Saturday, 10 March

OCDS Congress participants

For most of this week I have been away with the Carmelite Secular Order at their Congress at the St Joseph Centre in Baulkham Hills.  It was an excellent week.  We were privileged to have with us Fr Aloysius Deeney, OCD, the Carmelite General Delegate for the Secular Carmelites.  We were pleased to welcome Fr Jim De Laurier, OCarm, and three Lay OCarm members with us on Tuesday and Wednesday.  If you click on the photo it becomes larger and so you might see who was there.  It was a very worthwhile time together.  We met OCDS members from around Australia and reflected on what St Teresa had to say to us today.  For all the excellent facilities at St Joseph's it was good to be back in my own bed on Friday. 

Car park after the rain

It rained on Thursday.  While we were absorbed in our meetings there was flash flooding back home.  Roads were covered with water and it was quite dramatic.  In the above photo from the car park you can see the traces of mud washed down by the rain. 

From the priory entrance looking to the chapel

The worker pushed on through the week and it was good on my return to walk around the site.  You can see how the landscaping has begun to give a sense of the finished building and how it will relate to the other buildings on site.

Entry foyer

The windows are in the entry and the ceiling has been painted.

Library

The library just needs lighting and floor covering to be complete.

Oratory

The oratory has now taken shape.

Courtyard

The courtyard is enclosed and now needs to be landscaped and planted.  The first block of buildings along the corridor is now almost complete.  To the right are four bedroom and to the left are the kitchen and storerooms, the dining room and a guest room.

Corridor- bedrooms on the right, kitchen and refectory on left