What the brothers of St Alcuins Abbey have to say

 In the comment thread on the last post I wrote, there's a brief correspondence with beloved Greta, who has been an online friend for years now. We are invisible to each other, but I know she is there and that makes me happy.

But in those comments we were talking about William, and his remarks on something she said. Arising from this, a thought occurred to me.

Now, I know (because they've told me so) that many of my readers take refuge in St Alcuins as a place to be — a bit like a retreat — somewhere to go where people are kind and help one another straighten things out, and believe in the power of prayer and the presence of Jesus. And some readers keep going round the sequence of stories and start again at the beginning, just so they can stay in that place where people know how to lift one another up and listen properly, and help each other get up and start again when they stumble.

I am super-lucky of course, because I can go there every day. I see them and I know them and they get muddled up with my everyday life and comment on my thoughts and choices and what I do. It can be a bit more than I ever imagined at times. If Brother Theodore goes with you to the supermarket, how likely do you think it is he will let you go home without putting something in the Food Bank collection? Yes, you're quite right — no chance. 

So I was wondering if you ever wish you could ask these men something? I wondered if you ever have a question or something bothering you, or even something you wish you knew about the 1400s in north Yorkshire, and you wanted to ask about it. I don't mean ask me, I mean ask them.

I hesitated to say this and write it down, for fear of people reading it and thinking it was a silly idea and no, they never wondered and aren't interested. But I asked Abbot John, and he was a bit busy, but shrugged and said he didn't know but if I wanted to give it a try then I have his permission.

So if there is something you wanted to ask, or to say, tell me in the comments and tell me which brother you want me to ask, and I will. I'll find out what he says, and if it's quick I'll put it in the comments, but if he goes off into a long thoughtful ramble, I'll blog it. 

And if nobody at all wants to know anything and it's just a stupid idea, I'll know to just delete this post and keep my questions and conversations with them in my own private world. 

Blessed be.

x Pen