Bath, Bikes, and Picnic Baskets

June 21st was the feast of St. Aloysius, the patron saint of youth and the namesake of the Oratory.  The Oratory held a Solemn Mass to mark the occasion, with a parish dinner afterwards (with picnic food, but given the English weather it was in the parish hall). 



Beatriz with friends at the parish "picnic"



The next day, Beatriz and I ventured off to Bath.  The medieval cathedral was quite impressive.  On its ornate front, groups of angels climbed up and down a pair of ladders, often in rather comical positions.  After lunch, we paid a visit to the Roman baths, where warm water still flows into a greenish pool.  We also drank a bit of the Bath waters.  Dickens mentions them in his Pickwick Papers, and I think his character describes them well:

“I thought they were particularly unpleasant. I thought they’d a very strong flavour o’ warm flat irons.”

Rather nasty.

One of the most stunning things about the city of Bath was seeing the Roman and medieval architecture juxtaposed.

On Saturday, the morning dawned looking sunny (or at least only partly cloudy, which counts as fine weather in England!) and I dragged Beatriz over to the bike rental shop.  As we waited for our bikes to be checked, ominous clouds began to close in.  Hoping for the best, we set off down a jolting trail along the Oxford Canal.  Small houseboats lined the banks, with pots of flowers and herbs on their roofs.  On the other side of the narrow trail were fields with cows grazing.  Just as we reached Wolvercote, it started to downpour.  We waited for the rain to finish its fury in a tiny Chinese take-out place (note for future travels: not Beatriz’s dining choice of preference!). 

Once it was slightly more safe to venture out, we headed through the town to the ruins of the Godstow Abbey.  Supposedly Henry II imprisoned Rosamond there.  Only remains of the front of the chapel and of the outer walls are still standing.  Personally, I think the threatening clouds gave a neat atmosphere for traipsing around a 12^th century monastery.  On the bumpy bike ride back, we stopped to feed a flock of ducks and a pair of swans.  One of the swans in particular was intimidatingly aggressive, plodding after us with its huge webbed feet. 

In the evening, we attended the Jubilate Concert at Blackfriars, which was centered around British music, from Handel to English madrigals. 

After Mass on Sunday, we went with a group of friends to a neighboring restaurant for tea and coffee.  Someone suggested a picnic, we divided up the supplies list, and all went our separate ways to our contributions and then to meet at the gate of Christ Church.  Walking through the meadows for a bit, we found a perfect picnic spot along the banks of the Thames, and feasted on a smorgasbord of bread, cheese, sausage, grapes, strawberries, and raspberries. 

After leisurely chatting for a while, and still wanting to enjoy as much of the lovely sunshine as possible, we ambled off along the river towards the village of Iffley to see the 12^th century church there.  On our way back along the river, we happened to pass one of the locks as a boat was passing through.  It was interesting to watch the dams opening to raise the boat to the new water level.

On Monday afternoon we attended walked past Magdalen College to the South Parks.  The view of the city skyline was quite spectacular! 

The Monday Aquinas group switched topics that evening, since Fr. Peter, the Aquinas expert, was away.  Instead, Dr. Rowland lectured on the Theology of the Body.  This week he talked about the two accounts of Creation in Genesis and what we learn about human nature from man’s state of original solitude.

Tuesday morning I had a tutorial with Dr. David Jones on the relationship between theology and bioethics.  We discussed how much of a role theology should, or has to, play in bioethics.  Should a Christian bioethicist only use arguments based on natural law?  Are there some instances when faith provides the most practical guide to bioethical principles?  It was interesting to hear how he contrasted America and Britain.  In the US, separation of church and state is a standard assumed position.  Yet in England, ecclesiastical and political roles overlap more. 

In the afternoon, we visited Christ Church chapel and hall, as well as the Church of St. Mary the Virgin. 

For dinner, we went to the Eagle and Child, enjoying both the photos of the Inklings on the walls, and the fish and chips!