Greetings from Scotland

Greetings from Bonnybridge, Scotland. I am very pleased to be enjoying the hospital of Father Kevin Dow (and his dog Abraham) and the faithful of St. Joseph Parish here in Bonnybridge, where I arrived yesterday afternoon and a very simple flight.

My first impression of Scotland and the Scots has been quite positive and I'm happy to say that thus I have been able to understand them, at least most of them. It may take another day or two before I'm able to fully grasp the local accent. I'm reminded of the some of the British comedies I've watched in the past with actors from the north - sometimes it takes a few minutes of watching before I'm able to catch the accent, but I do. I don't expect to have too much difficulty here.

I've met several Scots in the last 24 hours, both in Bonnybridge and in Glasgow, and all have been very kind to me. Thankfully, no one seems to think my American way of speaking too strange. Now if I can just get the hang of looking to the left before crossing the street, all should be well.

Named after a bridge that crosses the river Bonny (the Scots seem to have a welcome knack for the obvious), among other things, the village of Bonnybridge is the home of singer sewing machines and also happens to be the UFO capital of the world (I'll let you know if I see one).

With a population of about 7,000, Bonnybridge is a quiet corner of the world, nestled among and on rolling hills with plenty of trees, daffodils, and walking paths along waterways.

In short, it's a charming place to be and very different from the bustle and chaos of Rome. On my morning walk this morning, I even found two rabbits. My Easter holiday in Scotland promises to be very enjoyable and prayerful.