best Italian. I am sure there will be tears and laughter in abundance and may well be wonderful. I do hope so for his sake as this is not being easy and he is looking very stressed and tired, worn out with emotion! So more of that in my next. I think there is still a day to catch up,on but it will have to come out of turn. Love to one and all ft
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