Jousting at the Puy du Fou

There was so much at the Puy du Fou, that I'm just going to mention a few, and each 'spectacle' had a story and surprises - so I will not spoil it all.

These are a few photos from the Jousting Spectacle. The story is magnificent, the effects wonderful, the horseriding magnificent...

The woman on the horse is St Jean d'Arc.

The Puy du Fou

We as a school went today to the Puy du Fou (website here).

It is a historical theme park in the Vendee. This does not sound terribly exciting but it is excellent.


If you are in the Vendee you must go.

No, even more, if you are in France you must go.

In fact, you must come to France to go to the Puy du Fou.

Even the Scouts find a home

It is important that we have a place to call our own, a little spot to lay our heads, a nook or cranny to while away the time. I remember a Benedictine monk who when looking at the stately pile thaht he lived in, declared "it's not home, but it's much!"

The New Scout Hut in Chavagnes

So our Scouts now have a Scout hut. It is very suitable indeed. It has to be said that in places the walls are a little 'breeze block-y' but they ore Scouts and as such have to be able to deal with such things.

First things first of course... the crucifix went up,

Various animal skulls

...and then the skulls of dead animals,

Scout with an axe

...and then we locked up the Scout with the axe.

Usual day in Chavagnes!

His Excellency, Mgr Castet, Bishop of Luçon

We were very proud to welcome the Bishop to our school. He is a delight to have in the sanctuary and coped very well with our ways here in Chavagnes!

His Excellency reads the Gospel

Preaching

The Laying on of Hands

An intimate moment of the successor of the Apostles and one of his flock

Pontifical Blessing

Grateful thanks from the chaplain to the Bishop

Private words with a nealy Confirmed boy

The Mass is over, the Bishop at ease

Mgr Castet with a mug of Cola (we are a boys school, after all!!)

Other Cool Pictures

Our head of Junior's Mr Leach reading at the Confirmation Mass

Two of the Confirmandi responding to their presentation to the Bishop

The Altar at Chavagnes

Mgr Castet blessing the faithful as he leaves the Chapel

Confirmandi and a Crucifer

A choir boy with his camera

Our Bishop, Mgr Castet

Chavagnes Choir

Here are some pictures of our choir at the Confirmations. A robed choir singing polyphony is quite rare in France (and, I suspect, increasingly so in England).

A Robed Crucifer

I happen to have a red High Mass set with me here in Chavagnes and the Bishop was good enough to wear the chasuble.

Mgr Castet in red High Mass set

At the elevation of the chalice

Now, it is a tradition to have robed Crucifer and if you have a tunicle which matches the Bishop's chasuble - well, it would be churlish to use it!

Confirmations

Many thanks to Mgr Castet who came to our school and confirmed six boys. He really is an excellent Bishop.

Before the Bishop came

Altar Servers wasting time

One of the Confirmandi's family

Chavagnes choir singing the entrance hymn

The arrival of the Bishop

Mgr Castet

Mitre Vimp

Crozier Vimp

Preparing for the Bishop

Tomorrow, six of our boys will receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. That is not bad for a school of about 40! They are good boys, of different ages, backgrounds and relationship with Almighty God. But they desire something... and I think that that is God.

That is a bit obvious, but I do not think that it is at all obvious in the life of a young boy nowadays. If there is a feeling of yearning for the "that which is beyond, above, profoundly deep" however you want to ttry to describe it without using too many words, them it easy to distract yourself with the pomps of this world, and its amusing diversions.

So I thing it is fantastic that these six desire God.

Two chose Blessed John-Paul II as their patron, one St Peter, one St John Mary Vianney, St Ignatius Loyola and Blessed Charles de Foucauld.

Speaking of pomps and ceremonies, I made a throne for the Bishop.

We like our Bishop.