Quick update about my friend Ben...They have stopped his chemo because it was making him worse rather than better and are now just letting nature take its course.  Outlook is bleak.
Please pray for him...he needs them

I am wanting to have my second results chapter done by the end of the week, giving me enough time to be on course for a first draft of every chapter of the thesis before my break...at the moment, I have 11,000 words left for the discussion - this should be enough...but I am sure we can chop some of my results down a bit, or my literature, so I should be ok for the 100,000 word limit...it is strange - 100,000 words at my disposal, and there is still a chance of going over the word limit.

Was given some advice about prayer of discernment the other day - took it last night...have to say, it was quite powerful stuff.

2 weeks until Ignite - my first try at running some sessions at an organised youth weekend...quite excited.  And yes, I have also been asked to co-ordinate a Taize prayer at the event.  good stuff

Published!!!

Well, in Southwark Archdiocese anyway!  This months edition of our diocesan newspaper "The Pilgrim" contains my article....and not just that, but they have put it on a 2 page spread on the centre pages!!  It is all very exciting!  In fact, somebody pointed out to me that they also had my photo on the front page!!  I will give you all one guess as to what my article was about...!!  But they also put Bishop Paul's article about the service I invited him to in there, and a little section about the new Taize CTS booklet that Fr Bryan, my parish priest wrote.  So all in all, in every parish in Southwark Archdiocese this morning, the new edition of the Pilgrim will have been offered to parishioners, and my article will be there for all to read.

In other news, I was at St George's Cathedral yesterday for a training day for Diocesan catechists which was very interesting and ended with a Mass with Archbishop Peter thanking us all for our work, and commissioning us to go out to continue teaching the faith....so my friend and I, went out to the pub!

And this evening, I have just returned from 'face to face with Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor at the local Methodist church - the methodist minister questionning him for about an hour.  It was a big shame there was no time for questions from the audience, I had loads to ask....but never mind....

An update on my friend Ben, mentioned in the last post: he was not a suitable candidate for an experimental drug, that would not have cured him, but may have helped control pain/grant him a little more time. he is weak, but apparently in good spirits. He really wants to go to Taize one last time, and so we are working on ways to get him there. He really could do with more prayers, so please, pray for Ben. Also pray for those at seminary with him and those caring for him. It was good to have both Luke and Hamish independently visit London (but on the same day) last week and to have an evening of drinking with them. And last night, a good catch up meal with an old friend was just what the Dr ordered. In the last few weeks, I have been leaning on friends for support on a number of issues, and I thank them all. I hope that I can repay the favour...

I went to Norwich last week for the entire long weekend, and I timed going there just at the right time. And this is where readers of this blog come in. Could, if you are that way inclined (and even if you are not), pray for our friend Ben. He is a third year seminarian, a fellow Taize pilgrim and more importantly a good friend who, last Thursday, was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, and was told that he doesn't have long. We are all pretty shocked by the news, and very upset by it. So please pray for him. Pray that he can be comforted, and can remain as strong as he can. Please also pray for those who care for those who care for him at this sad time.

I am very excited as I am going to have a mini-break this weekend and visit 2 good friends of mine. I will have time to pray, time to laugh, to drink and even go to Walsingham for my first time EVER as part of a diocesan pilgrimage (of a diocese that I do not belong to). So, this should be good. Will be staying in a building that is next to a Cathedral, so finding somewhere conducive to prayer will be easy! So yes, East Anglia, I am coming to visit you! Last week I went to an encouraging yet frustrating meeting, where half way through after being told that I can visit parish x,y and z in my free time to help with their youth activities, I had to snap and say this was not possible as I do not have much free time!! The Dean of Bromley then stepped in to support me - thankfully. Also, I found out that the Bishop really liked our Confirmation programme which was good as we had put a lot of work into that, and now plans have been sent to other parishes to see what we have done :-)) And that is about it. PhD continues...and some of this weekend away is to pray about what to do next...