-Feb 13th. Suddenly…and I mean suddenly…it has become lighter later. I`ve been watching this over the past few weeks and noticed a quantum leap over the period of just several days. As I had noted earlier, probably this is from Iceland`s northerly position compared with `bulkier` parts of the globe.

-Over the years I`ve gotten to know many Lutheran priests here in Iceland. I can testify that they are an outstanding bunch of men and women. As for the later, some 20 years ago (I recall when but not the exact date) they came on the scene, at first greeted reluctantly. However, women have moved into the ministry and are doing a terrific job. Surely there are problems when it comes to ecumenical dialogue (Catholics), but judging by the fruit, I see more good than harm. That`s looking at the situation as objectively as possible. I can also better appreciate the struggles the Catholic Church has with integrating women into ministry. While unqualified to speak on the matter, I see that dogma and rhetoric that take up a lot of space, clouding the issue. And I think we prefer that cloudiness out of some vague desire for conflict. As for the Icelandic clergy I know, even superficially, all have spoken highly about things Catholic. You get the sense that just the right nudge in just the right place would tilt them in that direction. You can sense that Icelanders as a people are Catholic at heart burdened with Lutheran clothing. So you see these people struggling to be Catholic, their native soil, under a Lutheran guise…and that guise is essentially foreign to Iceland. I sense that already they have a sense for the sacred and wish to cultivate it better; Lutheranism is in the way as an inconvenience. After all, Iceland is sacred physically speaking; you pick this up immediately even a short distance from inhabited regions…and traditionally Icelanders love being in such places.