Cornwall with parents + an afternoon with Eritreans

Little Barnabas after Friday Mass.

Some of Lanherne Congregation + visitors.

With my parents :).

My good parents!

Hiking the coastal path in Cornwall.

Hiking the coastal path (now 6 miles into the hike..)

Dear Friends and Family,

This past week had the wonderful blessing of a visit from my parents. They were able to come by extending a golfing trip in Scotland, and spent three days seeing where I live and what I'm up to. it was very nice to introduce them to the congregation here, the convent I live at, and the charming little village I've been placed in. We even visited the Mayflower Museum and Mayflower steps in Plymouth! It seems that one of my ancestors, Francis Cooke, was on the Mayflower, so it was look more at what their journey was like. Not for the faint of heart! Makes me grateful for airplanes.

Today was also full of blessings. It began with a "Churching of Women" ceremony for a young mother who just gave birth to her 7th child, whom I'll have the blessing of baptizing this Thursday. Today was her first time setting foot back in church since giving birth, so we had the traditional ceremony, with it's special blessing of the mother, and ceremonial leading of her back into the Church, and chanting of the Magnificat. It was very nice to have the congregation praying for her. Two more babies are on the way in the next two months. So, God-willing, there should be two more such ceremonies, and two more Baptisms, soon!

Then this afternoon I went to the home of new parishioners who have been attending the Latin Mass in Plymouth since earlier this summer. A devout young couple from Eritrea. It was quite an interesting afternoon which featured Eritrean dishes--you get your hands messy because it's all finger food! Kids would love it--and a chance to see clips of the Eritrean Rite, which usually lasts about 3 hours for each Mass! So my Masses are quite short in comparison. It was beautiful to get to know them and their two little children.

May Jesus Mary watch over you and grant you special graces on the Feast of the Assumption.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari