We attended a christening this afternoon. It was a joyous occasion. The liturgy had been carefully prepared. The readings were perfect. The parents were great. The baby was mostly serene. However, potentially there was a slight challenge. The couple were Italo-Spanish, and their parents and families were present. But the Belgian priest who officiated at the ceremony took both languages admirably in his stride, striking up conversations with the youngsters present and dividing his sermon equitably into Italian and Spanish. I was interested to learn that he is one of just three Bollandists left in the world. If this is true, then we were effectively listening to one of the last representatives of a dying association, a living link with the seventeenth-century founder of the association, John Van Bolland. But just as interesting is the nature of the Bollandists’ work. Even if they were not a shrinking association, the number of saints is constantly increasing, and so their work would aways be unfinished, even if they continued. I am sure there is a metaphor in there somewhere. Anyway, it was a lovely occasion.
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