I suppressed a smile. I almost walked pas- sed the park. Picture this: the street had a handful of people. Some strolling, a lady walking her dog, a few drove past, some children chatting by a shop; everyone seemed to be going about their business, but we had one thing in common: we could hear the sound of music coming from birds in the park.
The spectacle before me was so captivating that a smile escaped from the side of my lips and I chuckled. I felt the nostalgia trapped inside of me was fading away as I watched the murmura- tion of hundreds of starlings tracing the skyline as if with a black pen; creating the most beautiful, yet trouble- form patterns of love. This sensational ballet dance of the birds continued for a while right before my very eyes: here at La Roche-sur-Yon, at Square Albert 1er, on my birthday, just before dusk, as half of a yellow sun faded away, leaving behind that warm gentle breeze that I have come to love about this town. On this most special of days, I had spent a good part of the morning at the Institut Catholique d’Etudes Superieures (ICES), and as evening dawned, I walked through the streets with many a fond memory of the day racing through my mind as if I was walking through a labyrinth of delight.
For sometime now I have given up on the idea of inviting friends to join me to celebrate my birthday on Valentine’s Day. I no longer see being born on 14th February as lucky. Maybe before I turned 21 it was okay, but as soon as friends started getting married, it became obvious that maybe it is best not to invite them for a celebration on Saint Valentin; they always sent a polite message to decline. And so it was with delight when my godson : Danis Bessieres invited me to come over to ICES for my birthday. I did not think twice, I left Oxford at daybreak on the 13th, and by evening I was in La Roche-sur-Yon. The next couple of days offered Danis and I the opportunity to plan for his 2017-2018 projects around Europe.
I love parish ministry and I cherish my new ministry in the prison service, but I have a special fondness for universities. Ask me what my favourite city is and I will say: Oxford; because of the University. Ask me why I love Paris and it is because of the University. Why will my next book be ba- sed in Luxembourg? Again it is because of the University. Ask me why I love Vendee and I will say it is because of ICES.
There is something special about ICES: It is dynamic, innovative, young, creative, religious, catholic, smart, ambi- tious and special. It is a very tender place of higher learning that is gentle, cultured and kind. It has its own soul, it loves the truth, it inspires and it learns. It is so beau- tiful and joyful to see the Bishop celebra- ting the Holy Mass right at the centre of the college, at the Agora; and to watch staff and students participate so actively in it. Here at ICES I have sat in lectures, studied in the library, walked through the corri- dors, ate in the cafe, listened to the piano been played in the evening, attended a concert. I have basically experienced the university life from within and I can tell you, it is so beautiful.
Since 2014 I have seen Erasmus students from ICES participate actively in the parish community in Canterbury, En- gland and each of them have left their mark in that most quintessential of English cities. What great joy it is for me to expe- rience this great place of learning where a decent culture of the civilisation of love and respect is been nurtured through faith and learning. Just like when I first visited ICES in the autumn of 2016, I once again, this time around, joined the students in many intelligent discussions on topics from faith to politics, life to society, of course Brexit and the French election, relationships and culture, and so on. I have come to really appreciate this university in the way it nurtures the mindset of the students to be objective and balance.
On the eve of my birthday, I had cut through a surprise birthday cake that Pierre-Edouard Auguin and Ysoline Vatelot made for me. On my birthday, Danis and his friends treated me to a nice birthday, where part of it was a karaoke, much laughter, and, of course: political talks with fine wine.
Just after midnight of the 14th, as I walked past Saint Louis Church and through Napoleon Square I could no longer suppress any smile, in fact there was no need to do so. The smile was telling a story of delight, of joy, of tender- ness, of friendship and lots more: all be- cause I came here to ICES for my birthday, the beginning of my new year. Later that night, just before I went to bed, I got a text message asking me if I thoroughly enjoyed my birthday. What I would have wanted to text back to my friend was: ICES. I guess he would have asked me: ‘did you mean: I Certainly En- joyed Saint Valentin? Or you mean the University: ICES?’ and of which I would have said: Quelle est la difference?
I replied the text, and then fell asleep; and you certainly can picture the smile that was escaping from my face: I believe it looks just like yours.
Father Valentine Erhahon
Article paru dans la Ruche 1 - avril 2017