23 September

We are almost there.  The priory is all but complete.  To me it has been a long journey.  It will take us time to settle in and make the whole building work well for us.  As well we need to ensure that the refurbishment of the retreat centre is properly furnished so that it works really well and our ministry there can be relaunched.   Since the journey of building is almost over I wonder if I should keep up a version of this blog.  Any comments or suggestions?  Certainly our work on the property is not finished yet and you may be interested in life in the priory and what is happening in the retreat centre.

I am behind, once again, in posting.  This time I was tied up giving a retreat to the community of Poor Clare nuuns in Campbelltown.  It was an enjoyable experience for me to be with the sisters for the week.  I hope it was a beneficial experience for them.

I had a first yesterday while saying mass in Lurnea parish.  In 37 years of preaching I have never  had such a strong vocal response during a homily.  I mentioned the Anglican Diocese of Sydney's desire to change the wedding vows so that women would promise to submit to their husbands.  My! There was no doubt who was listening.  Let's just say the ladies were not convinced it would be a helpful change.  I enjoyed the interaction very much.

The photo below was taken some weeks ago from the hill behind the priory.  You can see the length of the building with the retreat centre in the background.

Priory in landscape setting

Here is another photo of the fountain in front of the priory.

Entry fountain

I took the photo below a couple of days ago in the early morning.  You can see the outline of an angelic or mystical figure surrounded by light.  The photo looks towards the last four bedrooms of the priory.

Mystical fgure captured

One sure sign the building was nearing completion was the removal of all the sheds.  Below is the view from the verandah outisde our dining room looking towards the fig tree.

From the dining room to the fig tree

Outside the dining room we have a planter box with a number of callistemon and a lemon tree.  There will also be some herbs planted here, including a rosemary bush.  There are planter boxes aoutside the recreation room, the offices and the south facing rooms.  These are planted with callistemon (bottle brush) which should attract more birds.

Lemon tree with callistemon

Here below we are looking from the garages at the end of the building towards the front.  It is a long building:  110 metres from the front door to the back door.

From the garage to the fig tree

Garage doors

The last courtyard garden has been planted.  There is a Japanese maple in the centre which looks fine.

Garden with Japanese maple

Here is view from our dining room looking over the porperty and showing St Antony's hermitage among the trees.

St Antony's hermitage as seen from our dining room

We have added a second table to our dining room and a coffe table near the lounge. 

Dining room

The Mongolian Pear in our courtyard near the library and oratory has blossomed.  It will grow to be a fairly large tree and will then help moderate the summer afternoon sun.



Mongolian Pear

 This is the garden looking towards the old novitiate.  There are three Mongolian pear trees here, one in blossom, one in leaf and one in bud.  A typically mixed Spring?

The old novitiate

Some of the plants on the bank between the priory and the chapel are now flowering.  To have Grevillia and Kangaroo Paws flowering is delightful.  They should attract the birds and bees.

Bank between chapel and priory