These last couple of nights I have been very happily working with some lovely families and friends doing a little bit of preparation for a forthcoming wedding and baptism.
When I was a Parish Priest (probably still the best, if hardest work in this particular game) the bits I used to enjoy most were often those meetings, generally with people who were complete strangers to me, who wanted to get married or have their children baptised or have one of their relations given a Christian funeral and burial.
What often amazed me, and still does when I do this kind of work, is the genuine sense of openness that people generally bring to the whole business. Often there are all kinds of formal and informal theological ideas and misconceptions floating around which people are invariably glad to have put to bed once and for all in their own minds.
And so this week it was Mark and Julia planning to plight their troths in what already looks set to be Wedding of the Year and then, yesterday, another Mark and Victoria dealing with beautiful daughter Orla’s Baptism.
To me there is a greatness about this and a sense of awe and wonder at being able to play even a small part in such intimate and personal proceedings.
