The journalist and broadcaster, Julie Etchingnam, joined us for the Fisher Dinner this summer as our guest speaker. During her own time in Cambridge, she reached the dizzying heights of Chair of the Fisher Society. Her speech was inspirational. One memory she shared from her own days at Fisher House was her decision to go, whenever possible, to Mass at the Chaplaincy. ‘I knew that daily Mass would not be possible once I graduated and I wanted to build up a reservoir of prayer.'

Swithun Wells was a schoolmaster who lived in post-Reformation London during the reign of Elizabeth I. Having been reconciled to the Catholic faith, he ran his home as a hideout for priests. One day, when he was away, Mass was celebrated in his house with a small congregation. Suddenly, soldiers appeared and tried to get in. The congregation held them back until the Mass was over and with the hope that the priest might slip away. They succeeded in the first; failed in the second. On returning to his home, Swithun was arrested and questioned. We can read from the surviving records what he said: ‘That he was not indeed privy to the Mass being said in his house, but wished he had been present, thinking his house highly honoured by having so divine a sacrifice offered therein.' With the priest, he was executed a few days later outside his home. I have already spoken elsewhere about the gift of the Eucharist - Fisher House - and encourage each one of us to embrace it. Those who have gone before us were willing to die for the privilege of attending Mass.

St John Vianney, the Parish Priest of Ars, noticed that an old man often spent a long time in the church facing the tabernacle. St John asked him what he was doing and the man replied, 'I look at him and he looks at me.'

In our Chapel, Monday - Saturday, we have an Holy Hour. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed and we can gaze upon the Lord. On Saturdays, the Holy Hour is 12 - 1 pm. From this week the usual time for the Holy Hour, Monday - Friday, will be 5 - 6 pm (except when events do not allow - check the Liturgical Timetable on the newsletter). I hope this new, later time will make it easier for more of us to come.

It is not that we have to come for the entire Holy Hour. We might drop in for 10 mins. What does matter is that we learn that prayer is something we each need and we can each do. Prayer is consciously being with the one who loved us into existence and he desires to be in relationship with us. Prayer is our opportunity to share our joys and sorrows with the Lord. Prayer transforms the rest of our day in a way, that cannot be quantified, because time with the Living God will alter us. Prayer can simply be this: we look at Him and He looks at us.