Paul Cashen MSC and Helen Armstrong OLSH, Sabbatical

Paul Cashen writes:

On the 14th of August we began a four month Sabbatical called Ministry to Ministers in conjunction with the Oblate School of Theology in their spacious buildings and grounds. 

The Texas we remember from childhood involved cowboys and Indians, and Davey Crocket and the Alamo: surprisingly there is a reality, we did not know about. This weekend was a typical day off: there was mass at La Conception Mission with a Mexican orchestra guitars, trumpets, and violins, in English except for the singing. From there to a Mexican Restaurant, not far from where we live… we enjoyed the former, but some had difficulty with then spicy food.

The group of 20 are from Africa, England, Peru, US, and Australia. All are nuns, brothers or priests from a mixed array of congregations and dioceses, almost 50/50 women and men. The initial weeks of introductions, to the rooms and activities at home, and to the Oblate School of Theology for our course work and various other connections, library and the classrooms. The large campus has taken time to become familiar with the buildings and the environs. 

There have been sightseeing expeditions, by the bus system - which was interesting finding the way as San Antonio is just a little bigger than Adelaide, but as it is on a plain 100 miles from the Gulf of Mexico there is little to get your bearings… particularly in the traffic with RH driving! 

The best part of being here is that we have plenty of time to relax and focus on ourselves, which is the design of the sabbatical. We will keep in touch as the weeks unfold.