Although I'd like to make this annual newsletter as extensive as those of prior years, I'm afraid that time is my biggest enemy this year. So, on to a brief recapitulation of what's been going on:

As I had planned, right after Christmass Day service for the inmates at the jail and dinner with family in Boston, I flew on to London, where I had still another great feast with relatives on Boxing Day, a pantomime at Royal Windsor Theatre that night, a production of Hadrian VII at Royal Haymarket Theatre in London the next night, followed by an after-theater party from which I barely escaped in time for my flight the next day to Madrid, where I quite unexpectedly was greeted by my sister and her husband (as the plane he was piloting was sick there for a few days), then on to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, where I spent two wonderfully recuperative weeks with the sun and ocean and NO telephone, and finally - after a few days in Lisbon - back to New England's customary Winter. Although I got a few days away at weddings in Montreal and Quebec in July, I'm again saving my vacation for this Winter. I'll be leaving right after Jail on Christmass day (family festivities being planned for the Eve) for Hawaii, where I'll spend some time on Waikiki Beach, then down to my renaissance at Papeete in Tahiti. Two weeks there ought well to prepare me for return to

WORK: Although I have never so totally felt to be acting out the ministry to which my vocation has called me, I admit to being quite overwhelmed by the amount and intensity of work needing my attention at CAM, the firm where I've been spending most of my waking hours for the past several months. Partially responsible for this was our merger into Combustion Engineering last Spring and the consequent need for adjusting our structure to conform to that of our new parent.

JESSICA continues enjoying the growing process (although I'm sure she can't be quite so excited about her discoveries as are her parents). The project reproduced on the other side of this letter was prepared for me to use at one of my Sunday visits with the inmates at the Jail. Jessica spent the Summer on the Belgian seaside with her cousins and a few weeks in Switzerland. Her dancing, art, and swimming lessons continue; and school is giving her several new avenues to investigate.

JAIL is keeping me in touch with the cold realities of the other world: my work there as Chaplain is largely dependent upon the resources I am able to muster from the Personnel Managers' Club, as we are finding that ministry to a man's soul is of little meaning until he has a responsible part in the outside world of work and resources. I've been fortunate to be asked to speak to many civic and youth groups about what's going on in the jails. Until we taxpayers are made aware of the situation of our inmates, we'll continue to expend more monies for zoos than for prisoner habilitation.

That's it for another year. Please know how eagerly I look forward to returning from my Winter trip, when I hope to find your response to his note awaiting me.

May your Christmass be filled with the joy God intended when He came to us; and may your New Year be one of prosperity and progress towards peace among all men!

Jessica's Bible, by Jessica October 31, 1970.

God is Good
God can help us. God helps me. I am in School. He helps me to learn.
I love Him. God is very good to me.

Mary is Good
Mary is Joseph's wife.
Mary is Jesu's Mother.
I like Mary our Mother.

Jesus is Good
Jesus is Good.
I like Jesus.
Jesus Sacrificed himself.