Light of the North Issue 15

DON’T BE LEFT IN THE DARK Page 1

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I am the Light of the World Alison B Alison Bone’s one’s IInverness nverness e , Street S treet e Pastor’s P asttor’s diar diary y Page P age 22 Each copy of the Light of the North costs over a pound to produce and we would ask you to consider this if you wish to make a donation.

A quarterly magazine produced and published by the Diocese of Aberdeen R.C. Diocese of Aberdeen Charitable Trust, a registered Scottish Charity no.

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‘Pray without ‘Pray without cceasing’ easing’ A bbot Hugh Hugh Abbot G ilbert Gilbert P age 12 12 Page

I s s ue 1 5 , Autumn, 2 0 1 0 Musical sleuth, Musical sleuth, Selagh S elagh N Noden oden iiss o on n tthe he ttrail rail of of a N North orth East E ast ccomposer omposer Page P age 2 25 5

Fr B Fr Bernard ernard makes ’’Connor Connor mak es sense of the ‘‘Anglican Anglican g Constitution’ i C onstitution ’ P age 14 Page

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Light of the North

This issue’s cover features a digital image, ‘Greeting’ by Sr. Claire Joy, a member of the Community of the Holy Spirit, an Episcopal order of sisters in New York. She has been an artist and graphic designer for most of her adult life.

She says of this image, “I’ve always been drawn to the story of Mary and Elizabeth. I wanted to create an image that expressed that one elusive moment of joy and wonder, before the two pregnancies create conflict, heartbreak and misunderstanding for these women who have said “yes” to God. The image depicts the joyful encounter of Mary and Elizabeth as they wait for a presence which is real but not visible - still an object of hope. The receding soft-edged, subtle transparent blue and green washes of the background, serve to emphasise the glowing faces and the warmth of the encounter. They are depicted waiting joyously in hope.

In ‘Celebrating Advent’ (Michel de Verteuil, Celebrating Advent, The Columba Press, ) Michel de Verteuil reminds

up front

us that Advent is the liturgical season when we pay special attention to the mystery of waiting. Whereas waiting bores and irritates us, scripture teaches that if we approach it in the right spirit, waiting is a creative moment when we grow spiritually. As we wait we go beyond ourselves and enter into a sacred life-giving process, experiencing that we are made in the image and likeness of God. When we wait we are in touch with an essential aspect of our humanity which is that we are dependent on God and on one another. It is also an act of love since, by waiting for others we pay them the respect of letting them be free.

This is why Advent is a time of celebration. It is the season when we remember with gratitude creative experiences of waiting in our lives.

The hope for us in Advent is that we grow too in the virtue of hope that God is present even when he is hidden.

You can see more of Sr. Claire Joy’s art at her blog: www.episcopalcafe.com or the Episcopal Artists Registry: www.ecva.org and in many exhibitions of Episcopal Church and Visual Arts.

Father Max builds at Keith

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aint Thomas’ church, Keith, is an attractive and imposing building, standing prominently on the highest point in the town. Now it has a new addition. This is not immediately apparent, but if you take the left hand path to the side of the church, you will soon see a brand new grotto, holding the statues of Our Lady of Lourdes with Saint Bernadette kneeling at her feet. These formerly belonged to the Sisters of Mercy’s Convent in Keith.

The Sisters first came to Keith in , to a Convent in Back Street (called Balloch Road today). There had been a school next to St. Thomas’ Church since , and in  a new Convent was built next to the school, designed by the architect Wm.F. Stewart of Forbes Cottage, Fife Keith. The nuns moved in in August, even though the tradesmen had not completed all the work until November. They had a grotto made of wood with a large glass door in their garden where the statues were installed.

The Sisters left Keith in June  and the convent was sold in August . The grotto was moved to the church, in the position where the new one is now. Over the years, it gradually deteriorated as the Keith weather battered it, and the thick, wet and heavy snow of last winter was the final straw, causing severe structural damage and the whole edifice had to be pulled down. The statues were slightly damaged, but they were rescued and placed inside the church for safety.

They have now been refurbished and look as good as new.

Father Max decided to build a new grotto himself, and set about it with characteristic sang-froid, energy, cheerfulness and determination. Over several months he became a wellknown sight, working on his monumental construction. It

Josephin Mitchell (left) and Cisabel Angus outside the new Grotto took much longer than expected as he was continually being interrupted by people passing by and stopping to chat. Some wanted to offer advice while others just wanted to pull his leg and generally interfere with progress in a good-natured way.

Finally, in time for the winter, it is completed. It is sturdily constructed from large timbers, tiles, slates, steel and sweat.

By using modern materials it is far stronger than the original grotto and will certainly last for many years as a testament to Father Max’s commitment to his parish. The statues were re-installed in their new residence on the th of September, the birthday of Our Lady. Thanks are due to Cisabel Angus and Josephin Mitchell for their help with the artistic and decorative work that has made the grotto come alive with colour and style. Ron Smith

Light of the North

contents

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Oh no! Think I might have caught the Advent Virus!

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obituary 10

witness 11

liturgy 12

educationandformation 14

faithinaction 20

faithandculture 24

crossword 33

humour 34

Westminster 35

If you are a computer user and your broadband service was disrupted, as mine was last month, by a fault at the Edinburgh exchange, it certainly provided a good opportunity to reflect on just how dependent we have become on our computers and the world-wide web.

Of course, once normal service is resumed, we then have to sift out those messages from friends and work colleagues which we need to respond to from those selling ‘Viagra’ or informing you that a millionairess and former beauty queen, whose last surviving relative died in a tragic hot air balloon accident, has named you as her sole beneficiary and can you send her your bank details. The other day I even received an invitation by email to attend the Pagan Federation National Journalist of the Year Award 2010. I’m still wondering about what that says about the Light of the North! Then there are those warning messages about viruses which will destroy everything on your hard drive. For example, I just found this alarming message in my inbox: WARNING‌‌WARNING: ADVENT VIRUS

Light of the North

Be on the alert for symptoms of inner Hope, Peace, Joy and Love. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to this virus and it is possible that it may reach epidemic proportions. This could pose a serious threat to world stability.

The Advent Virus is highly contageous and can lead to:

Managing Editor Deacon Tony Schmitz Editor Cowan Watson Editorial Advisor Canon Bill Anderson Advertising Sandra Townsley 01463 831 133 Sedstown@aol.com

Light of the North Ogilvie Centre 16 Huntly Street 01224 638675 lightofthenorthmagazine@gmail.com www.lightofthenorth.org

* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences. * An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment. * A loss of interest in judging other people. * A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others. * A loss of interest in conflict. * A loss of the ability to worry (This is a very serious symptom). * Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation. * Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature. * Frequent attacks of smiling. * An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen. * An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

Turning aside from the joys and frustrations of broadband to this issue of the magazine: apart from our regular contributors we have the first part of an inspiring witness from University of Aberdeen philosopher, David Braine. Also, ‘Street Pastor’, Alison Bone, shares her diary of a typical night patrolling the streets of Inverness, and Hilary Lacroix describes how Gospel values are lived out in Jean Vanier’s Inverness L’Arche Community. Finally, don’t miss Abbot Hugh Gilbert’s review of Canon Bill Anderson’s new book, Words and the Word ...and that warning about the Advent Virus. Do pass it on!

Cowan

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Light of the North

150th milestone in the life of the Diocese is celebrated at St Mary’s

Bishop Joseph Toal, Bishop Philip Tartaglia, Archbishop Mario Conti, His Eminence Keith Patrick Cardinal O’Brien Bishop Peter Moran, Bishop of Aberdeen (Main Concelebrant), Mgr Brian Udaigwe from the Nunciature, Bishop John Cunningham, Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller of Regensburg and Abbot Hugh Gilbert of Pluscarden Abbey

T

he sesquicentennial anniversary of the dedication of the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary of the Assumption was celebrated at a magnificent ceremony on the th October by Bishop Peter Moran. It was a truly great occasion and the Cathedral, lit by the flickering candles of the twelve dedication crosses, was looking at its best.

In attendance were Cardinal Keith O’Brien, Archbishop Mario Conti together with three more of Scotland’s bishops. The Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Faustino Sainz Munõz, who is currently recovering from illness, was represented by Mgr Brian Udaigwe, Chargé d’Affaires at the Nunciature in London and Bishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller from Aberdeen’s twin City of Regensburg also made a welcome appearance.

In a fine homily, Bishop Peter chose to focus heavily on the historical significance of the celebration and looked back to the years leading up to the Restoration of the Hierarchy, and the hardships of the Reformation. “lt is only fitting,” explained Bishop Peter, “ that the th anniversary of the Cathedral is a milestone, not only for

the building itself, but for the entire Diocese of Aberdeen.

“Members of every parish have been invited to share this joyful and historic occasion,” he continued, “ and I am delighted to welcome my fellow Scottish bishops, especially my predecessor in Aberdeen, now the Archbishop of Glasgow, Archbishop Mario Conti and our ecumenical guests.

“Even during the period since the Reformation in the sixteenth century this cathedral is by no means the oldest Catholic church of our diocese. St Peter’s in Buckie is three years older, and indeed was at one time a candidate to become the cathedral of the diocese.

“Here in the city St Joseph’s Woodside and the venerable St Peter’s in the Castlegate are much older. Tynet and Preshome in the Enzie of Banff are older still, and of course Pluscarden Abbey outstrips them all by at least  years. But when this church of Our Lady of the Assumption was begun in , and particularly when it became the cathedral of the restored Diocese of Aberdeen in , it took on its present symbolic role.”

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Light of the North

Bishop Peter reserved special praise for the lay Catholics of his diocese, speaking of the loyal support shown by the parishioners of Aberdeen Diocese and complimenting the people who brought the church to where it is today— the housekeepers, chairpersons and, of course altar servers, one of whom, Cathedral Master of Ceremonies, George Brand, had ‘seen service over fully one third of those years,’ a remarkable achievement, serving Mass for more than half a century.

Bishop Peter concluded by saying: “But still we have not mentioned the main body of parishioners, whether the long-established Aberdeen Catholic families or the more recent arrivals, first from Italy, then the older and the newer Polish migrants, and those from elsewhere in the UK, from Latin America, and from Africa. The congregation of the Cathedral, like the population of the

150th Anniversar y M ass with pic tures cour tesy of Paul M c Sherr y

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wider diocese around it, has become truly universal, truly Catholic in that other sense of the word.”

After the celebration of Mass the clergy processed to the Diocesan shrine of Our Lady of Aberdeen for the singing of the Marian antiphon, Salve Regina, followed by the prayer and finally the well known hymn to Our Lady of Aberdeen.

A superb contribution to the liturgy was made by the Diocesan Choir which included Mass pieces by Haydn and Mozart and ended with a tremendously spirited rendering of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.

After the conclusion of the service parishioners, clergy and guests retired to the Cathedral Hall to enjoy a much appreciated buffet supper; a fitting way to round off a celebration which will be remembered for many years to come.

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St. S t. T Thomas’ h homas ’ Keith Keith Africa Africa workshop work kshop SStt Thomas’ Thomas’ engagement engagement in in an an imaginative imaginative project project providing providing training training for for vehicle vehicle m mechanics echanics Ron R on Smith

S

aaint int Thomas’ Tho omas’ at at Keith Keith has has a long long tradition tradition o off helping projects. off tthe h elp ping developing developing world world p rojects. One One o he mechanics’ llongest ongest running running iiss the th he m echanics’ ttraining raining workshop Ghana.

For number off yyears w orkshop iin n Tema, Tema, G hana. F or a n um mber o ears were Salesians ““things” things” w ere ccollected ollectteed and and ssent ent tto o ssupport upport the the S alesians o on B osco ccentres entres in in L iberia. Th en, in in , , it it was was off D Don Bosco Liberia.

Then, rrealised ealised tthat hat it it is is b etter tto o ssend end h elp that that w ill be be sself elf better help will ssustaining, ustaining, and and ssupply upply ttraining raining so so tthat hat people people ccan an h ave have a llong ong tterm erm ffuture. utur ure. Th ay tthat hat tthis his eevolved volved w as tto o sset et Thee w way was u paw orkshop tto o ttrain rain vvehicle ehicle mechanics. mechanics. Th ere iiss always always up workshop There a sshortage hortage o rained mechanics mechanics iin n this this w orld, and and sso o off ttrained world, m any vvehicles ehicles aare re iin n n eed of of rrepair epair aand nd rregular egular many need m aintenance tthat hat a m echanic would would always always have have a jjob ob maintenance mechanic ffor or life. life. People People ggenerously enerously d onated time, time, money, money, donated eequipment quipment aand nd ffacilities. acilities.

F or vvarious arious rreasons, easons, it it was was ffound ound tthat hat the the best best place place to to For eestablish stablish such such a workshop workshop would would bbee on on the the ccampus ampus ooff the the Tema, where SSalesians’ alesians’ large large ssite ite in in T ema, Ghana, Ghana, w here there there is is an an eexisting xisting Thee Salesians iinfrastructure nfrastructure to to support support ssuch uch a venture. venture. Th Salesians iin n Bonn, Germany, Africa B onn, G ermany, were were iin n charge charge of of West West A frica at at that that time, time, managed aand nd they they m anaged ttoo oobtain btain a large large grant grant ffrom rom tthe he German German Government which was project G overnment w hich w ass a massive massive bboost oost to to get get this this p roject ooff ff the the gground. round. In In   tthe he large large building building was was constructed, constructed, ccontainers ontainers of of equipment equipment sent sent oout ut and and installed, installed, aand nd bbyy   was iitt w as rready eady ttoo rrecruit ecruit skilled skilled sstaff, taff, aand nd accept accept ttrainees, rainees, both both bboys oys and and girls. girls. We We were were in in business! business!

Thee sschool pupils per Th chool ccan an ttake ake ttwenty wenty p upils p er ““year” year” on on a tthree hree yyear ear ccourse, ourse, and and now now iiss rrunning unning aatt the the full full sixty sixty sstudents. tudents.

Thee plan will Th plan iiss that that it it w ill be be self self funding, funding, bbyy taking taking in in outside outside rrepairs, epairs, and and tthey hey have have been been vvery ery aactive ctive iin n this this aarea. rea. It It iiss vvital ital tthat hat iitt becomes becomes iindependent, ndependent, as as we we ccannot annot ssupport upport it it will iindefinitely. ndefinitely. Governments Governments w ill ggive ive ffunding unding for for bbuildings, uildings, bbut ut not not for for “open “open ended” ended” ccommitments ommitments llike ike eequipment, quipment, ttools, ools, salaries, salaries, uniforms, uniforms, and and so so oon. n. The The ssuccess uccess rate rate ffor or tthe he sstudents tudents iiss rremarkable, emarkable, aand nd ttheir heir dedication dedication is is humbling. humbling. helping donation SSt. t. Thomas’ Thomas’ kkeep eep h elping eeach ach yyear, ear, with with a d onation ffor or Thee p photos ssalaries, alaries, or or ttools ools aand nd equipment. equipment. Th hotos show show tthe he staff staff aand nd pupils pupils acknowledging acknowledging the the   donation. donation. Although Although not not llarge, arge, the the continued continued ssupport upport ffrom rom Keith Keith lets lets tthem hem know know tthat hat they they are are not not forgotten, forgotten, aand nd tthat hatt they they are are not not alone. alone.

A nother , , was was sent sent to to them, them, from from Keith, Keith, vvia ia tthe he Another SSalesians, alesians, ffor or tthe he sstart tart of of this this academic academic yyear ear iin n SSeptember eptember . . We We intend intend ttoo continue continue to to ssupport upport tthem hem as as tthey hey p rovide on-going on-going sskills kills training. training. IItt is is giving giving oordinary rdinary provide G hanaian young young p eople a direct direct oopportunity pportunityy ttoo develop develop a Ghanaian people

TTrainee rainee i mechanics m mechanic h i s expr express ress their th i thanks than th nks k for f the th new workshop w orkshop ttools ools sskill kill tthat hat will will provide provide them them with with a jjob ob ffor or life, life, a job job that that is is aalways lwayyss in in d emand, and and they they will will aalways lways have have plenty plenty ooff w ork demand, work ttoo do! do!

IItt iiss aalways lways iimportant mportant to to be be aable ble ttoo sshow how that that any any monies monies ggiven iven for for tthis his project project go go ttoo tthe he project project and and n owhere else. else. nowhere Th is has has always always been been a ffeature eature of of the the T ema workshop. workshop. Th anks This Tema Thanks ttoo the the Salesian Salesian oorganisation, rganisation, tthe he m oney ggoes oes directly directly and and money ccompletely ompletely ttoo Tema, Tema, and and iitt can can be be sshown hown jjust ust w hat it it iiss used used what ffor. or. This This is is eencouraging ncouraging more more p eople to to ggive ive aass tthey hey can can ssee ee people eexactly xactly w here the the money money goes. goes. where IIff yyou ou w ould like like tto o help, help, any any d onations a re gratefully gratefully would donations are rreceived. eceived. P lease ssend end to to FFather ath her JJoe oe Brown, Brown, Don Don Bosco Bosco Please M issions Office, Office, 2 Orbel Orbel Street, Street, B attersea, London London SSW11 W11 Missions Battersea, 33NZ NZ and and m ake cheques cheques p ayable tto o “SDB “SDB Missions Missions ((Ghana Ghana make payable W orkshop)”.

Workshop)”.

Too p T preserve reserve the the m memory emory ooff C Canon anon SStone, tone, F Fortrose ortrose parishioner, Jane Jane MacMaster, MacMaster, would would like like ttoo collect collect as as parishioner, much information information as as p ossible, from from eevery very p arish h served much possible, parish hee served in w ith rregard egard to to his his whole whole life. life. This This can can be be aaccounts ccounts ooff in with his spiritual spiritual help, help, friendship, friendship, or or even even amusing amusing aanecdotes. necdotes. his Photos Photos ooff Canon’s Canon’s yyouth outh would would be be very very welcome, welcome, they they will ONLY, will be be scanned scanned and and sent sent back. back. Digital Digital photography photography O NLY, please please for for recent recent times. times.

Please possible P lease ssend end tthem hem bbyy eemail, mail, iiff at at aallll p ossible tto: o: jane.macmaster@btinternet.com please!). jane.macmaster@btinternet.com ((Font Font , , p lease!).

Written accounts accounts and and photographs photographs can can be be sent sent tto: o: Written Ms MacMaster, Ms Jane Jane M acMaster,,   Gilbert Gilbert Street, Street, Inverness Inverness IIV V HB HB (Tel. (Tel.   ) )

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Ogilvie Centre News

D

uring the last six months the Ogilvie Centre has been on the road, travelling to both Inverness and Elgin, taking resources and ideas to the catechists in the diocese. Thanks are due to Bernadette MacDonald, Sandra Boyle and Tony Luby who helped with this and to all those who took the time to come to the venues.

The intention is to maintain and expand this network within the diocese but we do need support and ideas from all of the catechists. If there is anything specific that you would like us to provide please do get in touch.

This could be anything from informal discussions to formal training.

The role of the catechist within this very diverse diocese is not easy at times, rewarding yes, but sometimes it can be a struggle. Please don’t think you have to ‘go it alone’ as we are here to help in any way we can.

The Ogilvie Management Committee thought it would be a good idea to produce a catechist news letter; this can only work, however, if you send in your ideas and news. It would be great to hear from any of our catechists or those who are completing courses in catechesis. You might perhaps have discovered some good resources or websites which you would like to share with us all.

Please note that the Ogilvie library/office is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from  noon to .pm but if you have any pressing problems that need attention please leave a message on the answer-phone (tel:  ) and I will get back to you as soon as possible. The email address for all correspondence is: office@ogilvie.ac.uk Mary Nelson

New Oblates group in Aberdeen

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luscarden Oblate, Brian Milne, has set up a new Aberdeen group for Oblates of Pluscarden Abbey as Aberdeen is the only Scottish City where a group is not currently active. The first meeting of the group will take place on Wednesday nd February,  from .pm to pm in the common room of the Donview House Sheltered Housing Complex, Seaton Crescent, Aberdeen. It is intended that the group will continue to meet every first Wednesday of each month thereafter.

The common room is situated on the lower ground floor of the complex. Car parking facilities are available for up to  cars. For more information you can contact Brian either by phone on   or by email: sacristanstpeters@talktalk.net or bbm@gmail.com

Prijanka Gamez and friend.

Prijanka Gamez came from Birmingham to study medicine at the University of Aberdeen. Her fellow parishioners at St Columba’s, Bridge of Don were both proud and delighted when she graduated MB ChB. Prijanka will continue her training at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen.

G . L aing /

Restoration of old historic buildings and monuments ● Lime Work

● Specialist in sandstone carving ● General Stone Masonry ● Manufacture of Fireplaces ● 30 years of experience 55 Green Street, Rothes, Aberlour, Morayshire AB38 7BD Tel: 01340 831482 Mobile: 07789693446 Email g.laing.stonecraft@rothes.co.uk Website www.glaingstonecraft.com

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Light of the North

Church Hall’s tribute to the Silver Beatles

Iain uses his model making skills to boost church funds

I

ain MacKenzie, a parishioner of St Thomas’ Keith and a talented model maker, decided to go into ‘Christmas crib production’ with sales proceeds going to church funds: “I saw a picture of one which appealed to me, and so I set about making a similar one,” said Iain.

If you’d like to try making your own crib here are Iain’s instructions using a simple range of materials and tools.

Materials: Strong card (base); empty cereal box (roof ); foam board (walls); balsa wood (planks); fake fur (roof thatch); polyfilla (wall texturising); strong adhesive; acrylic paints.

Using a hobby knife or scissors, cut out the main components and glue them together onto the base.

Reinforce the corners with balsa strips to make sure that the structure is strong but still light. Initially, the foam board sides should be cut, glued together to the base board and set aside to dry.

The outside of the walls can be textured by giving them a fairly stiff coating of polyfilla, applied with a kitchen scouring pad to give it a rough finish, and scoreded in places to give the effect of masonry.

The roof is made from the cardboard from a cereal box taped along the ridge pole. Balsa strips can be used to form the rafters and then made to form the cattle stalls inside.

Next, cut the fake fur to size and glue to the roof. Go over it afterwards with a stiff brush and leave to dry.

The painting consists of a base coat of black on the walls, dry brushed with light grey. For the roof “thatch” apply a base coat of light brown, dry brushed with a yellow / brown, and with the tips of the tufts highlighted with white. The photograph shows the crib nearly complete. Iain says that he has enjoyed making the model, and it will be on sale in St. Thomas’ by the time you read this magazine – orders accepted!

St. Thomas’ Church Hall, Keith, is just a couple of doors down from the church, and has always been a popular venue. To celebrate that the Beatles played there 50 years ago, a plaque was put up on the wall on Monday 24th May, by Keith & District Heritage Group. Back in 1960, the “Silver Beetles” as they called themselves, consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, drummer Tommy Moore, and Stuart Sutcliff. They were on a Scottish tour that featured Johnny Gentle. The tour had started in Alloa and included Fraserburgh, Forres and Nairn.

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Page P age 9

Diocesan D iocesan Choir Choir hits hits all all the the right right notes notes

Dr. D r. Roger Roger B. B. Williams Williams M MBE BE

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hat h at is is the the Aberdeen Aberdeen Diocesan Diocesan Choir?

Choir?

Formed Meiklejohn, F o ormed in  bbyy David David M e eiklejohn, at of the then Bishop Aberdeen the invitation i Bishop of A berdeen Mario Mario Conti, the the Aberdeen Aberdeen Diocesan Diocesan Choir Ch hoir is now now approaching approaching its tenth anniversary. anniversary. Thee choir was established to support su upport and enhance liturgical liturgiccal music in the diocese by performances by various various means including per p formances and concerts, promote secular concerts, and d to pr omote rreligious eligious and se ecular music, songs and verse. verse. The choir is composed of women and men and presently In presen ntly there there are are around around  members. m In addition to the Music Music Director, Director, there there is a professional professional accompanist. When David to W David Meiklejohn Meiklejohn was appointed a Maryvale Maryvale College Collegge in Birmingham, Birmingham, Roger Roger Williams Williams was January . appointed as his successor in January W hat d oes tthe he choir choir d o? Th hoir m eets w eekly oon n What does do?

Thee cchoir meets weekly Tuesday evenings evenings at at St St Mary’s Mary’s cathedral, cathedral, Huntly Huntly Street, Street, and and Tuesday since the the turn turn of of this this year year has has been been particularly particularly active. active. In In since March it it presented presented a concert concert at at St. St. Andrew’s Andrew’s Cathedral, Cathedral, March King Street, Street, in in the the Cathedral Cathedral at at Noon Noon sseries, eries, aand nd sang sang aatt a King Festive Mass Mass in in the the Church Church of of Our Our Lady Lady and and St St John John the the Festive Baptist in in Ellon Ellon – a church church which which was was built built close close to to the the time time Baptist of the the choir’s choir’s foundation. foundation. The The choir choir also also led led the the music music for for of the annual annual Diocesan Diocesan Pilgrimage Pilgrimage at at Pluscarden Pluscarden Abbey Abbey at at the the the end of of June.

June. end SSince ince the the summer summer bbreak reak tthe he cchoir hoir h as h ad a vvery ery bbusy usy time time has had preparing for for two two great great events. events. The The first first of of these these was was the the visit visit preparing of the the Pope Pope to to Bellahouston Bellahouston in in September.

September. A special special setting setting of of the the Ordinary Ordinary of of the the Mass Mass was was commissioned commissioned from from the the of

T h e D io The i o ce cesan Ch ho o iirr in i n ju j u bila b i l a nt n t m o o d a f ter ter th hee Pa bra P a pa p a l Ma M a s s ce c e llee b r a ttee d in i n B e lla l l a houston houston Pa P a r k , G la l a s gow g o w o n 16t 1 6 t h S e pte p t e m b er er contemporary Scottish Scottish composer composer Dr. Dr. James James MacMillan.

MacMillan. contemporary Three movements, movements, Gloria, Gloria, Sanctus Sanctus and and Agnus Agnus Dei, Dei, were were Three among many many new new pieces pieces which which had had to to be be specially specially learned learned among for this this unique unique historic historic event. event. The The copies copies of of music music were were for distributed, together together with with rehearsal rehearsal CDs, CDs, so so that that personal personal distributed, learning could could be be done done in in preparation preparation for for the the resumption resumption of of learning full rehearsals rehearsals in in mid mid August.

August. One One particularly particularly pleasing pleasing full development for for the the Bellahouston Bellahouston Mass Mass was was to to include include development singers from from further further afield afield in in the the diocese. diocese. Singers Singers from from Ellon Ellon singers and Inverness Inverness had had their their own own preliminary preliminary rehearsals rehearsals and and then then and joined tthe he Diocesan Diocesan Choir Choir for for the the day day itself. itself. Shortly Shortly after after joined this, the the th th anniversary anniversary of of the the building building of of St. St. Mary’s Mary’s this, Cathedral, which which fell fell on on October October th, th, required required a very very special special Cathedral, celebratory Mass Mass to to which which many many distinguished distinguished guests guests were were celebratory invited – from from the the Church Church and and from from the the City.

City. Nineteen Nineteen invited musicall items items were were required, required, some some of of them them for for choir choir alone alone musical and oothers thers with with full full congregational congregational participation. participation. The The and celebration ended ended with with the the Hallelujah Hallelujah Chorus Chorus from from Messiah Messiah celebration together with with ceremonial ceremonial ttrumpets rumpets ––aa stirring stirring sound sound in in – together the magnificent magnificent acoustic acoustic of of the the Cathedral.

Cathedral. the What repertoire repertoire does does the the Choir Choir sing? sing? This This iiss a m ix ooff What mix music from from different different periods periods and and schools schools in in various various languages languages music but particularly particularly in in English English and and Latin.

Latin. The The Choir Choir sings sings a but certain amount amount of of medieval medieval plainchant plainchant and and motets motets drawn drawn certain from the the last last four four centuries. centuries. Although Although it it is is an an evident evident from advantage to to read read musical musical notation notation this this is is not not a requirement requirement advantage provided that that a non non reader reader is is prepared prepared to to spend spend personal personal provided time learning learning the the music. music. time What are are the the future future plans? plans? The The next next appearance appearance of of the the What Diocesan Choir Choir will will be be at at the the annual annual Service Service of of Lessons Lessons and and Diocesan

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Carols to be held in St.Mary’s Cathedral on Tuesday December st. In addition to the choir, there will be an opportunity of hearing the wonderful Organist of the Cathedral who is the Choir’s usual accompanist. Ronald Leith will play a Noel by the French composer Dacquin to help create the Christmas atmosphere. Also Kay Ritchie, a brilliant flautist from the University will be featured.

Next year the choir will again sing at one of the St.Andrew’s Cathedral at Noon series and in the late Springtime will give a concert in the Cathedral. With the annual pilgrimage at Pluscarden at the end of June, there will be a full programme.

It is hoped that the Choir will perform outside Aberdeen, and to have an event which will include some more singers from elsewhere in our geographically widespread diocese.

This will obviously require some careful planning and judicious timing.

Who can join? Membership is open to anyone in sympathy with the object of the Choir and prior to admission a singer shall satisfy the Music Director as to singing ability. Anyone interested in joining should contact the Recruitment Secretary, Donna Kincaid (recruitment@ aberdeendiocesanchoir.org.uk). At the moment there are vacancies for soprano voices but if anybody is interested in joining please do let us know – we would like to hear from you. If you enjoy singing and would like to join a keen and enthusiastic group of like minded people, you will be most welcome.

What people have said. After the concert in March , the critic Alan Cooper wrote of how he was ‘particularly impressed by the seamless singing of the male voices as they blended into one soaring vocal unit’ and, about a motet by John Rutter, he reported that ‘the choir gave a joyful fresh sounding performance’.

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he funeral took place on rd September (Feast of St Padre Pio) at St. Mirin’s Cathedral, Paisley of Canon James Morrow, aged .

Between  and  Canon Morrow was on the staff of the National Junior Seminary at Blairs College, just outside Aberdeen. It was during his teaching career that he became increasingly concerned with pro-life issues, which became his life’s work.

After leaving Blairs, he asked to remain in the Aberdeen Diocese and was appointed parish priest of St Andrew’s Church in Braemar, where he spent ten years.

In  he established Humanae Vitae House in Braemar as the centre for his pro-life work. This was well before the  Encyclical, Evangelium Vitae. In fact, his pro-life activities started even before the passing of the Abortion Act in .

In ,Fr Morrow was released from ordinary parochial duties to become a full-time pro-life campaigner. From Braemar, he developed a vigorous publishing and campaigning organisation attacking abortion.

He was arrested several times in Britain after entering abortion clinics and was convicted several times of breaches of the peace. He even spent time in Craiginches Prison, Aberdeen, after refusing to pay court fines. Core to his activities was the belief that no civil power could make the divine commandment, “Thou Shalt Not Kill” illegal and so the Abortion Act was invalid.

Father Morrow suffered a serious stroke in  but his enthusiasm for the cause did not diminish. He lived at Nazareth House in Aberdeen for several years and continued to campaign. He also established links with a diocese in Uganda, which he had visited several times though his intention to move there for longer periods was curbed by ill health.

Fr James Morrow with Pope John Paul ll In  his home diocese of Paisley recognised his ministry in the defence of human life and made him an Honorary Canon of the Cathedral Chapter.

In the eulogy delivered at his funeral his bishop, Rt Reverend Philip Tartaglia, spoke of the two causes which characterised Fr James’ priestly ministry, namely his nineteen year service to priestly formation at St Vincent’s College, Langbank, and at St Mary’s College, Blairs and secondly his commitment to the pro-life cause.

“I feel sure,” said Bishop Tartaglia, “that, when other things like personal eccentricities or petty foibles have been forgotten, what will stand out will be the fact that Father James was a priest who had an unswerving commitment to the pro-life cause, and we can be proud to say that this doughty campaigner for the protection of unborn human life was a priest of the Diocese of Paisley.”

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witness

Why not m e?

David Braine D avid Braine is a Philosopher and Honorar y Re s ea rc h Fel l ow at th e Un i versi t y of Aberdeen. In 1977 he was severely injured in a mo to r a cc i d en t wh i c h l ef t h i m para ly se d from t h e lower c h est downwards. Since 1 9 8 4, d u e to compl i cati on s i n th e upp e r p ar t o f h is s p i n al cord h e i s dep ende nt for t h ree t i m es week l y nursi n g care and for ca r i n g a s s istan ce i n getti n g up and g oi n g to b ed. I n th i s, th e f i rst i n stalme nt of a t wo - p a r t seri es, D avi d recoun ts w ith u nfa i l i n g h o n est y h ow th i s tragi c acc ide nt has i m p a c ted on h i s l i f e an d fai th .

B

orn in , after a sheltered family and school life, I came into a very full social life at university up until my motor accident in , now  years ago. At that time, I was fitter than I had been at any time since I was at school, swimming three quarters of a mile most days, cycling everywhere, and having just taken up actively crosscountry skiing.

I had never thought about my death until the time of my motor accident. At that time people said “Aren’t you angry with God?” to which my answer was “No”, and “Don’t you ask ‘Why me?’”, when I felt “Why not me?” – American contemporaries had died or suffered injury in Vietnam, and I had a reputation as a dangerous driver – it surprised people that I was a passenger and not the driver in the accident!

Some people have their main difficulties at the beginning - for me, although I had some initial setbacks, for the most part difficulties have arisen in later stages.

Initially, I had the prospect of being able to drive freely with hand controls indefinitely and of continuing in my existing job right up to retirement. I have been helped by a multiplicity of willing student and staff helpers, faithful through all my most difficult times, but no family support.

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The difficult times began with the steady increase of pain from , and loss of neck mobility so that I could not safely drive after . Then a tube of fluid in my upper spinal cord was diagnosed while seeking the cause of pain increase, but after the successful operation the pain hugely increased.

The doctors let me try every conceivable drug, except that I rejected any morphine-based or morphine equivalent because I thought they were for terminal conditions.

In  and  I had two brief periods of psychosis with auditory but not visual hallucinations, but retrospectively it is clear that the primary cause was lack of sleep, pain fatigue and depression being mutually reinforcing. In fact, alcohol was the only thing that helped me, and fortunately I kept absolutely to the Spinal centre rule of avoiding spirits. By some miracle of God or nature, my liver survived until I ceased my huge intake of alcohol in , when a long time in bed with a pressure sore brought an end to my habit.

When my mile a week swimming became impractical in , new problems arose. My breathing became so much shallower at night that I half woke up fifty times an hour, a condition which was only diagnosed after seven years. I had been falling asleep while dictating for years and my helpers didn’t know what to do.

In short, I have had  years so far, and I can say that the period of adjustment to disability can be very long, in my case between  and  years, and even in a plateau of stability, I am subject to periodic unexpected new problems.

We none of us have our life under our control, neither our health nor our family, nor our jobs, nor our mental faculties, nor the lead up to and conditions of our death.

Certainly, I do not have my life under my control, to know of future years.

Thinking about the need for good palliative care regimes, preparing oneself in mind and spirit as best one could are priorities before any drug regime takes control. One cause of my fear of hospitals is fear of how one might be prevented from preparing for death by the lack of peace in hospitals, the over early or excessive use of drugs, and the tendency of visitors to talk over a person rather than be with them. I remember in , meeting a Church of England minister and discussing the role of ministers in respect of people dying, and remarking to him how much they escaped to attend to the relatives, in substitution for their priority of attending to the person dying before they died, even if they could help him or her more by quietness than by speech.

What preparation did I have for any of what happened to me? Well, for five years, I had a week as a helper in Lourdes. There, every year I was there, about sixty thousand bedridden or wheelchair bound disabled or sick came to Lourdes along with one or two million of the healthy or “walking wounded” as a friend used to express it. At that

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time there time there were were ttwo wo h hospitals ospitals ffor or tthe he ssick ick (apart (apart from from the the or the ew who ccity ity hospital hospital ffor the ffew who suddenly suddenly developed developed an an aacute cute ccondition). ondition). To To eeach ach ooff these, these, there there ccame ame aabout bout oone ne tthousand housand eeach ach w eek, a d ifferent thousand thousand each each different different week, different w eek, eeach ach group group w ith their their oown wn doctors, doctors, n urses, cooks cooks week, with nurses, aand nd band band ooff helpers, helpers, aand nd then then each each week week a complete complete cchange hange oover ver aatt the the two two h ospitals to to ttwo wo new new groups. groups. hospitals Y et, what what the the mind mind boggled boggled at at w as not not the the logistics, logistics, but but Yet, was tthe he aattitude ttitude of of the the sick. sick. Most Most had had come come ttheir heir first first time time iin n h ope ooff a p hysical miracle, miracle, bbut ut what what struck struck one one w as what what hope physical was bbrought rought them them back back w hen they they h ad ceased ceased ttoo h ave aany ny when had have u nusual hope hope of of a miraculous miraculous for for themselves. themselves. After After all, all, unusual aattested ttested and and well well evidenced evidenced physical physical miracles miracles have have been been vvery ery few, few, although although ssome ome quite quite remarkable. remarkable. No, No, the the ttypical ypical ccase ase was was p resented by by a chap chap called called Tom Tom Yates Yates whom whom I met met presented eeach acch ooff the the fi ve years, years, who who had had h ad cancer cancer of of tthe he spinal spinal five had cchord hord causing causing paralysis, paralysis, w ho ttold old m hat h ame back back who mee tthat hee ccame ffor or an an annual annual spiritual spiritual ttonic, onic, sstrengthening trengthening him him for for tthe he yyear ear to to come come when when h nd his his ageing ageing m other w ould look look hee aand mother would

out for for each each other. other. In In the the fifth fifth year, year, I took took him him to to a h igher out higher place up up a ssteeper teeper rramp amp than than he he had had bbeen een bbefore, efore, aand nd w wee place had a llong ong cchat hat iin n which which h explained tthat hat h id n ot hee explained hee d did not had know how how long long he he would would be be able able to to come, come, as as h is m other know his mother aged and and he he grew grew somewhat somewhat less less able. able. But But he he ttook ook iitt with with aged the same same attitude attitude as as the the hugely hugely overweight overweight lady lady who who w as the was struggling walking walking up up a hill, hill, whom whom I offered offered to to help help by by struggling pulling her her up up in in one one of of carriages carriages available, available, and and she she ssaid aid pulling “Probably next next year, year, but but not not this this one”, one”, accepting accepting of of tthe he “Probably unknown future. future. I realized realized that that what what made made Lourdes Lourdes a unknown religious place place was was this this spirit spirit of of acceptance acceptance and an nd the the m essage religious message from the the sick sick to to the the healthy healthy that that God God is is more more important important from than health, health, and and also also that that faithfulness, faithfulness, service service of of oothers, thers, than unstinted generosity generosity in in giving giving and and willingness willingness to to rreceive eceive unstinted help are are all all more more important important than than health health itself. itself. help Ih ad at at that that time, time, not not the the least least conception conception that that this this had m essage might might one one d ay apply apply ttoo me. me. message day TTo o be be ccontinued ontinued

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PRA PRAY RAY AY WITHOUT WITH WIT THOUT T HOUT UT CEA CEASING C EASING EA A ING AS N Abbot Hugh Gilbert OSB B ““And And Jesus Jesus told told them them a pparable, arable, to to the the effect effffeect tthat hat they they ought ought aalways lways to to ppray ray and and nnot ot llose ose heart” heart” (Lk (Lk 118:1).

8:1). TThe he parable parable iiss that that of of tthe he pestering pestering widow, widow, insistent insistent oonn her her rights. rights. For For tthe he sake sake of of ppeace eace eeven ven the the corrupt corrupt local local judge judge finally finally yields. yields. Our Our Lord Lord then then makes makes tthe he aapplication: pplication: iiff such such a m an accedes accedes ttoo such such iimportunity, mportunity, ““Will Will not not God God man vvindicate indicate hhis is elect, elect, who who cry cry to to him him day day and and night?” night?” (Lk (Lk 18:7) 18:7)

hat h hat has as d developed eveloped in in tthe he Church Church aass tthe he Divine Liturgy D ivine Office Office or or tthe he L iturrgy of of tthe he Hours, her prescribed daily H ourrs, h er p rescribed d aily prayer, prayer, iiss nothing other Church’s n othing o ther than than the the C hurch’s eeffort ffort pray not off tthe ““always always tto op ray aand nd n ot lose lose heart”. heart”. It It is is the the ccry ry o he widowed Church, day God w idowed C hurrch, d ay and and night, night, tto o her her gracious gracious G od her, one aand nd jjust ust jjudge, udge, to to h er, iin no ne ssense, ense, aabsent, bsent, iin n aanother nother Husband ssense, ense, eever-present ver-present aand nd aalways lways ccoming oming H ussband aand nd Lord.

L ord.

Paul wrote what ““Pray Pray without without ceasing”, ceasing”, SStt P aul w rote in in w hat iiss tthe he New his First Letter eearliest arliest of of aallll the the N ew Testament Testam ment writings, writings, h is F irst L etter first Christians ttoo tthe he Thessalonians Thessalonians ((:). :). The The fi rst C hristians ttook ook tthis his first sseriously. eriously. We We kknow now ffrom rom eevidence vidence ooff the the fi rst tthree hree ccenturies enturies how Christians would h ow C hristians w ould pray, pray, iindividually ndividually and and ccollectively, ollectively, points and day: aatt tthe he natural natural turning turning p oints an nd staging-posts staging-posts ooff tthe he d ay: when w hen the the ssun un rose, rose, at at the the tthird, hird, sixth sixth aand nd ninth ninth ‘‘hours’ hours’ ooff midday, aancient ncient ttime-keeping, ime-keeping, ii.e. .e. aaround round nine nine a.m., a.m., m idday, tthree hree p.m. p .m. ((cf. cf. oour ur ccoffee-break, offee-break, llunch-hour, unch-hour, ttea-break), ea-break), aagain gain when was w hen tthe he ssun un sset et aand nd iitt w as ttime ime ffor or tthe he llamps amps ttoo bbee llit, it, yyet et perhaps point aagain gain p erhaps bbefore efore ggoing oing ttoo bed, bed, aand nd eeven ven at at ssome ome p oint night When iin n tthe he n ight iitself. tself. W hen ffrom rom tthe he ffourth ourth ccentury entury oonwards, nwards, Christianity public C hristianity bbecame ecame a p ublic rreligion, eligion, much much ooff tthis his ttended ended find worship. would ttoo fi nd fformal ormal eexpression xpression iin n common common w orship. IItt w ould have usual major h ave bbeen een u sual for for tthe he m ajor cchurches hurches iin n a ccity ity ttoo ccelebrate elebrate Morning Prayer many would aM orning and and Evening Evening P rayer which which m any w ould aattend. ttend. would psalm psalms Old IItt w ould have have iinvolved nvolved a p salm oorr p salms (from (from tthe he O ld Testament psalms), T estament bbook ook of of   p salms), a hymn hymn perhaps, perhaps, a rreading, eading, prayers, Thee bbishop p rayers, llight, ight, iincense, ncense, ssome ome cceremonial. eremonial. Th ishop oorr a priest would have would have p riest w ould h ave presided; presided; aallll w ould h ave participated. participated.

Att tthe were monks A he ssame ame ttime, ime, other other Christians Christians w ere bbecoming ecoming m onks nuns Mediterranean world. oorr n uns around around the the fringes fringes ooff tthe he M editerranean w orld.

They would David, Th ey ttoo oo w ould gather gather ttoo ssing ing tthe he Psalms Psalms of of D avid, ooften ften night day.

Byy the iin n tthe he n ight aass well well as as tthe he d ay. B the th th ccentury entury a ccommon ommon

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pattern of daily prayer had emerged in both the secular and monastic churches. It consisted of the ‘hours’ that would become classical: Vigils or Nocturns (the Office of the Night), Lauds (i.e. Praises, Morning Prayer), Prime (the first hour when work began), Terce, Sext and None, Vespers (Evening Prayer), and to end the daily cycle Compline (Night Prayer). Vigils, Lauds and Vespers were the major offices or hours. Each would consist of several psalms and, in the case of Vigils, long readings. Lauds would include Psalms  and  and climax in the singing of the canticle of Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, the Benedictus (Lk :-). Vespers often featured Ps.  and climaxed in the singing of Mary’s Magnificat (Lk :-).

As ancient Israel celebrated a morning an evening sacrifice in the Temple, so the new Israel did too in the Temple of Christ’s Body, the slaughter of animals replaced by the raising of heart and voice. The other hours were shorter, brief pauses in the working day, occasions for turning to God in the midst of activity.

hours’, each separate Office being said at the time of day to which it relates, the whole cycle of  hours thus being punctuated and permeated by psalmody and prayer. The ordained and those consecrated to God in the religious life are under obligation to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, and do so on behalf of the whole People of God, indeed the whole of humanity. But another major aim of the revision was to make the Liturgy of Hours once again what it always essentially was: the prayer of the whole Church. As Liturgy it is always best celebrated with others (in the family circle too), but even when that is impossible it is available for any of the faithful to take up and pray, and so enter into the prayer of the Church.

For, essentially, that is what the Liturgy of the Hours is: not a private devotion, but the prayer of the Body united with its Head and our High Priest, in his prayer to the Father. The prayer of the Church, the Bride, to Christ her Bridegroom. It is a privileged wav of uniting with our fellow-believers throughout the world, and with them of praising God and interceding for the whole of humanity. It For, essentially, that is what the Liturgy of the Hours is: is prayer based on the word of God in Scripture. It is prayer not a private devotion, but the prayer of the Body united in union with the generations that have gone before us. It with Head and our High Priest, in his prayer to the is a prayer which can take time to get into it, to learn, but Father. which, persevered in, puts us in touch with the interceding of the Holy Spirit, the true teacher of prayer. It helps us, All this was at the service of the New Testament ideal of like pillars helping a bridge across a river, “always to pray praying always, praying without ceasing. It was a way of remembering Christ and connecting with Him on a daily Personal Counselling, Inner Healing and basis. It was aimed at bringing each day into the presence Spiritual Direction of Christ and allowing him to fill it, to make it not just An Integrated Model of Ministry. ‘another day’, but a ‘day of the Lord’, part of that eternal 31 January - 12 February 2011 day which dawned on the day of resurrection and will Fr. Jim McManus C.Ss.R. and Sr. Germaine O’Neill shine out in full splendour in everlasting life, lit by the Leaders in all communities today realise that the ability to empathise with those who are hurting is the most important quality glory of God. of leadership. It is easy to know what a person is saying; it is not so And all this continues in the Church now. In Western easy to know how they are feeling when they say what they are saying. This integrated approach to pastoral ministry trains Christianity, there have been two major forms of the participants to begin to listen to those feelings. In this intensive fifty Divine Office or Liturgy of the Hours, namely the Roman hour training programme: ● You will learn how to work with the feelings of others.

Office and the Monastic Office. At Pluscarden Abbey in ● You will discover new ways of helping people find within their feelings, the insight they need for a new start in life. our diocese, the Monastic Office is celebrated seven times ● You will acquire a new ease while listening to others. a day according to the Rule of St. Benedict. Vatican II gave This training programme is ideal for those who want to take time out for personal development. guidelines for the revision of the Roman Office, and these bore fruit in the revised Liturgy of the Hours published in Holy Week Retreat . This offers the following hours: Morning Prayer, Healing in the Spirit: Spirituality of True then either the three traditional hours or one ‘Midday Self-Esteem Prayer’ depending on possibilities, Evening Prayer, Night 18 - 23 April 2011 (Holy Week) Prayer. Vigils is now known as the Office of Readings, Fr. Jim McManus C.Ss.R. and Miss Marie Hogg Plan an ideal Holy Week for yourself next year. Celebrate Holy following psalms with two lengthy readings from Scripture Week in the healing environment of St. Mary’s and begin living and the Fathers of the Church. This office can be said at more consciously a spirituality of true self esteem. any moment of the day. Each of these different offices or Details: hours consists of a hymn, psalms, a reading and prayer.

The Secretary, St. Mary’s, Kinnoull, Perth PH2 7BP, Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, Vespers and Lauds, Scotland Tel: (44) 01738 624075 Fax: (44) 01738 442071 are regarded as the two ‘hinges’ of the day’s prayer.

E-mail: stmaryskinnoull@btconnect.com One major aim of the recent revision of the Liturgy of Web Page: www.kinnoullmonastery.org the Hours was to make it easier to respect the ‘truth of the

St Ma r y s Pa stora l  / (copy i n)

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Fr Bernard O’Connor’s

Vatican Brief

The Ang The Anglican glican Constitution Constituution PPart art I: SSetting etting the Context Conntext Frr B F Bernard ernard O O’Connor ’Connor On November On November 9, 9, 2009, 2009, Pope Pope Benedict Benedict XVI XVI released released the the Apostolic A postolic Constitution Constitution ‘Anglicanorum ‘Anglicanorum Coetibus’ Coetibus’, which which governs g overns tthe he creation creation o off ‘‘personal personal ordinariates ordinariates for for Anglicans A nglicans entering entering into into full full communion communion with with the the Catholic Catholic Church’ document, C hurch’. The The d ocument, which which was was announced announced on on October October 220, 0, was was the the cculmination ulmination of of ttwo wo yyears ears o off w work ork in in response response October tto o the the O ctober 22007 007 rrequest equest of of the the Traditional Traditional Anglican Anglican Communion C ommunion ffor or ‘‘full, full, corporate, corporate, and and sacramental sacramental union’ union’ with Catholic Church. w ith the the C ath holic C hurch. However, However, there th here has has been been some some cconfusion onfusion as as to to the the iimplications mplications of of this this document document and and in in tthis, his, the the first first p part art of of a ttwo-part wo-part eessay, ssay, FFrr Bernard Bernard O O’Connor ’Connor tthrows hrows some some much much needed needed light light on on the the subject. subject.

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his past paast N November, ovemberr, the BBC reported rep ported that a text message m sent by

by C anadian n Transport Transport Canadian Minister John John Baird Baird caused quit te a rreaction eaction Minister quite amon ng government government officials. The Th message among read: “Thatcher “Thatcheer is dead.” Calls Calls to verify verify details d were read: were promptly forwarded forrwar waarded to  Downing Downing Street Strreet and to promptly Buckingham Palace.

Palace. a Mrr. Baird, Bairrd, however, howevverr, was w referring referring Buckingham Mr. of his -year -yyear old tabby, tabby, named nam med for the to the demise of Iron Lady.

Ladyy. The Prime Prime Minister, Ministerr, Stephen Steph phen Harper, Harper p r, famed Iron inforrmed that it was Baroness Baronesss Margaret Margarret had been informed Thatcherr, former former British British Prime Prime Minister, Ministerr, who had Thatcher, Characterristicallyy, of course, she was waas proven proven to died. Characteristically, verry much h alive alivve and well. well.

Embarrassing? m be very Embarrassing?

Definitelyy.

Definitely.

It is rremarkably emarrkably easy for confusion too arise, not only It where a thr eee-word message is concerned d, but in terms of where three-word concerned, w something with the complexity and implications of doccument also issued in November, November, P ope another document Pope Benedict’s Anglican An nglican Constitution, perhap ps better kno wn Benedict’s perhaps known by its i Latin L i title, tiitle, i l Anglicanorum Anglicanor li um Coetibus C ib , together t h with i h its i by Coetibus, Complementtary N orms. I have have been asked a numerous Complementary Norms. numerous regard to the Constitution, including: questions in regard Was Time Tim ime me magazine correct correct to describe descriibe the move move on . Was Holy See’s See’s part part as “capitalizing “capitalizing on a riv al’s friction?” the Holy rival’s Time’s assertion asseertion (November (November , ) is baseless. The Time’s n was issued, not owing owing too a “predatory” “predatory” Constitution strategyy, but mainly in rresponse esponse to the petition p more strategy, of more bish hops and Vicars Vicars General General of the Traditional Traditional than  bishops Com mmunion (TAC).

(TAC). Their dissatisfaction disssatisfaction with Anglican Communion present-day Anglicanism A has been widely wid dely kno wn and present-day known publicized. The Th text of their “Portsmouth “Portsmoouth Letter” Letter” of publicized.

October , ,  , addressed addressed to the Congregation Conggregation for the October Doctrine of the Faith Faith (CDF), was expli icit. ““We We accept Doctrine explicit.

Chu urch founded by

by Jesus Jesus Christ Christ subsists most that the Church perfectly in the t churches churches in communion with the See See of perfectly Peter” (ar t. ). ). Further, Further, “we “we seek a communal commu unal and ecclesial Peter” (art. g Catholics in comm munion with the wayy of beingg Anglican communion Holy SSee” ee” and an nd “we “we seek the guidance of the Holy Holy SSee ee as Holy fulfillm ment of these our desires desires (ar t )” t. to the fulfillment (art.

Does tthe he Constitution mean tha at one can be . Does that simultaneoussly Anglican and Roman Roman Catholic?

Cattholic? simultaneously noot the meaning of the document. doocument. Those This is not seeeking full communion are are expected exp pected to profess profess Anglicans seeking Catechissm of the Catholic Church Church (Const.

(C Const. art art I, no. no.

The Catechism Angllican signers of the Portsmouth Portsmou uth Letter (P. (P P. L.) ). The Anglican theeir belief that said Catechism m represents represents the indicated their “most complete compleete and authentic expression expression and application “most catholiic faith ( P. P. L., no. no. ). of the catholic Does the t Constitution intend to address address only a . Does ‘fringee’ of the Anglican Church?

Church? minor ‘fringe’ Not at all. It It is meant to speak to all similarly siimilarly minded Not in ncluding those who may nott belong to TAC TAC Anglicans, including in ). TAC’s TAC’s membership, membership p, however, however, is the (established in primary population popu ulation of those who have have manifested m primary their express initiative i i iativ initia i e and d concern to request requ uest unity i with ih express Roman Catholicism.

Cathoolicism. Since Since the Constitution’s Constitutioon’s publication, Roman have  Anglican parishes in the USA and  in Canada have theeir intention to seek admission admission in accord accord indicated their Con nstitution. TAC TAC asserts asserts that it i is now now present present with the Constitution. contineents, though predominantly predominantly located in India India in six continents, Its current current Primate Primate resides resides in South South Australia.

Australia. and Africa. Its Overall, an estimated esstimated , persons are are said to identify Overall, TAC. Exactly Exactly how how many of these these will actually with TAC. Constitution’s provisions provisions remains remains e yet to be embrace the Constitution’s yet A the TAC TAC Primate Primate (John ( John Hepworth) Hepworth) stated determined. As January ,  ; “Regional “R Regional gatherings gatherings of bishops, on January peeople are are being organized organized in each part part of our clergy and people (TAC) Communion.”

Comm munion.” The process process is evidently evid dently reflective, reflective, (TAC)

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appropriately critical and profoundly discerning and prayerful. Following their “full meeting of the College of Bishops,â€? set for this Eastertide, “a formal response to the Holy Seeâ€? is anticipated. ďœ´. What should be our attitude as this process unfolds?

In an Address to the Bishops of England and Wales during their Ad Limina visit to the Holy See (February ďœą, ďœ˛ďœ°ďœąďœ°), Pope Benedict referred directly to the Constitution.

He encouraged the bishops in their “important work� of promoting “ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue.�

The Pope’s view is that “if given a warm and openhearted welcome, such groups will be a blessing for the entire Church.�

And he asked that they be “generous in implementing the provisionsâ€? of the Constitution, “so as to assist those groups of Anglicans who wish to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church.â€? The Pope’s view is that “if given a warm and open-hearted welcome, such groups will be a blessing for the entire Church.â€? That same mentality of receptivity and sensitivity should then characterize each of us. ďœľ. Does the Constitution contradict eorts at ecumenical dialogue between the Anglican and Catholic Churches?

There are those who may interpret the Constitution as a betrayal of Anglican-Catholic dialogue. This is as unfortunate as it is inaccurate. The exact opposite was the motivation for a Press Conference on October ďœ˛ďœ°, ďœ˛ďœ°ďœ°ďœš, in which the Prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Secretary of the Congregation for Divine Worship participated with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. Their theme was the relationship between the two Churches.

In a joint statement on the announcement of the Constitution, they said: “Without the dialogues of the past forty years, this recognition would not have been possible (‌) This Constitution is one consequence of (our) ecumenical dialogue.â€? That dialogue promises to continue in “close collaboration.â€?

On November ďœąďœš, ďœ˛ďœ°ďœ°ďœš, the Archbishop of Canterbury gave a Archibishop of Canterbury, lecture in Rome for Dr Rowan Williams

Page 15

the Willebrands Symposium where he emphasized “the strong convergenceâ€? realized in formal agreements between the Anglican and Catholic Churches, notably in terms of ecclesiology (e.g. the shared doctrine of the Church as community). Admittedly, important dierences remain and these should not be ignored or minimized. There is ample latitude, he said, for discussion and debate. And speaking at Queen’s University, Kingston (Ontario) on March ďœś, ďœ˛ďœ°ďœąďœ°, the CDF Prefect, Cardinal Levada, reiterated that the Constitution “was not created in a vacuum,â€? but is the reasonable and logical development of the oďŹƒcial dialogues between the Churches. The Constitution ensures that for those Anglicans who now enter into full communion, the “distinctive elements in the Anglican world which foster Catholic unityâ€? can be retained with their admission.

We see this in the example of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. In ďœ˛ďœ°ďœ°ďœł, elements of the BCP were “revised and adoptedâ€? for usage by Roman Catholics coming from an Anglican background.

In our next issue Fr Bernard O’Connor looks at the Select Provisions of The Anglican Constitution.

Fr. Bernard O’Connor is a priest of the Diocese of Antigonish, Nova Scotia

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Salvation History Part 4 Eileen Grant

T

he Hebrew people remain in Egypt for many years; they prosper and multiply, “so that the land was filled with them”, until one day there arises a new Pharaoh “who did not know Joseph”. Then things change drastically for the Hebrew people. The new Pharaoh becomes uneasy about their great numbers and enslaves them. He also gives orders that every male baby born to them must be killed. One day a woman belonging to the priestly tribe of Levi gives birth to a baby boy whom she manages to keep hidden for three months. When he grows too big to hide she puts him in a basket which she leaves in the reeds on the bank of the river Nile while his sister keeps watch. Pharaoh’s daughter finds the baby and, taking pity on him, she decides to rear him as her own child. The baby’s sister helpfully offers to find a nurse for him and fetches their own mother who continues to care for him until he is old enough to leave her.

When Moses grows up, presumably aware of his origins, one day he kills an Egyptian seen beating a Hebrew slave and later flees from Egypt to escape Pharaoh’s vengeance.

He goes to Midian where he renders aid to the local priest’s daughters. He marries one of the daughters, Zipporah, and remains in Midian tending his father-inlaw’s sheep. One day, in the wilderness, at Mount Horeb, “the mountain of the Lord”, he suddenly comes upon a burning bush: burning steadily but not consumed. God calls to him from the midst of the bush and Moses realises that he is in the presence of the Divine. The Lord explains

to him how He has become aware of His chosen people’s distress and has resolved to save them from their captivity.

He tells Moses that he must lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt to the land that their God has chosen for them: a land “flowing with milk and honey”. Moses does not feel up to the task; he is afraid of Pharaoh’s anger and afraid also that the people will not listen to him. How can he return, risking his life, to announce that a burning bush has given him his instructions! God demolishes all Moses’ objections. In this moment God comes nearest to revealing His name; He tells Moses: ‘I AM WHO I AM’ (Hebrew JHWH), that is, God is defined, named, by His very being. God gives Moses other ‘signs’ to convince the people. When Moses reminds God that he has a stammer, God says his brother Aaron can do the talking for him.

The people believe Moses but when he and Aaron go to Pharaoh, Pharaoh refuses to let the Hebrews go. To persuade him, God sends upon the Egyptians a series of plagues, each one more terrible than the one before.

Pharaoh’s heart grows harder and eventually God sends the last plague which will claim the life of the eldest male in every family, both human and livestock. He then gives Moses instructions for the coming night when death will come upon the Egyptians and the Israelites must make ready to leave Egypt. This is the origin of the Jewish Passover feast and God gives very precise instructions about the preparations for it, commanding that this day will forever afterwards be a day of festival for the people of Israel. They are to prepare lambs to be roasted whole, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Blood from the slaughtered lambs is to be smeared on the doorposts and lintel of their homes so that the Lord’s angel of death, passing over, will know which are the Hebrew houses.

Everything happens as God has said and the Israelites are allowed to leave that night. The Lord travels with them as a pillar of cloud in the day and a pillar of fire at night.

Pharaoh then pursues the Israelites with a vast army until they come to the banks of the Red Sea. With Blood is to be smeared on the God’s help Moses doorposts of their homes makes the sea part so

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that he and his people ar aree able to pass through thrrough to the other side. When Egyptians tryy to follo follow, n the E gyptians tr w, the sea falls back upon them m and they are are drowned. drowned. The Th Israelites Israelites then wander through forty th hrough the wilderness for for ty years, years, having various enemies various adventures, adventures, overcoming overcoming en nemies they encounter, tired encounter, gradually gradu dually ll growing growing i tir i ed d off wandering wan ndering d i and d blaming Moses Moses for taking them away from from m what now now seems a more comfortable Many more co omfortable life in slavery. slavery. M any of their complaints are they are God are that t are hungry hungry and thirsty: t God d ‘manna’ ‘mannaa’ from from heaven heaven for them t sends quails and to eat.

On another occasion occaasion He He enables Moses Moses to bring brring a spring On from a rock rock for the people to drink.. of water from Like L ike Abraham Abrahaam befor before re him, M Moses oses is a wonder wonderful wo onderrful example prayer exam xample mple l off interc iintercessory intercessorry pray er When they rreach eaach SSinai, inai, Moses Moses goes up the mountain m to God d and God God gives gives him His His Law, L w, his ‘Ten Law ‘Ten confer with God Words’ or Commandments, Comm mandments, along with other instructions instructions Words’ future behaviour oses passes all a this on to as to their future behaviour.. M Moses o his later trip up the mountain moountain G od the people and on God Ten Commandments C tabllets of stone. writes the Ten on two tablets He gives ggives Moses Moses detailed d p constructin ngg an ‘ark’, ‘ark’,, a He plans for constructing portable box, boox, in which they ar carrry the tablets small portable aree to carry

Heart Speaks ks u unto nto H Heart eart

Clare C lare B Benedict enedict “Bliss was was itit in in that that dawn dawn to to be be alive, alive, but but to to be be young young was was very very heaven!” heaven!”

“Bliss

N

ot quite q what W Wordsworth ordsworth had h in mind butt his wor words ds seem most app appropriate ropriate for the papal visit. What an amazing amaziing few days those tho ose were werre and ho how w confound confounded ded we were ere the detractors. What Whaat fruits fruits may yet yet be realised realised d as a result! result!

If If we we wish to play p the “numbers “numbers game”, game”, itt is reckoned reckoned that over over , ,  turned out throughout throughou ut the UK; ,   thronged throngeed the streets streets of London; , ,   lined the streets streets of Edinburgh.

Edinburgh. Many Many thousands more more attended the Masses Masses in Glasgow, Glasgow, London and Birmingham.

Birmingham.

Millions Millions more, more, throughout t oughout the world, are thr are reckoned reckoned to have have watched events evvents unfold on television orr online. But But

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throughout the t rest rest of their journey, journeyy, and d a ‘tabernacle’, ‘tabernacle’, a throughout decorrated tent in which to placee the ar k. M oses special decorated ark.

Moses spends so lon ng on the mountaintop thi is time that the long this people gr ow rrestless estless and have have a golden calf callf made for their grow worship oses is so furious with them when w he sees this worship.. M Moses that h he h smash h the hes h tablets bl off stone. When Wh h he hen h is i calmer l smashes he inter cedes with the Lor d who agr ees n ot to punish the intercedes Lord agrees not people as the ey deser ve. Like A braham bef fore him, Moses Moses they deserve.

Abraham before is a wonder rful example of inter cessorry pray er. G od wonderful intercessory prayer.

God rrewrites ewrites the Commandments C on anothe er two tablets of another stone and th he ““Ark Ark of the Covenant” Covenant” is constr ucted the constructed accor ding to his instr uctions. When M o rreturns oses eturns after according instructions.

Moses speaking with hG od this time, his face sh hines so brightly God shines with rreflected eflected d glor ot look upon it. gloryy that the people cannot After manyy other adv entures and the drawing up of adventures what is kno w as the Mosaic wn Mosaic Law, Law w, hundreds hund dreds of pr ecepts known precepts rregarding egarding all manner of things, Canaan n, the P romised Canaan, Promised Land is rreached. eacched. Moses Moses dies befor th hey enter there, there, beforee they perhaps beca ause of some fault on his par p t, and JJoshua oshua because part, leads the peop ple acr oss the JJordan. ordan. M oses has no rrecorded ecorded people across Moses burial place,, ho wever, and in Christ however, Christ’s’s time, at the T ransfiguratioon, w ransfiguration, hat he was taken Transfiguration, wee hear the suggestion th that straight g up p in nto heav en. into heaven.

Vatican, we we are are told, does not judge ju udge success by by the Vatican, Holy Father Father felt his visit visit was a success numbers; thee Holy because his heart heart spoke with the heart heart of the British British people, “especially “espeecially with their presence presence and an nd the testimony of their faith”. faith”. ” Neither Neither h should sho hould ld we we look l k on the h success of of the h papall visit in a spirit of triumphalism, t but rather in one of humility, humilityy, joy joy and thanksgiving. thankksgiving. The Holy Holy Father Father came caame as the visible sign of that unity in Christ of which the Eucharistic Eucharistic Prayers Prayers speak, speakk, in order order to encourage us, give g e new giv new heart heart to us, and to share shaare some intense moments off prayer prayer with us.

All this in spite spite of the adverse adverse publicity which w grew grew ever ever more more strident strident as the day drew drew nearer nearer and and the negativity which was voiced voiced (not only from from the media and the atheistic elements elem ments in our society). We We will will all have have special moments to treasure t easure in years tr years to come; permit perrmit me to share share a few few of my own. own.

There There were were the meetings with State Statte and Church Church dignitaries to savour: savour: the chat on which we we were were privileged to eavesdrop eavesdrop as the Pope Pope and the Queen Queen exchanged exchanged gifts.

That sublimee moment when Cardinal Cardinal O’B O O’Brien, rien, like an ecclesiastical conjuror, conjuror, whipped out from from m his cassock the scarves scarves of papal paapal tartan tartan which he and the the Holy Holy Father Father wore wore on the journey journey up Princes Princes Street Street in the t popemobile.

Later we we witnessed wiitnessed what seemed a vvery e y cordial er cordial and genuinely happy hap ppy meeting between between Pope Pope Benedict Benedict and the Archbishop Archbishop of o Canterbury, Canterbury, followed followed by

by Evening Evening Prayer Prayyer in Westminster Westminster estminster Abbey.

Abbeyy. In In the Holy Holy Father’s Fath her’s own own words words

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“for the first time a Successor of Peter was in that place of worship that is a symbol of the very ancient Christian roots of the country.” He saw this as a vital step on the path to Christian unity.

It was, I must confess, difficult not to feel a slight frisson of triumph in witnessing that Successor to Peter address more than half the nation’s members of parliament in the very place (Westminster Hall) where almost  years ago St Thomas More was tried for treason because he would not recognise the supreme authority of the temporal ruler, the king, over the authority of the Church and over the Pope. Pope Benedict did not mince his words but reminded his listeners (and us) that “the dilemma which faced More in those difficult times” was “the perennial question of the relationship between what is owed to Caesar and what is owed to God”. Like More, we can be good servants of the state if we are first God’s good servants.

Another sublime moment happened for the first time in Edinburgh when a tiny Polish baby was held up for the Holy Father to bless. His security men must have had a bad moment when he spontaneously rolled down the (reinforced) window to lay hands on the infant and kiss her tenderly. That set a precedent and we were delighted on further occasions to witness burly “minders” hoisting babies out of the crowd so that they could be blessed by their spiritual father. What photographs for the family albums!

The Holy Father was well able to relate to all sections of the Catholic family: he addressed the elderly folk in St Peter’s Residence, Vauxhall, as one who is well acquainted with both “the joys and the struggles that come with age” and he quoted his first homily as Pope: “Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.” His obvious delight in being with the young was demonstrated on several occasions. There was that meeting in the piazza of Westminster Cathedral when throngs of young people cheered him with full hearts when he emerged to greet them. Who could not be impressed by the sincerity and enthusiasm of the charming young man who acted as their spokesperson? And likewise the interest and warmth with which Benedict responded? Another moment I will treasure was his surprised but delighted reaction when thousands of young folk enthusiastically interrupted his homily at the Prayer Vigil in Hyde Park.

Nor did Pope Benedict shrink from confronting “the elephant in the room”. On several occasions he faced, head on, the issue of the abuse scandals which have been reverberating around us. The first occasion came before he had even landed in Edinburgh when he gave an interview to  journalists. He told them, “It is difficult to understand how this perversion of the priestly ministry was possible” and talked of a “great sadness”, a sadness also because the Church had not been “sufficiently vigilant” and had delayed so long in dealing adequately

O ne o f t he la rge s cre e ns a ro u nd Co f to n Pa r k t ra ns m it t ing im a ge s of th e b e a t ifica t io n ce re m o ny o f Ca rdina l J oh n He nr y N e w m a n with the scandal. On other occasions he talked of shock and “deep sorrow” and referred to the abuse as an “unspeakable crime”. On addressing “safeguarding professionals”, he told them, “It is deplorable that, in such marked contrast to the Church’s long tradition of care for them, children have suffered abuse and mistreatment at the hands of some priests and religious” and commended the work already being done in the UK. He also had a private meeting with several victims of clerical abuse, a meeting he described as “an intense moment of emotion and prayer”.

Other precious memories include the sea of white as priests and deacons processed to their places in the outdoor Masses in Glasgow and Birmingham; the moment when Bl. John Henry Newman was beatified; the palpable joy of the assembled faithful; the peaceful stillness on the face of the Holy Father in prayer. Perhaps what I will treasure most is the quality of the silences: the stillness amongst such vast crowds was truly to be marvelled at.

Many, many people, including many Catholics, had their minds and hearts changed by what was a very personal encounter with Pope Benedict XVI. Again and again we had heard him described as “austere”, an “academic”, as not having the charisma of his predecessor.

But in the event, many of his detractors were silenced and countless Catholics and others discovered that this shy, humble man, with little taste for the dramatic or flamboyant, radiates warmth and love and a kind of innocence that makes him a worthy successor to the man he himself loved and revered.

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Third JJoyful Third oyful M Mystery: ystery: T he N ativity The Nativity (Matthew 1: (Matthew 1: 18-25, 18-25, 2: 2: 1-23; 1-23; Luke Luke 2: 2: 1-20; 1-20; John John 1 :1-14) 1:1-14) Let u Let uss g go o now now tto o Bethlehem Bethlehem a and nd ssee ee this this tthing hing tthat hat h as ttaken aken place, place, which which tthe he L ord h as m ade k nown tto o has Lord has made known u s. us.

IIn n tthe he G ospel o uke there there is is a rrunning unning ttheme heme o ‘sight’, a Gospel off LLuke off ‘sight’ ttheme heme tthat hat ttheologians heologians tthroughout hroughout the the centuries centuries have have e xplored. The The shepherds shepherds w ant tto o ssee ee what what has has been been told told explored. want tto o tthem. hem. TThe he N ativity, ttold old ffrom rom the the perspective perspective o he Nativity, off tthe sshepherds, hepherds, is is about about finding finding in in reality reality what what has has been been sspoken poken tto ou rom G od. TThis his lleaves eaves u ith aatt lleast east ttwo wo uss ffrom God. uss w with sstrands trands to to ffollow: ollow: h ow d oes G od speak speak to to us? us? And And where where how does God o ow ccan an we we find find what what has has been been spoken spoken to to us us in in reality? reality? orr h how TThe he ssecond econd strand strand can can be be left left aside aside as as it it represents represents tthe he w hole aaim im o hese rreflections eflections – applying applying tthe he m ysteries o whole off tthese mysteries off tthe he rrosary osary to to our our everyday everyday experiences. experiences.

A t ttent entive eness ness TThere here aare re many many ways ways that that God God can can speak speak to to us. us. One One ttrusted rusted w ay iiss h earing tthe he W ord e ither p roclaimed iin n way hearing Word either proclaimed ccommunal ommunal worship worship o np rivate ((or or ccommunal) ommunal) p rayer orr iin private prayer w ith scripture. scripture. In In the the ‘‘Eastern’ Eastern’ Rites Rites tthe he acclamation acclamation of of tthe he with D eacon b efore the the G ospel is is rread ead iis: s: ““Let Let u e aattentive” ttentive”.

Deacon before Gospel uss b be P erhaps it it is is not not at at all all h elpful tto o cconsider onsider iitt a failure failure iiff w e Perhaps helpful we d on ot h ear aallll tthe he w ords o he G ospel passage. passage. What What is is do not hear words off tthe Gospel o alue iiss aalso lso tto op ay aattention ttention to to our our heart: heart: the the innermost innermost off vvalue pay

w orkings o ur sself. elf. SSome ome p hrase o dea ffrom rom the the workings off o our phrase orr iidea sscripture cripture p assage m ay ccause ause a sstir tir iin nu s. W orking o ut w hy passage may us.

Working out why iitt d id sso o sshould hould p rovide u ith ssomething omething tto om editate did provide uss w with meditate o n. IIff tthis his kkind ind o nternal p rocess iiss e xercised w em ay fi nd on. off iinternal process exercised we may find tthat hat w eb egin tto op ray iin no ur ‘‘private private rroom’ oom’ aand nd w ed iscover we begin pray our we discover G od h earing u nd sspeaking peaking tto ou n tthat hat ‘‘secret secret p lace’.

God hearing uss aand uss iin place’ When praying praying in in our our inner inner space space we we soon soon discover discover the the When sshadow hadow side side of of ourselves ourselves (especially (especially while while reflecting reflecting on on conflicts we we have have with with those those around around us) us) and and we we must must not not conflicts shy away away from from acknowledging acknowledging the the shadow. shadow. It It can can be be too too shy easy to to hear hear scripture scripture and and start start to to think think of of others others and and how how easy it is is applicable applicable to to them, them, how how it it may may prove prove a point point we we made made it in arguments arguments with with those those who who are are present present in in the the celebration. celebration. in C omplaining aabout bout tthe he ffaults aults o thers aand nd aabout bout h ow Complaining off o others how tthe he rrest est o he w orld iiss d epraved iiss aanother nother w ay o voiding off tthe world depraved way off aavoiding rrecognition ecognition o he rreality eality o ur o wn sshortcomings. hortcomings. IItt iiss off tthe off o our own m ore d ifficult tto o llook ook aatt o urselves aand nd ttake ake o nb oard tthe he more difficult ourselves on board rreproaches eproaches o od tto ou nd tthe he w ay w e aare re lliving, iving, thinking thinking off G God uss aand way we aand nd m istreating o thers n ow. A dmitting ffaults aults tto oo urselves mistreating others now.

Admitting ourselves aand nd tto oo thers m akes u ulnerable, rrevealing evealing tthat hat w e’re others makes uss vvulnerable, we’re n ot tthe he ffantastic antastic ((holy) holy) p eople w e’d rrather ather o thers believe believe not people we’d others u ob e. uss tto be.

O ne tthing hing tto on ote aabout bout tthe he N ativity iiss tthe he tthreat hreat tto o JJesus esus One note Nativity p osed b erod. W e aare re iintroduced ntroduced tto oh is m urderous posed byy H Herod.

We his murderous iintentions ntentions ttowards owards JJesus esus b ecause h e, ffrom rom H erod’s because he, Herod’s p erspective, rrepresents epresents a tthreat hreat tto oh is p osition. SSometimes ometimes perspective, his position. tthe he tthreats hreats aare re n ot rreal eal b ut iimaginary. maginary. W orking o ut h ow not but Working out how tto od eal w ith tthreat hreat ccan an b ead ifficult ttask. ask. W e aare re n ot aalways lways deal with be difficult We not ccalled alled tto od eal w ith tthreats hreats d irectly. W em ay ffollow ollow tthe he deal with directly.

We may M agi’s e xample aand nd aavoid void tthe he tthreat hreat b eaching ssafety afety by by Magi’s example byy rreaching aanother nother rroute. oute. P e r h a p s , w e m a y b e ‘ H e r o d ’ t o s o m e o n e Perhaps, we may be ‘Herod’ to someone e lse. P erhaps w em ay w ant rrid id o hem iin n ssome ome w ay. IItt else.

Perhaps we may want off tthem way. m ay b ed ifficult tto o aadmit dmit tto oo urselves tthat hat w e ssee ee tthem hem as as may be difficult ourselves we a tthreat. hreat. We em ay b ee nvious o omething w e ssee ee iin n them. them. may be envious off ssomething we W em ay h ave iinordinate nordinate ssuspicions uspicions aabout bout tthem. hem. TThis his ccan an We may have b eb ecause w e ssee ee ssomething omething iin n tthem hem tthat hat e ssentially we we be because we essentially kknow now iiss iin no urselves ((whether whether w e aare re aaware ware o or not). not). ourselves we off iitt or FFrom rom tthis his kkind ind o hinking fl ow tthe he aactions ctions o gossip. off tthinking flow off gossip.

G ossip ssometimes ometimes ccontains ontains ffragments ragments o ruth, aalthough lthough Gossip off ttruth, iitt iiss o ften d istorted iin n ssome ome w ay aand nd lleads eads tthose hose rreceiving eceiving often distorted way tthe he iinformation nformation tto o rreach each ffalse alse cconclusions. onclusions. TThe he d istortions distortions aarise rise ffrom rom m alice iin n tthose hose w ho e ngage iin n sspreading preading malice who engage g ossip. M alice: tthe he w illing o arm ttowards owards aanother. nother. I may may gossip.

Malice: willing off h harm n ot kkill ill tthem hem p hysically b ut I aam m aattempting ttempting tto od estroy not physically but destroy ttheir heir g ood rreputation. eputation. G ossip iiss a m urderous aact. ct. G ossip good Gossip murderous Gossip

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is, m is, moreover, oreover, aan n aattempt ttempt to to forget forget the the good good that that is is in in others. others.

Unfortunately, within Church, both U nfortunately, gossip gossip is is rrife ife w ithin tthe he C hurch, b oth iin n parishes, orders, p arishes, iin n rreligious eligious o rders, ccongregations ongregations aand nd within Presbyterates ccommunities ommunities but but aalso lso w ithin P resbyterates – gossip gossip within within priestly Religious be p riestly aand nd R eligious circles circles can can b e the the most most vicious vicious aand nd destructive myy e experience. d estructive in in m xperience. The The Diocese Diocese of of Aberdeen Aberdeen is is no exception, neither n oe xception, n either iiss the the Redemptorist Redemptorist Congregation Congregation aand nd n either aam m I as as an an individual individual b lameless. neither blameless.

b his vvery ery m ystery o he N ativity, tthe he IIncarnation ncarnation o od byy tthis mystery off tthe Nativity, off G God tthe he SSon. on. G od ttakes akes o nh uman n ature, e stablishing aalways lways God on human nature, establishing aand nd fforever orever a m ost iintimate ntimate b ond b etween h umanity aand nd most bond between humanity tthe he D ivine.

Divine.

TThe he jjourneys ourneys o he M agi aand nd tthe he sshepherds hepherds aare re u nited iin n off tthe Magi united tthe he ssearch earch ffor or tthe he C hrist, ffor or JJesus. esus. O ur llife ife aass C hristians Christ, Our Christians ccan an b e ccharacterized haracterized b his vvery ery ssame ame ssearch. earch. SSometimes ometimes be byy tthis w e fi nd JJesus esus d welling iin nu s, ssometimes ometimes w e fi nd h im iin n we find dwelling us, we find him T he llight ight sshines hines iin n tthe he d arkness, a nd tthe he d arkness d id o thers. SSometimes ometimes w ed on’t rrecognize ecognize h im aatt aall. ll. H owever, The darkness, and darkness did others. we don’t him However, n ot o vercome it. it. w hen w ed o, tthe he aappropriate ppropriate rresponse esponse iiss w orship. H ow d o not overcome when we do, worship.

How do w ed o tthis his p ractically? B alling tto om ind tthese hese m oments we do practically?

Byy ccalling mind moments H aving tthe he ccourage ourage tto o fface ace the the darkness darkness iin no urselves aand nd iin no ur w orship, b hanking JJesus esus ffor or h is p resence iin no ur Having ourselves our worship, byy tthanking his presence our iin n tthose hose aaround round us us ultimately ultimately pays pays off. off. IItt is is in in this this movement movement llives ives e ach ttime ime w eg ather ffor or tthe he EEucharist ucharist aand nd ffor or o ther each we gather other tthat hat w ee xperience the the Light Light shining shining in in the the darkness, darkness, w e ttimes imes o rayer. We em ay aask sk tthe he LLord ord ffor or ffreedom reedom ffrom rom tthe he we experience we off p prayer. may m eet C hrist himself. himself. How How easy easy is is it it to to forget forget that that Jesus’ Jesus’ d ark e lements tthat hat w e fi nd iin no urselves aand nd o thers aand nd meet Christ dark elements we find ourselves others m ission tto o tthe he w orld w as o ne o love to to sinners? sinners? We We meet meet lleave eave tthe he rrest est tto oh im. mission world was one off love him. h is m ercy and and experience experience his his healing healing touch. touch. We We can can his mercy rreceive eceive comfort comfort in in recognizing recognizing our our d ark sside ide b ecause o ur Q uestions fo or R eflection: dark because our Questions for Reflection: h ope llies ies iin n tthe he LLord ord d welling iin nu nd aamong mong u s, w ho hope dwelling uss aand us, who w ill n ot b e overcome overcome by by the the darkness. darkness.

H ow aam mIh earing G od’s m essage ffor or m e ttoday? oday? will not be How hearing God’s message me A m I iin n ttouch ouch w ith m eelings?

Am with myy ffeelings?

A he o ther e nd o he spectrum, spectrum, it it is is difficult difficult tto o admit admit to to D o I ffear ear ffacing acing m ark sside? ide?

Att tthe other end off tthe Do myy d dark o urselves aand nd tto o o thers our our g oodness, our our strengths. strengths. W hat aare re m hortcomings? W hat aam m I d oing aabout bout ourselves others goodness, What myy sshortcomings?

What doing SSome ome o nherit a ffalse alse ssense ense o humility – tthe he kknack nack o hem? off u uss iinherit off humility off tthem? rrarely arely acknowledging acknowledging the the good good we we find find in in ourselves ourselves llest est H ow d oes tthe he W ord b ecome fl esh iin nm ife?

How does Word become flesh myy llife? w eb e aaccused ccused of of the the sin sin of of pride. pride. Real Real as as the the danger danger the the W hat o ho iiss a tthreat hreat tto om e? H ow d o I ccope ope w ith tthis? his? we be What orr w who me?

How do with ssin in o ride may may be, be, the the crucial crucial point point is: is: whom whom do do w e W ho d oIh old m urderous iintentions ntentions ttoward? oward? W hy d oI off p pride we Who do hold murderous Why do ccongratulate ongratulate for for tthe he q ualities? G od, o ourse. W e fi nd ffeel eel tthis his w ay aabout bout tthem? hem? qualities?

God, off ccourse.

We find way g ood iin no urselves ssince ince w e aare re m ade b he C reator. W e D o I rreally eally b elieve G od lloves oves m e? good ourselves we made byy tthe Creator.

We Do believe God me? aalso lso fi nd iin no urselves h is iimage. mage. This This is is ffurther urther emphasized emphasized find ourselves his

LL’Arche ’Arche IInverness nverness C Community ommunity A window window o on no our ur w world orld Hilary H ilary Lacroix Lacroix

I

f yyou ou were were to to come come tto oaq quiet, uiet,, lleafy eafy p part art of of Inverness, Inverness, iin n tthe he Drummond Drummond aarea, rea, you you m ight w ell cchance hance might well u pon a gracious gra racious o ld h ouse ccalled alled B raerannoch. A upon old house Braerannoch. ssign ign at at tthe he eend nd o he d rive aannounces nnounces tthat hat ca andles, off tthe drive candles, rrhubarb hubarb aand nd k indling aare re aall ll on on sale sale ttoday. oday. In In tthe he ggarden, arden, kindling p eople are are aatt work work in in ttwos wos aand nd threes, threes, nurturing nurtu urring tthe he people vvegetable egetable patch patch o etting to to grips grips with with a sstubborn tub bborn orr ggetting llawnmower. awnmower. Y ou’ll p robably b reeted b ave aand nd a You’ll probably bee ggreeted byy a w wave ssmile. mile. Th ouse itself itself is is quiet quiet d uring the the day day b ut heading heading Thee h house during but aaround roun nd the the back, back, a busy bussy w orkshop is is in in full full sw wing. workshop swing.

B eautiful, b rightly coloured coloured candles candles are are being being m ade iin n Beautiful, brightly made

o ne ro oom. In In tthe he w ood workshop, workshop, ssounds ounds of of sawing sawing and and one room. wood h ammering aare re aaccompanied ccompanied b laughter aand nd jjokes, okes, as as hammering byy laughter b ird ttables ables aand nd p lanters ttake ake shape. shape. Peek Peek into into ‘The ‘The Snug’, Snugg’, bird planters aand nd soup soup is is b eing p repared, cakes cakes are are o n the the ccooling ooling rrack ack being prepared, on aand nd iin no ne ccorner, orner, a game game is is being being p layed. IItt iiss a busy, bussy, one played. vvibrant ibrant p lace, aand nd n o vvisitor isitor passes passes through thro ouggh w ithout a place, no without sseries eries o reetings. Come Come at at tthe he right right ttime ime aand nd you you may may off ggreetings. w ell have have a mug mugg of of tea tea p ressed u pon yyou ou ttoo. oo. W elcome to to well pressed upon Welcome L ’Arche IInverness! nvern rness!

L’Arche P erhaps yyou ou h ave heard heard of of Henri Henri Nouwen, Nouwen, and and read read ssome ome Perhaps have ooff h is iinspirational nspirational bbooks, ooks, and and have have a vvague ague iidea dea ooff w hat his what L ’Arche is. is. M aybe you you h ave ccome ome aacross cross the the n ame of of JJean ean L’Arche Maybe have name V anier, tthe he ffounder ounder ooff L ’Arche. H owever, iin nm experience, Vanier, L’Arche.

However, myy experience, m any p eople in in the the north north ooff SScotland cotland don’t don’t really really know know many people

Light of the North

Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche what L’Arche is, or realise that there is a L’Arche community right in the capital of the Highlands, Inverness.

The world-wide federation of L’Arche communities has its roots in the foundation of the first L’Arche community in  in Trosly-Breuil, a village north of Paris. Following the suggestion of his mentor Father Thomas Philippe, a Dominican priest, Jean Vanier, son of a former Governor General of Canada, decided to invite Raphaël Simi and Philippe Seux, two men with learning disabilities, to live with him in a small house which he named L’Arche, the French word for the Ark. In those days, many people with learning disabilities were living in large hospitals and institutions, in conditions that moved Jean deeply. He felt that he was being asked by God to be a friend and to share a simple life of Gospel values with Raphael and Philippe. The early days were crazy! There was little money, the house was extremely basic and Jean had little experience of learning disabilities. Nonetheless, God’s Spirit was at work, and the little home flourished as others became drawn to the vision.

In the s, the rapidly growing community in Trosly attracted young people from all over the world who were keen to share their everyday life with a growing number of people with an intellectual disability. Before long, they were taking their experiences back home with them and founding

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L’Arche communities elsewhere, initially in Canada and India, later in Africa and Haiti.

In  the Holy Spirit, in the form of the Celtic Wild Goose, flew north, to Inverness. A large house had been given to start a L’Arche Community. Another crazy idea – the only other community in the UK was in Canterbury!

And no money again…but here we are  years later. A community of  people with learning disabilities living in seven different houses, a workshop welcoming  people each day, including some living outside L’Arche.

Life in our houses is very ordinary and “Just like a family” Gina often reminds us. Most of our assistants live in the houses – it is their home too. Most are young, volunteers from all parts of the globe, who come to spend a year or longer, living alongside our ‘core members’ (the people with learning disabilities who form the heart of our community).

The days are filled with waking up, getting ready for the day, sleepy breakfasts, laundry, cleaning and cooking – as much as possible is done all together. Not only does this help people to be responsible for their own home, to learn and develop skills, but it also enables us to be together, and to enter into meaningful relationships with one another – no matter our ability or background. We don’t ‘care for’ people; we live with and care about one another. In the daily pots and pans, we experience conflict, joking, shouting, singing, grumpiness and joy. This is true and authentic community.

James Fraser, a man who lived at Braerannoch for many years up until his death several years ago, used to remind us “Making cakes and washing the dishes is love”.

It’s not all housework, like every other family, we like to enjoy ourselves – in fact we throw some of the best parties in the Highlands! Birthdays and anniversaries are especially important occasions where we can give thanks for the gift of that person and celebrate their unique qualities and gifts.

Live-in House Assistant

I N VE RNE SS

L’Arche Inverness, as a part of ongoing recruitment for those who wish to explore living and working with people with learning disabilities, in any one of our 3 houses based in and around the city in the heart of the Scottish Highlands.

We are currently offering a position of Live-in House Assistant. We are inviting you to participate in creating a home atmosphere with other members of the team, providing direct care for people with learning disabilities through sharing your life with them and encouraging their growth and development in a family-like setting.

Besides enabling you to have life changing experience, we will provide you with all necessary training, full board and lodging, and a monthly stipend.

Do not hesitate to contact us for the further information and recruitment pack. You can get in touch with us at:

L’Arche Inverness, 13 Drummond Crescent, Inverness, IV2 4QR Tel: 01463 239615 Fax: 01463 711089 E-mail: info@larcheinverness.com

In the UK L’Arche is a registered charity, No.  and a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, No. . Registered Office:  Briggate, Silsden. Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD JT

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Wee also W also love love to to go go out, out, visiting visiting ffriends, riends, the the p pub, ub, cconcerts oncerts aand nd picnics. picnics. Each Each month month tthe he whole whole ccommunity ommunity ggathers athers ttogether ogether for for a meal meal and and time time to to pray, pray, share share news news and and ccelebrate. elebrate.

Prayer L’Arche.

P rayer forms forms aan n iimportant mportant role role in in L ’Arche. Our Our community community had humble had h umble beginnings, beginnings, but but despite despite our our growth, growth, we we are are still still aware God, aware of of oour ur dependence dependence upon upon G od, especially especially in in tthe he times times when wee h haven’t when when w aven’t enough enough money, money, or or enough enough people, people, oorr w hen we does we are are rubbing rubbing each each other other up up the the wrong wrong way way – yes, yes, it it d oes happen ssometimes ometimes in in ccommunity ommunity life! life! W emember tthen hen happen Wee rremember that we we need need to to lean lean upon upon God God aand nd ttrust rust Him. Him. Often, Often, tthat’s hat’s that when the the unexpected unexpected h appens. when happens.

W ome from from a variety variety ooff d ifferent bbackgrounds, ackgrounds, but but oour ur Wee ccome different identity is is as as a Christian Christian ecumenical ecumenical community. community. We We ggoo to to identity our own own churches, churches, but but are are able able to to pray pray together together simply simply iin n our our houses houses each each day. day. We We mark marrk tthe he important important times times of of tthe he our year iin n our our own own unique unique way, way, often often using using mime, mime, music music aand nd year symbols to to share share biblical biblical stories. stories. Th Passover meal meal aand nd foot foot symbols Thee Passover washing iiss a high high point point for for us us each each year. year. washing H owever, ssome ome ooff tthe he m ost profound profound sspiritual piritual m oments However, most moments come out out ooff rrelationships elationships with with tthose hose who, who, iin n tthe he eeyes yes of of the the come world, are are ‘‘disabled’ disabled’ . We We discover discover our our oown wn w eakknesses and and world, weaknesses inabilities – and and that that we we aare re loved loved aand nd accepted accepted nonetheless. nonetheless. inabilities Jean Vanier Vanier says, says, “We “We are are all all “broken” “broken” in in some some way…When way…When Jean you start start living living w ith p eople w ith d isabilities, yyou ou begin begin ttoo you with people with disabilities, discovver a whole whole lot lot of of things things about about yourself.” yourself.” He He learned learned discover that to to “be “be human human is is to to be be bonded bonded ttogether, ogether, each each w ith our our that with own weaknesses weaknesses and and sstrengths, trengths, because because we we n eed each each own need other.” other.”

Making Mak ing bread breead on retreat retrreat ea at L ’Arche Inverness Inverness iiss a p lace to to be be ssurprised, urprised, cchallenged hallenged aand nd L’Arche place changed. If If you you don’t don’t know know the the Community, Community, please please do do come come changed. and see see us! us! You You can can pop pop in in to to our our workshops workshops Monday Monday to to and Friday am am - pm pm or or call call us us to to arrange arrange a visit. visit. Don’t Don’t forget forget to to Friday buy some some of of wonderful wonderful workshop workshop products! products! buy W re ooften ften llooking ooking for for volunteers volunteers and and new new H ouse Wee aare House Assistants, and and always always happy happy to to increase increase our our circle circle of of friends. friends.

Assistants, There are are many many ways ways to to be be part part of of what what we we are are doing, doing, from from There praying for for us, us, to to taking taking some some candles candles to to sell, sell, or or by by giving giving praying time to to volunteer. volunteer. House House Assistants Assistants are are welcomed welcomed for for a year, year, time or more, more, and and are are given given pocket pocket money money and and full full board, board, as as well well or as training training and and formation. formation. as Find out out more more from: from: L’Arche L’Arche Inverness Inverness Community, Community, Find 13 Drummond Drummond Crescent, Crescent, Inverness.

Invern ness. IV2 IV2 4QR 4QR 13

The T h diar he di diary y off a Street S t re e t P Pastor a s to r Alison A lison Bone Bone Street P Street Pastors astors iiss an an iinter-denominational nter-denominational C Church hurch rresponse esponse tto ou urban rban problems, problems, engaging engaging with with p people eople o on n tthe he sstreets trreets tto o ccare, are, llisten isten a and nd d dialogue. ialogue. IItt was was pioneered pioneered iin n LLondon ondon b byy Rev Director Ascension has R ev LLes es IIsaac, saac, D irector of of tthe he A scension Trust, Trust, and and h as seen seen ssome ome remarkable remarkable results, results, including including d drops rops in in ccrime rime in in a areas reas where w here teams teams have have b been een working. working. TThere here a are re n now ow over over 100 100 tteams eams around around the the U United nited K Kingdom ingdom including including Aberdeen Aberdeen a and nd IInverness. nverness.

Pastors began patrol TThe he IInverness nverness Street Str treet P astors b egan tto op atrol tthe he City City in in out off ttwo orr 22008.

008. A tteam eam of of 22 22 vvolunteers olunteers go go o ut iin n groups groups o wo o one tthree hree eevery very FFriday riday and and o ne Saturday Saturday a month month offering offering and between ssupport upport a nd care care tto o people people in in tthe he ccity ity centre centre b etween 110pm 0pm and Alison Bone, diary off a typical a nd 3am.

3am. Team Team lleader, eader, A lison B one, kept kept a d iary o typical night North’ n ight on on the the streets streets of of IInverness nverness ffor or the the ‘Light ‘Light of of tthe he N orth’.

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havve been have b a SStreet trreet Pastor Pastor for alm almost most three thrree yyears ears now, love no ow, ev eever ver since we we started started up in IInverness. nvverness. I lo ove going out on a F Friday riday night in IInverness nvverrness C City ity Centr Centre. re. Y You ou never nevver know kno ow what is going g to happen and d no two o nights i h aree ever evver the h same. U Usually sually ll we we meet some homeless homeeless people and hav have ve a chat c with them about theirr w week. eek. We We offer to buy them m a hot drink or food if need needed, ded, ho however wevver on the night I kept a diary diary we we didn didn’t’t meett a single one.

faithinaction

Light of the North

Someone once told me being a Street Pastor is a bit like being a parent. I have found that to be very true. Girls come to us in tears because they’ve lost their bag/purse/house key/ phone/friend. They can be quite distressed and panicky.

Usually a calm voice and a bit of common sense is all that’s needed to sort things out. (“Where did you last see your friend? I have a mobile, shall we ring her and ask her to meet us here?”)

Someone also told me there would be nights when it got to :pm and I wouldn’t want to go out in the cold and wet. I would feel like staying at home in a warm house instead. To be honest, that’s been most nights so far! What gets me moving is the anticipation of what lies ahead - who we’ll meet, what we’ll be called on to do, how we’ll be able to help. Like I said, no two nights are ever the same: :pm Met team at our base. Five of us out tonight.

Packed two bags with kit including wet wipes, tissues, latex gloves, lollies, space blankets and flip-flops. Prayed together.

Radio’d in to CCTV and phoned police to let them know we were heading out. : Split into a team of three and a team of two so we don’t appear too intimidating. : Chatted to door staff. Picked up a glass bottle and put it in the bin. : Chatted to door staff outside Pub. : Picked up another glass bottle and a glass tankard.

Binned them. : Found a Visa card lying in a side street. Handed it in to two policemen on foot patrol. : An older, drunk man came up for a chat and walked with us . Told us how good it was to have us in the city centreit made him feel safe. : Picked up a glass bottle and binned it. : Had a chat with a woman who wanted to know who we were and what we do. Thought we were great! : midnight Picked up another two glass bottles and binned them. : Met a man and a woman. He said he believed in a higher power but wasn’t sure what. As we were chatting two men in a doorway called him over. They insulted his girlfriend.

Insults flew and he was hit in the face. Blood poured from two wounds and his nose appeared broken. We gave him wet wipes and tissues to get cleaned up then persuaded him to move away from the doorway as he wanted revenge. : Met two Spanish girls on holiday and chatted to them about local tourist spots. : Picked up two glass bottles and binned them. : Met a girl crouched over on the pavement. She was trying to undo the buckles on her six inch heels because her feet were sore. She was planning to walk home some distance barefoot. Helped her get her shoes off and gave her flip-flops to walk home in. Got big hugs. Picked up a glass bottle. : Took a break. Returned to base and made cups of tea. : Back out on patrol.

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Hats off to Inverness Street Pastors! : A woman approached us and asked for tissues. Then disappeared up a side street saying she was desperate for the loo... : Woman thanked us for being out on the streets and told us her -year-old Granny wanted to be a Street Pastor too. : The woman who’d asked for tissues returned.

Thanked us for helping her in the past by giving her a space blanket, flip-flops and looking after her at Rockness (music festival). Picked up a glass bottle and put it in the bin. : Walked a lone woman to a take-away. On the way she asked us who we were and what we do. She said we were great! : A man came up to us and thanked us for what we do in town. : Man came over to renew our acquaintance. : Picked up a glass bottle and binned it. : Met a group of football fans from Edinburgh. They thought our uniforms should be bright yellow so we could be seen easier! : Door staff were hanging around the Taxi rank chatting. One separated himself from the group and engaged us in conversation about his home life. : Man approached us. Wanted to change his life, currently in with a bad crowd and couldn’t get away from their influence. Asked for prayer and wanted to know how to change. Prayed with him and gave him contact details of Street Pastor co-ordinator and local Christian group which could support him. : Met woman sitting on bench. Cold. Gave her a space blanket to wrap round her upper body and flip-flops so she could walk safely. Got big hugs and kisses from her! : Back to base. Signed off radios and phoned Police to say we’d finished. Tidied up. Filled in report sheet. Prayed.

Home!

If you’d like to find out more about Street Pastors check out their website at www.streetpastors.co.uk.

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Light L ight

Realising tthe Realising he e extent xtent and and love of of Our Our Lord’s Lord’s Sacrifice Sacrifice love David D avid a and nd L Liz iz M Meiklejohn eiklejohn

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he ter terms ms ‘community ‘community involvement’ invvolv ollvvement’ or ‘‘community com mmunity enterprise’ enterprise’ could d not begin to describe the hugely generous gen nerous and deeply event takes deeply spiritual ev vent that tak kes place in village Oberammergau the amiable vil llage of O berammergau each eaach decade.

Nestled and N estled amongg the Ammergau Alps, an nd with the Kofel its K ofel Mountain Mountain n looking benignly upon it ts residents, residents, wee find a villag village beauty, cordiality w ge of immense beauty y, cor rdiality and energy, spiritual energy y,, which is quite unique. incomparable Oberammergau Passion Play, The incompara able O berammergau P assion nP layy, which takes place between betw ween mid-May mid-May and early October, October, was fi performed performed f d in i   as the h consequence of of a promise promise i first previous year year by by the residents residents of the th he village. If If made the previous God spared spared them th hem from from the bubonic plague, p God then region, they would undertake undertakee to perform perform decimating the region, e ery ten years. ev years. According According to surviving surviving a passion play every sources it is shown shown w that from from the moment off that pledge sources there were were no more moore deaths due to the plague, even even though there contiinued to inflict devastation devastation n in closely the blight continued surrounding areas. areaas. surrounding This is the oldest o passion play that has existed un ntil the present present day and around arou und , continuously until from all over over the world with over over  performances p formances per visitors from are scheduled for foor . The performance performance itself ittself involves involves are over  actors,, singers, instrumentalists instrumentalists and d technicians over

are all residents residents e woorth noting that who are of the village. IItt is worth residentts who ar there or who wh ho have have lived lived in only residents aree born there Oberammerggau for a minimum   years years may Oberammergau participate. p p participate.

On the morning moorning of the play the D irecctor and D epute On Director Depute Director present pressent talks on its history history and d background background as Director well as some of the distinctive distinctive qualities, not least a deep well required por traying au uthentically the commitmentt required portraying authentically Gospel accounts accou unts of the Passion Passion in all aspects of the Gospel production. The Th play begins in the afternoon aftern noon at . pm production. followed by by a three three hour break break and resumes resu umes at .pm, followed arou und . pm. finishing around Passioon play D irector, Christia an SStuckl, tuckl who tuckl, The Passion Director, Christian directed the play p in ,  and in   highlights his directed e excellence and truth: truth: concern for encapsulating both excellence exciting thing about maki ng this work work is “The most exciting making figure of Jesus Jesus of Nazareth.

Nazaretth. I have have sought dealing with the figure figure sin nce my yyouth…over outh…over and oover ver again the same this figure since How is it possible to represent represent H im? A passion question; How Him? b merely merely a historical pageant. pagean nt. B ut how how can play cannot be But faiith be brought brought onto stage? H ow to rrepresent epresent matters of faith How h Resurrection, Resurrection, i h scene off the h Last L t Supper?

Supper?? Jesus: Jesus: the the God in one. A ctuallyy an impossible wholly man and God Actually task”. task”. m As with so many aspects of our faith thee impossible can accomplisshed. The rresult esult of such determined d be accomplished. and inspired community com mmunity dev otion achiev es everything everything that inspired devotion achieves hop ped for in both ar tistic and m usical terms and could be hoped artistic musical spiritu ual dimension that must be experienced exxperienced to be with a spiritual appreciaated. fully appreciated. s viving text of the Oberammergau sur Oberam mmergau Passion Passion The oldest surviving Play is a copyy from from the year year  by by the Oberammergau Oberammergau Play schoolmasterr, Georg Georg Kaiser.

Kaiser. Since Since then the th he play has been schoolmaster, reworked several sevveral times. The musical score, scoore, comprising reworked chorus and a large or chestra has also a evolved evolved over over soloists, chorus orchestra

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the centuries an and nd in the pr present esent production producction Music Music Director, contemporary D irector, Markus Marku us Zwink Zwink has included co ontemporary scoree while maintaining the best traditions of ideas in the scor what identifies this carefully t as being music car efullyy crafted for the Passion Passion of our ou ur Lord.

Lord.

Whil the While h memories mem mories i off the h play l will ill last l for f r a very fo very long l particular significance include the time, moments of particular children waving palms p exuberant jo joyy of the many children as they welcomed tableaux welcomed Jesus; Jesus; the pictorial language tableau ux portrayed portrayed in glowing Old glowing colours coloours depicting scenes from from m the O ld Testament and emphasising em mphasising the essential linkages linkaages between between Testament Old and N ew Testaments Testaments including the Christology the Old New ld T esta estament; ament; the character of Judas, Jud das, who did of the O Old Testament; to envisage the appalling consequences consequences of not appear able to own actions, cr eating a lasting impr ession n particularly particularly his own creating impression ultimateely took his own own life; the gen ntle lowering lowering when he ultimately gentle Jesus’ dead body boody from from the cr oss which, unlike un nlike the two of Jesus’ cross thieves on either side of him, was done with gr ggreat eat dignity thieves su ubdued rre-appearance e-appearance of thee risen Christ and solace; the subdued moving as the Lord Lord rreturned eturneed in such a was also deeply moving evocative manner. manner. quiet but deeply evocative

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F igures in th he play ar given a high degree degreee of individuality Figures the aree given we see no ot merely merely the suffering Christ Chriist but a strong strong so we not representation of the commitment with which he lived lived representation o od the Father Father that br ought his faith in obedience to G God brought Cross. him to the Cross.

Th reality The reality li y that, h in i his hi complete l iinnocence, inn nocence, Christ Ch i suffered so at trociously and died for all ou ur sins, as w ell as suffered atrociously our well w world, cr eated the capa acity of allo wing those of the whole created capacity allowing verwhelming sense sen nse of rremorse emorse as the onlooker to feel an ooverwhelming well as profound profou und gratitude. well IItt was littlee wonder that this rremarkable emarkabble ev ent ended event t tain call and no applause. IInstead, nstead, a silent with no cur curtain audience mad de its way out of the passion n play theatr made theatree to rreflect eflect upon the implications of the trini itarian mysteries trinitarian in a way tha at fe w other por trayals of the t P assion ever ever that few portrayals Passion could.

D avid Meiklejohn Meiklejohn iiss Course Course D irector o GCE ((RE) RE) David Director off P PGCE SSecondary econdary and and D irector o iturgical Music Music a he Director off LLiturgical att tthe M aryvale IInstitute, nstitute, Birmingham.

Birmingham.

Maryvale

Musical Memories of the North-East

Shelagh S helagh N Noden oden

T

here follo here follows ws a little detective detectivve stor sstory, ry, and I wond der if anybody will be abl le to supply wonder able the missing m infor mation. Here Here goes. g information.

A year year ago this column featur ed the car ol featured carol Adeste Fideles, Fideles, as a some readers readers may recall. recall. Recently Recently I Adeste across an article a ticle ar l on the h history h histor y off this h carol, carol,l which h h came across thaat only one tune exists for it. Were Were it not firmly stated that d author is long dead, I would have have that the learned con ntacted him to say that there theere is indeed immediately contacted an nd it was written by by a nineteenth nineteeenth century century another tune, and

mussician here here in North North East Sco otland. amateur musician Scotland. altern native tune was found in a manuscript, This alternative parts for various various hymns hymn ns and motets, at consisting off bass parts St Peter’s, Peter’s, Buckie.

Buckie. u It was obvious obvious that the t bass part part to St It Adeste Fideles Fidelees as written here here did not fit the th he usual melody y, Adeste melody, vocal parts parts it wass not possible to but without any other vocal reconstruct the th he piece. The composer name was giv en as reconstruct composer’s’s name given Dr J Reid, Reid, id and an n att first nd fir t I thought th ht it might mi htt be b the th wor rk off Dr work priiest, Rev Rev John John Reid, Reid, who was w at St St Peter’s, Peter’s, a musical priest, Aberdeen, in the mid 19th Centur y, and was well well kno wn Aberdeen, Century, known directtor. in his day as a composer and choir director.

Later, whilee looking hopefully through through h vvarious arious ragged Later, fr Caatholic Archive Archive I manuscript fragments in the Scottish Catholic d to find a full score score arrangement arran ngement of this was delighted f four-part four-part choir, choir, organ and a strings, and same piece, for very flamboyant flamboyant y too. The delight deliight evaporated evaporated very it was too. somewhat h wh h I found hen f d there ther h e was only ly one page off it somewhat when Howeverr, a subsequent visit to the archive arrchive turned up left! However, battered manuscript m m a battered book of organ music, which ... accomp paniment to the hallelujah! ... contained an organ accompaniment n additional bonus was that thaat the book was full piece. An

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signed by one Alexander Smith of Wester Boggs, Fochabers, Enzie, who was the organist at St Gregory’s, Preshome. The signature was dated 1878, and the handwriting was identical to that in the Buckie manuscript.

So far so good, but what of the composer? To cut a long (but interesting) story short, I found I was on the wrong track with Rev John Reid. There are two likely composers.

One is an Aberdeen surgeon, Dr James Reid, who was a keen amateur musician, and the other possibility is his uncle.

Various letters survive in the SCA, written by Dr James Reid, who lived at 20, Castle Street, Aberdeen. In the earliest surviving one, dated March 28th 1835, he refers to the many musical compositions of his “late lamented uncle,” which he is hoping to get published, and, incidentally, to make some money thereby. He says: “Since I have had the labour [of preparing them for publication] I would wish to have some of the profit.”

Several compositions attributed to James Reid still exist in manuscript sources, some of them in Rev George Gordon’s handwriting. Could these be by Dr Reid’s uncle (who may also have been James)? Or by the doctor himself? At the moment we don’t know. One of these works, the Grand Anthem, “Great and Good,” was sung at the dedication of St Mary’s Church, (later Cathedral), Aberdeen, in 1860.

Ignatian Spirituality Centre /

IGNATIAN SPIRITUALITY CENTRE, GLASGOW

PROGRAMME 2010-2011 RESIDENTIAL RETREATS

Iona - a six day individually guided retreat: 6-13 August 2011 Notre Dame Apostolic Centre, Skelmorlie: Weekend retreats: 19-21 Nov 2010; 18-20 Feb 2011 The Xaverian Conforti Centre, Coatbridge: 2 weekend Themed Retreats in this new Centre. These weekends are intended to be a relaxing introduction to a quiet retreat atmosphere of prayer and reflection on God in our lives. These will not be completely silent retreats – but after each input all are encouraged to try a space of silence around the house. Opportunities will be built into the weekend to speak individually to one of the retreat team as a way of helping us to reflect about God’s presence in our lives.

Friday, 21st to Sunday, 23rd January 2011, ‘Winter Gifting’ – A weekend to bring you warmth and encouragement in the midst of winter with input prayer, companionship, sharing and spaces of shared silence.

Friday, 1st to Sunday, 3rd April 2011, ‘Longing for Light’ – A weekend retreat in the midst of Lent to help prepare for Holy Week and Easter.

Islay – Pilgrimage Retreat: Monday, 1st to Friday, 5th November 2011.

A group pilgrimage/retreat leaving from Glasgow for the Isle of Islay visiting Celtic sites with time for prayer, reflection and sharing.

EVENTS Advent Days: Saturdays 27th November & 4th December. Days to help enter quietly into the spirit of Advent * * * * * *

For a copy of our 2010-2011 Programme and information, contact: The Administrative Secretary, Ignatian Spirituality Centre, 35 Scott Street, Glasgow, G3 6PE Tel 0141 354 0077 Fax 0141 331 4588 e-mail: admin@iscglasgow.co.uk Website: www.iscglasgow.co.uk

Dr Reid seems not to have been a happy man. Many of his letters complain of difficult times, and he writes to Bishop Kyle later in 1835 that he is going to move to Glasgow, to take up an organist’s post, and also hopes to find more medical employment there. He adds: “I am fully aware of the blow that my moving from the Aberdeen [St Peter’s] choir will inflict on the music.”

Sadly things didn’t work out well for him. In Glasgow he was the victim of prejudice; Protestants would not employ a Catholic doctor. Nor was the organist’s post as lucrative as he would have wished. He writes: “In Glasgow I have laboured a good deal, both in the medical profession and as director of the Choir…I succeeded in raising a splendid orchestra and in giving four Oratorios.” One of the oratorios was his own composition, and he calculated that they raised on average one hundred pounds each for the church, but nothing for himself.

Maybe some readers can fill in the gaps, perhaps by finding a store of music in a cupboard in the organ loft.

He goes on to announce that he is going to emigrate to Australia in search of a better future. Music was still his first love apparently; he states that his intention is to set up a “musical warehouse and Academy” in New South Wales. Interestingly, a letter from the mother of the future Rev John Reid, written in August 1835 when John was sixteen, contains the information that “James and the girls are not away yet,” so maybe there was a family connection.

So there are several unanswered questions here. Who was Dr Reid’s uncle? Did his compositions ever get published? Might he have been an elder brother or other relative of Rev John Reid? (in which case they must have been a very musical family.) Is there any more information available about Alexander Smith of Wester Boggs? Maybe some readers can fill in the gaps, perhaps by finding a store of music in a cupboard in the organ loft.

One question is, at least partly, answered. Records show that a Dr J A Reid was organist at the Catholic church in Sydney, Australia, in 1839. This could well be our man.

Hopefully he had a more prosperous career in his adopted country and maybe he even introduced the North East Scotland version of Adeste Fideles to Australia.

John Reid will have to wait until a later issue, but his is also an interesting story, including a near fatal experience while playing the piano. Watch this space.

Shelagh Noden is researching the history of Catholic church music in Scotland, and would be delighted to hear from anyone with any musical memories to share.

She can be contacted at: s.noden@abdn.ac.uk or through this magazine.

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Return R eturn of C Catholicism atholicism t m to to S Shetland hettland Pat P at a and nd M Mike ike L Loynd oynd On th September On Septeember  a “small “small stocky man with a yellow yellow complexion, complexion, deep-set eyes, eyyes, broad broad nose, large mouth, outstanding pointed chin”” outstan nding cheekbones, and po ointed chin landed at Ler wiick. H oung Lerwick.

Hee was accompanied bbyy a yyoung IIcelander celander called O laf Gunlogsen.

Gunlogsen. The small man m was Dr. Dr. Olaf P aul Marie Marie Stephan Step phan Djunkovsky Djunkovsky (or Dju unkowsky) a Paul Djunkowsky) R ussian i aristocrat aristocra i at born b in i SSt. t. P etersburg b on  nd dF ebr b uary Russian Petersburg nd February .

Djunkovsky Russian Djunko vsky was waas the child of a R ussian Count, Cou unt, who was also a senior mini ister in the go vernment of T sar saar Alexander minister government Tsar , and his wife a w ell born lady from from the N etherlands, well Netherlands, who had died wh hen SStephan tephan was yyoung. oung. IIn n his tw enties when twenties he had left the R ussian O rthodox Chur ch an nd turned to Russian Orthodox Church and R ome; in so doing doin ng he had turned his back on n any chance Rome; of claiming a lar rge inheritance. H n his attempt large Hee failed in to join the JJesuit esuitt O rder. IIn n a letter fr om Bishop Bisshop F uchey Order. from Fuchey March Father Fitzgibbon, of IIceland celand dated M arch nd  to F atherr F itzgibbon, Parish Margarets, then P arish Priest Priesst of Saint Saint M argarets, it is stated s ...‘ D Doo you you know, know, that Djunkowsky Djunkowsky after having “converted” “converted” from from Orthodoxy Orthodoxyy was a novice novice SJ, but the SJ’s SJ’s (skilful jangsters we Dutch) we translate tran nslate it in D utch) had good eyes eyes and did not admit him for f the vows, vows, and so he kept kep pt a life long vengeance vengeance feelingg against the Society Society (that comes com mes through through in almost every every letter he wrote wrote later to Rome)’.

Rom me)’. He He was accepted for study France Priest stud dy in F rance and was ordained ordain ned P riest in January January .

After some years of drifting about the Vatican years e Vatican and attacking the Jesuits Jesuits at every every possible opportunity, o oppor tunityy, Stephan Stephan Djunkovsky Djunkoovsky had been appointed Prefect Prefect of the Apostolic Apostolic Prefecture Prefectture of the Arctic Arctic Pole Pole by

by Pope Pope Pius Pius IX on its foundation Norway n in . After his first yyear earr in N orway in late  where he was in Rome Rome again a where he iss rrecorded ecorded in the memoirs of an a A ustrian Count Hohenlehe Hohenleh he ....‘ R Rome ome Austrian D ecember   ... the clev er and energetic P ère Étienne Étienne December clever Père Djunko wskyy, P refect e of the N orth, who talk ked to us of Djunkowsky, Prefect North, talked his experiences in i Lapland. H w with the Hee too is at war JJesuits...’. esuits...’.

A d Middle Ages both h Caithness, Att one time during the Middle and O rkney and d SShetland hetland had been dioceses diocesees within the Orkney M etropolitan Ar A chdiocese of T rondheim in Norway.

Norwayy.

Metropolitan Archdiocese Trondheim Although this area area was not included within the geographical hi l lim li mits it originally i i ll sett by by the th V atican attican t ti f the th limits Vatican for P refecture, Djun nkovsky was alr eady rresponsible esponsible for lands Prefecture, Djunkovsky already abutting the N orrwegian Sea Sea and the N orth Sea Sea including Norwegian North the whole of N o wegian and Swedish or Swedish Lapl and also for Norwegian Lapland the North North Atlantic Atlan ntic fr om B affin Bay Bay to the t M elville from Baffin Melville

Peninsula, including in ncluding the N orth Atlantic Atlanticc island groups. groups.

Peninsula, North He thought that there there could be sense in n incorporating He medieval arrangement a went further furtheer to contemplate the medieval and went Kirkwall or W ick being made the centre centre of o his missionary missionary Kirkwall Wick In the t early summer of  he visited v Torshavn activities. In Torshavn Faeroee Islands Islands and dedicated a new new chur ch. F rom in the Faeroe church.

From here he sailed d to Britain Britain and arranged meetings meeetings in London here Cardinaal Wiseman Wiseman and then with thee A dministrators with Cardinal Administrators Aposto postolic olic Vicariates Vicariates of the N ortheern and Eastern of the Apostolic Northern Districts of Scotland, S B ishops K yle and d G illies. IIn n his Districts Bishops Kyle Gillies. report to hiss superior dinal Alessandro Alessan ndro B arnabò at report superior,, Car Cardinal Barnabò Vatican, Djunkovsky D Djunko vsky stated that Kyle Kylee and Gillis Gillis were were the Vatican, Shetland, Orkney Orkney and a Caithness to both keen to transfer Shetland, Arctic Pole Pole o P refecture as they were were not able at the the Arctic Prefecture service v this remote remote ar ea. Djunkovsky Djun nkovsky set out time to service area.

Kirkwall wher aarrived ed on th immediately for Kirkwall wheree he arriv August  although the Pope’s Pope’s approval approval a for the change August gran nted on th October October . was only granted On the st of October October , a J.W. J.W W. SSpence peence wrote wrote fr om On from L wickk ‘Among Ler ‘Amo A Among ong the h passengers bbyy the h st eamer yesterday yesterday d Lerwick steamer Roman n Catholic, who I hear cam me oover ver for the was a Roman came Baptising a child of O’Brien’s O’Brien’s (the man who purpose of Baptising Zetland H otel and who married maarried M argaret keeps the Zetland Hotel Margaret Marshall, Ch harles D uncan’s late ser van nt) and for the Marshall, Charles Duncan’s servant) oselytess to papacy as purpose of getting as many pr proselytes Shetland can n pr oduce. I do not think that th hat he will hav Shetland produce. havee . successs. I trust trust not.’ not.’ On On the st off October October Father Father much success.

Djunkowsky was joined by by his V icar General, General, e the Abbé Abbé Djunkowsky Vicar Bernard Bernard Bernard and a young young Belgian Belgian n priest, F ather Bernard Father Verstraeten who had sailed from from Torshavn.

Torshavn.

Theophilus Verstraeten On the same day Djunko wsky wr ote to Bishop Bishop K yle.....

On Djunkowsky wrote Kyle.....

‘My Lord, Lord, during my stay at Kirkwall Kirkwalll I have have had the ‘My Sacramentss to a far greater greater satisfaction too administer the Sacraments C expect, some of them number of Catholics than I would expect, town and others oth hers that came from from the surrounding surrounding o country town country where many of them had remained remained for years years and been where g by by the th he social intolerance of the P resbyyterians to obliged Presbyterians were Catholic. For For thiss reason reason my stay conceal that they were Kirkwall was w rather long, and I just gott time enough to at Kirkwall weekk in this place before before the autumnal autu umnal gales will spend a week very sea sick when wh hen crossing crossing the commence. I am always very different seas of the North, North, but still I could cou uld at my arrival arrival different here the samee morning say the h. Mass, Mass, for f the first time here probably since sincce the Reformation, Reformation, and I believe beelieve it my duty probably your Lordship Loordship know know in a few few words wordss that everything everything to let your ver e y well. well. ell I have have had here here twoo baptisms, baptisms some is going on very ann nounced DG. When I come back from from these marriages announced shaall have have the pleasure pleasure of writing w your islands I shall to your Lordship more moore fully about the fruits fruits of my m mission here, here, Lordship can probably probably also announce your your Lordships Lordships and then I can

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when I can have the pleasure to accept with my friend Dr Olaf your Lordships kind hospitality’..

It would seem likely that the Mass celebrated on th September  took place in the Zetland Hotel with the O’Brien family and maybe one or two others as congregation. The building is still standing today in the middle of Lerwick’s busy Commercial Street and is now occupied by the Shetland Times Bookshop. It was almost certainly the first Mass celebrated in Shetland since the Scottish Reformation of  just  years earlier.

The Apostolic Prefecture of the North Pole was wound up in  and the resident priest left by Fr Djunkovsky seems to have transferred seamlessly to the authority of the last Northern District Vicar, Bishop John MacDonald who in turn became the first Bishop of Aberdeen in the restored Catholic Hierarchy of . What is today certain

ALittle Food For Thought

is that there is neither archival record nor oral tradition of any Catholic Priest setting foot on Shetland from  until th September . Although this is negative evidence it seems quite plausible in the light of conditions at that time and the recorded comments of the few who reached Caithness and Orkney. What is also certain is that following the untimely death of the first resident priest in , there has been a more or less continuous provision of visiting or resident priests. . Text from a letter written by J.W. Spence from Lerwick reproduced with kind permission of Shetland Museum & Archives . Letter from Dr. Paul Marie Stephan Djunkovsky to Bishop Kyle reproduced with kind permission of the Scottish Catholic Archives.

chain drives and cogs, engages with five pairs of millstones inside the mill.

In the production of the oatmeal, the fresh oats are raked over the floor of the kiln, using a long-handled wooden ‘sheeler’, where perforated cast iron plates allow heat from the furnace below to rise up and dry them. The furnace is built of stone, with a vaulted brick lining and iron hearth doors: a couple of electric fans provide the extra draught which once came from a set of bellows.

The revolving ridge ventilator on top of the kiln assists Margaret Bradley the drying process, and gives the mill its distinctive silhouette. The oats dry in the kiln over the course of four The Montgarrie Mill near Alford, about twenty miles west hours. They are then cooled before being husked, of Aberdeen, is one of the last operating 19th century winnowed, then ground by the mill stones into four cuts: water powered meal mills in Scotland. The mill has fine, medium, rough and pinhead (which is a kernel cut produced Alford Oatmeal in more or less the same way in half) and then bagged, in polythene bags today rather using the same machinery and methods since it was than hessian sacks . The whole process takes around 20 built in the 1880s. It is called the Oatmeal of Alford rather days. The mill produces about 200 tons of oatmeal per than Montgarrie because Alford was the closest railway year compared with 1,000 tons in the 1940’s when 25 station and hence a better-known departure point. Visit people worked at the mill. Today only a couple of people the Mill and you will feel you have taken a step back in operate the mill. time.

Meal mills, characteristically a Scots tradition, were an I often visit the mill. It thrills me to watch the huge mill essential part of 18th and 19th century life. Porridge wheelturningandto listen to its thundering accompanied made from ground oats, barley, peas and beans was by the rushing and splashing of the water from the lade until the beginning of the 18th century, the staple diet of as it falls over the wheel and then into the underground the vast majority of the population of Scotland. By the culvert which takes it to the River Don. The sound is so 19th century a farm labourer could expect to be paid a deafening that it blots out all other thoughts, time stands yearly ration of oatmeal and a daily pint of milk. Each still and all my worries instantly vanish. farm worker in the “bothy” or lodgings had his own “Kists” (chests), one for his few clothes and other The mill wheel, is an iron overshot bucket wheel 24feet in possessions and one for his oatmeal. Oatmeal was diameter and four feet broad. It has 10 spokes, weighs 21 cooked in different ways: as porridge, oatcakes and tons and was made by Messrs. James Abernethy & Co.of bannocks, but most commonly as brose, which was the Ferryhill Foundry, Aberdeen in 1882. It revolves at six made in a wooden bowl by mixing oatmeal, a little salt revolutions per minute and drives through a 15 foot and boiling water to a paste, then adding milk to taste. sprocket on the wheel axle, which through a series of

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Alforrd Oatmeal Alford Oatmea al is sent to o throughout o ghout the expatriates expatriat es th rou world stocked byy dozens w orld and is st tocked b dozens of select select outlets outletts in Scotland.

Scotland.

Oats O ats are arre recognised recogn nised ttoday oday as being better b eing richer and b ettter balanced balanc ed than n any any other ccereal, erreall, bringing g many many health b enefits. It It is claimed c that a benefits. rregular egular intake intake of o oatmeal will giv rottection against givee some pr protection ccardiovascular arrdiovascular disease lo wering serum m cholest terrol lowering cholesterol and blo od pr res essur ssurre. O atmeal blood pressure.

Oatmeal is versatile versatile in the th he kitchen kitchen and ccan an b ourry bee used in man manyy sav savoury and sw weet rrecipes. ecipes. sweet O nm ay home home from from vvisiting isiting On myy w way tthe he Montgarrie Montgarrie Mill, Mill, I u sually usually sstop top a ocal village village sshop hop att m myy llocal a nd buy buy some some Alford Alford O atmeal and Oatmeal TThe he Mont Montgarrie tgarrie Mill Mill and thee gr great reat 24f 24ft ft mill wheel in ac action t tion w ith the the intention intention of of m aking with making o atcakes tto o eeat at w ith cheese, cheese, or or oatcakes with sskirlie kirlie ((onions onions and and o atmeal u sed a tuffing when when rroasting oasting chicken, chicken, turkey turkey or or pheasant) pheasant) or or b etter sstill till C ranachan, a oatmeal used ass a sstuffing better Cranachan, sscrumptious crumptious traditional traditional Scottish Scottish dessert. dessert. IIn n modern modern times times C ranachan is is u sually m ade ffrom rom a m ixture o whipped cream, cream, Cranachan usually made mixture off whipped w hisky, honey honey and and ffresh resh raspberries raspberries ttopped opped with with toasted toasted oatmeal. oatmeal. EEarlier arlier rrecipes ecipes used used crowdie crowdie ccheese heese o n its its o wn o whisky, on own orr a m ixture o rowdie and and cream. cream. Either Either way way iitt iiss vvery ery easy easy tto o make make a nd is is vvery ery d elicious. W hy not not ttry ry m aking some. some. mixture off ccrowdie and delicious.

Why making

Traditional T raditional adition nal Cr Cranachan ranachan D Dessert essert 3ozz P 3o Pinhead inhead o or Rou Rough gh O Oatmeal atmeal ozz - 2oz Sugar 1½ o 2oz Soft Sof oft Brown Brown Su gar ½P Ptt D Double ouble Cream C eam Cr tbsp.. Clear Honey 2 tbsp H 2 tbsp tbsp.. Malt orr other whisky whiskky ½ lb R Raspberries aspberri ries Extra whisky Ex trra whisk ky and a honey Mint leaves M int leav ves to to garnish TToast oast the oatmeal oatm meal with the su sugar gar in a dr dry ry non-stick pan on a medium med dium heat, w watching atching all th the he time and turning frequently evenly.

Sieve frreque equently ently to to brown brown ev venlyy. Siev ve tto o rremove emove the dust and d let it cool. cooll. The The sugar sugar will w give givve the oatmeal a crunchy crunchy texture texture and a caramel carramel ameel taste. taste. Add Add the honey and cream d the whisky whiskky to to the cr ream m and whisk until thick. thick. Fold Fold o in most of the ttoasted oasted e oatmeal oatmeal,l, reserving reserving a handful ha andful for garnish. Toss Toss thee raspberries raspberries in a mixture warm honey mixture of o whisky whiskky and w arm hone ey for extra extrra flavour. mixture flavvourr. Spoon Spoon o a layer layyer of the cream cream mix m ture into into two serving dishes.. A Add two tall individual indiviidual glass ser ving dishes dd a layer layer

of rraspberries aspberriies (reserve (reserve some for decoration) deccorration) and further layer cream. ttop op with a fur ther lay er of cr eam. Decorate Decorrate with rraspberries, aspberriess, oatmeal and a sprig of of mint. SServe erve perhaps with piecee of shor shortbread free p erhaps wit th a piec tbrread and an nd feel fr ree tto o over mixture warm honey whisky drizzle o verr a mix ture of w arm hone ey and whisk ky Drambuie Glayva. cream or some D rambuie or Glay rambuie va. (For (FFor a richer cr eam mixture, cream mix turre, whip wh hip 150ml double cr eam ((or or whipping cream) stiff peaks mascarpone, cr ream) tto o sti iff p eaks then fold in 150mll masc arponee, crowdie Greek cr rowdie cheese cheeese or Gr eek yogurt.) yogurt.)

faithandculture

On a wing

Page 30

Light of the North

and a prayer

Father Peter Barry

R

ecently the parish of St Francis and Westhill played host to Fr Peter Walters, who works in Colombia with the street children. His story is a compelling one: as a student he visited the country, but came unstuck when passport problems prolonged his stay, and he ran out of money. Meeting a group of ‘Gamines’, who were surprised to find a tourist who was as hungry as they were, he was befriended till the problem was sorted. They shared what little food they had with him, until he could return home.

Gamines are young people who live on the streets, and make a living as best they can: selling flowers and matchboxes, cleaning windscreens at traffic lights, and even selling themselves in prostitution. Many come from broken homes, or have been orphaned in the drug wars. In his own words, they are dirty, smelly, sniff glue, and will steal if given a chance, but they are victims, and they are children. Many are infants looked after on the streets by older siblings. They are preyed upon by pimps and often murdered by paramilitaries.

Fr Peter with some of his street children

He never forgot them, and returned on several occasions to the country, until the local bishop suggested that he could help. He became a Catholic, and was ordained to the Priesthood  years ago.

Father Peter now has a charity, ‘Let the Children Live’, which provides shelter, accommodation and schooling for  young street children. lf they remain on the streets they have every chance of ending their young lives at the cemetery. Father Walters’ charity is a last resort for many of them. He has lost six youngsters to drug violence this year alone, the most recent a boy of  whose bullet-ridden body they buried. He had been lured onto a farm along with his friend, by a man they met in the street who promised them work.

Fr Peter reminded us that Scotland is the European country with the highest rate of heroin addiction, per capita. Money from the trade finds its way back to Colombia, and fuels the violence and killing.

The Parish hosted a splendid supper on Sat nd October. Around  people attended, and enjoyed Colombian food, wine, music, and a display of Salsa dancing. It was unashamedly a fund-raiser, and people responded with open hearts.

Fr Peter Walters preached at the three Masses next day, and took a retiral collection.

The total collected over the weekend came to ,.. The total pays tribute to the passion he feels for his work, and the kindheartedness of our congregation and their guests. Sincere thanks to all who helped in any way: cooks, caterers, publicists, those who provided accommodation, musicians, dancers and a host of others. Fr Walters was Parish fund-raiser with Fr Peter on the right and Hairo, the accompanied by Hairo, a young psychologist psychologist with the beaming smile, to his right at the table who helps children in their deepest traumas.

faithandculture

Light of the North

Perhaps a couple of the bidding prayers at Mass sum up the situation: “ Let us pray for Carlota, who was baptised a few months ago, and now lives with relatives in a shanty town. May she never return to the streets, where she was involved in drugs and prostitution. “ Let us pray for

Page 31

Daniel and Juan, two boys who were murdered on the street in June this year “.

To find out more about the ‘Let the Children Live’ charity you will find their website at www.letthechildrenlive.org.

How might I finally educate myself?

Words and the Word The use of Literature as a Practical Aid in Preaching Author: William R. Anderson Publisher: Gracewing ISBN-10: 0852447450 ISBN-13: 978-0852447451 Paperback: 240 pages List Price: £12.99

Canon Bill Anderson, known and loved by so many of you, is now in print! His book, based on his M.Litt. thesis, was published by Gracewing in September. The following is Abbot Hugh Gilbert’s Preface.

This book brims, beyond its many well-chosen quotations, with the wise and gentle words of a wise and a gentle man, and a fine preacher too. How good – to pick up a phrase from its Introduction – that this aged Roman Catholic priest has ventured to distil in these precious pages his homiletic experience. May they be both read and heeded!

The exhilarating scope of its title – Words and the Word – may seem almost undercut by its sober subtitle: The Use of Literature as a Practical Aid to Preaching. But the value of Fr Anderson’s book lies in its very bi-polarity. On the one hand, here are practical ways of enhancing the word delivered from the “mountain” of the pulpit (usually not so lofty these days); on the other, here are some of the great themes that pervade theology and life. This duality seems utterly right. And both aspects are illumined, not obscured, by reference to the preacher’s own biography.

So, this is a book that seminarians, deacons, priests, even bishops, would do well to take in hand. Indeed, conveyed with suitable tact, what a wonderful present for priest friends! But it would be a loss were it confined to the clergy. Just as a good sermon will lead its listeners beyond appreciation of a preacher’s learning or eloquence to simple apprehension of the “thing” itself, the res of the celebrated mystery, the presence of the Lord, and its consequences for our lives, so this book both opens a door into our literary inheritance and edges us again and again towards the universal questions: What is literature?

What is the relationship of the great literary works of humanity – the “secular Scriptures” – to the Word and words of Christianity and its Jewish antecedent? How might we enter into this literary world, and integrate our human culture with our Christian faith? How might a lectio humana enrich our lectio divina, and vice versa?

When St Paul preached to the men of Athens in the middle of the Areopagus, he quoted Greek poets.

In a patristic dictum beloved of St Thomas Aquinas, “Everything true, by whomsoever said, comes from the Holy Spirit” – and, we may add, if it is well said, so much the better. So, as Hugo Rahner said in his great book Greek Myths and Christian Mystery, Homer is holy for us Christians too. “Guided by the genius of poetry, this blind singer touched with trembling hands the primal forms of truth, and for us this makes him the forerunner of the Word that appeared to us clothed in the flesh of man.”

Surely every word that is true, beautiful and good can be found again, and should be, in the service of the Word made flesh, and add its lustre to the halting words of preachers.

Fr Anderson has done a service to us all by living in this noble tradition, by preaching from it for a half a century, and now leaving us this limpid exposition of it.

Per un caffé m ig lio r e Q uali t y I t ali an C ui s in e an d T ak e A w ay 1 5 A H un t ly S t r eet

(Opposite St Mary’s Cathedral) Abe rde e n AB10 1TJ Tel: 01224 639986

Op en i n g H o ur s F r o m 7 am t o 3 p m Pr i v a t e Par t i es Bo ar d - R o o m C at er i n g C at er i n g i n Y o ur H o me C he f Propri et or Franc o So l as

faithandculture

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Light of the North

P oetic Licence Canon Bill Anderson delves into some of his favourite inspirational verse.

H

ilaire Belloc (l870—1953) was in his time a champion of the Church. Educated at John Henry Newman’s Oratory School, he later had a distinguished academic career in Oxford.

His literary output was vast and various in both verse and prose. He had a particular gift for writing poems for children, but as a professional historian his biographical studies of Marie Antoinette, Cromwell and others are not now admired by scholars. Perhaps he tried to do too much in haste, but financial pressures compelled him to keep on writing.

Journalist, essayist, reviewer and politician for a while, he had little opportunity to check every detail or assess each opinion.

Some of his most sensitive verses occur in his sonnets, pieces of fourteen lines with lengths and rhymes strictly defined, a form of poetry requiring discipline and clarity throughout.

Here is a sonnet in memory of his beloved American wife, Elodie, who died comparatively young. Belloc never fully got over this loss, and there is a touching sensitivity in the thought and expression which belies the aggression and incisiveness of Belloc the controversialist and Catholic maverick.

You may find the imagery of these lines affecting, whilst you admire the technical skill of his interweaving one comparison with the next. You may also feel that this poem is not out of place in November, the especial month for all loving recollections of the faithful departed:

Your life is like a little winter’s day

Your life is like a pitiful leave-taking

Whose sad sun rises late to set too soon;

Wept in a dream before a man’s awaking,

You have just come - why will you go away,

A Call with only shadows to attend:

Making an evening of what should be noon?

A Benediction whispered and belated

Your life is like a little flute complaining

Which has no fruit beyond a consecrated,

A long way off, beyond the willow trees:

A consecrated silence at the end.

A long way off, and nothing left remaining But memory of a music on the breeze.

Hilaire Belloc (l870—1953)

Light of the North

crossword

Crossword No.14

This issue’s competition winner will receive a copy of Romano Guardini’s “Learning the Virtues That Lead You to God” . Just send your completed entry, together with your name, address and telephone number to the Light of the North, Ogilvie Centre, 16 Huntly Street, Aberdeen AB10 1SH. First correct entry drawn out of the hat is the winner. Closing date: 14th January, 2010.

Page 33

Last issue’s crossword solution Across 1. Candle; 3. Light; 7. Corrupt; 8. Seek; 10. Alms; 13. Beatitudes; 15. Hypocrites; 18. Children of God; 20. Disciples; 22. Mammon; 23.

Brethren; 24. Foot stool. Down 2. Lord’s Prayer; 4. Treasures; 5. Raka; 6.

Blessed; 9. Prayer; 11. Mountain; 12. Rightiousness; 14. Pluck; 16. Hunger; 17. Pasting; 19. Again; 21. Sand.

Congratulations to our last competition winner, Barbara Plunkett from Forres

Little Horror Sudoku No. 3 If you prefer sudoku to crosswords then you still have a chance to win “Learning the Virtues That Lead You to God” with our super tough “Little Horror” sudoku puzzle.

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

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

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

Across 1 Express sorrow (6) 4 Anticipated (8) 9 God will judge people with this (6) 10 Sore ants (anag); In the White House? (8) 12 Kept confined (8) 13 Times Peter denied Christ (6) 15 Noah became this by faith (4) 16 Last book of the Bible (10) 19 God’s angels (10) 20 Mix up (4) 23 Thin length of material (6) 25 It never comes (8) 27 Soothed (8) 28 Money lender (6) 29 Counted (8) 30 Rigid sheets of metal (6) Down 1 A dimension of God’s love (7) 2 Himalayas, for example (9) 3 Gain, reach or arrive at (6)

5 Sesame worked! (4) 6 A faithful minister of Christ (8) 7 Mother in law of Ruth (5) 8 Sun sets in this sky (7) 11 Retaliation (7) 14 Scripture is profitable for this (7) 17 Magicians couldn’t do this for Pharaoh’s dreams (9) 18 Jerusalem - how her house is left (8) 19 Disease of cattle (7) 21 When Jesus comes these will be with Him (7) 22 Fragment of food (6) 24 Booms (anag) (5) 26 Not there! (4)

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

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

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

Do r n o c h B o o k Sh op / Pa ge ● Talking

books

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music CDs survey maps ● Postcards ● Greetings cards for all occasions ● Book tokens ● Fax and photocopying service HIGH STREET DORNOCH SUTHERLAND IV25 3SH TEL: 01862 810165 FAX: 01862 810197

FOR A WIDE RANGE OF ADULT AND CHILDREN’S READING ● Stationery ● Ordnance

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Humour from the Vestry

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After a vvery ery llong ong and and boring boring sermon sermon the the parishoners parishoners After filed o ut of of the the church church saying saying nothing nothing to to the the preacher. preacher. filed out Towards the the end end of of the the line line was was a thoughtful thoughtful person p erson Towards who a lways ccommented ommented on on the the sermons. serm mons. ‘Pastor, ‘Pastor, who always today your your sermon serm mon reminded reeminded me me of of the the peace peace and and today love of of G od!’ The Th e p astor was was thrilled. thrilled. ‘No-one ‘No- one has has ever ever love God!’ pastor said anything anything llike ike that that about about my my preaching preeaching before. before. said Tell m hy.’ ‘‘Well, Well, iitt reminded reminded me me of of the the Peace Peace of of God God Tell mee w why.’ because it it passed passed all all understanding understanding and and the the Love Love of of because God because because iitt endured endured forever!’ forever!’ God No N ot W Wh holly U Un n e x p e c tte ed W hen W illiam S h a k e s p e a rre e went Wh Willia sw imming one day he w as obsesse d with wimmin wa ed t h e n o t iio on that m oths had been feed mo dii n g o n t h e b a c k o f h iis s t rru unks! H e asked a friend He t o iin n v e s t iig gate and m a k e a t h o rro o u g h sse earch. ma T h e f rrie i e n d rre e p llie i e d , ““No N o h o lle e s , b a rrd d.�

Fish F i s h y Tale Tale They climbed d Vesuvius to see the creator A man goe ess iint ch op with n t o a f iish sh n c h iip p ssh ho p w ith smoking. a sa s a lm l m o n und u n d er e r h is i s a r m . He H e a sk s k s ‘Do ‘ D o you you HOO O O I LLVV K FD F D N HV H V K HUH" HUH"¡ Flooding in areas a ississippi V H such as the Mississippi Âś1R¡ ZDV WKH UH HS S OO\ \ may be avoided ded by placing a number umber of Âś1 PH ELUW GD \ ¡ œœ6 6KDP H LLWW ¡¡VV K LLVV E LUWKG D\ big dames into nto the river.

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Change is inevitable ex xcept fr rom a vvending ending except from machine

Bur B u r gla g l a r ’’ss FFat atal M Miste isteak A woman w o m a n woke w o k e her h e r husband h u s b a n d o one n e nnii gght h t a n d ssaa iid, d, The King wore ore a scarlet robe trimmed rimmed ‘ TThere’s h e r e ’s a bburgl u r g l aarr i n tthe h e kkii ttchen c h e n eeati a t i nngg m myy h o m mee with vermin. made m a d e ssteak t e a k aand n d kkii ddney n e y ppii ee!’ !’ ‘ O h ddear,’ e a r ,’ ssai a i d hher e r hhusband. usband. ‘W h o sshal h a l l I c a l ll,, ppoo Who To find the centre entre of a given circle rcle first ‘O i c e o r a m b u l a n c e ? ’ l ce or ambul ance? get a pair off compasses and draw raw the circle. Hold the t paper to the light ght and hermit ermit w was as a arrested rrested a after fter d driving riving a hundred hundred see the hole in i the middle. That at is the A h miles an hour, the charge was recluse driving. m i l e s a n h o u r , t h e c h a r g e w a s r e c l u s e driving. centre.

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LLove ove a duck! duck!

Westminster

Light of the North

Page 35

Sister Janet’s Westminster Blog Sister Janet Fearns FMDM is the Communications Coordinator for the Pontifical Mission Societies.

You can visit her website, ‘Pause for Prayer’ at http://pauseforprayer.blogspot.com

Lost and found

T

he Pope’s visit to Hyde Park will hold different memories for different people. It was a wonderful day with bright sunshine and a crowd of , people of every age, shape and size. Time-consuming preparations for the day had prevented me phoning my colleagues in Missio Scotland for a first-hand account of the Mass in Bellahouston Park, but I guessed that they were enjoying a welldeserved rest after the glorious scenes which we enjoyed watching on television south of the Border. What a beautiful touch it was to see Pope Benedict driving along Princes Street wearing the specially-designed tartan!

My own responsibilities for the visit to Hyde Park involved the two visitor centres but where does one begin to search for a small child in a massive gathering of tens of thousands of people? Little imagination is required to understand the suffering of a parent who has lost a child. It is another thing altogether to be with that parent in their search. Altogether, within the space of a couple of hours, four sets of parents reported missing children. One by one, three young boys, sensibly, arrived at the Meeting Point and, trying to be grown-up and not cry, with hands deep in their pockets and with courage they didn’t feel, looked down at the ground and said, “I’m lost.”

One set of parents caused little concern: noisy, impatient and not very worried, they reported their missing son and kept on going, joined by equally noisy relatives. These were the Travellers: with resourcefulness inbred through the generations, they knew that, sooner or later, he would appear. They were merely irritated that their journey home would take longer than anticipated.

Not so for the other families. A lost child raised their worst nightmares and other people’s understanding and kindness. Nobody complained about knocked-over picnic baskets or trampled rugs when they heard the words “missing child”. Sheer goodness reigned supreme.

There was the father who attempted to appear as though he didn’t have a rising tide of panic… the mother who exploded in anger, dissolved into tears and was radiantly transformed as a security guard appeared with her missing daughter.

The reunions were fascinating. Each child was given an

earful (and at high volume!) by their anxious parents.

Then, suddenly, parent and child forgot about the rest of the world as they collapsed, sobbing with relief into each other’s arms. They didn’t care who saw the tears. All that mattered was that they were together once more. One man went down on his knees to say thank you, tears streaming down his face.

One Missio-England and Wales volunteer mused: “Was it like this when Mary and Joseph found Jesus in the Temple? The first thing they did was to tell him off, but they

must have been just as scared as any of these parents.”

Yes, and every bit as grateful as the father who ran to meet his son as he returned home after wasting the family fortune. We all know the parable of the Prodigal Son. It was re-enacted at Hyde Park as anxious adults scoured the crowd for a lost child. One mother was also worried lest any public announcement interrupt the arrival of Pope Benedict: such thoughtfulness amidst her suffering! Surely the father in the parable did not care what his son had done. All he wanted was to see the young man and to know him safe and sound. So for the children in Hyde Park: their relieved parents demanded to know where they had been and what they had been doing in order to become separated from the family, but the child’s answers went unheard. Parental interrogations were merely an explosion of anxiety, guilt and relief.

As reunited family members left the Meeting Point, hand-in-hand, theirs would be a story to be told and retold for many years to come. It was a moment of answered prayer. One can only imagine the gratitude as, shortly afterwards, the Holy Father exposed the Blessed Sacrament and blessed the huge crowd. Yet, seven reunited families were, in themselves a parable: there were 80,000 people in Hyde Park, but not one of them was either faceless or anonymous before their loving God.

I’m going to live forever When we are young we don’t worry about getting old.

When we are old we shouldn’t have to fear the future. Age Scotland works hard to take the worry out of growing old.

We work for a better later life, today and tomorrow.

We challenge disadvantage and unfairness. We understand what’s needed to transform older people’s lives for the better.

You can help us transform lives by leaving a legacy in your XJMM &WFO B TNBMM MFHBDZ DBO NBLF B IVHF EJĆŠFSFODF UP PVS important work. Speak to your solicitor and remember Age Scotland in your will today.

With your help we can ensure a worry-free future for older people in Scotland.

Age Scotland Causewayside House 160 Causewayside, Edinburgh EH9 1PR Tel: 0845 833 0200

Charity number: SC010100