The pilgrims are emerging soon from a well deserved rest thanks to our great tour operators, who found the Ashling hotel for us! We meet for supper at 7pm and are safe and sound, as more than a foot of snow falls in blizzard conditions throughout the night, There is a red weather emergency in effect for the entire Emerald Isle, running through 3:00pm tomorrow. That means there is a curfew and no man nor beast nor vehicle is supposed to be out and about.
One is tempted to compare how New Englanders typically handle a blizzard, but it should be borne in mind that the last significant snowfall in Ireland was in 1982 and an all-island blizzard like this last occurred close to forty years ago!
So, we will spend out time eating and praying and maybe even seeking a bit of something in the pub tonight. We are missing and praying for the indomitable Loretta Gallagher and her wonderful husband Brian. And two of our seminarians are seeing Europe for the first time: Deacon David Madejski and Dan Simard. I'm afraid they will think it snows in Europe all the time!!!
