Ordinands participate in cricket initiative
In October, Trinity ordinands Sam Rylands and Tom Murray travelled to Rome to participate in an ongoing cricket initiative, playing the Vatican XI as members of the Anglican team under the title of the Archbishop of Canterbury XI.
The Anglican team played two twenty20 games, one against Rome’s Capanelle Cricket Club and one against a Vatican team (St Peter’s XI). The Anglican team won their warm-up game against Capanelle CC before the game against St Peter’s XI. In the end, the Anglican team scored 176-3 from their twenty overs, the Vatican team finished on 137-8, and ultimately the Anglicans retained the ‘Ut Unum Sint’ (‘That they may be one’) cup. During their time in Rome, the Anglican team also attended a reception with the British Ambassador to the Holy See, toured St Peter’s Basilica and the Pope’s residence in Castel Gandolfo, and visited the Anglican Centre in Rome.
‘A real highlight of the trip was the privilege to go and visit a Catholic seminary where some of the St Peter’s team members were studying,’ says Tom Murray. ‘I think we were all struck by their commitment to seeing the priests-in-training shaped in their character, through living life as a community. The students were all up before 5.00am for an hour of silent meditation, followed by an hour of college jobs and then morning prayer before breakfast. I have returned to Trinity reflecting on how we can learn from the priority they place on character formation, and what habits I can be developing to see my character conformed to Christ.’ Sam Rylands agrees, adding, ‘The trip has also given a sense that we must continue to strive for unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ from different denominations, because as Fr Eamon reminded us, it is God’s Church and with God all things are possible.’
