In Melbourne

Today I had a pleasant lunch with a friend I hadn't seen for ages - Fr Justin, who tells me he sometimes reads this blog (hopefully only after your priestly duties are fulfilled, and you can relax and have a laugh, Fr! - I hope you won't mind my slight report of our meeting). He had been at the late Archbishop Little's funeral, and tells me he's never seen so many priests of the archdiocese, certainly not at the Chrism Mass...

Of course, we lunched at "Don Camillo's", just across the road from St Mary Star of the Sea - after pasta, wine and coffee we paid a visit to Our Lord there, and admired the fine restoration work (still ongoing). A statue of St Josemaria has also materialized within.

I learnt that there is still need in Melbourne parishes for more people to billet the impending hordes of pre-WYD pilgrims, so I suggest that any readers in the city should consider if they could offer any accommodation to the 25,000 or so expected.

It was great to catch up with Fr Justin, especially since he was able to tell me about many guys I'd known who are now priests in the Archdiocese and elsewhere; sadly, three for various reasons are not at present in active ministry, and I would ask readers to join in praying for Frs Stephen, Paul, and John, that the Lord guide them and grace them.

And, of course, I encourage prayers for the priests and seminarians of the whole Archdiocese - not least for my friend in the sacred ministry, as he offers prayer and sacrifice at the altar. Ad multos annos!