Got up late (a lot later than yesterday and did some computer work, my devotions and checked my emails. I then went downstairs and made myself a late brekky of cereal & toast before heading back upstairs to get ready for the day.

Mary, one of the Mater Dei lecturing staff, picked me up and took me to the College. As it happens, the College is just at the end of the street where I am staying - 5 minutes easy walk so that'll work out just great for tomorrow.

I had lunch with PJ, Head of the Education School, and Mary and a number of other academic staff. We just chatted about academics, theology, chaplaincy - you know all the normal conversations around the lunch table. Mater Dei is a small institution of about 800 students with 3 schools (education, humanities & theology) so in some ways in not unlike my home institution, Christian Heritage College (CHC).

I was shown around the campus by Mary and PJ where I saw its beautiful buildings and surrounds. We worked out what I'm going to be doing over my time here. I will be taking 4 classes with the chaplaincy students this Saturday (much like a day intensive back at CHC). I'll be talking about types of chaplaincy in Australia, and specifically school chaplaincy, as well as talking about dealing with multi-denominational and multi-faith situations, and some specifically non-school dimensions of chaplaincy. I'm thinking I'll do something interactive with the students and maybe even something musical - there's a Steinway Piano in the lecture room that I'll be teaching in!! (mischievous grin).

Later in the afternoon I was taken for a guided tour of Dublin City by Mary - I managed to snap a few piccies before the light disappeared. I also had the first Guinness of my trip. (They're right it does taste different here in Dublin).

Tonight I'm planning my lectures for Saturday. Tomorrow I'm spending the morning with Barrie, Mater Dei's chaplain. Barrie is a graduate of the chaplaincy program at Mater Dei so I think we'll be comparing notes around his experience of the program as well as chatting about the provision of pastoral care on a Uni campus, something I do informally at CHC.