It was alright when it left here!

I arrived back in Belfast to find the city gripped by Titanic fever. April 14th marks the centenary of the sinking of Belfast's single most famous export. Personally, I find it rather strange that a city should fix its identity on a ship that sank on its maiden voyage - it suggests serious issues of self-esteem - but nothing seems to detract from local pride. You can even get T shirts saying, 'Titanic: built by Irishmen, sunk by Englishmen'. There's huge new visitor's centre, just opened in what has been been called the city's 'Titanic Quarter'. On Saturday, at the very time that the boat went down, I should be singing in a specially composed requiem at an event in St Anne's Cathedral. I will definitely not be going on the torch-lit procession from the Cathedral to the city hall!

It took a few days to get back to Belfast. Having landed at Heathrow on Monday, Miriam kindly picked me up and took me to Tewkesbury. Next day we converged with other family members to celebrate my mother's 80th birthday at an excellent lunch in a village pub near Grantham. Unfortunately, I've brought back an unwanted souvenir in the form of a nasty skin infection - legacy of a string of flea bites to my ankles in Tonga - so have been a bit sorry for myself and need to get some anti-biotics once surgeries re-open after Easter.

After all the preaching while I was away, not having a role in leading Holy Week services was a bit of an anti-climax. However, Diane and I (once again) made the long journey to join in the Easter vigil at the Benedictine Community at Rostrevor. Nestling in a valley in the Mourne mountains, the location is beautiful, but last night there was drizzle and wind as the congregation joined the monks around the fire that had been lit outside the church. From the fire was lit the great paschal candle and from it, in turn, the candles we carried as we processed into church. 'The light of Christ' echoed round the building, and then Brother Thierry sang the Exultet ('Rejoice heavenly powers; sing, choirs of angels') to launch us into the service. It took nearly three hours: unhurried, simple, dramatic and joyful. In music we moved easily between Latin plainchant and the modern settings from Taize. As always, Father Mark preached in a way that encouraged and challenged.



 All being well, in just over a week I'll be travelling to Assissi for an ecumenical conference and will report from there. My expectation is that it won't be quite as hot as Fiji, but that the coffee will be even better!

 Easter blessings to you all!