Pancake party

We gathered for our Chaplaincy Pancake Party this evening, it being Shrove Tuesday. Ash and his girlfriend Laura took control and produced an endless supply for about 20 students who helped themselves to a variety of sweet and savoury toppings which had been carefully prepared by the Chaplaincy Assistant, Dominica Richmond. All I did was sit, talk and eat. A good number of students joined us whom I do not know especially well and it was a delight to quiz them about their courses and siblings. Building up relationships is the key to university ministry. I rather feared when I was first appointed here that students would find it rather strange talking to a priest, especially if they weren't especially religious. I'm happy to report back that conversations run very naturally one into another. I greatly enjoy students' company and many students (apart from those who leg it before I got a chance to speak to them) appear to enjoy mine. Each conversation between us is a building up of this temporary - oh so temporary! - but wonderful community.

Tonight was especially memorable because I had the pleasure of meeting Saori and Sayaka (who is on the left in the picture below), both 20, who are from Seisen University which is a Catholic liberal arts university for women in Tokyo, founded by the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. They showed me the university's website which states, nobly that its "educational ideals are based on Christian Humanism in which it seeks to find what is meaningful and valuable in life according to the teachings of Jesus Christ." The university "endeavours to nurture women to become responsible, independent and public-spirited members of society." A good conversation ensued about the value of single sex higher education. I brought it to an end by issuing tea towels all round. Nothing draws people together better than drying up!