Moving on @ Oxford...

The Dominican student brothers at our Studium (Blackfriars) in Oxford have started a new blog, which I shall be significantly involved in, called 'Godzdogz'. The site will officially 'launch' and become active on the first Sunday of Advent. Please click the link or the photo above to visit the site.

When in Advent of 1511, fray Antonio de Montesino preached a sermon condemning the unjust treatment of the peoples of Hispaniola, and the Spanish colonists protested, the prior of the Dominican community rightly said: "Antonio de Montesino did not preach, the community preached".

'Godzdogz' will similarly be an example of the joy of Dominican communal preaching; it will encompass the various talents, interests and learning of our Dominican student community and other friars too. As such, it promises to be better and more fully representative of our Dominican charism than this personal blog can ever be.

Moreover, during this stage of my formation, it is vital that I concentrate my energies on study. As Humbert of Romans, one of the first and greatest of the Masters of the Order wrote: "First the bow is bent in study, then the arrow is released in preaching." My intention, in withdrawing from a daily blogging experience, is to facilitate greater attention to study.

Henceforth, any blogging I undertake shall be for 'Godzdogz'. Thank you to all my readers and friends who have been coming to this blog. I hope that you will join me in discovering 'Godzdogz' and help us, with your comments and suggestions, to make this new project something of real value to the Church and the work of "preaching and the salvation of souls".

As a final post on this site, below are some photos from the Simple Profession of Br Paul Mills and me on 20 September 2006 in Blackfriars, Cambridge. Please continue to pray for us.

Above, I make Profession in the Order of Preachers for three years...
Below, Fr Provincial blesses our scapulars

Below, Our Profession photo, taken a few weeks before the event at Thornham Parva church where the original 14th-century Domincan retable is housed:

Br Paul and I (left and right) outside the marvellous Bodleian Library in Oxford... it was good that we got here 2 weeks before the start of term because now we spend more time labouring inside libraries than sight-seeing outside them!


See you all at 'Godzdogz'!

Above: At the gate of our priory in Oxford.