On 23 May, the sun shone in the monastery garden created as a result of praying and planning and digging as over 70 persons gathered for a service of blessing. Rev Dana English of All Saints Rome and fellow ordinands on retreat overlooked a derelict piece of ground and had the vision of a space which could be offered as a place of recreation in the midst of a busy city. After five years and the hard work and support of many friends of the garden adopted by Churches Together in Rome as a project, the design of Beth Blosser and the gifts and hard work of others came to fruition. With contributions from Dana and Beth telling of the conception and execution of the project, a service of word and prayer included members of the resident monastic community and the Chair and Secretary of Churches Together, Rev Dr Tim Macquiban (Methodist) and Fr. Russel Murray (Catholic Franciscan). The services was concluded with a dedication of the garden by Tim Macquiban who stated that “This project is significant, bringing Christians together in an ecumenism of unity in a place where Gregory had sent Augustine to Canterbury to found the Church in England.” Together participants joined hands in solidarity with each other and the Creator God to whose glory to garden was formed.
