Sorry, I replied to the email when I think I should have replied here. So here it is below. Thanks.
Hi,
No I am not copying from Word. I am typing directly into the text box on the blog. I’m sorry if this sounds churlish but the reason it doesn’t look like I have any paragraphs in my text is because they have disappeared. That is why I have asked the question!
For example, (and please the note the line space in this email between the paragraph above and this paragraph), the the blog post titled ‘C’mon St Sebastian, do it for Andy!’ https://www.sacristies-of-the-world.com/?p=1065 looks like this – below – in my draft and it looked like that when it was published. The line spacing you see below, and the line spacing in all the other blogs has disappeared too. Thanks.
El Greco’s ‘St Sebastian’ (1577-78), hangs in the sacristy of the Cathedral of Palencia, Spain. St Sebastian, amongst his many patronages, is a patron saint of athletes and of racquet makers. And here we are on the eve of the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final, the final that Andy Murray will be playing in and bidding to be the first British men’s singles winner since 1936. If ever there was a time to pray to a saint to intercede . . .
St Sebastian, an officer in Rome in 283, is often referred to as the saint who was martyred twice. He became a Christian so the Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered him to be shot by archers with arrows. He survived, defied the Emperor again, and this time was sentenced to be beaten to death. He is a patron saint of athletes because of his physical endurance and his energetic way of spreading and defending the Faith.
The importance of sport hasn’t been lost on the Church. Blessed John Paul II spoke over 120 times on the value of sport as a way to bring people together in peace and as a way to learn teamwork, self control and respect for the rules. He always emphasised the educational value of sport, that it can inculcate important values such as love of life, spirit of sacrifice, fair play, perseverance, respect for others, friendship, sharing and solidarity.
And of course, there is St Paul! St Paul often referred to the Christian life as an athletic race that, ultimately, would be awarded with an incorruptible crown: ‘Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable’ (1 Corinthians 9:24). He wrote: ‘I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith’ (2 Timothy 4:7). And: ‘Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us’ (Hebrews 12:1).
So c’mon St Sebastian, intercede for Andy!
