20 September

This morning we went to Fonte Colombo where Francis wrote the Rule, had his eyes cauterised and lived at various tmes before that very peacefuly in a lovely spot. I a, not dping well at uploading photos, not sure why, but the phone seemed to do better the. The ipad so I began to take photos on the phone but today that doesnt seem to work either. The wifi is nt good, in fact poor except in the conference room but if O go there people chat and nothing gets done. In my room I have to go out into the passage to pick,up a signal and sometimes I can charm it back into my room and sometimes not. At the moment I am in Andre's room and he is preparing his talk for this evening on Franciscans and the Incarnation.

We got to Fonte Colombo in record time and prepared for Mass, then avter thta had the historical visit. This is one of the friaries whh go back to Francis' time, though not the church we see today, chapel really. Because this is such a small group, only fourteen, we didnt divide them as we usually do, half coming to me for a recommitment ceremony and half going to Murray to visit the Magdalen chapel and see the Tau on the wall almost certainly painted by Francis himself. Instead they all came as one which was nicer when possible. I had lit the candles and was waiting until they came, watching a lizard running up a tree branch but I did not have a chamce to find out what he would do when he reached the end as he soon would, because the pilgrims arrived! Because of the steep slope of the land, he would have a long long drop if he dropped. But i guess he has more sense. 

The recommitment is always moving, very simple a short scripture reading, a psalm which we said altogether, then they have a lit candle each from the ones standing on the small stone altar amid the mouse droppings! They read a statement of commitment all together, prepared and in the books, and we give them a card each signed by the three staff. It means, I suppose, as much  as each one invests in it, but nearly always they do invest greatly. You dont come on a pilgrimage like this and then fool around.

Then they had some free time, photgraph time, prayer time, gazing into space time, some beautoful space to gaze into and the sky was a clear as can be, almost every roxk f the mountains opposite could be seen. The temperature last night went down to 11C so a big change from the temperature in Rome. In faxt, it was quite a shock to wake up in the morning and hear a cock crow, some rooks, a distant dog and a cow mooing,instead of two hundred cars and seven hundred motore bikes, all honking and hooting! Out of my window which over looks the front drive, I can see pine trees and grass and hear the permanently cross squirrel in the trees. The little cat Rocchi who was a small kitten last year, seemed to remember me and jumped up on my lap purring like a train. 

All for the moment as it is almost time for the talk. I know I have heard it before but each time I rehear it, I seem to find something else good. Also if the new plan works, I shan't be here for this bit next year. The suggestion is that i come straight into Assisi for just over a week, travelling on 22 September and 2 October. This means I shall be home for the feast of St Francis which will be very good. Next year's programme we have done already so I know what I am doing, which seems to be five or six lectures and four historical visits. I said I dont mind how hard I work during that time. The two men dont want another person to come in to fill the gaps so that is how it will be, assuming it is passed at the annual staff meeting in November,

All for now, love to one and all
Ft