This is just brilliant
Oct. 21st, 2012 02:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
charlie_cochraneI read about The Chapel Of Our Lady Of Rugby in the programme at the London Irish game yesterday. I'm delighted and stunned at the same time. A chapel dedicated to rugby? Stained glass featuring lineouts and scrums?
One of the places I've felt a taste of heaven was the day of the RWC 2007 quarter final between France and NZ at Cardiff. Interesting to read:
On the altar, there is an old-fashioned school exercise book in which visitors to the chapel can jot down their thoughts and prayers. Judging from the following entries, they obviously share Devert's sentiments. "Our Lady, protect our new team." "Our Lady, cover with your compassion our son, seriously injured in a match." "In memory of my grandfather, a rugby player." "If rugby had existed in ancient times, Jesus would have been a great player." And summing up the place, simply this: "Rugby is a true religion."
And this lovely bit makes me even happier:
Jean Lacouture - the grand old man of French radical letters and also rugby correspondent of Le Monde for many years - told me recently that his Jesuit schoolmasters in Bordeaux during the 20s and 30s refused to allow their pupils to play rugby. "They thought there was something sinful, almost sexual about rugby - all those bodies intertwined in the scrum was too much for them.".
Go and read boith the articles. Well worth it.
One of the places I've felt a taste of heaven was the day of the RWC 2007 quarter final between France and NZ at Cardiff. Interesting to read:
On the altar, there is an old-fashioned school exercise book in which visitors to the chapel can jot down their thoughts and prayers. Judging from the following entries, they obviously share Devert's sentiments. "Our Lady, protect our new team." "Our Lady, cover with your compassion our son, seriously injured in a match." "In memory of my grandfather, a rugby player." "If rugby had existed in ancient times, Jesus would have been a great player." And summing up the place, simply this: "Rugby is a true religion."
And this lovely bit makes me even happier:
Jean Lacouture - the grand old man of French radical letters and also rugby correspondent of Le Monde for many years - told me recently that his Jesuit schoolmasters in Bordeaux during the 20s and 30s refused to allow their pupils to play rugby. "They thought there was something sinful, almost sexual about rugby - all those bodies intertwined in the scrum was too much for them.".
Go and read boith the articles. Well worth it.
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(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 01:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 01:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 02:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 03:21 pm (UTC)On both counts, actually. I'm sure that Jesus was a great little boy, always asking "why?". And I bet he played sport. He'd have made a fantastic referee.
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Date: 2012-10-21 09:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 05:13 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 09:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 05:33 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 09:00 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 08:32 pm (UTC)I'm afraid Glasgow could have done with a bit of divine intervention on Friday night. For once I managed to get to the game and they were dismal!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-21 09:01 pm (UTC)Poor Glasgow. And Edinburgh not doing any better, really. *sobs*
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Date: 2012-10-21 09:19 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-10-22 01:31 pm (UTC)