One of the (many) things I admire in St Gregory is his ability to write letters that express a great deal briefly and clearly. His letters to Augustine of Canterbury and other missionary bishops are a case in point. There is nothing superfluous, nothing particularly difficult to understand. How fortunate we are that he was chosen by God to be Apostle of the English and that his decisions concerning the nascent English church should have been marked by much pastoral sensitivity and wisdom. His feastday seems an appropriate day to let you have a glimpse of the Benedictine Forum to which we alluded in cryptic terms yesterday. It will remain in beta (i.e. not fully functional) until we have a full complement of Moderators and have received enough feedback to feel confident about its fully public launch. For a sneak peek go here. (Link opens in new window.) Facebook it ain't, but it has potential as a medium of exchange among those who are interested in Benedictine life.