We are, however, continuing as a pastoral center—receiving groups for days of recollection, individuals who visit or phone, and visitors for meals or overnight.

We also have public prayers—adoration with either vespers or the rosary—three times a week. Recently we moved one of these, our Wednesday morning prayers, to the evening so that more people can come, and we gather after it for refreshments and sharing on a spiritual theme.

We cannot live in the U.K without being affected by the events here of late. The Edinburgh gathering of the G8 nations was the focus of a huge, mostly peaceful demonstration. The two U.K. cardinals led the walk.

Also in connection with this, here in Yorkshire, at Osmotherly, the ancient shrine to Our Lady, there was a three-day prayer vigil whose intention was that the G8 nations cancel the Third World debts. Thanks be to God, at least something of this was accomplished.

Then, of course, there were the terrorist bombings in London. Gradually, the terrorist threat is spreading in Europe. At the same time, the battle for the family and for life issues rages, with same-sex “marriages” and euthanasia gaining ground in nations across Europe. There is so much to pray for!

But, as our recent visitor, Pilgrim George, told us, “We are children of hope and of a Father who loves us. So we do not fear. We are going to live forever and are called to be signs in the world of the Kingdom of God.”

Pilgrim George, whose life’s work is pilgrimaging around the world, is currently walking around the U.K and Ireland. He is a pilgrim in the true Russian tradition, and what a gift his presence was to us!