pat loughery

Gaurdian reports that the Benedictine nuns of the Conventus of Our Lady of Consolation are all geared up for a greener location. An environmentally sensitive monastery is being built in the North York Moors national park for the purpose. Powered by solar panels, this monastery will also preach green with other eco-friendly features like rainwater harvesting, reedbed sewage systems, sedum roofs, recycled material, woodchip boiler and responsibly-sourced timber. Such a dwelling is in stark contrast to the current address of Stanbrook Abbey, Worcestershire that boasts of Victorian splendor.

North Bend's recently lifted growth restriction is opening up new development. First u: Three residential communities with "cottage" homes, 1200-1600sqft craftsman style houses priced in the low -$300k's.

That's great news for a community whose average home price was around $500k before the bubble burst.

"Prepare to be challenged beyond your comfort zone," says one Amazon review of Philip Jenkins' new "The Lost History of Christianity: The Thousand-Year Golden Age of the Church in the Middle East, Africa and Asia — and How It Died." The reviewer continues: "This is an astounding book."
Half way through Jenkins' latest book about the "lost" shape of global religion, I found myself heaping similar superlatives on it. I said to one good friend: "Listen, I don't usually push books on you, but you've just got to read the latest by Philip Jenkins. It'll completely re-frame what you think you know about the shape of Christianity — and the meaning of orthodoxy. Christianity has been a whole lot bigger than most of us assume."

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