tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post4463960186846040075..comments2023-12-16T16:17:43.886+00:00Comments on Fr Ray Blake's Blog: Some Surrey Christmas MemoriesFr Ray Blakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05584140126211527252noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-79787884161968958432007-12-19T22:22:00.000+00:002007-12-19T22:22:00.000+00:00I can assure Ben. and others that the longed for q...I can assure Ben. and others that the longed for quiet does not come. I speak from experience. I am expected to go to the house of one of my sons and spend the day with in-laws and grandchildren and the mountain of presents etc. which are simply not needed. I really have no problem having myself for company. I am never bored and I don't yearn for company.<BR/>JARayJARayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18138004129894177863noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-54895077571145432702007-12-19T20:10:00.000+00:002007-12-19T20:10:00.000+00:00Point taken, Father.Benedict by name, Benedict by ...Point taken, Father.<BR/><BR/>Benedict by name, Benedict by inclination.Anagnostishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03706938507885553293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-88682298030246972422007-12-19T19:34:00.000+00:002007-12-19T19:34:00.000+00:00Oh i'm glad about that Fr Ray..i bet you're a grea...Oh i'm glad about that Fr Ray..i bet you're a great conversationalist!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-68587428402559612612007-12-19T16:48:00.000+00:002007-12-19T16:48:00.000+00:00Jackie,I am celebrating Christmas, here. My excell...Jackie,<BR/>I am celebrating Christmas, here. My excellent pastoral assistant, Br Francis, is cooking lunch, and a retired priest, and another priest and his recently widowed mother are coming. It can be a bit lonely for a priest after the last Mass, especially nowadays when most priests are living on their own.<BR/><BR/>Ben,<BR/>In a monastery you might get to spend Advent quietly, not quite the situation for a secular priesst.<BR/>I think for us Catholics at least, we can keep the days of the feast with feasting and celebration. The Jan. sales migh intrude a bit, but for the most part we can truly celebrate Christmas.<BR/>I suppose Advent has indeed for most of us .... - thought for another post.Fr Ray Blakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05584140126211527252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-83382475920957278062007-12-19T16:13:00.000+00:002007-12-19T16:13:00.000+00:00This year seems much less commercialised with a de...This year seems much less commercialised with a deliberate counter attack against rampant consumerism..at least in our house! Our Priests live in community..what do ordinary Parish Priests do for dinner Christmas Day..have family round? Wouldn't like to have you on your own Fr..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31069882.post-86840192430044377962007-12-19T15:44:00.000+00:002007-12-19T15:44:00.000+00:00Thank you Father, for this lovely post.As a cleric...Thank you Father, for this lovely post.<BR/><BR/>As a cleric <I>manque</I>, I always long for the opportunity to spend Advent quietly with my Breviary, culminating in Conventual High Mass on Christmas Day, instead of it being filled with anxiety about money, arrangements, getting things done on time (which I never manage to do) and dismay over the crass pre-"Xmas" secular rigmarole. Even domestic tranquility would be nice for a change, instead of everything being chaotically upside-down.<BR/><BR/>One day, perhaps.Anagnostishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03706938507885553293noreply@blogger.com