We went to Hull Fair this evening. Hull Fair is something of an institution in these parts, it comes every year and is one of the largest travelling fairs in Europe. It is not like a theme park at all and really has to be experienced to be understood. As a child I lived near enough to smell the fair from my house, all candy floss and hot dog stands. For me, it's like being twelve again and memories come flooding back of wandering around the fair with no money, simply to enjoy the spectacle.

Having been to the fair this evening, now seems as good a time as any to tell you about the short talk I gave to the youth group last week on the subject of Hull Fair. It was a smal group and therefore quite an interactive talk, I asked them what their favourite thing about Hull Fair is an they all said something called "The Bomber".

It was one of those moments when you realise you've become a grown up. I remember being of an age when conversations were had on the school bus about various rides and which was the best. There was a time when I would have known what "The Bomber" was but I had to ask. Apparently it lifts you up and goes around and then swoops you down. I know now... because we've just been to the fair and I've seen it.

Anyway... the point is that everybody talks about the big rides at Hull fair but there are smaller things as well. Can anybody think of any? "Helter Skelter", "Hook a Duck"... nope, those things are still quite big. Think smaller. Eventually somebody got it.. "Toffee Apples". Then they all got it: "Candy Floss", "Brandy Snap", "Cinder Toffee" etc...

"..and Pomegranates"... Pomegranates? Yeah.. You can buy pomegranates at Hull Fair. I don't understand it either, but there you are...

Getting back to my point, I pointed out that when you talk about Hull Fair many people (especially younger ones) think of the big rides and attractions, but there are smaller things at Hull Fair which are important too. I asked them to try to imagine Hull Fair without any toffee apples, jumbo hot dogs and candy floss. They all agreed that such a thing was unspeakable. They all agreed that the little things are essential to making Hull Fair great.

Then I asked them to consider the Church, which we often think of as consisting of Priests and Bishops, Great Saints, Cathedrals and Bascilicas. Even our small parish church is quite a big thing if you compare it to, say, a twelve year old. Yet the little things in the Church which, I told them, includes me as well as them, are very important. So important that the Church without them would be like Hull Fair without cinder toffee.

So all of us, however small we might be, have an important part to play.

Which leads us quite nicely on to St Therese, the little flower...

St Therese, the toffee apple.

Unfortunately Ella and I were unable to get to Middlesbrough for the visit of the relics of St Therese of Lisieux and had to go to Leeds instead.

We have, however, been looking at the photos of the visit to Middlesbrough which can be found on the official Flickr stream of the arrival and evening Mass and the departure. There are also three galleries from the Diocese of day one, day two and some photos from Fr Paul Farrer.

I know it's a bit out of character for me to say something nice but I just wanted to say that it looks like it was a beautiful occasion for the Diocese and well done to all involved.

Normal service will be resumed shortly...