Christian Meditation will resume again in October, meeting at St Alphonse, 32 rue des Capucins. Further information about this can be found on the World Community for Christian Meditation website http://www.wccm.org  An interesting (and entertaining) endorsement of same can be viewed in Arianna Huffington’s speech to the Smith college graduation  class of 2013
Watch this space for details of date and time.

A Russian musician, male, 33, currently staying at Clervaux, is seeking accommodation in Luxembourg for two weeks. The request has come to us via the Anglican community here; for further information, contact Rev. Chris Lyon here

The Spiritual Exercises

The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius consist in a programme of prayer and meditation with the aim of heightening and deepening our relationship with Christ and our joy in our creator God, who is in love with each one of us. Although the programme is rather formally set out, the experience is always unique and personal, and frequently becomes a life-changing event. The Exercises are particularly appropriate when our lives seem to have become rather meaningless and empty, or when we feel ourselves at a turning-point.

Traditionally they are ‘given’ over the course of a thirty day silent retreat. But they can also be followed as a scheme of regular prayer in ‘daily life’ over, typically, an eight month period.

During the last few years I have directed several people from the anglophone community in Luxembourg in the Exercises in ‘daily life’. I would be happy to do so again during this coming school year, starting in the autumn, for anyone who is interested and prepared to ‘take the risk’, and to make the necessary commitment of time.

If you want to find out more, or think you might be interested, please contact me either on 621 31 91 10 or by email: sjmc@pt.lu . All contact and discussion is confidential.

Steve McCarthy

I will be out of Luxembourg on Sunday 25 August. During my absence, Fr Dominic O’Toole will take my place and will celebrate our Mass. Fr Dominic is the Parish Priest of the Redemptorist parish in Clapham, London. I am sure you will all make him very welcome.

While I am away, I can be contacted in the usual ways. Fr Ed

update: Fr Dominic very much enjoyed his stay in Luxembourg, and asked me to pass on his gratitude for the warm welcome he received. He was plunged in at the deep end as P. René was incapacitated with severe sciatica, and Fr Dominic found himself celebrating Mass not only in English, but in German and French also — something he described as a ‘baptism of fire’.

P. Jean Van Osch (priest of the Paroisse Européenne and chaplain to the Dutch and German-speaking communities) suffered a stroke yesterday (Sunday 11 August) and is in a serious condition in the Centre Hospitalier. Please remember him, and the communities he serves, in your prayers. Fr Ed.

update 29 August: P. Van Osch has been in a medically induced coma since his stroke two weeks ago, and is gradually being brought back to consciousness. It is too early to say what the long-term outlook will be, but his condition is still very serious, and we keep him in our thoughts and prayers. Fr Ed