In the sequence of odd numbers, seven follows five. In order to follow the pattern set in previous issues of the magazine, I wanted to use the number seven in the title of this article. Initially, this seemed beyond me. Finally, however, I hope I can say that form has not come at the expense of content.

I am going to early Mass and on the way get snow in my shoes several times. This is certainly my fault, as I am not wearing sensible shoes and it is winter…

You would no doubt say too that some celebrations can be a necessary evil rather than a pleasure, even if good food, liquid refreshment or other interesting inducements do await. It is after all bothersome to have to depart from one's routine in order to procure for the object of the celebration some gift or other, which costs money but more importantly much effort in the choosing. Of course we could use the time-honoured approach taken to so-called pilgrimage gifts, according to which the recipient must present a gift to someone else within a week of receiving his or her own gift...

An early winter morning in Setriere-Borgata, Italy. The Olympic world is waking up to another day, which like every other day of the XX. Winter Olympics will be governed by the Olympic spirit, bringing peace, friendship and hope to all the nations of the earth.

Father Josef Michalčík, CSsR, was ordained a priest in 1997. Immediately after his ordination, he left Slovakia for the Czech Republic to perform community service at Svatá Hora. But he remained in the Czech Republic. First, as chaplain of Svatá Hora, and later as rector of the parish in Králíky, a place of pilgrimage. In 2002 he became a member of the Czech province of the Redemptorists and today he is deputy to the provincial Superior. During one of his visits to Svatá Hora, I asked him the following questions, giving rise to this conversation...