Saturday 17 July 2010

St John Roberts

born Trawsfynydd
martyred Tyburn 1610

In between he studied at Oxford, went to Douai, Paris, Compostella, became a Benedictine, founded Downside and I have lost count of how many times he came to England before being banished, ministered to plague victims before being arrested after offering Mass, refused to sign on the dotted line and was martyred. A man of tremendous energy.

A bit of a 'do' this pm at Westminster Cathedral.

We saw the man who does the Bidding Prayers in Pothmadog, who is either a Headmaster or just has the presence of one. Last time we went there they went BP1 Pope Benedict. BP2 'that this country may return to the Faith' etc.

The winner of the 2009 National Eisteddfod U12 Cerdd Dant sang a poem about St JR. We sat right by where she was singing and it was worth going just to hear her voice.

Various other Welsh glitterati were there and Rowan Williams spoke.

Anglicansism to me seems to start by saying what I'm thinking, tell me it's too naive/simplistic, then tie me up in knots and finish proposing that we be joyous, whilst sounding unconvinced and disapointed.

I'm just not hard-wired that way.

And the rest shall be glossed over.

The singing was mighty and bilingual. The sound was undimmed whether it be singing through the medium of English or Welsh.

As I hesitated over whether this 'y' was i, u or ee, others were singing with gusto and in SATB, for the music was printed in our booklets. The Welsh; bilingual and able to read music.

PS My Greatgrandmother had a greengrocer's shop in Traws, so this is local. Not just a lake and a Magnox Nuclear Reactor, y'know.

1 comment:

Dominic Mary said...

I wish I'd been there. As it was, I was getting a dose of Welsh-ness from two splendid - and bilingual - little daughters of a friend who descended on me for the day, and kept me in stitches . . . and they had lovely voices.

Wales did well by you and I today.