Light of the North

LO N Issue 41, Summer 2019

Light of the North: the magazine of the Diocese of Aberdeen

Pluscarden Pilgrimage p4Visit to Diocese of relics of St Thérèse p5 St Mary's Family Life Centre p7  Bishop George Hay p20

RC Diocese of Aberdeen Trust.

Aaregistered Scottish R.C. Diocese ofCharitable Aberdeen Charitable Trust, registered Scottish Charity no.charity SC005122 no. SC005122

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Contents DIOCESE NEWS ...........................................................................................3 WITNESS A civilization of love and a culture of life ........................18 Domodossola 'Way of the Cross'......................................19 FAITH AND CULTURE Oot an Aboot in Vézelay ......................................................19 Bishop Hay - a truly remarkble man.................................20 Coronation of the Virgin Mary...........................................21 Book Review - Northern Catholic History Notes...........23 In search of women.................................................................24 St Hildegard of Bingen..........................................................25 ELLEN - For our younger readers.....................................26 Suree Tingsomboon - her story........................................27 Grumpy old man!...................................................................28 Food and Faith - Jollof Rice.................................................29 Humour ....................................................................................30 Crossword ................................................................................31 On the front cover this issue, a detail showing the Virgin Mary from a master-work by Hubert and Jan van Eyck, 'The Ghent Altarpiece'. It was completed in 1432 for Saint Bavo Cathedral in Ghent.

The lettering on the arched throne is taken from a passage from the Book of Wisdom (7:29): "She is more beautiful than the sun and the army of the stars; compared to the light she is superior. She is truly the reflection of eternal light and a spotless mirror of God".

Wording from the same source is on the hem of her robe.

This is a serene Mary, already Queen of Heaven. She looks out from beneath a cascade of hair and is dressed in a deep-blue robe, the darkness of which is alleviated by a golden hem, decorated with jewels. She is absorbed in a prayer book. Surrounding her fabulous crown are twelve stars, an allusion to the Book of Revelation. The crown itself incorporates four types of flower, all of which were Marian symbols: rose (love), lilies (virginity, purity) columbines (humility) and lily-of-the-valley (linking the song of songs, 2:1, to the Virgin Mary).

up front

Managing Editor Deacon Tony Schmitz Editor Cowan Watson  07816344241 editor@lightofthenorth.org Editorial Advisor Dr Glen Reynolds

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The Little Flower

any of us will have a favourite saint, someone with whom we have a particular affinity, whom we feel will understand where we’re coming from. St Paul, my confirmation saint, has always been a firm favourite but while I’ve always been able to relate to Paul, St Thérèse of of Lisieux, whose relics will be coming to the Diocese in September, is another matter!

We just didn’t hit it off, at least not at first. Her life and her ‘Little Way’ seemed to be pervaded with a saccharine sweetness which I found a bit off-putting. But now I've had to think again. Recently, I’ve been reading her Last Conversations1, the record of the conversations she had with those who attended her during the last months of her life, including her three sisters.

It is inspiring reading, for you get a real sense of the steely determination of this little saint and her indomitable will.

Even in the face of great physical suffering and agonising religious doubts she maintained a vehement trust that love could survive, even when faith seemed to have been eclipsed by darkness.

Thérèse has much to teach our age; the age of the celebrity, when what seems important is the image we project of ourselves, an age when the idea of a loving and merciful God is thought to be an insult to human intelligence and when technology is considered to have all the answers. Yet, at the same time, we remain at a loss as to how to fill the painful emptiness which lies within. Thérèse, like so many saints, including my friend St Paul, sought to serve others, to do something outside herself, to forget herself in quiet acts of love. She is one of the great examples of the gospel paradox that we gain our life by losing it, and that the seed that falls to the ground must die in order to live.

Have a great summer, Cowan You'll find the itinerary for the visit of the relics of St Thérèse on page 6 1 St. Thérèse of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations, Publications,U.S. (Dec. 1977), ISBN 096008763X

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A Letter from Bishop Hugh Gilbert O.S.B.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Between Friday 30 August and Thursday 19 September, Scotland will be graced by the visit of the Relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux (1873-1897). The Relics will be taken to each diocese in turn, and will come to our own diocese from Monday 9th September to Thursday 12th September. They will be available as a focus of prayer at St Mary’s Cathedral from 9th to 11th September, at Pluscarden Abbey in the afternoon of the 11th and at St Mary’s Inverness on the 11th and 12th. A wealth of resources is being made available in preparation for the visit. I can refer you to the special website: www.littleflowerinscotland. co.uk We venerate the relics of saints because we venerate the body: - our own and that of others: hence the virtue of chastity; - the Body the Son of God took from his Virgin Mother, which was transfigured on Mount Tabor, is now glorified in heaven and present to us in the sacrament of the Eucharist; - the Body of Christ which we are and are called to be, the Church; - the bodies of the departed, which were temples of the Holy Spirit and will be raised in glory: hence the reverence shown in our funeral liturgies.

Bishop George Hay (1729-1811), whom we’ve been remembering this year, once wrote that showing honour to the remains of holy people corresponds to “the very natural disposition and frame of the heart of man.” In our ultra-hygienic world, we might recoil from the remains of the departed, but at the same time we naturally cherish what belongs and connects

HUGH

us to our friends. When the relics of St. Thérèse were brought to England and Wales some ten years ago, about 300,000 people turned out to ‘pay their respects’ and pray. Relics give us a focus for something beyond themselves.

St Thérèse of Lisieux was a paradox. She died at 24. She lived her last nine years in an enclosed convent. She belonged to an ultra-devout French Catholic world which some of us might find alien and disconcerting. But she began a spiritual revolution. She broke with a climate of fear and rediscovered the fatherhood of God and the tender mercy at its heart. She realized that trust was better than fear. She saw that even an apparently insignificant life could, through love, take on a universal power. Hers was the age of Marx, Nietzsche and Freud, and during the last, horribly painful, months of her life, she came to understand the possibility of atheism from inside and through that reached a new level of faith and abandonment.

After her death and the publication of her autobiography and other writings, she became immensely popular and was sensed as a powerful intercessor, intent in her own words to “spend [her] heaven doing good on earth.” Roses became the trademark of her interventions. And, part of the paradox again, she was declared a patron saint of the missions.

By a happy, unintended timing, this “visit of St Thérèse” preludes the Extraordinary Mission Month called for by Pope Francis for this October. I hope this will engage all our parishes and communities. See another website: www.october2019.va/ en.html The Pope is encouraging us to turn away from our self-preoccupations, undergo a “missionary conversion” and become more missionary-minded disciples. Hence this month of October, with its motto, ‘Baptised and Sent’. The Pope would like us to reflect on the missionary nature of the Church and the Christian life, remember some of the men and women who have embodied it and look again for the practical ways, in our own environments, for living out and sharing our faith.

May the visit of St Thérèse help good things happen among us this coming autumn!

Devotedly in Christ, + Bishop Hugh OSB

If you have access to the internet do take a look at some of the many inspiring talks and homilies given by Bishop Hugh Gilbert and other members of the clergy and which are now available on “You Tube”. These include videos of the Diocesan Faith Formation Seminars led by Bishop Hugh which cover a wide range of topics such as “Why does God allow evil?” and “The Seven Deadly Sins” . To access these videos just go to the You tube site and search for the Diocese of Aberdeen channel.

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Diocesan pilgrimage to Pluscarden

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n Sunday 30th June parishioners from the Diocese of Aberdeen gathered at Pluscarden Abbey for the annual Pilgrimage, celebrated this year on the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul.

The day was blessed with fine weather, Pluscarden having escaped the hail, heavy rain, thunder and lightning which had affected much of the rest of the country.

The emphasis of this year’s pilgrimage was on the diocese’s catechists, of whom there are well over one hundred. In his homily Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB pointed out that there was work for many more and issued an invitation to others to join their ranks and assist in the work of evangelisation, in line with Pope Francis’s emphasis on the Church’s missionary dimension. Bishop Hugh also thanked the Dominican Sisters, based in Elgin, for their sterling work in training the catechists and coordinating their work.

Father Giles Conacher OSB, of Pluscarden Abbey, commenting on the pilgrimage said: "As always, music played a prominent part in the celebration with the Aberdeen Diocesan Choir, conducted by Elizabeth Meiklejohn, doing a marvellous job of synchronising with the children’s choir in another part of the church. The children's choir, composed of primary school children, sang with a confidence and skill beyond their years and will hopefully fill the ranks of adult choristers in years to come. The brightly-dressed African Choir with their traditional instruments, provided a lively rhythm to the event. The Abbey’s monks led the Gregorian chant and, after all was over, Duncan MacGillivray cheered everyone with a masterly selection on the pipes.

"Although the Abbey’s layout can make it difficult to see what is going on, extensive use of large video screens meant that everyone could follow the Mass. Much hard work went into preparing for the event, what with the erection of marquees, the preparation of food and teas for the pilgrims and managing the large numbers of pilgrims’ vehicles."

Bishop Hugh was assisted by a number of concelebrating priests, as well as diocesan deacons and a competent crew of servers from St Mary's Cathedral, under the experienced direction of the diocesan M.C. Mr. George Brand, KSG. The Knights of St Columba who were, as Bishop Hugh noted, celebrating their centenary year, took charge of banners and the Cathedral’s statue of Our Lady of Aberdeen.

After the Mass there was a procession in honour of Our Lady, during which the Litany of Loreto was sung. Abbot Anselm Atkinson then led the pilgrims in a decade of the rosary.

Bishop Hugh thanked all responsible and remarked on the gratifying numbers who had taken part.

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Pilgrims filled the transepts of the abbey church

Liz Meiklejohn conducts the Diocesan Choir from the rostrum

The Children's Choir " sang with a confidence and skill beyond their years."

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Visit to Scotland of the relics of St Thérèse

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he St Andrew Community of Aberdeen and the Diocese of Aberdeen are pleased to announce that in September 2019, the relics of St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus and of the Holy Face, otherwise known as "The Little Flower", will make a tour of Scotland.

In a Roman Catholic context, this is a wonderful grace for our country, an opportunity for faith, hope and charity to be rekindled in our hearts through the powerful intercession of "Little Thérèse," as she asked to be called.

The tour has been coordinated by the St Andrew Community who are based at St Mary's Cathedral in Aberdeen. The Community are a group of single women living together with Christ at their centre. They are privately consecrated, offering the whole of their lives to God alone. They follow the example, and are inspired by, St. Andrew the Apostle whom the Messiah asked personally: "Follow me".

Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB commenting on the forthcoming tour of the relics said, "I welcome the visit of the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux to Scotland this September.

It will remind us of this saint who, despite the shortness of What are relics of the Saints and where does the tradition of venerating relics come from?

Relics are physical objects that have a direct association with the saints or with Our Lord. First class relics are the body or fragments of the body of a saint, such as pieces of bone or flesh. Second class relics are something that a saint used during their life, for example books or clothes or fragments of these things and third class relics are items that have touched another relic. The tradition of Catholics venerating relics comes from Sacred Scripture and the life of Jesus. Scripture teaches that God acts through relics, especially in terms of healing. When the corpse of a man was touched to the bones of the prophet Elisha the man came back to life and rose to his feet (2 Kings 13:20-21). A woman was healed of her haemorrhage simply by touching the hem of Jesus’ cloak (Matthew 9:20-22).

The fact that God chooses to use the relics of saints to work healing miracles tells us that He wants to draw our attention to the saints as “models and intercessors.”

(Catechism of the Catholic Church - 828) Saint Thérèse is a model of holiness for us because

her life and the limits of her world, led a spiritual revolution.

She rediscovered the tender mercy and fatherhood of God. She passed from fear to trust in her spiritual life. She grasped that an apparently insignificant, 'little' life can have a universal power through the mystical Body of Christ. She went through a 'dark night' that helped her understand contempoary atheism from within and move beyond it to a new depth of faith and abandonment. She has proved herself since her death a tireless intercessor, spending her heaven doing good on earth. I am sure we will host her here in Scotland with generosity and love and be the richer for it. Her visit will also be a providential preparation for the 'extraordinary missionary month' of this coming October, called for by the Holy Father."

The relics of St. Thérèse will be in Aberdeen diocese from the 9th to 12th September 2019. There will be an opportunity to venerate her relics throughout the day and night, to pray for her intercession, to learn her ‘little way’ summed up in her words, “Remember nothing you do is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love.”

she was Christ-like. She was Christ-like in her simplicity, Christ-like in her abandonment to God’s will, Christlike in her love for her neighbour. She teaches us that “holiness consists simply in doing God's will and being just what God wants us to be.”

An intercessor is one who ‘pleads for another’ and this is what the saints continue to do for us who are still on earth, after they have died. St. Thérèse, who died at the age of 24, after living a hidden life for nine years in the Carmel of Lisieux, always had a burning desire to be a missionary. She discovered that her mission, her call from God was “to be love in the heart of the Church.” Her mission, she described to us, was “to love Jesus, to win souls for Him so that He may be loved.”

We can have great confidence in the intercession of St. Thérèse, of her pleading for us to God in heaven, because her desire was not to "rest" in heaven but to continue to bring others to Christ. She said, “I will spend my heaven doing good upon earth.”

We can see that God has fulfilled her desire to be a missionary by the fact that her relics are now continually travelling from country to country bringing abundant graces to those who go to visit them and pray to her.

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Diocese of Aberdeen itinerary for the visit of the relics of St Thérèse Sunday 8th September Pre-visit homilies by Fr. John Udris at Sunday Masses at St Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen Monday 9th September 7.00pm: Arrival of Relics to St. Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen 7.10pm: Holy Rosary 7.30pm: Opening Mass with sung Litany of St. Thérèse 8.30pm: Veneration of relics with hymns, meditations and opportunity for confessions followed by all-night prayer vigil with exposition (Litany of St. Thérèse each hour) Tuesday 10th September 7.00am: Mass 10.30am: Mass & blessing of roses and liturgy with primary school children 11.30am - 5.30pm: Veneration of relics 5.30pm: Rosary 6.00pm: Mass followed by veneration of relics and opportunity for confession 7.00pm: All night prayer vigil with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

Wednesday 11th September 7.00am: Mass.

8.30am: Relics depart for Pluscarden Abbey 11.00am: Arrival at Pluscarden Abbey and visit of schools to Pluscarden Abbey 5.00pm: Departure for St. Mary's, Inverness 7.00pm: Mass of Welcome at St Mary's Inverness followed by all-night vigil with exposition, rosary and other devotions Thursday 12th September 10.00am: Mass at St Mary's Inverness with school children 12noon: Angelus and departure of the relics for Argyll and the Isles

An icon of St Thérèse written by members of the St Andrew Community which will accompany the relics on their visit to Scotland in September

Inverurie First Communions and Confirmations at the Church of the Immaculate Conception

At the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Inverurie 12 children received First Communion this year and seven candidates were confirmed by Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB Page 6

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St. Mary’s Family Life Centre offers care and support to the vulnerable

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n 23rd May Bishop Hugh Gilbert officially opened and blessed St. Mary’s Family life Centre, a new initiative for the Diocese aimed at caring and providing support for women facing distressful family situations, including unwanted pregnancy, post abortion trauma, domestic violence, barrenness etc.

The centre will be run by The Holy Family Sisters of the Needy in line with their apostolate of expressing God's love to the poor and needy by caring for them spiritually and materially.

St. Mary’s Family Life Centre is a place where those suffering a crisis within the family can find a shoulder to lean on. The centre intends to focus on the needs of the most vulnerable women in family life relationships, though any case which is beyond the limitations of the centre will be referred to the appropriate agency.

Bishop Hugh commented, "Marriage and family life enjoy a divine blessing which, according to the Liturgy, has ‘not been forfeited by original sin or washed away by the flood'.

“Rather, they have been endorsed and sanctified by Christ our Saviour. Hence, the Church’s desire to do what it can to help couples and families.

“As we all know, there are many pressures and threats at work

Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB, The Holy Family Sisters of the Needy, the St Andrew Community together with friends and supporters at the opening of St Mary's Family Life Centre the pro-life movement, not only for the Diocese of Aberdeen, but for the Church in Scotland."

Fr Domenico also noted that in Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation Gaudete et Exsultate, published last year, the Pope reminded us of our duty to protect and preserve the unborn: "Our defence of the innocent unborn… needs to be clear, firm and passionate, for at stake is the dignity of a human life, which is always sacred, and demands love for each person, regardless of his or her stage of development."

Also attending the opening was Margaret Pattinson who will work at the centre as a counsellor. She said that the centre hopes to be of "great benefit to many families faced with problems related to pregnancy.

“There are many women and men facing these anxieties and pressures from those who do not understand how they feel.

“The centre will provide a place where they can express their worries and feelings in a calm, non-judgmental atmosphere.

“It will be a place where they will be given time to talk freely, will be offered a trained listening ear and assured of confidentiality and acceptance.

“We hope also to be able to offer practical help and care whenever necessary.”

The centre will also offer fertility care provided by Margaret Hammond, a fully credited and qualified 'natural family planning' professional.

St Mary's Family Life Centre is located at 80 Rose Street, Aberdeen AB10 1UE and is open twice a week, Mondays and Thursdays, from 10am to 4pm. Clients will be attended to only by appointment.

Each client’s will be handled complete Jericho Inns:Layout 1 case 11/11/15 08:58 with Page 1 confidentiality.

JERICHO BENEDICTINES

Bishop Hugh with The Holy Family Sisters of the Needy who will be running the Centre and what happens is not always for the best. Our hope is that St Mary’s Family Life Centre will be a resource to those looking for support or facing particular difficulties.

“It corresponds to the desires expressed by Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia. I am grateful to the Holy Family Sisters of the Needy and the others who will work there for putting themselves at the service of others in this way.”

Fr Domenico Zanré, Aberdeen Diocese’s Vicar General, said that the centre "marked a significant moment in the mission of

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Thanksgiving Mass for Joyce Webster

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Mass was celebrated at St Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen on Monday 1st July to mark the retirement and long-standing service to the Diocese of Mrs Joyce Webster.

Joyce Webster has been involved in the City and church life of Aberdeen for many years. Above all, she has been the "right-hand woman" of three successive Catholic bishops, working in the diocesan office.

To celebrate her more than twenty years of service, friends and colleagues from many walks of life gathered for a Mass of thanksgiving. The Deputy Provost, Cllr. Jennifer Stewart, was present, as were representatives of the Scouts and Beavers, the Queens Cross Former Pupils, the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, the Catenians and Aberdeen Churches Together. Twelve priests, three deacons and many parishioners joined the three bishops present. and the many people who were able to be present at the Mass: Bishop Hugh Gilbert highlighted Joyce's sterling qualities and at the end of the Mass presented Mrs Joyce Webster with husband Gordon, Archbishop Emeritus Mario Conti, Webster with the highest papal award for lay people Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB, Bishop Emeritus Peter Moran and priests and who have contributed outstandingly to the life of deacons from across the Diocese the Church, the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice (Latin: For and the many people who were able to be present at the Mass: Church and Pope).

"I would like to thank Bishop Hugh, Bishop Peter and In his homily Bishop Hugh reflected on this time of change Archbishop Mario for the opportunity to work in the Diocese for Joyce.

"So, retirement dawns. It might have its surprises, but I over the past twenty-one and a half years.

"I have worked firstly as Millennium Appeal Coordinator, remember a sermon on baptism. The preacher pointed out followed

by Diocesan Administration Coordinator and also as that water can take many P.A. to Bishop Peter and then Bishop Hugh. forms: still or running, "These have been very happy years, in which I have hot or cold, turning made many good friends. I will certainly miss the everyday into ice or steam, but involvement with the clergy, parishes, and agencies in the it's always water. And Diocese and beyond, as well as the civic and ecumenical so the moral is that the groups.

It has been a privilege. grace that begins to flow "I must also mention my husband, Gordon, 'My Support in our baptism is able System'.

His unfailing help has made so many events possible. to adapt itself to all the "The memories are too numerous to list, but one which does changes of our lives and come to mind often, is the sight of twelve Bishops: the eight carry us through. So I Scottish Bishops and Archbishop Emeritus Mario, along with think the Vine, the Tree will stay by the flowing the Bishop of Oslo, the Bishop of Copenhagen and the Auxiliary waters. It won't shrivel Bishop of Westminster and other clergy of the Diocese, all in or be blown over. It will red vestments, on the steps of St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, survive the heat and "its Orkney in 2017 in brilliant sunshine. This was following a leaves remain green". It Mass in Kirkwall Cathedral and the culmination of a weekend Joyce was also presented with a won't mind the drought, pilgrimage to mark the 900th Anniversary of the Martyrdom beautiful bouquet to mark her "for it does not cease to of St Magnus.

"However, I am also happy in the knowledge that the time bear fruit" (Jer 17:8). retirement is right for me to step down and begin a new chapter in my We're watching this life, especially by spending more time with Gordon, our sons, space, Joyce. Thank you - more than words can say. And may daughter-in-law and grandchildren." the joy of Christ always be in your heart."

It turned out to be an evening of much joy and many Before the Mass, Joyce reflected on her many roles, the surprises and we all wish Joyce and her husband Gordon much various Bishops which have featured in her period of service happiness in the years ahead.

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Scalan Mass honours 250th anniversary of Bishop George Hay's consecration

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he Annual Pilgrimage Mass at Scalan, in the Braes of Glenlivet, took place this year on Sunday 16 June, Trinity Sunday, at 4:00pm.

It was on this feast in 1769, 250 years ago this year, that Bishop George Hay, one of the great names of our Catholic past, was consecrated bishop in the tiny upstairs chapel in the present Scalan building, in secret because of the anti-Catholic Penal Laws.

Bishop Hay fought to overturn these laws. It was not easy. On returning to Edinburgh after another round of secret talks with the Government, he found a mob burning down his house and the chapel.

Although English Catholics had a Catholic Relief Act passed in 1779, opposition here was considered so strong that it was 1793 before a similar piece of legislation could be passed for Scotland.

Although Bishop Hay died in 1811, much of what Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB, Bishop Toal, Bishop Nolan, Archbishop he had done laid the groundwork for the Catholic Emeritus Mario Conti and priests and deacons from throughout Scotland and beyond Emancipation Act of 1829.

More than 200 pilgrims attended the anniversary Mass which was concelebrated by Bishop Hugh Gilbert of Aberdeen, Bishop Joseph Toal of Motherwell, Bishop Nolan, Archbishop Emeritus Mario Conti and priests and deacons from throughout Scotland and beyond.

In his homily Bishop Gilbert traced the life and character of Bishop Hay, the various issues he dealt with and the contributions he made to Catholic life in those days.

He concluded with a challenging thought: Bishop Hay not only kept the fires of Faith burning, but took good opportunities to move forward and advance the mission of the Church, and each of us must be on the lookout for all ways, large and small, in which, inspired each day by the Holy Spirit, we can move forward the cause of Christ in our present times.

At the end of the Mass, Fr Briody, president of the Scalan Association, gave thanks to all who had Some of the 200 pilgrims who attended the anniversary Mass come.

If you know somebody who is unable to get to church to pick up a copy of the Light of the North please let them know that for just £10.00 they can be put on our subscribers’ mailing list, and we will send them a year’s issues of the magazine by post. All cheques should be made out to: “RC Diocese of Aberdeen” Page 9

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Papal recognition for Fiona after 27 years of dedicated service to Banff community

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n Trinity Sunday at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Banff, Fr Colin Stewart (Dean of the Huntly area and Moray) presented Fiona Stewart with the Benemerenti Medal, awarded by the Pope to members of the clergy and laity for service to the Catholic Church.

Fiona is a Senior Solicitor with Aberdeenshire Council and moved to Banff in in 1993.

She became a reader in the parish and, when the organist at the time retired 20 years ago, she became the parish’s chief musician. Fiona introduced the singing of parts of the Mass and still provides the music today. She also plays and assists at funerals and weddings whenever her work calendar allows.

Over the years, and in particular the last ten years, Fiona has been Reader, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, Sacristan and, more recently, Counter. In addition, Fiona also serves as secretary of the new Parish Council at OLMC and as Chair of the Finance Committee.

Fiona said that she was, “surprised, taken aback and humbled to be the recipient of such an award.”

“I can't take all the credit. I am very grateful to mum and dad for giving me my guitar, encouraging me to sing and play the flute and for helping me get to and from University at weekends to keep playing at church.

I also share this award with two parishes, St Martin's Tranent (East Lothian) and the late Canon Somers and Mrs Turnbull, the organist, for getting me Fr Colin Stewart, parishioner Jimmy involved in the Mooney (also the recipient of a Papal music ministry award some years ago) and Fiona Stewart and Our Lady of with her Benemerenti medal Mount Carmel Parish, Banff where I have been part of a small, but very strong parish community for 27 years. OLMC nominated me for the award and have shared in my delight at this surprise, and in the fabulous cake! All I can say is thank you.”

Chair of the Parish Pastoral Council, Dr Glen Reynolds commented: "One word sums up Fiona as a person and as an active member of the church in Banff for 27 years and that is 'committed'; a sentiment no doubt shared by Aberdeenshire Council who, by a remarkable coincidence, recently honoured her with an Page 10

award following 25 years of service. The Parish Pastoral Council warmly congratulate her as does the community of parishioners that is Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Banff. She is much loved and appreciated."

"Thank God for the Fiona Stewarts of this world!” observed Bishop Hugh.

“How many of our communities and parishes are sustained by people who freely give of their time, talents and selves to enrich the lives of others. It is only right that Fiona's many contributions, Fiona with her award and the to both church and magnificent "guitar" cake made by society in Banff should some of OLMC's Polish parishioners be recognised. It is with great pleasure and many thanks that I have been able to convey to her the special Benemerenti ("Well deserved!") award from Pope Francis. "

Interfaith solidarity

W

hen the Mosque in Elgin was vandalised in May of this year Interfaith Moray visited the Mosque to show their solidarity and to offer their support to Imam Lansana Bangura and his flock. The group included representatives from the Hindu, Jewish, Lutheran, Quaker, Episcopalian, Church of Scotland, Franciscan(CoE) and Catholic Churches including Rev Deacon Vincent McQuaid from St Sylvester's, Elgin.

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Exploring Warsaw with the Pallottines

BY LUCYNA ELLIOT

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small group from the Moray area flew from Aberdeen to Warsaw on the 7th of May. For all but the leader and organiser – Lucyna Elliot – it was a maiden visit to the Polish capital – indeed to

Poland.

The group was made up of people who had provided hospitality for young Pallottine seminarians who, led by Father Mirosław Mejzner, Rector of the Higher Seminary of the Pallottines in Ołtarzew, had spent some time in Moray during recent years. They were accommodated in the seminary which lies about 30 kilometres south west of Warsaw. The Society of the Catholic Apostolate, better known as the Pallottines, are a Society of Apostolic Life within the Roman Catholic Church, founded in 1835 by the Roman priest Saint Vincent Pallotti. Pallottines are part of the Union of Catholic Apostolate and are present in 45 countries on six continents.

Lucyna had planned the trip with great precision and each day they experienced a subtle balance of Polish history, culture and, of course, food.

Reporting on the trip, Lucyna said, "Psychologically, it was a good move to start the first full day with a visit to Cafe Blikle – a café in the classic Viennnese mould – which has been famous for its coffee and cakes for the last 150 years. We were not disappointed. We wanted to linger but time was pressing and so we walked along Nowy Swiat to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before entering the amazingly reconstructed Old Town.

"Later that day, after watching a film abut the wartime destruction of Warsaw, we visited the awesome Polish Museum of the History of Polish Jews which opened only six years ago on the site of the Warsaw Ghetto and which cannot be fully appreciated in a single visit.

"The next day began with a visit to the Łazienki Palace with its fine interiors and paintings and its beautiful gardens. We then went to the legendary Wedel Chocolate

Two of the newly ordained Pallottine priests returned to Scotland in early June,and celebrated Mass in Edinburgh and at St. Margaret’s, Forres Factory where we failed to resist temptation but indulged with prudence. This was the contrasting prelude to visiting the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising – opened less than 15 years ago – which told, in multi-media form, the harrowing story of the

Fr. Mirosław Mejzner, Rector of the Pallottine seminary, with newly ordained Fathers, Jarek, Dominik and Szymon, all of whom stayed in Forres in 2015 uprising and the controversies which still rage today as to the causes of its failure.

"The following day we visited a Pallottine Retreat near Warsaw which was superbly equipped to meet both spiritual and physical needs. Used also as a conference and company training centre, it offered additionally a special diet more or less guaranteeing significant weight loss but requiring incredible self-discipline – almost certainly because of the monotony of the regime.

"Nor far from there we entered what's called a 'graduation Tower' – an ‘external inhaler’ - fed with brine from a nearby well whose concentration of minerals is believed to have healing properties. About the size of a rectangular tennis court, and surrounded by shelves of twigs dripping brine, we cheerfully breathed in lungfuls of the damp, salty air and retreated convinced that our immune systems had been stimulated and our upper respiratory tracts rejuvenated.

"As if these experiences were not enough for one day, we then went for lunch to a Milk Bar, not really knowing what to expect. It seemed, at least in the procedures involved, to be a throwback to the communist years: queue to see the menu, queue to pay and get your ticket, queue to get your food, fetch your food from the hatch, find a corner of a half-occupied rickety table, sit down and eat, return dirty plates to the hatch . In fact, the food was simple and cheap but incredibly good. The clientele was interesting – poor old men and women, students and middle-class folk who made a point of going there because they knew the food was good. The customers were also very accommodating - when there was a shortage of space they made some - and they were not slow to give culinary advice to newcomers. Truly, another remarkable experience.

"Later that day most of us went to the Palace of Culture – ‘gifted’ to Poland by the Russians in the 1950s. It is enormous and it is controversial, but it offers a wonderful view of Warsaw from the top. To round off our splendidly varied day, we attended in the evening a breathtaking Chopin recital given by an outstanding young Polish pianist in the type of intimate setting that the great man preferred. Apparently, there is at least one Chopin performance taking place in the capital every day of the year.

"Saturday, 11th May was our last full day. The highlight was the ordination in the seminary chapel of two of the young priests whom we had got to know in Scotland.

The chapel was packed with friends and relatives and the ceremony very elaborate as was fitting for probably the most important day of their lives.

"Afterwards everybody sat down to an excellent meal before the new priests joined their friends for a more relaxed and convivial celebration. As for eating while we were there, we sampled a great variety of Polish foods (and even wines!) in numerous up or down-market restaurants and cafes. Nowhere were we disappointed with either quality or quantity. (We even had some Polish porridge for breakfast in the seminary!) There is little doubt that we benefited from a huge amount of insider knowledge (provided by our inspirational and indefatigable leader) which allowed us to squeeze more into the trip than could possibly be imagined.

"And then it was time to return to Scotland after an unforgettable trip which left a strong desire to expand our knowledge of Polish history and to return at some time in the future. Two of the newly ordained Pallottine priests returned to Scotland in early June, to re-unite with their hosts and to thank them for their welcome and kindness, by celebrating Mass in Edinburgh and at St. Margaret’s, Forres."

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For New Evangelisation & Catechism RC Diocese of Aberdeen

MAKING CONNECTIONS THAT COUNT

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onnections across the diocese and indeed, even across the centuries and continents have been made this spring and summer through Ogilvie Centre events.

Starting in May, the Faith in the North: Reviving Cultures Symposium held at Pluscarden Abbey focused on the connection between faith and culture. Speakers ranging from BBC Alba Correspondent Andreas Wolff, Gaelic musician Iain MacGillivray, George Mackay Brown scholar Linden Bicket and the descendants of Scottish Catholic Renaissance writer George Scott-Moncrieff, Lesley Findlay and Rebecca Blakey compellingly illustrated the beauty of the faith as culturally expressed in the north of Scotland.

Participants commented on the joy and hope that comes with exploring the faith through the lens of the Gaelic and Orcadian cultures. One attendee, Bryan Miller, wrote: “I would say the great 'hope' that was so tangible throughout the weekend and the enthusiasm to pray and consider what was said and experienced, the desire to meet again, the hope that this was just a beginning…will, pray God, find expression in ways to present the living Catholic faith through the arts."

Plans are underway for further symposia and events related to faith and the traditional cultures of the north of Scotland.

Connections were also made at this year’s Power of Grace Post-Confirmation Youth Rally at Greyfriars Convent. Over one hundred post-confirmation youth, catechists, and youth leaders from across the diocese gathered to celebrate the grace of the

Mrs Didi Fraser - the expression of a living faith through music at the Reviving Cultures Symposium at Pluscarden Abbey Holy Spirit conferred at Confirmation with Mass, workshops, adoration and praise. Bishop Hugh noted that representatives of nearly every continent in the world were present at the event, with participants originally hailing from Africa, Asia, America and Europe. The rally was fittingly subtitled, “So Great a Cloud of Witnesses” and, throughout the day, participants reflected on the powerful connections made by the communion of saints both in Scotland and across the world, past, present, and to come. The event challenged the young people to consider the

Page 12

Power of Grace rally - “So Great a Cloud of Witnesses” Christian witness he or she is to give in today’s world.

Celebrating the connections made between the catechised and the church by catechists was the focus of this year’s Pluscarden Pilgrimage. Before Mass, the congregation heard from catechist Josephine Martin and from Louise Orr, a young person, on the topic of the benefits and joys of delivering and receiving catechesis. During Mass, catechists were addressed and prayed for by the bishop and congregation in a particular way. After

Celebrating the grace of the Holy Spirit at the Elgin rally Mass, small gifts were distributed to catechists in thanksgiving for their work. The diocese knows it could not pass on the faith without the hard and often unnoticed work of its catechists and thanks them whole-heartedly for their time and talent.

Catechists and all adults are invited to continue to connect with God, one another, and their own faith by attending the workshops delivered by popular Catholic speaker David Wells.

On Friday 20 September, Mr Wells will speak at St Columba’s Church in Culloden from 7-9pm. On Saturday, 21 September he will lead a day of reflection at St Francis of Assisi Parish in Mannofield, Aberdeen from 10-3pm. All are invited to these events of inspiration and encouragement in living and passing on the Catholic faith. The talks are entitled: 'Baptised and Sent' and will prepare the diocese for the Extraordinary Mission Month this October called for by Pope Francis.

Other opportunities to connect with one’s faith and diocesan faith formation events are available from the Ogilvie Centre throughout the year. You can always find out more at the Ogilvie Centre web site: ogilvie.rcda.scot.

DIOCESE

St Andrew's Foundation produces record number of teachers qualified to teach RE

F

or the last two years students doing the Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) at the University of Aberdeen have been able to gain the Catholic Teacher's Certificate (CTC).

This has become possible thanks to the St Andrew's Foundation at the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen, the Diocese of Aberdeen and the support of the Scottish Government.

The government-backed programme to train Catholic teachers is to expand to more universities this August when the University of the West of Scotland and the University of Dundee will also offer the course.

The programme is supported by funds from Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB hosted a reception for some of this year's graduates the Scottish Government, with First Minster boosting Catholic education in Scotland and run by the St Nicola Sturgeon announcing last year that an additional Andrew’s Foundation. £127,000 would be invested in the Catholic Teacher Education Bishop Hugh Gilbert OSB who hosted a reception for some Programme. of this year's recipients of the certificate commented, The programme is part of a range of measures aimed at "It is a heartening development which increases the pool of those qualified to teach in Catholic schools in Scotland and has been taken up with enthusiasm by good numbers."

AoS port chaplain for the North East meets Pope Francis in Rome

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eacon Doug Duncan, Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) port chaplain for Aberdeen and the North East, met the Holy Father while in Rome for the European regional meeting of the AoS. The conference in Rome, which took place in June, included presentations from national directors, chaplains and trustees and covered a wide range of topics from serving seafarers worldwide to cruise chaplaincy and the centenary celebrations that are to be held in Glasgow next year.

The AoS was founded in Glasgow in 1920 and Doug took the opportunity of his meeting to invite Pope Francis to Glasgow for the centenary: “I just asked him if he could make a special visit to Glasgow for our centenary celebrations.

“Of course, I realise he is a very busy man but we will leave it in the Lord’s hands and pray for his presence in body as well as in spirit.”

Craig Lodge Family House of Prayer

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1/4 Page September 13-15 – Healing Weekend September 20-22 – Healing Weekend September 27-29 – Family Weekend October 4-6 – Tony Hickey October 14-18 - Family Week November 1-3 – Healing Weekend November 15-16 – Advent Retreat for Young Teens November 22-24 – Advent Retreat for Mid Teens November 29-1 – Advent Retreat for Young Adults

Craig Lodge Family House of Prayer Dalmally, Argyll, PA33 1AR T: 01838200 216 E: mail@craiglodge.org Full details at: www.craiglodge.org

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Here’s how to appoint a legal Guardian...

BY GEORGE RUTHERFORD

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ou may already be aware of the usefulness of having a Power of Attorney in place, discussed in a previous issue. A person able to act on your behalf in case of an accident, or to help with your finances and perhaps welfare matters in later life.

Where an adult has a Continuing Power of Attorney in place, it remains effective even after the grantor has lost capacity to deal with matters of finance and perhaps welfare decisions, if welfare powers are included in their Power of Attorney.

Here we’re dealing with guardianship matters. A guardianship order is required where an adult (a person aged over 16) is not able to look after their own affairs.

Often a meeting with a legal advisor is only arranged after the adult has encountered difficulties in communicating or carrying out financial transactions. Before a power of attorney may be granted, the adult must be able to understand the consequences of granting the powers.

If this basic requirement is not met, the alternative is to obtain a Guardianship Order. Legal advice should be sought as this requires a Court appointment, although being legally represented is not a requirement.

Any person having an interest in the adult may apply for guardianship. This may be, for example, a relative, a carer or a professional person (solicitor, accountant etc.). The head of Social Work of the local authority may also be appointed.

More than one guardian may be appointed, and a substitute may also be named, should the appointed person, for whatever reason, be unable to act.

If appropriate, an application is made to the local Sheriff Court. Inevitably, there are costs involved, such as court fees of £129 for the initial application, the cost of two medical certificates and if a solicitor is used, legal fees, unless legal aid is available.

The application would include a list of the powers required, such as dealing with finances or selling a house. Powers to make welfare decisions, for example about residential care or consent to medical procedures, may also be sought, if the adult is unable to give such instructions. The applicant must also give details of their character and background, plus any relevant financial or investment experience. Letters of reference may be required by the Court.

The Sheriff will then consider the application. If approved, an order is granted usually for a period of three years but this may

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A serie s looks which at som e practic a and co l issues nc everyd erns of ay life. be for longer, even for the adult’s lifetime.

Once the guardianship order is obtained, the guardian must register the Court Order with the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland if there is a house belonging to the adult. An inventory of the adult’s property must be completed and a management plan submitted to the Office of the Public Guardian within 3 months of receiving the certificate of appointment. A fee is charged for consideration of the documents, ranging from £56 to £1,295, depending on the value of the property to be managed by the proposed guardian.

The Office of the Public Guardian, located in Falkirk, is entrusted with supervision of guardianship orders dealing with the adult’s finances and property.

The guardian has to submit an annual account to the Public Guardian, detailing all their transactions with the adult’s property. The first review of an annual account incurs a fee of between £82 and £1,007 charged on a sliding scale, according to the value of the property held. A fee is charged annually thereafter.

The guardian also has to have in place an insurance Bond, designed to protect the adult against any financial wrongdoing by the guardian. A premium is paid annually to the insurer, the rate may be in the region of 0.2% of the property value, which would be £200 for an estate of £100,000.

Should the guardian fail to provide the details required, the Office of the Public Guardian may take steps to obtain the necessary information.

The guardian must also notify the Office of the Public Guardian of any change of circumstances or of the death of the adult. The guardian will then have to complete an account and apply for a discharge.

You will have gathered from this brief summary that guardianship is a much more complex, expensive and time consuming procedure than the granting of a Continuing Power of Attorney. Having an Attorney means less stress and form filling for the person entrusted with carrying out the duties on your behalf. It also enables you to choose the person or persons you trust to act on your behalf, when you no longer can.

It’s therefore important for everyone to consider having a Power of Attorney in place in case it might ever be needed.

George Rutherford is a Solicitor at Raeburn Christie Clark & Wallace, Solicitors

DIOCESE

Understanding Practical Raeburn Christie Clark & Planning for the future takes experience and sensitivity, and when it comes to wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and other aspects of law that can affect loved ones later in life, our private client team has helped generations of families achieve the best solutions and outcomes.

Wallace Solicitors Half Page Call Douglas Crombie today on: 01224 332 400 or visit raeburns.co.uk Private Client Services

Perfect conditions for Bishop's Shield golfers Joyce Webster, the retiring PA to Bishop Hugh Gilbert, was given flowers to thank her for all her work for the Diocese, and to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the match. She said, "The flowers are beautiful and I wish to thank Andy for the 'technical' parts so important to the organisation of the day."

T

he 21st Aberdeen diocesan golf (Bishop's Jubilee Shield) match took place at Kintore Golf Club on the 28th June. The winners were: Trophy - Inverurie Gents; Men's Individual - Andy Westwood, Inverurie; Ladies' Individual - Beattie McCann, Inverurie; Longest Drive - Ben Sherman, Elgin; Nearest the Hole - Alex Tweedie, Inverurie Participant Andy Westwood said, "The course was in excellent condition and all the players (including Fr. Keith of St Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen [pictured]), enjoyed both the golf and the hospitality of the clubhouse. A good day out was had by all. We trust the competition will continue and we would welcome even more participation from the parishes."

The next issue of the Light of the North will be published in the autumn. If you would like to sponsor the next issue or a page of the issue, perhaps in memory of a loved one or to celebrate a special occasion, please contact our advertising manager Jim Skwarek.

Tel: 01233658611 or email: jimskwarek@geeringsprint. co.uk

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Faith in the North: Reviving Cultures Symposium at Pluscarden Abbey “Mercy, Connection, and Hope” were the particular notes that sounded through the “Faith in the North: Reviving Cultures Symposium” held 3-5 May 2019 at Pluscarden Abbey. Participants were led through a series of stimulating talks on the topic of faith and culture as it has been lived through the centuries by the Gaels and Orcadians in the west and north of Scotland.

The highlight of the weekend was the Gaelic-language Mass, thought to be the first of its kind ever publicly celebrated at Pluscarden. Mrs. Didi Fraser led the congregation’s Gaelic responses and hymns with beautiful simplicity. Mgr James MacNeil of Oban celebrated the Mass in honour of the Feast of Divine Mercy, a poignant sign of a theme which emerged over the weekend.

Bishop Hugh Gilbert in his keynote address stated: “If we don’t connect, we forget and if we forget, we fragment.” Referring to the book of Genesis, he recalled that man was formed from the dust of the earth and infused with a soul to be in communion with God for all eternity. As the centre of creation, humans are connected both to “soil” and “soul”. As humans use their God-given creativity to cultivate the soil, or nature, the work of cultivating their own soil, the spiritual life, must not be neglected. A genuine culture bridges these two realities and finds its highest expression in the “cult” or worship of God, using the goods of the earth, art, and music in the liturgical actions of the Holy Mass. While modern secular art, music, and literature often foretell a nihilistic future, the Church has hope to offer.

Because of its long memory connected to Christ’s loving action of handing on the Eucharist which continues to be celebrated and because the Church is confident that this presence of Christ continues to transform humanity, there is hope for the future Bishop Gilbert’s comments on connectedness framed the

Some of the participants at the symposium

culture’s attraction to people of all backgrounds. Observing that other Christian denominations had Gaelic Societies to support their ministers in familiarity with the Gaelic language, Mr. Wolff proposed a similar society for the Catholic Church.

Such a society could have ecumenical ties with other churches, promoting greater unity in the Scottish Gaelic culture. His comments promoted a lively discussion centred around practising a faith that has been encultured in a particular locale.

Continuing this theme, Mrs. Lesley Findlay and Ms. Rebecca Blakey revealed the cultural richness of the Gaelic Catholic faith as devotedly recorded, preserved, and enriched by such figures of past centuries as Alexander Carmichael, Fr. Allan MacDonald, John Lorne Campbell, Margaret Fay Shaw, and Calum Maclean. As the daughter and great-granddaughter respectively of Scottish Catholic Renaissance writer George Scott-Moncrieff, Mrs Findlay and Ms Blakey embodied the passion for the integration of Scottish faith and culture of the figures of whom they spoke.

The Orcadian culture also received attention during the conference when Dr. Linden Bicket from the University of Edinburgh reflected on the writer George Mackay Brown and The Catholic Imagination. He believed that “everything is imbued, touched by the finger of God” and that the Orcadian history, landscape, and people could be fitting openings into the message of the Gospel.

A fitting conclusion to the days’ thoughts and reflections came in the moving musical programme provided by Iain and Duncan MacGillivray, Iain Gordon, and Patricia Robertson.

As participants came together on the Sunday to discuss the conference and possible paths forward, the three themes of "Mrs. Didi Fraser led the congregation’s Gaelic responses and “mercy, connectedness, and hope” emerged. The participants felt the weekend was filled with the joy of sharing the Faith and hymns with beautiful simplicity." the Scottish culture with one another and a desire to share this symposium speakers’ reflections on faith and the Scottish joy with others. “There was an enthusiasm to forgive and lay the culture. Each speaker spoke passionately and lovingly of their past to rest,” Ms Maureen Woodhead reflected. This provided subjects, which inspired a great pride and joy in the listeners. a sense of hope and purpose as we continue to plan for future In his talk on “Current Issues in the Gaelic Revival and the events and initiatives.

Place of the Catholic Church,” Andreas Wolff spoke of Gaelic Sr Anna Christi OP with pictures courtesy of Michal Wachucik of AberMedia Page 16

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Dette Mitchell -100 years young!

Mrs Dette Mitchell flanked by Deacon Vincent McQuaid and Fr Giles Conacher OSB

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rs Dette Mitchell, a parishioner of St Sylvester's parish in Elgin, celebrated her 100th birthday on Friday 15th March.

Mrs Mitchell was born in Tomintoul in 1919 but after marrying her late husband George the couple set up home in Elgin.

They had three children, Eileen who passed away three years ago and two sons, George and James. Mrs Mitchell

has five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

To honour Mrs Mitchell's long and dedicated service to the church, Deacon Vincent McQuaid from St Sylvester's and Fr Giles Conacher OSB from Pluscarden Abbey presented her with a pair of glass vases and a large bouquet of flowers.

Blessing for UK's smallest chapel

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he UK’s smallest chapel has received a blessing from Father Ambrose Flavell OSB, Shetland’s parish priest.

The chapel was built by Anne Dobson and her husband, Peter using recycled and gifted materials and is in the grounds of their B&B on the Shetland island of Yell.

The chapel, which can accommodate one worshipper, has a beautiful view overlooking Gutcher Loch.

Mr & Mrs Dobson moved from Dorset eight years ago to Yell and they now run the B&B out of Gutcher’s old Post Office.

The chapel is rather small for organised services, but is a safe place of quiet and peace for anyone to use.

Society of the Little Flower 1/2 Page

The mission of the Society of the Little Flower is to promote devotion to St.Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Carmelite Nun and Doctor of the Church. Through prayers and donations, friends of St.Thérèse enable Carmelites to continue her “Shower of Roses” in their ministries throughout the world and in their education of young Carmelites.

The mission of the Society of the Little Flower is to promote devotion to St.Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Carmelite Nun andand Doctor of the Church. prayers and clinics, Carmelite priests, nuns, brothers sisters serve peopleThrough in parishes, medical donations, friends schools, of St.Thérèse enable Carmelites to catechetical continue hercentres, “Showerprisons, of Roses” women’s centres, retreat houses, hospitals, in their ministries throughout the world and in their education of young Carmelites. housing, job and skills development programmes and sacramental celebrations around the world.

Carmelite priests, nuns, brothers and sisters serve people in parishes, medical clinics, Society of the schools, Little Flower women’s centres, retreat houses, hospitals, catechetical centres, prisons, 0345 602 9884 (local rate) Barclays House housing, job and skills development programmes and sacramental celebrations ukweb@littleflower.org 51 Bishopric around the world. www.littleflower.eu www.littleflower.org.uk Horsham RH12 1QJ Charity No. 1123034 Society of the Little Flower 0345 602 9884 (local rate) Barclays House ukweb@littleflower.org Page 17 51 Bishopric www.littleflower.eu

WITNESS

A civilization of love and a culture of life

BY MARGARET HAMMOND

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y name is Margaret Hammond. I am married to Peter and we have five wonderful children. I grew up in a family with six brothers and one sister and was nurtured on the Catholic Faith.

As I matured I trained to become a children’s nurse and later entered adult nursing. I also developed an interest in developing my faith and concern for the fragility of the unborn child.

Later I decided to become a midwife and “change the world.”

Unfortunately, I witnessed my first experience of abortion and was traumatised. Of course I had read and heard about it but the reality only came home to me at that moment. Regretfully, I chose to leave midwifery.

I didn’t quite appreciate how lucky I was when I met Peter from a similar Catholic upbringing. Big families were in our combined psyche and when we married in 1990 we embraced the whole concept of a Civilisation of Life and Love. During our marriage preparation, we were saddened to learn that the majority of couples attending were already living together. When we asked about Natural Family Planning (NFP) knowing its importance from Church teaching, I was looked at as if I had grown horns!

Eventually and through some perseverance I was pointed in the right direction. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we found a lovely woman who taught us the Billings Method. It was a relief to discover that teaching was available and freely given! One to one tuition is truly wonderful and important especially when you are necessarily discussing intimate areas of life and love. Our tutor said I would make a great teacher. I laughed and thought, "I'm too busy!"

Our first child was named after Rachel from the Old Testament (who wept tears for the innocent as I had done). Raising children in today’s world is no mean feat! But teaching them about Jesus is the greatest pleasure! When our third child was a toddler, I found myself with (a little) time on my hands. By then our old teacher had retired and there was no-one teaching NFP in Aberdeen. I found myself thinking and praying about teacher training and I came up with “Why Not Me?” Teacher training at that time was undergoing massive development. I went through a very primitive, albeit very effective, personal training programme and managed with some difficulty to get the practical experience required. My training was sponsored by the Diocese thanks to Bishop Mario Conti. With great pride and pleasure I received my very first Teacher Training Certificate in the year 2000.

I have taught on and off since then. Teacher training has developed through Fertility Care Scotland. It has become a well organised and efficient training programme. Each teacher attends a four day residential training programme and is reaccredited every three years. The next four-day programme will run from the 19th – 22nd September at the Scheonstatt Centre, Glasgow and we all look forward to catching up with old friends and meeting new teachers in training (always a joy!).

The highlight of my voluntary work to date came in 2003 when I won a place, arranged through Fertility Care Scotland, to attend

Margaret Hammond, Dr Angela McCallum, Dr Lyn Billings, Dr John Billings and Marie Sandison the International Jubilee Conference in Melbourne, Australia.

This linked up with World Organisation Ovulation Method Billings (WOOMB). It was the 50th Anniversary (1953 – 2003).

I remember reflecting that it isn’t often that voluntary work takes you to the other side of the world! It was a huge learning curve and an inspiring experience. I had the great privilege of meeting Drs John and Evelyn Billings (founders of the method). I am sure both will be made saints in time!

The diocese has recently established a dedicated Pro Life base.

St Mary's Family Life Centre is situated in Rose Street, Aberdeen.

I share this space with the Holy Family Sisters of the Needy who offer a range of prolife services and counselling. I offer teaching in The Billings Ovulation Method to couples by appointment only.

There is no charge for this service but as a Charity donations are always welcome.

Couples can contact me via email: mgthammond13@yahoo. co.uk. And mobile phone: 07891358114.

Fertility Care Scotland

Fertility Care Scotland 1/4 Page 196 Clyde Street Glasgow G1 4JY

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR FERTILITY

Achieving Pregnancy Delaying Pregnancy Menopause Breastfeeding

Clinics in Scotland: Clarkston, St Joseph’s Hall Hamilton, NHS Lanarkshire Paisley, Diocesan Offices

Edinburgh, Chalmers Centre & York Place Aberdeen Keith

Contact us on 0141 221 0858 Email us on info@fertilitycare.org.uk Visit our website on www.fertilitycare.org.uk ‘This is knowledge of her body that every woman ought to have.’

Dr Evelyn Billings

Join us on facebook www.facebook.com/fertilitycarescotland Follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/billingsscot

Fertility Care Scotland is a registered Charity in Scotland Number SC022875

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FAITH AND CULTURE

Oot an Aboot with Ron Smith Domodossola 'Way of the Cross' Ron Smith takes a trip to Italy to visit the amazing "Way of the Cross" in Domodossola, which took nearly 200 years to complete.

Domodossola is famous for a really remarkable Way of the Cross – a reconstruction of the processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem, believed to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion.

A short walk away from the train station in Domodossola takes you to the Via Rosmini, named after a famous priest, who comes into the story later. The road continues to become the Via Mattarella, named after the fortress on the top of the hill, and after crossing a main road, becomes the Via Calvario.

The “Calvario” or Calvary is quite outstanding. Each station is the size of my house! To prevent vandalism, they are protected by a heavy wrought iron grille reinforced with chicken wire but through this you can still see the larger than life-size figures and wonderfully painted frescos.

The original idea for the Way in Domodossola came from the Franciscan Friars Minor. It is made up of a series of twelve stations that represent the Stations of the Cross and three chapels that illustrate the Deposition from the Cross, the Holy Sepulchre and the Resurrection. The Friars also promoted similar Ways at Verallo, Varese, and Orta as well as at Domodossola. The Domodossola Way was advanced by two Capuchin monks, Gioacchino Cassano and Andrea da Rho in 1656. The Bishop of Novara approved the plan, and the entire Ossola community enthusiastically took it up, with donations of money and hours of labour. The Bishop granted dispensation to work on “no work” days, apart from some special feast days, and also granted 40 days indulgence to those who carried out the work.

The route would start at the edge of the town and wind its way upwards in a broad path to the old castle at the summit. The original plans included the building of a monastery for the Capuchins but under Napoleon’s regime the Capuchins were expelled and there was no religious presence on the mountain until 1828 when the remarkable Father Antonio Rosmini arrived. Meantime, the monastery had had become a barracks and the chapel a gunpowder

Station thirteen, "The Deposition" store, which accidentally blew up in 1830.

The Church at the summit is the heart of the Calvario, and houses stations twelve and thirteen. Station twelve, "Jesus Dies on the Cross", is a huge dramatic scene, placed in the church in 1662. The figures of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. John, on each side of the Cross, were installed a year later and in 1921 the Italian artist Francesco Bozetti painted the background. Station thirteen, "The Deposition", again has wonderfully striking figures by sculptor Dionisio Bussola placed here in 1664, with the background frescos painted

by Giovanni di Sampiero in 1699.

To one side of the main steps to the Church a steep stone staircase leads down to the basement and station fourteen, "Jesus is Laid in the Tomb". This is in the crypt of the Church.

The Domodossola “Via Crucis” was given official recognition by Pope Clement Xll on 3rd April, 1731 but when Napoleon arrived and the Cisalpine Republic was established, church property was sold or desecrated and the Calvario gradually fell into disrepair.

Father Antonio Rosmini (1797-1855), a major Catholic Italian philosopher, was invited to Domodossola by the wealthy Count Giovanni Mellerio. Rosmini was a key figure in Italian Liberal Catholicism and in 1828 he established his “Istituto della Carità” in Domodossola for the Rosmini Fathers who were to pioneer the concept of social justice.

Rosmini's activities started a spiritual revival around the Calvario. In 1835 the Rosminian Fathers built station five.

In 1900 station one was rebuilt after being accidentally destroyed in an explosion and finally, in 1907 station three was built. All in all, the development of the stations took nearly 200 years to complete!

In 1985 in order to spread more widely the enormous spiritual legacy of Fr. Rosmini, the Rosminian Centre Page 19

FAITH AND CULTURE of Spirituality was founded and still operates from the building today. On 18th November, 2007 Antonio Rosmini was beatified.

It is quite a walk up the mountain. The path is as wide as a road and it’s amazing to see the stations, so large, and each one totally different from the others. Station eight is actually under a building, and as you climb up you find

station nine is actually on top of number eight!

In 2003 UNESCO recognised the Calvario as worthy of inclusion in the World Heritage list…along with no fewer than six other Sacri Monti in the Piedmont region plus two in neighbouring Lombardy. I would love to explore the others...maybe one day?

A truly remarkable man who ushered in a new dawn for the Catholic church in Scotland The 16th June this year marked the 250th anniversary of the consecration of Bishop George Hay. His consecration in 1769 took place in Scalan, in secret because of the Penal Laws.

Bishop George Hay is widely recognised as being responsible for the recovery of the Catholic Church in Scotland following the Reformation. In this two-part feature Alasdair Roberts and Ann Dean celebrate the life of this remarkable man.

BY ALASDAIR ROBERTS & ANN DEAN

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eorge Hay was born in 1729, a hundred years before Catholic Emancipation brought the Penal Laws to an end in Britain and Ireland.

He is known for having led Scotland’s Catholics most of the way. That should always be true, but this year is special. Hay was consecrated as coadjutor vicar apostolic (deputy bishop) of the Lowland District at the seminary of Scalan in Glenlivet on Trinity Sunday 1769. In 2019 that first Sunday after Pentecost fell on 16 June. This summer’s Scalan Pilgrimage Mass, celebrating 250 years, was better attended than ever.

Growing up in Edinburgh George Hay heard no good of ‘popery’, but his father was a non-juring Episcopalian Jacobite.

As a medical student when Prince Charles Edward brought his Highlanders to town, George tended the wounded after Prestonpans. The sixteen-year-old then followed the Prince (and his professor as chief surgeon) to Derby and back. Having left the army he expected leniency for a non-combatant, but spent fifteen months in custody at Edinburgh Castle and then London.

Towards the end of that time George Hay began to be attracted to Catholicism by Thomas Meighan, a prison-visiting bookseller in Drury Lane. Back in Scotland, staying at a relative’s house near Kilbride, he read Papist Misrepresented and Represented by John Gother. In spiritual crisis, Hay prayed for guidance. He found his fencing-master John Gordon ‘of Braes’

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George Hay (Pontifical Scots College, Rome) (Glenlivet?) was a Catholic, and this led to instruction by a Jesuit. George Hay was received into the Church of Rome at the age of nineteen.

Studies completed, the young man found himself barred from practising medicine: no Catholic doctors under the Penal Laws.

He took a post as ship’s surgeon but paused in London. There he came under the influence of Bishop Richard Challoner, and with the approval of Bishop Smith in Edinburgh was accepted for the Scots College Rome.

Two others preceded him. A day short of fifteen when he sailed, John Geddes had started Latin at seven and was brought to the required standard by the well-named John Godsman at Preshome near Buckie. William Guthrie who joined him there was a convert who had been an apprentice joiner at Ellon.

Geddes took him to the ruined chapel of St Ninian’s in his native Braes of Enzie. The contrast with Catholic Europe struck Guthrie vividly at Gibraltar: ‘As it is the first Catholic Church that I ever was in, I cannot express how much I was struck with amazement to see the Altars so finely adorned with most amiable Pictures, which I should think might move a heart of stone and excite it to devotion. In a word I found now, to my sweet experience, as I have the pleasure of being an eye-witness, that the way the Catholic Church was represented to me, before I was a Catholic myself, was nothing but raillery and aspersion.’

George Hay would have been similarly affected. This was a

FAITH AND CULTURE them. Finally Hay, Geddes and Guthrie, newly ordained, left for Scotland in 1759.

John Geddes was sent to the Cabrach, the ‘Siberia of Scotland’, while William Guthrie suffered even colder winters in Glenlivet.

George Hay shared a room at Preshome with Bishop James Grant. Both men travelled to scattered Catholic communities – for Hay see Ann Dean’s article in the June 1998 Scalan News at www.scalan.net. ‘He rode a large “blue” horse, actually iron-grey. There is a description of him reaching Tullochallum, along with his servant John Cumming “on another horse and having behind him, on the saddle, a large leather valise.”

Apart from vestments and mass-kit, the valise contained medicines. “The corn-kiln was usually fitted up on these occasions as a temporary chapel. An altar, hastily arranged, was erected at one end of the barn, a blanket serving the purpose of reredos, and another as a canopy over the altar.”’

There was work enough close to home, as shown by my ‘Catholics in Rathven, 1762’. The names and homes of 440 Easter communicants can be consulted at 18 King Street, Aberdeen, headquarters of North-east Scotland’s family history society. Hay set about restoring St Margaret of the Craigs near Preshome after it Ann Dean's delightful watercolour shows George Hay on his iron-grey horse had been destroyed by redcoat soldiers. On bringing the sacraments to one of Scotland's scattered Catholic communities one occasion there was a rush into hiding, until a member of the congregation was seen time when the Catholic Church in Scotland was at its lowest approaching in his new red waistcoat. Hay replaced the roof, ebb, with priests in short supply. At the Scots College Hay then moved to something better: ‘I have got my chapel now put and Geddes became soul-mates in religion. The classes which in good order; my altar is up, and pleases. The seats are to be put they attended with students of many nations were easy for in next week. The money I will raise through a cess on the seats.’

Coronation of

BY EILEEN CLARE GRANT “Be enthroned, Lady, for it is fitting that you should sit in an exalted place since you are a Queen and glorious above all kings” (St Germanus).

F

rom the earliest ages of the Church, the Faithful have addressed prayers of petition and hymns of praise, veneration and love to the Queen of Heaven. Although the dogma of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was only officially defined in 1950 by Pope Pius XII, we have evidence that belief in the Assumption dates from at least the 4th century.

Later, St Gregory of Tours (d. 594) formulated the doctrine, and a feast commemorating the Assumption took place in the Holy land as early as the 5th century.

By the end of the 8th century, the Feast was being observed throughout the West on the 15th of August.

the Virgin Mary

Then, in 1954, Pius XII added, at the end of the Octave of the Assumption, the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

During the Middle Ages especially, the Assumption was a popular theme for artists who often combined it with her Coronation in Heaven.

One such artist was Enguerand Quarton, an inhabitant of Avignon in the south of France, who was commissioned by local priest Jean de Montagnac to paint an altar piece to be placed in the Carthusian church at Villeneuve-lèsAvignon, on the altar of the Holy Trinity. It now lies in the Musée there. The agreement stated that the panel should be in place around September 1454, 500 years before the promulgation of our Feast, and for this he was to be paid the princely sum of 17 florins (gold) of Avignon. We are especially fortunate in that the original contract which still exists has a detailed inventory of what was to be included in the painting, with Quarton being allowed a certain flexibility.

The upper section lies above a horizontal white cloud Page 21

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Enguerand Quarton, " The Coronation of the Virgin", 1452-53, Museum of Pierre-de-Luxembourg, Villeneuve-lès-Avignon running from side to side and depicts the Court of Heaven in a deep blue sky, with the Holy Trinity crowning the Blessed Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven, as she kneels in obedience. The Father and the Son are identical, both depicted as young, with the Dove of the Holy Spirit hovering between them, the tips of his wings touching the lips of the Father and Son, in a kiss symbolising the love that eternally flows between them. Both have their right hands raised in blessing. All are clothed in sumptuous robes in vibrant colours of red, gold, silver and blue. All three Persons of the Trinity have crosses in their haloes, a symbol of divinity in Mediaeval art. They are surrounded by flaming Seraphim and Cherubim nestling in fluffy white clouds; by Apostles, Saints, Prophets and the Blessed.

On the right side, is the Archangel Gabriel bearing on his sceptre the scroll of the Annunciation, above St Peter and St Paul with a group of Apostles, of whom St John is distinguished by his beautiful, beardless face. Below the Apostles are a group of Confessors, “namely St Gregory as Pope with two Cardinal saints, one old, the other young”, the latter possibly St Hugh the Carthusian. Below them are the three Maries, with Mary Magdalen recognisable from her flowing blond hair; behind them are St Catherine Page 22

(Alexandria) and other Holy Virgins.

On the left of the central figures, stands the Archangel Michael, with his entourage of angels. Below is St John the Baptist, along with prophets and patriarchs, including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Below them, with other Holy Martyrs, stand St Stephen, Deacon of Jerusalem, and St Laurence, Deacon of Rome. Below them we see the monastic founders: St Francis with the stigmata on his hands, St Dominic on his right and St Bruno on his left. The other monk has not been identified – perhaps St Benedict?

Behind them is St Antony Abbot.

The next level down finds the powerful rulers of this world: a Pope (St Gregory?), an Emperor (Charlemagne?), a Cardinal (St Pierre de Luxembourg?) and a King. Below them, on both sides, are the “ordinary elect” and below them kneel the slaughtered Holy Innocents.

In the centre of the painting, linking Calvary and the world to the Paradise above, stands the Cross of Christ on Mount Olivet, in Jerusalem, with a Carthusian monk kneeling in prayer at the foot of the Cross. To the right is the Holy Sepulchre, with the words Sepulcrum Domini inscribed upon it; there a bishop kneels in prayer. Pictured is part of the city of Jerusalem, an image of the City of the World

FAITH AND CULTURE (from St Augustine’s famous vision), with the Temple and the tomb of the Blessed Virgin, an angel sitting on the tomb and saying: Assumpta est Maria, “Mary the Virgin is taken up into the heavenly chamber, in which the King of kings sits upon His starry throne” (Chant for the Assumption). A tiny devil perches on one of the towers.

On the left is the city of Rome (the City of God), depicting the Basilica of St Peter’s and Castel Sant’Angelo. A stork (symbol of the Annunciation) nests on a tower in the city wall. On the far left, we can see inside the Church of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem, where Pope St Gregory is depicted celebrating Mass just as a vision of Christ as the Man of Sorrows has appeared on the altar in front of him, in response to his prayers for a sign to convince a doubter of the doctrine of transubstantiation. This was a popular story in the Middle Ages. Outside the church is an image of Moses and the Burning Bush – with his shoes removed.

On the lowest level are revealed Purgatory, on the left, and Hell on the right; the flames of Purgatory are paler than those of Hell. In the latter, doomed sinners are subjected to all manner of ghastly tortures by demons: a blasphemer has his tongue torn out while another demon stokes a fire, perhaps for burning the tongues thus removed; another unfortunate, possibly a suicide, is being strangled; two others, perhaps gluttons, sit at table, being “attended” by

Northern Catholic History Notes Authors: Alasdair Roberts & Ann Dean Paperback: 73 pages Publisher: Light of the North (25th May, 2019 ISBN-10: 1099437911 ISBN-13: 978-1099437915 List Price: £6.80 Amazon

BY EILEEN CLARE GRANT

T

his little book is a compilation of 21 articles, written over a number of years by Alasdair for the Aberdeen Diocesan magazine, Light of the North, and beautifully illustrated by Ann. They cover, in suitably “bite-sized” essays, a wide range of topics, historical and biographical, ranging throughout this most northerly diocese of Britain, from Knoydart in the West, to Aberdeen in the East, and Shetland in the far North, the “Arctic Mission”. In these pages, we encounter a variety of characters (in both senses of the word), from “soldiers of fortune” – many recusant Catholics were forced to seek employment abroad where they could practise their faith while earning a living – to heroic and hard-working priests who built churches, gave aid to the poor and needy, and nurtured the faith of those who remained loyal to the Faith, in the towns and in the desolate scattered communities of the Highlands.

two demons. At their feet, a crowd of the damned are forced into the eternal flames of the “well of the abyss”. A grotesque demon seizes a man’s legs to drag him from behind the rocks beneath Calvary. The gigantic figure of Beelzebub presides in the centre and, perhaps as an indication of certain opinions at the time, Popes and Cardinals appear to be among the damned.

In Purgatory, on the right, we glimpse an Abbot, a King, a Cardinal and two Popes. An angel is guiding the purified soul of a Pope out of Purgatory en route for Heaven, and all the angels rejoice, while the demons show “great sadness”!

We glimpse other happy souls being guided by angels into Paradise and our gaze is raised back up towards the Holy Trinity crowning the Blessed Virgin Mary. Such a painting would have been the focus for great devotion from the Faithful.

O God, who made the Mother of your Son to be our Mother and our Queen, graciously grant that, sustained by her intercession, we may attain in the heavenly kingdom the glory promised to your children.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ… Amen. (Collect for the Queenship of Mary)

We meet many members of this part of Scotland’s notable recusant Catholic families, including the Leslies, the Gordons and the Frasers, then later, the Hays and the Ogilvie-Forbes.

In other chapters, we encounter members of the clergy, some of whom risked their lives to preserve the Old Faith in hostile penal times, especially at Scalan, the secret seminary in the Braes of Glenlivet. Notables here include Bishop George Hay and Abbé Paul Macpherson. After Catholic Emancipation, we’re told, 3 churches were built here by the latter in a 7-mile area and, such were the numbers of attentive Catholics, that many had to stand throughout.

Another chapter tells of the coming of the Benedictines to Fort Augustus. Alasdair writes of the numerous communities of friars who had houses in Aberdeen, most of which were ransacked and destroyed by “reforming” mobs. But we hear also of the lay faithful, from Isobel Grant of Chapeltown, with her “tales”, and the Moran sisters of the “Cathedral Close” in Aberdeen. And no collection about Catholic people and priests in our diocese would be complete without a story about Priest Gordon of St Peter’s, Aberdeen, a man much admired and respected by Catholics and non-Catholics alike. His passing, Alasdair writes, “was marked by the city”. His funeral cortège was followed by a long procession of mourners, including the Lord Provost and several magistrates, escorted by soldiers of the 19th Highlanders. So many accompanied him on this final journey that they were still leaving the church in the centre of town when the coffin arrived at the Snow Kirkyard in Old Aberdeen.

Alasdair and Ann have done a great service for the Catholics of our diocese, in highlighting the heritage we have of the courage, perseverance, compassion and, above all, faith, of our forebears.

Northern Catholic History Notes is available from Amazon or from the Light of the North (editor@lightofthenorth.org).

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FAITH AND CULTURE

In search of women

prayer group so that they might receive (and wear) the lace head covering which, before Vatican II, was so common.

Anyone who has attended Mass in a parish where boys and girls are allowed to act as altar servers will know that both can be

BY SR JANET FEARNS FMDM exemplary. Girls, however, often add a dignity and focus which fun-loving boys sometimes overlook. Eight-year old Lucy, for am not the first to draw attention to the hidden example, adds a unique flavour, frequently as a self-appointed women in the Church. For a start, in today’s Morning directress of her companions in the sanctuary. To the quiet Prayer in the breviary, several intercessions prayed for amusement of her parish priest, she once solemnly thanked and men and all concluded with the response, “Lord, we congratulated him for his homily in which, she declared, he gave are your brothers”. As frequently happens, the concluding her “a whole new outlook on the sacrament of reconciliation”. prayer was also on behalf of men. Where were the women?

Some more traditional Catholics attempt to bar young girls There is a sense in which the words “men” and “brothers” from serving on the altar whilst others uphold the practice, are generic and are meant to include the fair sex, but there claiming it as a route for future Catholic mothers to encourage are also occasions when those two words stick in the female their sons towards the priesthood. Heaven help us! Is the Church throat. Heading out early to work and praying before my only about men and the priesthood? Is there not a value for the community gathered in the chapel, “Lord, we are your girls themselves as they actively participate in the Mass and have brothers” appeared as a highly inaccurate declaration for an opportunity to reflect on what they are doing? me personally and for everyone else in the house – and History and scripture seems to indicate that, in the early many other women in the Church would feel likewise.

Church, men and women frequently had an equal status. Yet It is not unusual for up to five of the six intercessory prayers it has taken two thousand years and Pope Francis to officially at Morning and Evening Prayer to be on behalf of men. Their recognise that St Mary Magdalene, the “Apostle to the Apostles” responses are also often masculine. Is it any wonder that, should be on a par with “the Twelve”. Whereas many parishes however messy the result, many communities in this country are equally welcoming of boys of Sisters look for more inclusive language?

May God preserve us and girls as altar servers, the reactions of a few Sometimes the Church must go in search of from future priests who are so are perhaps reminiscent of the centuries-old women. weak-willed that they require approach to Mary Magdalene and needed to A few years ago the Phoenix Archdiocese a predominantly masculine change. in America, after banning young girls from environment in order to become On one occasion and purely out of curiosity serving at Mass, reported an increase in the good priests, able to inspire and (not in this country), I asked the chairman number of men applying to train for the serve our Church! of a local parish council why there were no priesthood. The implication is frightening: women readers or Eucharistic ministers in some boys are so easily distracted by the sight of a girl on the the parish. By contrast, the choir was predominantly female. altar that any hope of a celibate vocation becomes almost non- The man nodded sagely. “It is because the women might be existent. May God preserve us from future priests who are having their period”, he said. How would he or his parish priest so weak-willed that they require a predominantly masculine have reacted had I suggested that, as Our Lady, Mary Magdalene environment in order to become good priests, able to inspire and several other women gathered around the cross of Jesus, it and serve our Church! was entirely likely that at least one of them might have been Incidentally, Andrea Diaz, the Phoenix cathedral’s Director menstruating? Might they, perhaps have brought a very private, of Faith Formation positively purred with joy as she described but also very typical aspect of womanhood into a pivotal event the “new opportunities for girls”. They can, for instance, help of salvation history? Real women gathered on Calvary. Real out as sacristans and join “a special prayer group for young women receive and treasure the Eucharist. girls” in which each new member is given a mantilla to wear Some years ago, I attended an international media conference to Mass. Perhaps there is a difference between Britain and the in Rome. Delegates – nearly all men – elected new committees United States: few girls in this country would volunteer to join a to represent and promote Catholic media in each continent.

I

“

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FAITH AND CULTURE Because of extensive canvassing (often simply a case of blatant self-promotion) prior to the election, the new committee for Africa consisted of five men, of whom four were priests and one was an ex-religious. At the end of the session, the new chairperson stepped forward and addressed the gathering of several hundred people. “We believe in gender equality in the Church”, he said. “As you can see, we are all men around this table. Could one of the women present please start a hymn for us all to sing?” Some “gender equality”!

Suggesting that the Church could look at some of its language and attitudes to women is far from adopting a feminist agenda.

Sometimes feminists have lost sight of the word “feminine”, a considerably gentler and more accurate understanding of the

role of women in both society and the Church. Equality should mean complementarity: men and women have different gifts which can highlight and nurture the beauty within each other.

Why is it that, even in the Church, it is so often a “man’s world”? The English language offers the alternatives of “he”, “she” or “it” and “it” is a very unsatisfactory solution when talking about people. Strides have been made in recent past to limit the number of times we talk about “men’s” needs as opposed to those of humanity. Gradually, there are references to “men and women” in our liturgy. Many parishes celebrate their altar girls and their female readers and Eucharistic ministers – but some do not. Is it not time that women’s place in the Church is no longer innovative and controversial?

A Feather on the breath of God: St Hildegard of Bingen

BY DR SHELAGH NODEN

I

n 2012 Pope Benedict XVI raised a twelfth century German nun, Hildegard of Bingen, to the status of Doctor of the Church. This remarkable woman was known as a writer, philosopher, theologian, visionary, healer, poet and Christian mystic, but it is as a musician that she will be considered here.

Born in 1098, Hildegard entered the religious life in 1112 at the Benedictine Abbey of Disibodenberg, of which she later became prioress before founding two further communities at Rupertsberg and Eibingen. As a young nun she would have learned the various chants of the Mass and Office, but it was only after she became Prioress that she began to write her own music. Seventy seven of her compositions have survived, written down in a large beautifully illuminated manuscript. As one would expect, they were rooted in the Gregorian chant she knew so well, and it is known that several of them were performed in Paris, which was at that time the centre of European church music. Hildegard was also an accomplished poet, and several of her compositions are settings of her own verses.

Modestly she claimed that her music was just the sounds she heard in ‘her inner ear’ but scholars have commented on

the increased range of her melodies which frequently use a wider range of notes than was usual at the time, perhaps to suit the singers she had at her disposal. While most of her compositions consisted of the usual liturgical forms such as hymns, antiphons, sequences and responsories, she widened these structures to include variation rather than mere repetition. She encouraged her nuns to learn to play musical instruments and accompany their singing; she also allowed them to wear wreaths of flowers in their long hair!

In her music she was careful to choose appropriate modes, or scales, to express the meaning of the text. She claimed that her inspiration was ‘celestial harmony’ and believed strongly that ‘the whole world is filled with music and every creature has its tone.’

Perhaps her most significant surviving composition is a piece of music theatre called Ordo Virtutum which portrays the eternal struggle between good and evil. The characters in the drama represent the Virtues and the Soul, and the Devil also appears, but unlike the others who sing their parts he merely shouts. An effective piece of characterisation!

Hildegard also designed the costumes and the staging for the production, and the parts were played by members of her community.

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FAITH AND CULTURE After her death in 1179, there is no record of any of Hildegard’s music being performed until 1857 when her hymn to Our Lady, O virga ac diadema, was revived by the then parish priest of Eibingen, Fr Ludwig Schneider. In 1933 the Benedictines of Solesmes created the Messe de Sainte Hildegarde, starting with a surviving Kyrie by Hildegard and adapting some of her existing chants to set the other parts of the Mass. For example, the Sanctus is based on her Ave Maria, and the Gloria on a responsory O magne Deus (originally O magne Pater). It has been suggested that this Mass could be used liturgically, and it would certainly be possible. The nuns at Hildegard’s abbey in Eibingen today use her music in their liturgy, as it would have been sung in the composer’s time.

In 1981 some of Hildegard’s music was recorded by the soprano, Dame Emma Kirkby. The CD is entitled ‘A Feather on the breath of God’, which is how Hildegard once described herself. The recording was hugely successful and

ELLEN

led to a revival of interest in Hildegard’s music. In 2017 the mediaeval music specialist group, Sequentia, recorded her complete output on 9 CDs. They were careful to recreate her style as exactly as possible, but in 2001 a Swedish folk-rock band produced an album, ‘Hildegard von Bingen’, which presented a distinctly modern version of her medieval songs, using electronic instruments and sequencers.

The last word should go to Hildegard herself. When an argument with the prelates of Mainz resulted in her convent being forbidden to sing the Office, she responded furiously: Those who without just cause, impose silence on a church and prohibit the singing of God’s praises, and those who have on earth unjustly despoiled God of his honour and glory will lose their place among the chorus of angels unless they have amended their lives through true penitence and humble restitution.

Not a lady to be trifled with!

For our younger readers

Ellen was a lonely girl. It wasn’t as if the other girls at school ignored her, it was just that she didn’t seem to try to make friends.

One day she was sitting in the playground on her own eating her packed lunch when a shadow fell over her. An older boy said “Hello”.

“Hello”, she muttered back, wishing he would go away.

“I want to give you something that will make you feel really happy!”

Ellen’s stomach turned over! Her mum and dad had warned her about drugs and alcohol. And here was someone, inside the school, offering something to her.

“N-n-no thanks” she whispered, looking down at her shoes.

In her mind she was wishing he would go away, Go Away, GO AWAY! “It’s not what you think!” he said.

“Please just go away!” she repeated. A tear ran down her cheek.

“It’s..., it’s just a book!” the boy said. He sounded really worried that she was crying.

“A - a book”? Echoed Ellen, puzzled and relieved.

“I’ll just give it to you and go...” said the boy, embarrassed.

She took a small book, really a pamphlet, and he was gone.

She stuck it in her bag and went back to her afternoon classes.

Later, when she got home, she opened her bag to sort out her homework and the book fell out.

She picked it up and looked at the cover. “The Gospel according to St. John.”

She made a scornful face (that she’d carefully copied from some of her “cool” classmates) and threw it onto her bed.

Later that night she found she couldn’t sleep. She put on her bedside light and found the book.

Absent-mindedly she flicked it open and read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”.

And later; “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

She looked at her bedside lamp. She thought about light and darkness. She thought about her loneliness. And she began to read the rest of the book.

Kevin O'Carroll Page 26

FAITH AND CULTURE

On a Wing and a Prayer with Father Peter Barry Suree Tingsomboon - her story

S

uree Tingsomboon died in July 2018, at the age of 52. Her life was a life of great suffering. As a child she contracted polio, and walked with a pronounced limp. Her right hand was shaped like a claw. This is her story.

On a visit to Thailand, in 1980, I was watching birds in the leafy suburbs of the Grand Palace. Into my binoculars flew species with astonishing names and plumages: greater racket-tailed drongo, with tail extensions that looked like tennis rackets straight from "centre court"; tiny scarlet-backed sunbirds sipped nectar from the temple flowers.

At the temple of the Emerald Buddha, I listen as a group of monks chant their scriptures. The sound is hypnotic and beautiful. Nearby a Buddhist master is teaching his pupils.

They sit in a tight circle, and answer his questions as best they can. From time to time the master will raise his hand and bring it down with a chopping motion. Swift and sure, it cleaves

“A tiny girl approaches me, paper and pencil at the ready.”

(Illustration by Jane Barry)

through the air like a karate chop. There is a simple explanation: the student who has answered correctly has helped to "cut the cord of ignorance".

Some teenagers practise their breakdancing in the temple grounds, "moonstepping" to pop music.

Monks in saffron robes and begging bowls glide silently among us.

Nearby some school children are doing a project. Each has to find a “farang”, a foreigner, and write an English essay based Tik's graduation day on the visitor’s name, address, family, hobbies, profession, etc.

A tiny girl approaches me, paper and pencil at the ready.

My responses will be written as an essay. Her name is Suree Tingsomboon. All the youngsters in Thailand have monosyllabic nicknames: her name is Tik. When I return to Aberdeen, she sends me an envelope containing a copy of her essay, and her school report-card.

I scan the list of subjects, and see she has scored an "A" for all of them. She explains that she has been offered a place in university, but the family are impoverished. Her brother is in prison after a motor-cycle death, her father is an alcoholic, her mother sweeps floors.

The parishioners at Kincorth hear the story and are willing to help fund her education. When I explain the deformity in her hand, we agree to fund an operation to un-claw her wrist.

I made several visits over the years, to check on each step of the project. Tik would meet me at the airport with a huge smile, dragging her leg and excited to see her sponsor.

In 1990 I visited her home and met her mother and a niece called Aa, who sat quietly in a corner, studying a textbook on economics. From her own salary Tik was trying to fund her education. I decided there and then to help. That particular project took five years, and now Aa works as an accountant in Thai Farmers Bank.

After Tik graduated, her father came home one night with a 62 year-old man who was willing to marry her. She wrote in desperation. At the age of 22, with a good degree but no work, how could this be avoided. The parishioners agree to fund a Master’s Degree, followed by a Teacher Training Certificate.

Ten years after the project began, she is elected as Professor of Archaeology and Linguistics at Bangkok University.

Sadly, Tik contracted lung cancer in 2018, underwent chemotherapy at the expense of her university, and died peacefully on 16th July, 2018 at the age of 52. May she rest in peace. May the angels lead her into paradise.

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Thinking out loud

BY CANON ALISTAIR M. DOYLE

T

here is no point in being a Grumpy Old Man unless there is something to be grumpy about and someone to listen to the grumps. Since my life at present is somewhat solitary, the only one who listens is the Lord. My role models are Jonah who grumped about his planned three day mission being completed in one day and the Psalmist who is always grumping: "How long will You be angry with us? or “When l am old and grey will You abandon me?”

Being grumpy is not confined to older people. When madness seemed to infect some clergy and religious in the 1960s and 70s, there was plenty of scope to be grumpy.

Iconoclastic priests who smashed marble altar rails and consigned statues to skips and female religious who went overboard in trying to be fashionable. l remember missing my escort to a Convent at Dublin airport and asking a policeman if he had seen a nun in a mini (the car) and his reply "You don’t know what they will wear these days!"

Thank God the charismatics have learned humility since those days. No longer am l asked if l have been baptised in the Spirit or can speak in tongues. A Dominican acquaintance at that time did his doctoral thesis on the gift of tongues and concluded that it was often a regression to infancy. St. Paul in 1 Corinthians seems to agree.

The other day I picked up a magazine of the Latin Mass Society and what l read made me choke on my Campari. A claim to be the only guardians of the true Faith. This is to impugn the faith of the rest of the faithful and ignores the development of doctrine as so eloquently put by Newman in his Essay on the Development of Doctrine. "If Christianity be a universal religion it cannot but vary in its dealings round the world, that is, to develop." Pope Francis has said the Church is not a museum but a living organism.

Besides that, the Latin Mass Society should be called the

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Tridentine Mass Society because it only recognises that rite. In fact, the 1974 Mass is said in Latin quite often, even sometimes by me?! The Preface to the Roman Missal points out that the Fathers at Trent did not have the same research resources as today and were concerned to counter the Protestant revolution by imposing uniformity.

The Tridentine Mass was imposed to the detriment of other rites such as Sarum, exempting the Dominican rite (Pope St. Pius V was a Dominican).

Another grump is the trend to "santo subito". Quite a few of my acquaintances share my unease at the undue haste to canonise recent Popes. Surely a decent interval should elapse after death, say 50 years, to allow the Devil's Advocate to prepare his case, to unearth any feet of clay. ln my opinion canonisation should spurn popular acclaim or nationalistic fervour.

This is an age when offence is taken easily. 0ne has to choose words wisely when being grumpy. ln a recent interview a Singaporean priest working in Essex expressed his dismay at the trivialities which caused offence. The length of homily, his accent, his command of English. This taking offence is not new. In my first parish I remember a Colonel Blimp complaining of my accent. Since l had only recently overcome a very bad stammer, he was lucky l could speak at all.

The Editor has been warned that if he publishes my grumps he can expect e-mails from "disgusted of Downton" and "Offended of Overton”. At least the Lord understands. As an American evangelist put it "If the Church was perfect, would you be allowed to join?"

Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen

Aberdeen Diocesan Choir Singers of all denominations are most welcome (especially Tenors and Basses!)

The ability to read music is not essential

Aberdeen Diocesan Choir 1/4 Page We specialise in the singing of Sacred Music for Diocesan events

Please come along to rehearsals Tuesday evenings 7.30pm Main Hall St Mary’s RC Cathedral Huntly Street Aberdeen, AB10 1SH

For further information contact enquiriesADC@hotmail.com www.aberdeendiocesanchoir.com

FAITH AND CULTURE

Food and Faith

with Margaret Bradley

The Diocese of Aberdeen is home to Catholics from all over the world. Leo Osugo, a parishioner at St Mary’s Cathedral in Aberdeen, who comes from Nigeria, shares a favourite recipe from his home country, Jollof Rice.

J

ollof Rice is said to have originated in the Senegambia region of West Africa among the Wolof people, where it is known as benachin. The recipe for this mouth-watering meal has travelled throughout the sub-region because of the frequent cultural exchange that goes on there. As such, it has evolved into several regional varieties, laced with the heritage of the place where it is prepared.

This celebration dish is relished all over Africa, though in Senegal and Gambia the dish is referred to in Wolof as 'ceebu jĂŤn' or 'benachin' and in French-speaking areas, it is called 'riz au gras'.

It is a firm favourite at weddings, graduations, birthdays or for Sunday lunch; in fact anywhere that people or families gather together to celebrate a special occasion.

The reddish one-pot dish is prepared with rice and tomato sauce with alternative ingredients that slightly vary by country.

This variation in recipes is perhaps the root cause of the fierce debate, known as the 'Jollof Wars', as to which nation makes the best Jollof Rice! The debate doesn't only find an audience amongst rice lovers or food bloggers, but even politicians, business tycoons and celebrities have been unable to resist entering the fray!

Jollof Rice 3 Cups long grain rice 8 Pieces of beef 1 Medium smoked fish 1 Cup dried shrimps 1 Onion chopped 4 medium tomatoes chopped Fresh ground pepper Small bunch of chopped spinach or pumpkin leaves Spices – chilli, nutmeg, ginger, cumin.

Salt to taste.

Jollof Rice, a firm favourite among the African nations [Cloris098 - Wikimedia Commons] The main ingredients are always the same: long grain rice, tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper. To these can be added any type of meat, fish or simply mixed vegetables.

The spicy flavour comes from the addition of a blend of chilli, nutmeg, ginger, pepper and cumin. Sometimes fried plantain can be used to garnish the dish when served.

set aside. Fry together the onion, tomato and ground pepper.

Add the meat, smoked fish, dried shrimps and the spices chilli, nutmeg, ginger and cumin. Then add the rice. Stir thoroughly and add a cup of water and salt to taste. Simmer for 35 minutes or until the rice and meat are cooked, adding a little more water if required. Add the shredded spinach or pumpkin leaves. Cook for another five minutes. Remove from the heat and serve. Garnish with fried plantain.

Add the rice to three cups of boiling water and cook for ten minutes. Remove from the heat and strain. Wash the rice and

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HUMOUR

Humour from the Vestry “There is nothing like a gleam of humour to reassure you that a fellow human being is ticking inside a strange face.” - Eva Hoffman Rib Tickle At Sunday School they were learning how God created everything, including human beings. Johnny was especially intent when the teacher told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs.

Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and said, "Johnny, what is the matter?"

Johnny responded, "I have pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."

It's only Dad! Two boys were walking home from church after hearing a strong preaching on the devil. One said to the other, "What do you think about all this Satan stuff?"

The other boy replied, "Well, you know how Santa Claus turned out. It's probably just your dad" Dad's a Sissy One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, "Mummy, will you sleep with me tonight?"

The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. "I can't, dear," she said. "I have to sleep in Daddy's room."

A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: "The big sissy."

The statistics leave no room for doubt:

Don't go anywhere by road - road travel causes 20% of fatal accidents.

Don't stay in the house - 17% of all fatalities take place in the home.

Don't travel by air or by train, either - they are responsible for 16% of accidents.

Don't stay in bed - 14% of people die in their beds.

Don't cross the road - 16% of accidents involve pedestrians.

A mere 0.001% of accidents happen in churches... ... so don't hesitate to go to Mass!

Q: What vegetables do librarians like?

A: Quiet peas.

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An old preacher was dying. He sent a message for his doctor and his lawyer, both church members, to come to his home. When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom. As they entered the room the preacher held out his hands and motioned for them to sit, one on each side of his bed. The preacher grasped their hands, sighed contentedly, smiled and stared at the ceiling.

For a time, no one said anything. Both the doctor and lawyer were touched and flattered that the preacher would ask them to be with him during his final moments. They were also puzzled; the preacher had never given them any indication that he particularly liked either of them. They both remembered his many long, uncomfortable sermons about greed, covetousness and avaricious behavior that made them squirm in their seats.

Finally, the doctor said, "Preacher, why did you ask us to come?" The old preacher mustered up his strength, then said weakly, "Jesus died between two thieves; and that's how I want to go."

Blooper in a Church Bulletin "The church had a going-away party for Pastor __________. The congregation was anxious to give him a little momentum."

Comical Potpourri Wear short sleeves. Support your right to bare arms!

If you can't see the bright side of life, polish the dull side.

We live in an age where pizza gets to your home before the police.

A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

It is not my fault that I never learned to accept responsibility!

When it comes to thought, some people stop at nothing.

Don’t wake up mum! There are at least seven species who eat their young. Your mum may be one of them!

That awkward moment when you tell a chemistry joke and you get no reaction.

“Will Glass Coffins be a success?” he asked.

“Remains to be seen.”

“I can’t remember how to write 51, 6 and 500 in Roman numerals.

“I’m LIVID.” Sluggish Response A boy asks his father, "Dad, are slugs good to eat?"

"Don't talk about things like that over dinner," the dad replies.

After dinner the father asks, "Now, son, what did you want to ask me?" "Oh, nothing," the boy says. "There was a slug in your salad, but now it’s gone."

Talk About Getting Your Money's Worth!

A man and his young son went to Mass, and when they came out the father was complaining that the Mass took too long and the singing was off-key.

Finally the little boy said, "Daddy, I thought it was pretty good for 20p."

CROSSWORD

WORD No.41

This issue’s competition winner will receive a copy of Northern Catholic History Notes, a collection of articles, first published in the Light of the North, written by Alasdair Roberts and illustrated by Ann Dean. Just send your completed entry by the 1st November to: Light of the North, 20 Huntly Street, Aberdeen AB10 1SH. First correct entry drawn out of the hat is the winner.

Answers to Crossword No. 40 Across: 8 Ritual, 9 Urn, 10 Urge, 11 Intercedes, 12 Pool, 13 Gehazi, 16 Wanderer, 17 Recount, 18 Incense, 22 Separate, 25 Potter, 26 Body, 27 Overthrown, 30 Kiss, 31 Net, 32 Locust.

Down: 1 Lion, 2 Jude, 3 Election, 4 Sundown, 5 Unison, 6 Supplement, 7 Ignore, 14 Eye, 15 Apocalypse, 19 Naphtali, 20 See, 21 Repents, 23 Elohim, 24 Adorns, 28 Raca, 29 Wash.

Little Horror Sudoku No. 28 If you prefer sudoku to crosswords then you still have a chance to be a prize winner with our super tough sudoku puzzle.

Name .............................................................................

Address ......................................................................... ..........................................................................................

Telephone ......................................................................

Across 1 Desperation; Praised (anag) (7) 5 God, doing this on day 7 (7) 9 More refined (5) 10 One of Paul’s letters (9) 11 Uncared for (9) 12 Encamp against city (5) 13 Charitable giving (4) 15 Consecrated (8) 18 Abraham received these (8) 19 Jesus raised in 3 (4) 22 Colour found only in Ezekiel (5) 24 Someone who shields (9) 26 Continuance of life (9) 27 Grind together (5) 28 Unusual (7)

29 Athalia’s cry (7) Down 1 Rely on (6) 2 Tail-ender (9) 3 Be in harmony (5) 4 Not wicked (9) 5 Reigned (5) 6 Contented (9) 7 Picture (5) 8 Good news (6) 14 The first, first-aider? (9) 16 Fradulent (9) 17 Slain by Moses (9) 20 They get the hump (6) 21 Parentless (6) 23 Prickly shrub (5) 24 300 bought ointment to anoint Jesus (5) 25 Keen-sighted bird of prey (5)

Name .............................................................................

Address ......................................................................... ..........................................................................................

Telephone ......................................................................

Congratulations to our last competition winner, Jane Coll from Thurso.

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