Light of the North Issue 23

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I am the Light of the World F r om Nash From Nashville ville with LLove ove A rriv al a of Arrival D ominic inic a n Dominican Sist ers rs in Elgin Sisters P age 4 Page

When W hen Ignatius met FFrancis rancis Srr Moira Moirra Donnelly D onnellly Page age 15

I s s ue 23, S ummer, 2013 Scots soldier fr Scots from rom o Auchleuchries A uchleuchries w who became b ecame tut tutor tor tto oP Peter etter the Gr Great reat Alasdair A lasdair Roberts Roberts t & Ann A nn D Dean ean P Page26 age26

Sr Ja Janet net FFearns earns and and friendship Page P age 35

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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. SC005122

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Light of the North

A Letter from Bishop Hugh O.S.B.

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ear Friends,

We are still in the Year of Faith. What a dramatic year it has proved to be for us as Catholics and not least in Scotland! We have lived through the sad events surrounding the resignation of Cardinal O’Brien. We were all touched by the humble courage of Pope Benedict in laying down his mission as the Successor of St Peter. We have all been cheered by the advent of Pope Francis. We await the appointments of new bishops in Scotland. In their different ways, testing or inspiring, all these things call forth our faith and trust in God. At every Mass, the priest prays, ‘Look not on our sins but on the faith of your Church.’

May this faith always be what the Lord sees in us!

Meanwhile in our own diocese of Aberdeen, life goes on. Our most recently ordained priest, Fr. Domenico Zanré, has been called to two years service in the Nunciature in London. Please God, this will be an enrichment for him but it is a (temporary) loss for us.

Please pray for our three seminarians and for Peter Macdonald, who has served us so well as a permanent deacon, was recently widowed and now is valiantly going forward to the priesthood. And please pray that more young men will come forward for the priesthood and that we may find good priests from elsewhere who will come to minister in our diocese.

The vocation to the permanent diaconate is also a precious one. It is open to married as well as to single men. It’s good to know that some in this diocese are giving it serious consideration.

The Holy Trinity is incomplete without the Holy Spirit and the life of the local Church is incomplete without the presence of the consecrated (or religious) men and women. We are already graced in this diocese by the presence of the Benedictine monks of Pluscarden and the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer on Papa Stronsay (two of whom, Brs. Yousef and Magdala, were ordained priests in Rome on the 22nd June), and by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, the Franciscan

Missionaries of Mary, two members of La Sainte Union and one Missionary Sister of St Columban, as well as the more hidden presence of hermits. Happily, in August we will welcome to the diocese from the USA some sisters of the Dominican Congregation of St Cecilia, popularly known as the Nashville Dominicans. They introduce themselves further on in this magazine. They will be a great gift to our diocese. I am most grateful to their Mother Prioress, Sr. Ann Marie Karlovic, and to her Council for accepting our invitation. If we are to be evangelised and evangelise, we need such help. They will be resident in the beautiful Convent in Elgin, formerly occupied by the Sisters of Mercy.

As part of the national celebrations of the Year of Faith, we will be hosting in Aberdeen on the afternoon of Saturday 14 September an ecumenical service, based on the Evening Prayer of the Church, in which Christians of other denominations will take part, as a common profession of faith. It is hoped to begin this in the Kirk of St Nicholas, by courtesy of the minister, the Rev. Stephen Taylor, and then process

Ordinations of Father Magdala Maria and Father Yousef Marie from the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer on Papa Stronsay and Fr. Massimo Botta of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter which took place in Rome in June together to St Mary’s Cathedral in Huntly Street. Further details will be advertised nearer the time, but you are already invited!

In his Rule, St Benedict expresses the hope that the abbot ‘will truly rejoice in the increase of a good flock’. In the city of Aberdeen and in some other places of our diocese the Church is not declining in numbers but growing. And there is much life! More important still is the continuing mercy of God and our own response in prayer.

In what remains of this Year of Faith and beyond, may the Lord increase our faith, hope and charity! And may these overflow in all we do and say for others!

Yours sincerely in Christ, Bishop Hugh O. S. B.

Appreciative audience for Vatican II Lectures

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aturday 18th May saw the last set of lectures on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, presented

by Prior Benedict Hardy OSB at Pluscarden Abbey, an initiative for the current Year of Faith which has called for us all to rediscover the fruits of the Council. The faithful of the diocese who attended these lectures are most grateful to Fr Benedict for the immense amount of time he has given to preparing these lectures and the infectious enthusiasm with which he delivered them.

Light of the North

contents diocese 2 obituary 11 liturgy 12 educationandformation 15 faithandculture 19 humour 33 crossword 34 Westminster 35

Light of the North Managing Editor Deacon Tony Schmitz Editor Cowan Watson Editorial Advisor Canon Bill Anderson Advertising Sandra Townsley

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ome readers may have been able to identify the image on our front cover but for anyone who’s still in the dark the carved marble face of Our Lady is part of one of the most celebrated works of the Renaissance artist, Michelangelo Buonarroti. It’s a detail from a statue housed in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and usually known as The Michelangelo Pietà . It depicts the Madonna holding the body of the dead Jesus minutes after he was taken down from the cross.

Michelangelo’s interpretation of this theme is unique in the way that it Michelangelo’s Pietà combines all the Renaissance ideals of classical beauty with naturalism. It’s hard to believe that what we are looking at is not flesh and blood but cold marble, carved by the artist when he was just over twenty years old! It is also the subject of one of the most controversial art restorations in history.

Forty one years ago in 1972 an unemployed Hungarian geologist, Laszlo Toth, jumped over an altar rail and, claiming to be alternatively Michelangelo and Jesus Christ, attacked the statue with a hammer. The Madonna’s left arm and hand were knocked off, her nose was broken in three parts and about a hundred other fragments were scattered about the floor of the chapel including one piece which was picked up by a tourist in the confusion as a souvenir.

In May of this year the Vatican held a special seminar to mark the anniversary of the attack on the statue and its subsequent restoration. When it comes to restoration work of such a critical nature there are basically three schools of thought: You can leave the damaged work as it is; you can restore the work while making it obvious which parts have been restored or you can make an integral restoration in which case there should be no traces of any restoration having taken place. In the end the Vatican, disregarding the protests from more conservative restorers, opted for the last option. It took ten months to complete the work. Five months were spent identifying all the pieces including the most precious discovery of the Madonna’s eyelid - Fortunately the tourist who picked up a piece as a souvenir later sent it back to the Vatican. To avoid the risk of moving the statue a makeshift laboratory was constructed around it. Using photographs taken before the attack the restorers were able to reassemble the fragments using a special invisible glue which was combined with marble dust. Any gaps which were left after the pieces had been reassembled were filled with replacement parts made from a copy of the statue that had been formed from a mould before the attack.

It’s an inspiring tale of technical innovation and human ingenuity successfully recreating the seamless beauty of an iconic work of art. At the same time it might also be seen as a metaphor for that certain hope which lies at the heart of our Christian faith: that broken lives shattered by cruel experience may yet be restored and made whole through the transformative power of the Holy Spirit.

And, keeping to the sculptural theme, Fr Domenico Zanrè, in this issue, looks at another celebrated work, Bernini’s sculpture of the “Ecstasy of St Teresaâ€? and discusses how the artist was able to capture the essence of Carmelite mysticism (p19). Also in this issue Dr Roger Williams continues his historical survey of hymns (p13), Sr Moira Donnelly gives her reasons as to why our new Jesuit Pope has adopted the title Francis I (p15). In addition, Alasdair Roberts and Ann Dean tell the extraordinary tale of how a Scots soldier from Auchleuchries rose in the ranks to become the right-hand man of the Russian Tsar, Peter the Great (p26) and one of our regular columnists, Sr Janet Fearns, considers how the Internet has put a whole new face on the meaning of friendship (p35).

Have a great summer!

Cowan

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Light of the North

To The Diocese of Aberdeen with love

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ear Friends in the Diocese of Aberdeen,

It seems that you deserve at least a word of introduction from us - all of us. After all, Bishop Hugh has invited our religious community to become a part of the family that is your diocese. Already, we have begun to feel something of the warmth of your welcome. Because there are 280+ of us, all of us cannot travel the distance from Tennessee to Aberdeen. Still, in sending four of us to be with you, all of us are coming. That is a mysterious sort of truth, but it is true nonetheless. And so, we should tell you something about ourselves….

We are the Dominican Sisters of the Congregation of St. Cecilia, whose motherhouse is in Nashville, Tennessee. Our

Catholic education and the Christian formation of children, young people and adults have remained the principal mission, or “apostolate,” of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia

community was founded in Nashville in 1860, when the local bishop (himself a Dominican) requested that sisters be sent from Ohio to serve in the Diocese of Nashville. Specifically, he wanted them to begin a girls’ academy in the growing city of Nashville.

The bishop placed great value on Catholic education, and despite the small Catholic population in Tennessee, he saw the presence of religious sisters in the diocese as integral to the formation of his people and to the growth and deepening of the faith. Four sisters were sent from Somerset, Ohio to Nashville in August of 1860, to begin the foundation of St. Cecilia. The community – and St. Cecilia Convent – have been here ever since.

Catholic education and the Christian formation of children, young people and adults have remained the principal mission, or “apostolate,” of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia. Although, at 153 years, we are relatively “young” compared to a centuriesold country such as Scotland, our congregation is linked to the 800-year history of the Dominican Order as a whole. At the same time, our life as a our religious community, founded in the largely Protestant Southern United States just at the time of a civil war, has its own brand of richness, steeped in the Gospel and in the grace of the Holy Spirit which has sustained us. From our beginnings in 1860, with only four sisters, one convent and one school, God has given us growth, for the sake of the Church. As of this August, our community numbers almost 300, and we are privileged to send sisters out from Nashville to serve in 19 dioceses in the U.S. and four in additional countries (Italy, Australia, Canada and, beginning this August, Scotland). Our sisters are engaged in classroom teaching and school administration on the elementary, secondary and university levels; retreat work and university chaplaincies and in other areas related to the mission of the New Evangelization. In every aspect of our active apostolate, our desire is to live out the characteristic aspiration of the Dominican Order, that of being “fully engaged in proclaiming the Lord.”1 Ours is a contemplative-apostolic Dominican community.

This means that our active apostolate is supported and sustained 1 Pope Honorius III, To All the Prelates of the Church, February 4, 1221, at the time of the beginning of the Dominican Order

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The entire community at worship in the motherhouse in Nashville by our regular life of prayer. Community life in each of our convents is centered in the Eucharist and nurtured by celebration of daily Mass and the Divine Office; times of silence and private prayer; and time set aside daily simply to be with one another, much like a family. This regular atmosphere of being with the Lord and one another in prayerful community is the wellspring for all of our doing in the active apostolate. Dominicans are fond of

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saying that we seek “To contemplate and to give to others the fruits of our contemplation.”

Sister Anna Christi, Sister Imelda Ann, Sister Nicholas Marie, and Sister Christiana will be our first sisters to serve in Aberdeen.

They will live in Greyfriars Convent in Elgin. The sisters will be available to assist in the formation of youth and adults in the Catholic faith; in sponsoring retreats and catechetical courses, and offering pastoral assistance in local parishes.

We are very mindful of the fact that our four sisters join other wonderful religious women already serving in the Diocese of Aberdeen, as well as countless religious communities who have worked and sacrificed in centuries past for the Church in Scotland.

This is truly moving for us to realize, and we thank Bishop Hugh for allowing us this opportunity to serve.

It makes us glad that, in coming to know our four sisters, you will come to know our community; and, through them, we will come to know you. Our hope is that, together, we will all come more deeply to know the Lord.

God bless you, The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.

Just like a walk in the Park Charles and Patrica Posnett from the World Community for Christian Meditation return to St Joseph’s Primary School in Aberdeen where eighteen months ago they shared the gift of meditation with children and staff alike.

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t was November 2011 when Christian Meditation was introduced at St Joseph’s Primary School. As reported in the Light of the North, Bishop Hugh Gilbert said Mass at the start of the inservice training day and the staff were very enthusiastic about sharing the gift of meditation with the children. Eighteen months later it was lovely to go back to the school and hear how it had made a really positive difference to life in the classroom.

When I talked to Karen Tominey, the headteacher at St Joseph’s, she told me that the school was doing a sponsored walk to help the Senior Citizens at Northcote Lodge. The money raised would go towards the purchase of a minibus so they would be able to go on trips and outings around the community. Karen invited us to join them for a walk with the children as far as Duthie Park. Once at the Park the children would take part in different activities.

This seemed a good idea and had the double attraction that we would have the opportunity to share some time of meditation with the children in the beautiful surroundings of the Japanese garden and the sunken garden.

We felt very privileged to share this time with them and, as the pictures show, the children enjoyed it too. To see children deep in meditation is a moving sight. You realise that they are experiencing a profound and beautiful stillness within themselves and they seem to be able to cut themselves off from all the extraneous distractions around them. On this occasion this included a helicopter passing overhead, not to mention the seagulls!

One of the things about meditation is that it is never measured or graded but it does have distinct fruits and benefits. In the case of St Joseph’s Primary School Mrs Henry’s P4 class meditate regularly in class. Patrick says that he feels, “Relaxed and calm,” and can pray better. Una enjoys meditation because she feels, “Confident and happy,” and can speak to God. Siena feels close to God and “Holy” because when meditating with her eyes closed, she feels good about the

“To see children deep in meditation is a moving sight” world. Lucy enjoys meditating and says ”You can really feel God is listening to you.”

Mrs Gardner’s P2 class also meditate regularly. Orla (aged 6) said she feels, “Happy like sunlight in the room.” Erik said, “I feel that I am lifted in the sky and meditating to God.” Leo said, “It makes me feel that I can see all my friends and family that have died.” And Szymon said, “It makes me feel that God touches my heart.”

In the eighteen months between our two visits we have had the privilege of introducing Christian meditation to thousands of primary school children throughout the United Kingdom and it’s interesting to see how it satisfies a real hunger for silence in such a busy world. Furthermore in all the schools that we visit we are reminded that children are born contemplative and really love to meditate. We know this because they are sufficiently enthusiastic not only to meditate at school, but also to take the practice into their homes.

Children meditate together as naturally as they breathe in and out. They enjoy the simple discipline with its simple structure and it is a real privilege to share the simplicity with them. Not that meditation is always easy because it isn’t. Like most disciplines it requires daily practise, but if we practice it often enough we hope and pray that it really will become like “a walk in the park.”

For further information contact Charles Posnett.

Special Interest Coordinator – Christian Meditation with Children - The World Community for Christian Meditation. T: 01525 873536 E: charles@posnett.entadsl

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Light of the North

Young adult pilgrimage to Pluscarden

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oung adults from across the Diocese took part in a Pilgrimage Weekend from the 28th to 30th June. The weekend started with a walk from St Sylvester’s Church, Elgin, to Pluscarden Abbey, carrying the Scottish Youth Cross.

Events over the weekend included the celebration of Mass, Gregorian Chant, the Divine Office, Adoration, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a Healing Service and a lively music Ministry.

If you know somebody who is unable to get to church to pick up a copy of the Light of the North please let them know that for just £10.00 they can be put on our subscribers’ mailing list, and we will send them a year’s issues of the magazine by post.

All cheques should be made out to: “RC Diocese of Aberdeen” 24/08/2013 14:00 - Festival of Religious Song Our Lady of Mt Carmel Banff 09/09/2013 National Pilgrimage to Carfin 14/09/2013 Scottish National Ecumenical Event to mark the Year of Faith 2pm Gathering at Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting (The Mither Kirk) Aberdeen followed by Walk of Witness to St Mary’s Cathedral and 3pm Service of Prayer and Praise See more at: http://www.yearoffaithscotland.com 14/10/2013 - 21/10/2013 Diocesan Pilgrimage to Rome 18/10/2013 - 20/10/2013 Retreat for Diocese of Aberdeen Cursillo Community St Drostan’s Lodge, Brechin 29/10/2013 15:00 - 16:00 Prayer Vigil The Maternity Hospital, Aberdeen

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04/11/2013 - 08/11/2013 Pilgrimage to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne 25/11/2013 - 29/11/2013 “Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord” all day open retreat St Drostan’s Lodge, Brechin

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The Way of St Andrews The pilgrim route to St Andrews is being revived as one of the great pilgrimages of the world. In time, it’s hoped that it will rival that other great pilgrimage, the famous “Camino” to Santiago de Compostela, which every year draws over 200,000 pilgrims, mainly on foot or bike. Chris Dyos from St Francis of Assisi Church in Aberdeen and Fiona Mitchell, a parishioner of St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen are currently mapping out a route for pilgrims from Tain to St Andrews. Chris Dyos reports:

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arly in the morning on Monday 20th May, five hardy souls (with hardy soles!) set off from St Mary’s Cathedral in Aberdeen to walk to St Andrews. This was the inaugural pilgrimage along what it is hoped will become, in time, a well trodden path.

‘Why?’ You may very well ask! Well, the Way of St Andrews is being revived as one of the great pilgrimages of the world, and there are several routes for walkers and cyclists which have either been finalised or are being researched, starting from various parts of Scotland.

In former times, St Andrews was a major pilgrimage destination because there, in the great cathedral, the relics of St Andrew were venerated. The relics had been brought by St Wilfred from Rome to Hexham in Northumberland and then his successor Bishop Acca carried them to Kinrimund, the place now called St Andrews. Despite the ravages of the Reformation, St Andrews remains a special place “Despite the ravages of the for prayer, and for giving thanks Reformation, St Andrews for lessons learned and blessings remains a special place for received along the Way. The prayer”

“Five hardy souls with hardy soles!” annual New Dawn in Scotland conference and pilgrimage takes place there in July.

Our route from Aberdeen to St Andrews forms what we intend to expand into a route from Tain (Gaelic: Baile Dubhthaich, ‘Duthac’s town’, the shrine of St Duthac there being another former pilgrimage destination), through Aberdeen to St Andrews – we are thinking of naming the extended route St Duthac’s Way. Suitably clad and light of load, we set off towards our first day’s destination, Stonehaven. Subsequent days saw us make it to Inverbervie, Montrose, Arbroath, Dundee and finally (our sixth day) to St Andrews. The route we have put together is mainly on minor roads, tracks and footpaths, but inevitably there are one or two short sections where the main road could not be avoided. We didn’t take tents, and so we ended up in a variety of accommodation for each night’s stop. Grateful thanks are due to kind hospitality providers on the Way. We were, on the whole, blessed with good weather, with only a bit of wind, cold and the odd shower to contend with before arriving in St Andrews in glorious sunshine.

We all found time to pray and think along the Way, and we hope to have come back at least a little spiritually refreshed ... as well as with one or two blisters!

For more details of the St Andrews Way, have a look at www. thewayofstandrews.com, (where our route will be published in due course) or email info@stfrancisaberdeen.org.uk for information on the Aberdeen route.

Pentecost weekend at Craig Lodge, Dalmally

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everal members of the House of Bread Prayer Group who meet on a Tuesday evening at St Columba’s RC Church in the Bridge of Don spent their Pentecost weekend at the Craig Lodge retreat centre in Dalmally.

The weekend of praise and worship was led by Andy Stayne of the New Life Catholic Community with the topic ‘think of the Love that the Father lavished on us.’ Everyone enjoyed the weekend and it was agreed by all that the Father certainly lavished his Love on the weekend with praise, prayer, excellent talks and glorious sunshine.

Assistant Priest at St Columba’s Fr Patrick Lambert accompanied the Prayer Group on his first visit to Craig Lodge and was pleased to assist in celebrating Mass at Taynuilt Church on the Sunday.

Doug Duncan

Some of the members of the House of Bread Prayer Group who enjoyed the weekend retreat

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Light of the North

New port chaplain finds his sea legs

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oug Duncan from St Columba’s Church in the Bridge of Don has been appointed the Apostleship of the Sea Port Chaplain for Aberdeen and the North East.

Doug, formerly Business Development Manager of Mansell Construction Ltd takes over the role from Deacon Brian Kilkerr who has dedicated the last seven years to this vital ministry.

On the occasion of his retirement Deacon Brian was presented with a Certificate of Commendation from the Merchant Navy Welfare Board.

Light of the North News Hounds Wanted

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he Light of the North is your Diocesan magazine and we need to know what’s happening in your Parish.

If you would be interested in being a Light of the North Parish Correspondent please get in touch with the editor at: lightofthenorthmagazine@gmail.com Ideally, we would like to have a correspondent in every parish who would let us know about any newsworthy events for inclusion in the magazine.

Parish news hounds could also ensure that the magazines are handed out in church and collect any donations. This would relieve their parish priest of this responsibility.

So, please say yes to being a Parish Correspondent so that we can continue to provide the news and pictures which help to make the Light of the North truly representative of all the parishes in the Diocese.

Fundraisers take big strides for S.C.I.A.F. Rev Deacon Brian Kilkerr is presented with his Certificate of Commendation

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oung parishioners from St.Margaret’s Church in Lerwick with their Parish Priest, Fr Anil Gonsalves, took part in a number of fundraising events during Lent to support the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund. The events included a sponsored 18 mile walk from St.Margaret’s to St Ninian’s Isle on the 16th March with all the proceeds going to S.C.I.A.F.

Deacon Brian hands over the reins to Doug Duncan

HUGH

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f you have access to the internet do take a look at some of the many inspiring talks and homilies given by Bishop Hugh Gilbert and other members of the clergy and which are now available on “You Tube”. These include videos of the Diocesan Faith Formation Seminars led by Bishop Hugh which cover a wide range of topics such as “Why does God allow evil?” and “A Catholic Perspective on Economic Life”.

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Diocesan golf outing

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Diocesan African Choir take part in the MACC for the first time

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n February of this year Aberdeen Diocesan African Choir took part, for the first time, in the Manchester Amateur Choral Competition.

At a reception held at the Bishop’s House Bishop Hugh Gilbert gave the choir his blessing prior to their departure for Manchester.

Despite a spirited performance they were not placed this year but they did have the satisfaction of having sung to a high standard and to have experienced and enjoyed the diversity of performance from other amateur choirs from all over the United Kingdom.

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he Bishop’s Golden Jubilee Trophy, Aberdeen Diocese’s annual golf outing took place on Friday June 29 at Elgin Golf Club. Teams of three players contended for the trophy which was won by the St Mary’s Cathedral Team – Gerald Cunningham, Irvine Long and Kevin Birmingham.

Mini-Bus Appeal

The choir attended a reception at Bishop’s House prior to taking part in the Manchester Amateur Choir Competition

Diocesan African Choir gave a spirited performance

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upils from St Joseph’s RC Primary school in Aberdeen who raised £2,000 from a sponsored walk towards the Northcote Lodge Care Home New Mini-Bus Appeal.

The children also took some plants with them and are going to be adopting part of the garden at the new home.

They are excited at the prospect planning and working on the garden.

The picture shows Head Teacher, Mrs Tominey handing over a cheque to Dr Anne Cannon a Trustee of Northcote Lodge. Looking on are Mrs McAllistair the parent who runs the Garden Club at St Joseph’s, Sigi Gray a Trustee of Northcote and Diane Livingstone, Manager of Northcote Lodge.

JERICHO BENEDICTINES Combine the Spiritual Life with the running of ‘Jericho Inns’ for those being passed by on the other side’ The Drug & Alcohol Addicted Victims of Domestic Violence Homeless Men & Women Holidays for those on low income Enquiries & donations gratefully received

AD Jericho Benedictines 1/8 Repeat Fr. James Monastery of Jesus, Harelaw Farm KILBARCHAN Renfrewshire PA10 2PY

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Our O ur Ladyy of A Aberdeen, berdeen,, K Kincorth incorth ccelebrates elebr brates G Golden olden n Jubilee Bishop P Peter eter M Moran, oran, Bishop Emer Emeritus itus of A Aberdeen berdeen ccelebrated elebrated a M Mass asss of thanksg thanksgiving iving aatt O Our ur Lady off A Aberdeen berdeen Kincorth mark the the golden church chur ch in K incorth t on the 9th July to to mark jubilee of the ffounding oun ounding nding of the chur ch. church.

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James FFalconer alconer ((Chaplain, C Chaplain, A berdeen Childr en’s Hospital), Aberdeen Children’s R ev M ark R odgers (Lead (Lead Chaplain, Aberdeen Aberde een R oyal Rev Mark Rodgers Royal IInfirmary nfirmary [[ARI]), ARI]), M rs Trudy Trudy Noble (Chaplain (Chaplain ARI), Rev Rev Mrs Elizabeth C ampbe ell ((Chaplain, Chaplain, ARI), R ev Alison Alison Hut chison Campbell Rev Hutchison ((Chaplain, Chaplain, Woodend Woodend Hospital Aberdeen), M Donald Hospital,, Aberdeen), Mrr Donald M eston ((Chaplain, Chaplain n, R oyal C ornhill Hospital berrdeen) and Meston Royal Cornhill Hospital,, A Aberdeen) P amela A dam (R oyal C ornhill Hospital berdee en).

Pamela Adam (Royal Cornhill Hospital,, A Aberdeen).

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Changes in the Highlands

Oh Happy Day!

From Sunday 7th July a number of changes took effect in the Highland Deanery: Fr John Allen, who has served in Wick and Thurso for so many years, has now been appointed parish priest of St Ninian’s, Inverness, and the lochside parishes of Stratherrick and Fort Augustus. He will also be the chaplain to Raigmore Hospital.

Fr Francis Kulah has been asked to be priest in residence in the parishes of St Anne’s Thurso and St Joachim’s Wick, until a more permanent arrangement can be made.

Fr Colin Davies is relinquishing the pastoral care of the parish of St Peter and St Boniface, Fortrose, and taking on the care of St Martin of Tours, Ullapool, and of Gairloch. These have hitherto been served from Dingwall. Fr David Kay SJ, while remaining parish priest of St Lawrence’s, Dingwall, has become the parish priest of Fortrose.

Commenting on the changes Bishop hugh Gilbert said, “As we all know, we are under considerable constraints both in the Highlands and throughout the diocese. I am grateful to all the priests involved in these changes, also for the help that retired priests (not to mention a retired bishop!) give to the diocese, and for that of Fr William Maclean of our neighbouring diocese in the West.”

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aturday morning M aturday Mass ass aatt SStt M Mary’s ary’s CCathedral, atheddral, Aber Aberdeen deen on the 20th Jul Julyy w was as a par particularly ticularly jo joyful yful occ occasion asion ffor o ccandidates or andidates fr from om the CCathedral’s athedraal’s RCIA (R (Rite ite of CChristian hristian Initia Initiation tion of o AAdults) dults) pr programme. ogramme.

At At the Mass celebrated celeebrated bbyy Bishop Bishop Hugh Gilbert, Gilbert, Rosaleen en BBrown, rown, Sheila GGraham raham and YYulia ulia Malk Malkina ina w were ere baptised baptised,, CChinwe hinwe AAbadom badom w was as rreceived eceived in into to full ccommunion ommunion with the CCatholic atholic CChurch hurch and CChinwe hinwe AAbadom, badom, Rosaleen BBrown, rown, Sheila GGraham, raham, YYulia ulia Malk Malkina, ina, TTochukwu ochukwuu AAbadom, badom, Ifunan Ifunanya ya OOzonevo, zonevo, Jonas Mun Munius nius and AAnn nn EEnyoro nyoro w were ere cconfirmed. onfirmed.

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Requiem Mass was held at St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen on Tuesday, 7 May for Nicholas, Nick, Baxter, aged 65.

Nick was a parishioner of St Mary’s and will doubtless be remembered as the man who pioneered proper social care in the community for individuals who, in the prevailing circumstances of the 1970s, were sometimes neglected and forgotten, in institutions which, rather than tending to their needs further isolated them from society.

Cornerstone, the charity he founded with a handful of individuals from Aberdeen in 1980, was initially organised from his family’s dining room. From that start, Cornerstone has grown to become one of Scotland’s largest charities, employing 1,700 staff and 300 volunteers in 20 council areas with an annual turnover of more than £30 million. It provides services for more than 2,000 adults, young people and children with learning and physical disabilities, mental health problems and other support requirements.

Nick was deeply informed by his understanding and faith in Roman Catholicism. In many ways, the church took the place of family. He was educated by Jesuits at Mount St Mary’s College at Spinkhill near Sheffield. He remained a highly critical friend to the Church until he passed away. When he and his Aberdeen art student fiancée, Louise Gordon, married at the Edinburgh University Chaplaincy Centre on Epiphany in 1973, the priest who conducted the service was the renowned Dominican Provincial, Father Anthony Ross.

The former Archbishop of Glasgow, Bishop Mario Conti, was clearly moved by the news of his friend’s death. The pair had known one another from the time he had served as Bishop of Aberdeen. Archbishop Conti eventually became patron of Cornerstone along with June, Lady Aberdeen. Indeed, if any further evidence is necessary to understand how Nick’s faith informed his work the very name Cornerstone was drawn from the Bible in Psalm 118 verse 22 – ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.’

For Nick, and those who founded the charity such as Professor Mary Simpson, who acted as chairman for 20 years, and colleagues such as Sandy Murray of Langstane Housing Association, those ‘rejected’ were the disabled, handicapped and all too often neglected people who they believed required to be taken back into the community rather than being institutionalised away from it.

Following graduation with a degree in sociology from London University, Nick joined Birmingham City Council as a trainee child care officer.

This was followed by a professional social work qualification from the University of Aberdeen in 1971. Subsequently he took a post with Grampian Regional Council where he became the senior social worker responsible for learning disability services.

Reflecting on his career experience in the 1970s, he grew to realise, as did a number of others, that there was a lack of services for people with learning disabilities in Scotland. Then, the concept of community care did not exist and people with learning disabilities were often marginalised. He concluded they should be able to live within their own communities, with their own homes and jobs, and not have to live in institutions. He saw Cornerstone as the means to work with parents or carers to allow them to be supported in the community. This led to the establishment of Cornerstone Society for the Mentally Handicapped in 1980 later to refine its title to Cornerstone Community Care.

It was unlike the discredited sham of ‘Care in the Community’ in England, which saw disabled, handicapped and educationally challenged individuals turned out on to the streets with little or no support. Cornerstone, and similar related developments in Scotland, set out to fully integrate people into society.

Prof Simpson recalls: “It was a day for celebration when large institutions throughout Scotland, such as Lennox Castle near Glasgow and Ladysbridge, north of Aberdeen, were finally closed as being no longer required as ‘subnormality hospitals’.”

Starting with its first house in Granton Place, Aberdeen, Cornerstone

Nick Baxter, founder of Cornerstone, one of Scotland’s largest charities which helps people with support needs to live in their own communities rather than institutions served as a pioneering model of care becoming a quality standard for subsequent developments throughout Scotland. As the organisation grew, Nick recognised the importance of management and financial skills, and in 1994 he undertook an MBA. During his studies he fell under the influence of American management guru Edwards Deming.

Combining his open manner with Deming’s teachings, Nick was able to build an organisation staffed by highly committed professionals and volunteers.

In fulfilling Cornerstone’s aim to: “enable the people we support to enjoy a valued life”, the project won numerous accolades. It was the first agency in Scotland to achieve ‘Investors in People’ status. It gained the Times/RIBA Award for the most outstanding community enterprise in Britain, presented

by Prince Charles. In 2005 it was named the Barclays Charity Partner of the Year for Scotland.

Nick was named Ernst & Young UK Social Entrepreneur in 2003, and went on to receive other titles from the Institute of Directors, the British Chamber of Commerce, and the New Statesman. He stood down as chief executive in 2008 to be replaced by Edel Harris.

As he built Cornerstone he also had a remarkable family life. There were four children whom he and his wife rejoiced in. Grandchildren have followed.

After his retirement they invested in a left-hand drive camper van and toured Europe for many months. They enjoyed travelling and loved New York City but it was France they adored, not least sharing holidays on the Île de Ré with family and friends. They eventually purchased a beautiful property in Charente, inland from France’s Atlantic coast.

Nick had been receiving end-of-life care in Roxburghe House in Aberdeen and passed away on Sunday, April 28, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his widow, Louise, and his four children Catherine, Francesca, Antonia and Nicholas. There are three grandchildren, Joe, Rory and Jemima.

Bob Cuddihy

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The Assumption of Mary

Hugh Gilbert OSB Bishop of Aberdeen “Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown” (Rev 12:1).

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ymbols speak more powerfully than words. Who is this cosmic queen of the Apocalypse? Who is this woman?

For whom does she stand? She’s a personification of Israel, it seems; she’s Mary, mother of the Messiah; most of all, she’s the Church. Perhaps best: she’s the Church in the form of Mary. And suddenly halfway through the Book of Revelation, heaven opening, she appears: queen of the universe, the antagonist of the great red dragon, the antithesis of the whore of Babylon.

This sign appears on the solemnity of the Assumption. It appears as we are praising God the Father for taking up the mother of his Son in the Holy Spirit, taking her up body and soul into the glory of heaven, a sign of certain hope and consolation for us, the pilgrim people of God. What is the grace of today? Something very timely, I think. It’s the passage – in our minds and hearts – from feeling the Church as “problem” to knowing her as joy.

This is not the occasion to elaborate why and in what ways and for whom the Church is felt as problem: in our society and culture, to friends as well as enemies, to ourselves and to other Christians

and to those who are not. How, though, might the Woman of the Apocalypse and Mary assumed into heaven get us out of the jam?

How can we be taken from the Church as “problem” to the Church as joy, lifted, let’s say, from the Church as “them” to the Church as “she”?

There is a Catholic instinct as regards the Church. It may be buried or bruised or just bemused. But it’s there. It’s infused with the gift of faith. And when the great sign appears in heaven, whenever Mary visits the house of our hearts, this instinct – this sensus fidei, sensus fidelium – leaps up like John in Elizabeth’s womb.

And what it senses is simply this: that, for all the failings of Christians, for all those corporate Christian crimes for which John Paul II made public confession in the year 2000, for all that the Church is a Church of sinners, she is also always a holy place, always faithful to Christ. She receives God’s word and keeps it with virginal fidelity. She brings Christ to birth in human history. She forms individuals and families and communities in him, gathers them into his body. She stands with humanity when humanity is being crucified. She keeps praying for the Holy Spirit. She is where the human person can rise above sin and death, can journey to eternal life and the resurrection of the body. All of this she does imperfectly, of course, at one level, but, at another deeper level, really, truly, unfailingly. The Church is a miracle in the midst of human history. And she is all this, first and foremost, in the person of Mary of Nazareth. To develop a thought of Bl. John Henry Newman’s: no one would hail the Church as holy, immaculate, faithful, all-glorious within, or as mother of Christ and of men, if the Church were not all of this, first of all, in someone. And in someone real, a historical person with a face and a heart and merciful eyes, and hands that help: a woman, a virgin, a mother, the mother of Jesus.

Mary is a real presence in human history. And as she becomes a real presence for each of us, in the world of our faith and our prayer, when we start to sense her touch at particular moments in our life, then – without a doubt – this passage from feeling the Church as a problem to knowing her as a joy will happen. “A great sign appeared in heaven”: at once Mary and the Church. Each inheres in the other. And it’s Mary who keeps the Church, beyond all that affronts us, a place of joy. It’s Mary who revives and keeps alive our Catholic instinct for the Church. Thanks to Mary the joy of being a member of Christ’s body will carry us. And no one, not even any fellow sinner in the Church, can take that joy away.

The more we see the Church in the form of Mary, the more we see the Church’s Marian features, vulnerable and strong all at once, in her, the more this joy will be ours, and the difficulties lose their power to confuse. With the Assumption of the Mother of God, body and soul into heavenly glory, Christmas, Easter, Pentecost yield their first harvest, the anticipation of the End. Thanks to this day, the beauty of the Christian hope rises before us, we know that God’s glory is not just something above us and beyond us, not even just for us, on our side, as it were. It’s something to be in us, to be ours. We know that the beauty, goodness and truth born in Bethlehem weren’t just his; it wasn’t simply a flash of lightning in the dark, didn’t end in noble futility on the Cross. No, it flows on and out. It has a complement, a recipient, a fulfilment: Mary first, the Church to follow. And therefore each and all of us.

Beside the Man stands a Woman. Beside the new Adam, a new Eve. Beside the Bridegroom, a Bride. Beside God’s Word, a human answer.

Thanks to this day we know what the Holy Spirit can do: eternalise human relationships, glorify bodies as well as souls, matter no less than spirit. We know that the world of nature is not

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a closed impermeable system, locking us in to an endless cycle of birth and death, generation and corruption. “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl 1:9). No! Sun, moon, and stars – which for the ancients symbolised this very thing – are now in orbit round another point: the sign in the heavens, the woman all creation waits for.

Ma ny voices but only one song

In this, the second instalment of his survey of hymns, Dr Williams discusses the Oxford movement, the reforms of Vaughan Williams in the early twentieth century and some aspects of hymn repertoire today.

Dr Roger B. Williams M.B.E.

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he ‘Oxford Movement’ (1833-45) aimed to restore High Church ideals of the seventeenth century.

John Keble – the founder of the celebrated College – John Henry Newman and Edward Pusey were concerned with what many had seen as a drift away from the dignity of sacredness in churches, in favour of a growing tendency to secularisation, reflecting the nature of the high society of the eighteenth century. This can be seen in much of the music of that time, and, still today, there are those who would prefer not to have music by Mozart and Haydn as part of the Mass, because of what they judge to be a secular style. In some senses the Wesleys, with their love of and encouragement for congregational participation, can be seen to have been at least partially responsible for the popularisation of music within a Church or Chapel Service. For many worshippers texts which shape Mass, Vespers, Matins and Evensong, were replaced by hymns, expounding Christian teachings through a quite different medium.

It was not unexpected that the Oxford Movement led to a new evaluation of hymns – both music and words – with a view to conformity with the ideals of the movement. In addition to newly penned hymns, there was a notable return to old sources, and many Latin hymns of the Roman Church were resurrected and given new translations, some of the most distinguished by J.M. Neale (181866). One particularly good example is Te lucis ante terminum, an ancient hymn probably predating the 7th. century in the cheerful mode viii, translated as Before the ending of the day, still sung from today’s edition of Hymns Ancient and Modern., This celebrated collection was first published in 1861 and was a consolidation of many of the hymn books then in use. It was compiled and promoted by The Proprietors - a group of Church of England clergymen. Plainsong hymns from the early Church, Chorales from the Lutheran Church, examples of Tudor music,

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The poor of Latin America, the simple faithful of Europe, the sick at Lourdes, the new Christians of Africa all know these things.

They see the sign, and nothing stops their prayer. The soul of Mary is in each of them to glorify the Lord, her spirit to rejoice in God their Saviour. Mary is a fighter too. And in the soul and spirit of each and all of us, there is one and the same real battle: between hopelessness and hope. We all live that. Thanks be to God! Psalm tunes from Geneva, native Scottish and English tunes, together with compositions by living composers, are all included in order to ‘cater for a variety of occasions and for all sorts and conditions of men’ to quote the book’s Musical Preface. The fact that the New Standard Edition first published in 1983 went through six impressions up to 1987, is a witness to the precepts of the choices of the original editors and the work that has gone on regularly in the more than 150 years of its existence.

The English Hymnal in which ‘the music is intended to be essentially congregational in character’, to quote Ralph Vaughan Williams, the edito, in his Preface dated 1906. This was a collection of hymns consciously chosen from perspectives of liturgical and musical excellence. There was a larger proportion of plainchant melodies and an almost self-consciously judicious choice of tunes which would be familiar. ‘Fine melody rather than the exploitation of a trained choir has been the criterion of selection…familiar melodies that have stood the test of time’. One of the driving factors underpinning this collection was a wish to take a scalpel to some hymns which the editor thought ‘worthy neither of the congregations who sing them, the occasions on which they are sung, nor the composers who wrote them.’ Vaughan Williams continues somewhat trenchantly: ‘it ought no longer to be true anywhere that the most exalted moments of a church-goer’s week are associated with music that would not be tolerated in any place of secular entertainment…an attempt has been made to set a minimum standard in the music selected.’

Some hymns which Vaughan Williams felt were the result of tepid emotional response or weak in their melodic construction were deleted, while others were written specially for this collection.

Hymns such as For all the saints to the tune Sine Nomine, and Come down, O Love Divine were both compositions of the Editor.

He also showed an enthusiasm for British folk-song in the wish to link into a cultural heritage in a deep-seated and almost semiconscious way – something akin to a race memory perhaps.

Although The English Hymnal was regarded by some as highbrow, the latest version – The New English Hymnal, which is not so very different from the original edition, has recently reached its eighteenth impression (2010). Now well over 100 years old, this book stands as a testament to the integrity of the manifesto that the original editor so eloquently expressed. This is arguably the most widespread and most used hymn book amongst the Anglican Communion.

It is an impossible task to summarise the contents of these two books in a few words. They are both major contributions to hymnology, but their influence has spread far beyond the confines of the singing of hymns in Church services. Maybe it is because of the idealistic nature of the origins of both books that each is a great treasury of both poetry and music. Even the most cursory read through the authors of texts will yield sources as diverse as St Ambrose (4th. century), the venerable Bede (7th. century) St. Anatolius (9th.century), Peter Abelard(11th century), William Blake, Thomas Carlyle, Miles Coverdale, John Milton, Isaac Watts, Christina Rossetti, and Cardinal Newman. A quick glance at the sources of melodies will show a similar breadth with much medieval plainchant, and composers Palestrina, Purcell, Cruger, Martin

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Luther, Bach,(J.S.), Handel, William Boyce, William Croft, Haydn – both Franz Joseph and his brother Michael, the Wesleys – John, Charles, Samuel and Samuel Sebastian – Novello, and Sullivan.

Additionally some folk and traditional tunes were included. In other words, here is an extensive compendium of western European culture, gathered together in the interests of congregational participation in the worship of God. In our next issue Dr Williams will discuss other hymn collections.

Dr Roger B. Williams M.B.E. is the Emeritus Organist of the University of Aberdeen, the Musical Director of the Aberdeen Diocesan Choir and the Organist at the Church of Our Lady and St John the Baptist, Ellon. He is a graduate of Cardiff and Cambridge Universities, and was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Music by the University of Aberdeen in 2011. As an Organist he has worked for the Jesuits in Wimbledon, and presently directs music for the weekly Mass in the University Chapel of King’s College, Aberdeen.

The silence of the lambs!

Elizabeth Grey On Good Shepherd Sunday this year Elizabeth Grey, a parishioner from Fort Augustus, found herself reflecting on the question of noise in church and was mindful of her shepherding days in the West Highlands.

Come in let us bow and bend low, Let us kneel before the God who made us, For He is our God, and we, The people who belong to His pasture, The flock that is led by His hand.

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e should be reverent in Church at all times and the, relatively new, habit of chattering before and after Mass is intrusive and distracting to those who wish to pray and shows little respect for the presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.

The problem with noise during Mass, however, is that when two or three are gathered together, when the flock are gathered to the sheep fold, we make our presence felt.

I spent many years shepherding in the high hills of the West Highlands, my home; peaceful days on the hill in all weathers, the tools of my trade my stick, my glass and my faithful collie.

Often I would scan the hills from a vantage point, looking for signs of my sheep. How could the flock disappear with no sign of their presence? Looking to the surrounding hills, away to the high tops, still with a covering of snow, away out to the Atlantic, the Isles blue on the horizon, perhaps the only sound the ‘tonk, tonk’ of a passing raven or the vibrato trill of a skylark high above warbling forth his song of praise. Listen - that’s the trick, listen; and there, the high pitched bleat of a young lamb followed by the low throaty reply of the mother ewe. On investigation, there they are, tucked into an invisible fold in the ground, where shelter affords protection from the searching fingers of the East wind.

Sheep are brave and clever mothers always finding shelter for their lambs, so important to a flock kept out on a mountain all year round. They live in families, often several generations staying together and when they are gathered they try to keep together in these family groups constantly calling to each other.

Sheep are social animals and very vocal and when the flock are gathered to the fank for marking, shearing or dipping there is a real hubbub of sound - music to the shepherds’ ears!

Newborn lamb - Photograph courtesy of Amy Watson Scripture has always used the analogy of the shepherd and his flock; Jesus himself, the ‘Lamb of God’, referred to himself as the ‘Good Shepherd’ who carries the lost lamb home on his shoulders. He referred to ‘the lost sheep of Israel’, the ‘flock without a shepherd’. His last instructions to St. Peter: ‘Feed my lambs, look after my sheep’ led to the Pope and the Bishops being given the title of ‘Shepherds of the Flock’ and they carry their shepherds’ crook to remind us of this. When we, like sheep, are gathered into the sheepfold of the Church, like sheep we can be noisy. Babies cry, children chatter, people cough or drop hymnbooks. Like sheep, when we are gathered together you can hear us, you know where we are, You know we are there!

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When Ignatius met Francis

Sr Moira Donnelly rscj

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ope Francis’ choice of name surprised many people.

“Why is a Jesuit taking the name of the founder of a different Religious Order?” was a commonly asked question. But for anyone familiar with the life of St Ignatius, the Jesuit founder, the name Francis seems most apt.

It was when Ignatius was laid up with a severely shattered leg after the siege of Pamplona, that he first fell under the influence of Saint Francis of Assisi. He had asked for some books to distract him from the pain, especially tales of chivalry, but the only books available were a Life of Christ and a book of the saints. At this moment of decision in his life, Ignatius felt the attraction of Christ’s call and began to follow the example of Francis in living it out. He would say to himself, “ Francis did it -I can do it!” And, in fact, the resemblance between these two men is striking. Both were short in stature, about five feet two inches in height. Both were born into comfortable homes and enjoyed wearing stylish clothes and seeking out entertainment with their friends. Both knew what it was to take up arms, to engage in battle and be taken prisoner by the enemy. And in both cases, illness played a part in bringing about a conversion of heart and, eventually, the total gift of self to God. With all these points of similarity, it is easy to see how Ignatius, about three hundred years after Francis’ death, felt inspired to emulate the Poor Man of Assisi. He gave up the idea of acquiring military glory, or a rich and beautiful bride, or this world’s riches.

Like Francis, he stripped himself of his fine clothes, wore a sackcloth robe and took his place among the beggars. And to sustain him in his efforts to give all he would repeat, “Francis did it - I must do it!”

Not without struggle, Ignatius too made his surrender to God and sought from then on to live a Christ-centred life of love.

The influence of the Franciscan tradition can be traced in Ignatian spirituality down the years. In his book, “Ignatius the Theologian”, Hugo Rahner S.J. writes, “It would not be too bold to describe Ignatius’ theology as Scotist.” John Duns Scotus was, of course, a Franciscan who developed some of Francis’ insights in his

theology. And, indeed, there are several places in the writings of Ignatius that call to mind the wonderfully positive vision of creation and incarnation which characterised the thinking of the great Scottish scholar.

One example of this rapprochement between the two spiritualities comes to mind. I once had the privilege of taking part in the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius in Rome. One lovely evening towards the end of the retreat a Franciscan priest came to celebrate Mass in the garden. We had reached the part of the Exercises which is known as “Contemplation on the Love of God”, in which Ignatius invites us to take time to look at some aspect of creation and wonder at how God works within all things. During Mass, the celebrant suggested that we take those words literally and really focus our attention for a short time on one object near us - a pebble, an insect, a bird, a flower.

In the silence that followed a sort of corporate sense of wonder held us, a sense of oneness with creatures and with Creator. It was a beautiful example of Ignatian and Franciscan spirituality united in their interpretation of the Gospel, “Look at the birds in the sky ... learn from the wild flowers how they grow..”(Matt 6) Just as Franciscans have, in every age, kept alive the spirit of St Francis, so the Jesuits have developed and handed on the insights of Ignatius. We see this, for example, in the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins or in the cosmic mysticism of Teilhard de Chardin. ln many other areas too, Jesuits and Franciscans have followed similar paths - in their work for Justice and Peace, in missionary endeavour in the most difficult conditions, in concern for the most vulnerable, in Ecumenism and Inter-Faith dialogue and in education at all levels. Nor is this surprising, since Franciscans and Jesuits alike have ultimately drawn their inspiration from the life and teaching of Our lord Jesus Christ and from the promptings of His Spirit guiding them.

As one would expect, there are also marked differences between the two saints and the two Orders. Another paper could be written on that subject! But the purpose of this article is simply to show that Pope Francis is following in the footsteps of his founder when he turns to the saint of Assisi for inspiration. Ignatius would surely approve!

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Flowers of the Fairest Eileen Grant “Hold fast to the mystery of faith”; “Fight the good fight of the faith”; “Rekindle the gift of God that is within you”; I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

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n his last letters, to Timothy, knowing that his death was very close, St Paul was eager to communicate the necessity of faith, the urgency of keeping the faith. How do we keep the faith alive and active within ourselves? How did our forefathers manage it, faced as they were with persecution, hostility and the full force of the law? In our country we are not likely to face physical martyrdom; we are confronted with different challenges, different temptations that might make the effort to keep the faith burdensome. But we are fortunate in having the example and witness of those who have gone before us, sometimes the “little” people who persevered even when seemingly abandoned by their shepherds.

One of the cruelties of the Reformation was to forbid not only official Catholic doctrines and practices but also “popular” traditions and devotions. One prohibition that hit the faithful hard was against devotion to Our Lady, the Mother of Mercy, to whom even hardened soldiers would cry for comfort when faced with trials. The rosary was outlawed, along with seasonal devotions, but a love for these traditions lingered on, often only in the language of the countryside, in the names of flowers, and this has never been more alive than from Mary’s month of May until her Assumption feast in August.

St Bernard spoke of Mary as “the rose of charity, the lily of chastity, the violet of humility, the golden gillyflower of heaven”, but the earliest written English record of a plant named specifically for her is “seint mary gouldes”, the marigold, in a recipe against the plague; this flower provides decoration for her robe. St Francis is said to have avoided treading on wayside flowers as they were symbols of Our Lady. From the Holy Land crusaders began to bring home “relics of the Virgin”, including “Our Lady’s Hair and Slipper”, a fragment of her mantle, objects bearing traces of her tears and drops of milk; and for these were correspondingly named plants: Our Lady’s Tresses, Our Lady’s Mantle, Our Lady’s Tears (lily-of-the-valley), Our Lady’s Milk Drops and Our Lady’s Slipper.

Centuries before the promulgation of the dogma, country people would make “Assumption bundles” of flowers to take to church for blessing on the feast day, perhaps associated with the legend that all plants lost their scent or healing powers after the Fall but regained them after the Virgin’s Assumption, when her tomb was found empty, save for a profusion of roses and lilies.

“Madonna of the Strawberries”(1410-1420) by an unknown German artist known only as the “Upper Rhenish Master”.

The faithful saw reminders of God, Jesus and his mother all around them, in the book of nature, and these prompted them to spontaneous prayer as they went about their daily lives. Our Lady’s bedstraw was among the hay in the manger, wild clematis is her bower, sweet william her cushion, sea pink or scabious her pincushion, her brush the teasel, harebells her thimbles and Roman wormwood supplied her needles for sewing.

The countryside abounded in wild flowers that provided a complete wardrobe for Our Lady: Our Lady’s smock, Our Lady’s mantle (alchemillia or morning-glories), wild orchids or bird’s foot trefoil her slippers, cow parsley her lace, wild convolvulus or Canterbury bells her nightcap, columbine her shoes; foxgloves provide her gloves, meadowsweet her belt, cornflowers her crown; fuchsia supplies her eardrops, ribbon grass her garters, canary grass or dodder her laces, dropwort her ruffles, and shepherd’s purse was known as Our Lady’s purse. Other plants were associated with the virgin’s attributes: violets her modesty, wild pink carnation her tears, mother’s love or maidenhood; pansies Our Lady’s delight, petunias Our Lady’s praises. Mullein was her flannel or her candle, black bryony her seal (used for treating wounds), and wild cyclamen Our Lady’s little ladles. Some herbs were particularly associated

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with Mary: toadflax, spearmint (Mary’s mint), rosemary, milk thistle and lungwort (Our Lady’s milk drops). As well as providing Our Lady with decoration, the marigold had many healing properties, being used for ailments of the intestines or liver, for fevers, smallpox, measles, insect bites, eye problems, wounds, bruises, burns, eczema, boils, corns, warts and spots. As well as Our Lady’s tresses, for her hair were the lady and maidenhair ferns or quaking grass; honeysuckle was a reminder of her fingers, and her eyes were forgetme-nots. The periwinkle or Virgin Flower, often a vivid blue, was a popular emblem of Our Lady with some varieties resembling a star, also for Mary; and the iris was associated with the sword of sorrow that pierced Mary’s breast. Such homely things made Our Lady very much present in ordinary people’s everyday lives.

Other flowers traditionally associated with Mary are the Madonna or Assumption lilies, the rose, meadowsweet and meadow rue (Our Lady or queen of the meadow), May blossom and daisies, known as Mary-loves. There is a legend that tells of King Arthur’s knights adopting the big moon- or ox-eye daisies as their emblem, in honour of Our Lady. Another name for this common wild flower was Mary’s Star, from a popular legend that when the Magi followed the star as far as Bethlehem they then were not sure where to find the King.

They saw the ox-eye daisy growing by the path, one of them picked it and a door opened to reveal the Holy Family within. The snowdrop also is consecrated to her and was once known as the Candlemas or Purification flower.

Research has discovered over 1100 flowers, herbs and plants named and associated in medieval tradition with Our Lady. Many of these plants are still common in our countryside, though modern farming methods and urbanisation have taken their toll, but a new

Clare Benedict “Wonder is especially proper to childhood, and it is the sense of wonder above all that keeps us young” (Gerald Vann).

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poet once said that the task of the poet is to record “what oft was felt but [was] ne’er so well expressed”; and how many times has each of us experienced the delight of recognition in reading a recorded moment of wonder akin to similar moments of our own? It may be such moments that first awaken a glimmering of faith, even in early childhood, and if, as Vann suggests, it is this sense of

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“Garden of Paradise” also by the “Upper Rhenish Master” “tradition” is gaining in popularity, in parishes and in private gardens: that of planting a “Mary garden”. That we still know the popular names of these flowers is testament to the faith of our forebears who kept the memory of these traditions alive in their hearts. The bringing of “Assumption bundles” to church on the Solemnity of Our Lady’s Assumption is a beautiful custom waiting to be revived; the planting of Mary gardens would avoid the crime of picking wild flowers!

Eileen Grant works as a freelance editor and RCIA catechist and has written for the Tablet, the Sower, the Magnificat and the Catholic Truth Society.

wonder that keeps us young, then it is this same sense of wonder that has the power to reawaken, to rekindle, and to keep ever fresh, our faith, our appreciation of the divine.

“Wonder is involuntary praise” (Edward Young). For me, the wonder of discovery took on a new immediacy when my son and I took his little daughter to the beach for the first time. The moment her feet touched the sand, she literally took off, dashing about in all directions and laughing for pure, unadulterated joy. Though she’d not been walking unaided for very long she ran and ran all over that stretch of sand, almost into the sea, and all the time accompanied by peal upon peal of joyous laughter. There can be few things more luminous than the radiance of the sense of wonder being experienced by a child. How truly wondrous and life-transforming it is to experience these moments that pierce the heart. When we – I – encounter such wonder it is as if I am the first to know it; it is my discovery and I am as one with the first human being in his astonished awakening in Eden where everything is newly created, just for me. Again the poet can say it so much more eloquently, as Dylan Thomas wrote about his childhood holidays on his sister’s Welsh farm when he gloried in becoming one with God’s glorious creation, carefree of the transience of human existence “before the children green and golden follow him [time] out of grace”: “And then to awake … it was all Shining, it was Adam and maiden, The sky gathered again And the sun grew round that very day.

So it must have been after the birth of the simple light In the first spinning place…”

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I recently discovered a little book by the American environmentalist, Rachel Carson, who echoed my thoughts on witnessing my granddaughter’s joyful discovery of the sand under her feet. When she died in 1964 she was just finishing this work, based on her own experiences of fostering her grandson’s sense of wonder. She wrote: “A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear-eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantments of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.”

To that wish I would add that adults, especially parents and grandparents, have a responsibility to nurture that sense and keep it alive and active, for it is tragically easy to smother that innate sense by ignoring it or being impatient, by not taking time to stand and stare, to draw a child’s attention to the wondrous in our world or to acknowledge and glory in her moments of delighted discovery.

“Every spring is the only spring, a perpetual astonishment” (Br Cadfael). A sense of wonder is a blessing, a grace implanted in our souls at the moment of our creation, often mislaid or lost awhile, along with a loss of childlike innocence, but it is always within us, ready to be rekindled, often when we least expect it. It is a sixth sense, served by our other senses, reawakened when we hear or see or scent God’s glory – the

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“There can be few things more luminous than the radiance of the sense of wonder being experienced by a child.” full-throated ecstasy of a dawn chorus, a glowing sunrise or sunset, the first primroses of spring – as if for the very first time. That wonder may spring up when we hear a well-known piece of music as we’ve never heard it before; or when we suddenly glimpse something new in a well-loved painting; or the sunlight flashes through a stained glass window. Wonder may rise to new birth when we first cradle our own child and realise with astonishment that he is perfect, with exquisitely crafted fingers and toes, the most beautiful baby ever born – truly the image and likeness of the Creator. And we long for that moment never to fade, for that beauty and innocence to remain untouched by life. But life can continue to be perpetually fresh; wonder is only a breath away if we keep our hearts awake to a world that is “old but ever new”.

“Wonder is the basis of worship” (Carlyle). If it is that sense of wonder that can keep us young, that same sense can keep the fire of our faith alive and burning ever bright. If we experience a sense of the divine in God’s natural creation, then how much more likely are we to find it in his sacramental presence in our lives? The last two popes frequently talked of a need to reawaken a sense of reverence, of proper wonder, especially in the sacrament of the Eucharist, and this Year of Faith has been called to allow us all a special opportunity to revitalise our faith and our sense of God’s very real presence amongst us. In every sacrament our Lord comes to meet us; in every celebration of the Eucharist, in God’s time and space, we are present when he gives himself for us, and to us, and wonder over and over at this immense love that counts no cost and asks nothing in return, inviting a reciprocal love for God and neighbour. Every reception of the Eucharist offers a rebirth, a renewal of our shining baptismal glory and like Jesus in that astonished awakening on the day of Resurrection, we can proclaim: “I am risen, and I am always with you, alleluia; you have placed your hand upon me, alleluia; your wisdom has been shown to be most wonderful, alleluia, alleluia” (Introit, Easter Sunday).

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The Agony or the Ecstasy?

The Carmelite Spirituality inherent in Bernini’s sculpture of the Ecstasy of St Teresa Fr Domenico Zanrè

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shocking depiction of Baroque eroticism. A psychological study in stone of a sixteenth-century hysteria-prone Spanish nun. A ‘pitch of emotion which artists had so far shunned’ (Sir Ernst Gombrich). These are examples of the interpretations offered by modern art critics in reference to The Ecstasy of St Teresa, the sculptural masterpiece of Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680).

What unites these assessments is their almost universal limitation of viewing the composition solely as an aesthetic representation, an example of heightened artistic endeavour. Such a perspective, however, fails to take into account the faith-filled elements that underpin the work, both in terms of its debt to Carmelite spirituality, and in terms of Bernini’s own beliefs. It thus seems appropriate to reappraise the work by viewing it through a religious, as opposed to an artistic, lens.

Bernini’s Ecstasy of St Teresa is located in the left transept of the church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, located on Via XX Settembre in Rome. The sculpture was commissioned by Cardinal Federico Cornaro, a member of a prominent Venetian noble family, who chose the church of the Discalced Carmelites for his burial chapel.

Cardinal Cornaro acquired the chapel rights in 1647; the work was completed by Bernini in 1652. Teresa of Avila had been canonised some thirty years prior to these events, together with Sts. Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier, Isidore, and Philip Neri, by Pope Gregory XV in 1622.

The centrepiece of Bernini’s composition is a monumental statue of the saint, who is carried heavenwards upon a cloud, and is bathed in celestial streams of light that pour down from above in the form of golden rays. The illumination for the sculpture is thanks in large part to a hidden window at the side of the work, which provides a natural light source. Next to the swooning saint stands a smiling angel, who holds in his hand a golden arrow with which he has just pierced the heart of Teresa.

Bernini’s two principal figures were derived from a description of an episode provided by Teresa in her autobiography (1565): “The sweetness caused by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease, nor is one’s soul then content with anything but God.”

Beside me, on the left hand, appeared an angel in bodily form […] He was not tall but short, and very beautiful; and his face was so aflame that he appeared to be one of the highest rank of angels, who seem to be all on fire […] In his hands I saw a great golden spear, and at the iron tip there appeared to be a point of fire. This he plunged into my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. When he pulled it out, I felt that he took them with it, and left me utterly consumed by the great love of God. The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. The sweetness caused by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease, nor is one’s soul then content with anything but

Ecstasy of St Theresa, 1652, by Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Cornaro chapel, Santa Maria Della Vittoria church in Rome

God. This is not a physical, but a spiritual pain, though the body has some share in it – even a considerable share. So gentle is this wooing which takes place between God and the soul that if anyone thinks I am lying, I pray God, in His goodness, to grant him some experience of it.

According to Teresa’s autobiographical account, this remarkable experience of divine union constitutes the highest and most perfect form of receptivity to God. It is the final stage in the soul’s ascent to the Almighty. This stage, which she refers to as the ‘devotion of ecstasy or rapture’, is one of passivity and submission, in which self-awareness and the capacity for verbal communication are suspended. The mind becomes totally absorbed in God and intoxicated by His presence: ‘God dissolved my mind – my separation. I cannot describe my intimacy with Him.’ The body, meanwhile, is rendered helpless and is subjected to a profound pain that is both excruciating and exquisite. From this ecstatic state flows emotional and spiritual consolation, manifested in the shedding of tears or in a swoon-like weakness. In short, it is nothing less than the supreme mystical experience. For Teresa, such instances of profound rapture are but a foretaste of the union that the soul will enjoy in the celestial realm for all eternity.

Through an ever-deepening relationship of faith and love with God in our present lives, we can gain access into what she calls the ‘inner wine cellar’ at the very core of our being. This is possible if we submit ourselves to His will by becoming like soft wax, ready for the divine imprint (cf. St Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle, 5.2.12).

The intensity of divine union is not exclusive to St Teresa.

Rather, it lies at the heart of Carmelite mystical thought, and is also apparent in the writings of that other great sixteenth-century Carmelite reformer, St John of the Cross. John of the Cross met

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Teresa for the first time in 1567, when he was only twenty-five; she, on the other hand was a fifty-two-year-old woman of considerable spiritual stature. The second version of her Life was completed two years previously in 1565, and her Way to Perfection in 1566. At the time of their meeting, Teresa was actively looking for suitable candidates to form a new community of Carmelite friars, who would live according to the same rule of life that was practised by the nuns of the Teresian Reform. John of the Cross seemed the ideal choice. Like Teresa, John constantly sought union with God. For him, this search constituted the very essence of the spiritual life: ‘the soul, enamoured of the Word, her Bridegroom, the Son of God, longs for union with Him through clear and essential vision’ (John of the Cross, The Spiritual Canticle, 1.2). The ultimate goal lay in the ‘supernatural union of likeness’, a mystical symbiosis in which ‘the soul acquires more and more the form of the divine as an object of love […] to the point of a participated transformation in God’, which goes beyond all forms of human comprehension (Karol Wojtyła, Faith According to St John of the Cross, Ignatius Press, p. 250).

Consider, for example, the opening lines of the ‘Stanzas Concerning An Ecstasy Experienced In High Contemplation’: ‘I entered into unknowing, | And there I remained unknowing, | Transcending all knowledge.’

The similarity between Teresa and John of the Cross was not Like Teresa, John conveyed the tangible union of the human and the divine in terms of a fiery arrow that both wounded and enflamed the heart.

confined to their common search for divine communion, however, but was also apparent in their use – and specific choice – of imagery and symbolism to convey their quest. This in itself was a common literary technique amongst mystics, who, unable to express their profound religious experiences in clear and unambiguous language, often chose to adopt figurative tropes and expressions. In the Prologue to his work The Spiritual Canticle, John of the Cross writes: ‘[…] these persons let something of their experiences overflow in figures and similes, and from the abundance of their spirits pour out secrets and mysteries rather than rational explanations’. Like Teresa, John conveyed the tangible union of the human and the divine in terms of a fiery arrow that both wounded and enflamed the heart. In his commentary on The Spiritual Canticle, a poem that deals with the exchange of love between the soul and Christ, its bridegroom,

The fiery arrow which pierces the heart

Closer view of the central figure

John wrote: In further explanation of this verse [“After wounding me”], it should be known that besides the many other different kinds of visits God grants to the soul, in which He wounds and raises it up in love, He usually bestows some secret touches of love, which like fiery arrows pierce and wound it, leaving it wholly cauterized by the fire of love. And these wounds, mentioned here, are properly called wounds of love. They so inflame the will in its affection that it burns up in this flame and fire of love.

This image was also adopted in his poem entitled ‘The Living Flame of Fire’: ‘O living flame of love | That tenderly wounds my soul | In its deepest centre! Since | Now you are not oppressive, | Now Consummate! If it be Your will: | Tear through the veil of this sweet encounter!’

If we now return to the sculpture in the Cornaro chapel in Santa Maria della Vittoria, and consider it in this light – as a representation of the spiritual imagery present in the works of both Teresa and John of the Cross – it is clear that Bernini’s intention in creating the marble masterpiece was to portray the union of the soul with divine love, or agape, a love that is ‘grounded in and shaped by faith’ (cf. Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est, § 3-8). This conviction is further strengthened when we recall Bernini’s own devout Catholicism, which included daily Mass attendance, spiritual direction, and the practice of the spiritual exercises of Ignatius of Loyola, another sixteenth-century Spanish saint, canonised on the same day as Teresa of Avila. It is true that Bernini increased the inherent drama of the composition through various artistic techniques typical of the Baroque period. The monumental contorted pose and the exaggerated facial expression of the saint, the clever use of light, the colour of the marble, and the intricately carved stone conveying an ethereal, swirling drapery and a yielding softness of the flesh, all converge to create a heightened emotional expressivity. Nevertheless, these same artistic techniques do not detract from the inescapable conclusion that the sculpture is at heart a deeply religious work of art, consonant with and faithful to the characteristics of Carmelite mysticism, and intended to draw the spectator in to an act of profound worship.

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Light of the North

Shelagh Noden’s Musical Memories of the North-East THE TRUMPET MASS: AN UNEXPECTED LINK

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egular readers of the Light of the North may remember earlier references to this Mass, which for many years was very popular with choirs here in the North East.

It originally came from Spain, written in 1736 by one of the Directors of Music at Segovia Cathedral, José Myr y Llusá, who took up a similar position at Valladolid in 1741.

The Scots College in Spain moved to Valladolid in 1771 under the rectorship of John Geddes who encouraged his students to study church music, and they brought several pieces of Spanish church music back with them including this Mass. Its original Spanish title was Misa de Trompas and it continued to be known by this name in Scotland for some time. The first use of the English ‘Trumpet Mass’ occurs in the second volume of Rev. George Gordon’s collection of sacred music, printed in 1829, and it appears that he changed the title, as trompas literally means ‘horns’. George Gordon spoke fluent Spanish, so this must have been a deliberate alteration rather than an error; perhaps he simply felt that ‘Trumpet Mass’ had a better ring to it. The opening melody certainly sounds like a typical trumpet tune; think ‘Trumpet Voluntary’ and you have the idea.

No original copy of the work can be found in Spain. This is not to say that one does not exist; Spanish cathedrals possess vast (rather chaotic) archives of church music, and some patient musicologists

A copy of the Misa de Trompas recently found in the Philippines and scribed using the square notation associated with plainchant are slowly working their way through them. Surely one day someone will turn up the original Misa de Trompas.

A copy has recently been found, however, on the other side of the world. An American musicologist looking at Spanish colonial music in the Philippines found a copy of this Mass on one of the smaller islands, Baclayon. It formed part of a cantorale, a large manuscript book which would have been placed on a stand to be sung from by the schola and it is thought to date from the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. Although it is in poor condition thanks to the

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ravages of insects and the hot humid climate, it is a beautifully produced item.

The scribe has used square notation associated with plainchant, but note the use of a five-line stave and a B flat key signature. This type of notation was widely used at this time, even for a song such as Adeste Fideles which nowadays we would not think of as chant.

When this Mass was sung at Aquhorties College near Aberdeen in 1808, modern notation was used, perhaps to make it easier for the choir to read.

The version of the Mass that appears in a handwritten book of music from the college On another page it is stated that this Mass was sung at the college on Easter Sunday 1808.

George Gordon was not content with the Mass in its original form, which was for one vocal part only, accompanied by the organ.

He arranged it into three parts, two trebles and bass, and completely rewrote the Sanctus using phrases from other parts of the Mass.

Recent research has shown that he may have had assistance in doing this. A letter from James Gordon, the priest at Tombae, to James Kyle at Aquhorties, states that George Gordon was consulting expert musicians in Edinburgh and Glasgow for help in arranging the music for his collection. He also had assistance from his friend Dr Laing, a keen amateur musician who lived at Fochabers. The opening of the Mass as it appears in the 1829 collection is shown below, and this is the version that became well-known throughout Scotland.

The 1829 version that became well-known throughout Scotland The direction Largo meaning ‘very slow’ is probably not original.

All the evidence seems to show that this Mass would originally have been sung in a lively manner; George Gordon appears to have been seeking a more dignified effect here.

His collection of sacred music was sold throughout the British Isles, and copies of it were taken by emigrants to North America and Australia, so his arrangement of the Trumpet Mass could have been sung in all those places. The Baclayon cantorale shows that Spanish clergy also took this Mass with them, certainly to the Philippines and, for all we know, it might have been sung in Spanish colonies in South America, where a substantial heritage of Catholic church music is currently being investigated. It’s interesting to think that north-east Scotland also forms part of this global network.

If anyone has any memories of singing this Mass or any other musical memories of the Diocese Shelagh would be delighted to hear from you. She can be contacted at: s.noden@abdn.ac.uk or through this magazine.

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TThe he life liife and Spirituality Spirit tualitty of St FFrancis rancis de Sa Sales

Light Ligh igh ght ht

Canon Alistair Doyle’s

Calendar of Saints

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n the lif life e o of S Stt F Francis rancis of Assisi G. K. K. Chesterton Chesterton rremarks emarks tha that at wher whereas eas P Protestant rotestant disse dissent nt rresults esults in breakaway br eakaway chur churches, ches, C Catholic atholic dissen dissentt rresults esults in a ne wR eligio ous Congregation Congregation or a distinc y. new Religious distinctt spiritualit spirituality.

St. Francis Sales the Visitation S t. F rancis i de d S ales l nott only l co-founded co-ffounded d d th h V he i it tion isita ti O Order rder with S St. t. JJane ane de C Chantal hantal but also thr through oug gh his letters letters of spiritual dir direction ection t and his best selling book “The “The Devout Devout Lif Life” e” ga gave ve the C Church h ch a distinc hur distinctt spiritualit spirituality. y.

FFrancis rancis de SSales ale es w as born born in to an ar istocratic family aatt was into aristocratic thirteen children, TThorens, horens, near Annecy Ann necy in 1567. TThe he eldest of thir teen childr en, he w was as destined b byy his fa father ther for fo or a lif life fe in politic politics cs and la law. w. At At the age of fif teen n he w as sen o be educa ted by by the Jesuits fifteen was sentt tto educated in P aris. The The College College de Clermont Clermont w as not ed d both fo or its Paris. was noted for str ict mor al discip pline and its en thusiastic ac cep ptance of the strict moral discipline enthusiastic acceptance Renaissance.

Renaissance, through R enaissance. The The eR enaissance, thr ough the re-discovery re-discovery of the beaut beautyy and d cultur culture e of ancien ancientt Gr Greek eek and R Roman oman civilisa civilisation tion w was as thor thoroughly oughly Humanist.

Humanist. SSome ome e Humanists e exalted xalted human achiev achievement ement aatt the e expense xpense e of rreligion; eligion; others others,, such as Francis Francis and his Jesuit mentors mentors sa saw aw human ar artt thoughtt as aan image of G God's creativity.

Although and though od's cr eativity. A lthough his father's Parisian welcomed into their fa ther's P arisian ffriends riends w elcomed him in to the eir homes and

St FFrancis rra ancis de SSales ales

his o own wn w warm arm personalit personalityy made him vvalue alue th these hese fr friendships, iendships, ttowards owards the end of his studies studies,, Francis Francis fell fell in fe into to a deep depr depression. ession. He He became convinced convinced that that he was was destined to to be et eternally ernally separ sseparated ated from from God. God. He rrelates elates tha thatt he only this after Our shrine came outt off th hi melancholy his l h l aft ftter a visit i it tto oO ur Lady's L d ' shr h ine i Notre Dame thatt a G God who Man in Notr e Dam me and rrealised ealised tha od wh ho became M an God Mercy Goodness Judge.. must be a G od d of M ercy and G oodness - nott a Judge TTo o please hi hiss fa father, therr, he lef leftt P Paris aris fo for or the Un University iversity of P Padua adua tto o study fo for or a doc doctorate torate in La Law, w, aatt the sam same me time secr secretly etly priest studying TTheology. heo ology. Only his mother and a pr iest ccousin ousin kknew new of his d desire esire tto o be a pr priest. iest. On g graduation, raduaation, he had tto o ttell ell his fa father ther and a it w was as only thr through ough the go good ood offic offices es of his ccousin, ousin, C Canon anon n LLouis ouis de SSales, ales, and the pr promise omise b byy the Bishop tto o make FFrancis ranccis a Canon, Canon, that that M. de Sales Sales agreed agreed to to Francis’ Francis’ ordination December or dination in D ecember 1593.

1593 H His is first appoin appointment pointment w was as tto o a tteam eam of pr priests iests char charged ged with the rre-evangelisation e-ev e angelisation of a distr district ict of o Savoy Savoy called Chablais Chablais.. TThis hiss ar area ea near the SSwiss wiss bor border der had gone o over ver Calvinism was thatt the D Duke ccompletely ompletely tto oC alvinism and w as so hostile tha uke of deployy tr troops protect priests.

SSavoy avoy had tto o deplo oops tto o pr otec e t the pr iests.

Nevertheless, was savagely Nev ertheless, on one occasion occasion FFrancis rancis de SSales ales w as sa vagely bea beaten ten b byy a hostile h cr crowd owd and on another oc o occasion casion he had winter’s nightt up a tr tree byy a pack of tto o spend a w inter ’s nigh ee besieged besieged b wolves. was w olves. The The mission m was getting nowhere nowhere until u til Francis un Francis had writing explaining the idea of wr iting leaflets e xplaining in ccourteous ourteous tterms erms the Catholic leaflets distributed ttenets enets of the C atholic FFaith. aith. He had these lea aflets distr ibuted widely, even trees. desired widely y, ev en pinning them on tr ees. TThey hey had the desir ed many were Church rresult esult and ma ny people w ere rreconciled econciled tto o tthe he Chur ch much dismayy of the P Protestant authorities Geneva tto o the disma rotestant author itiess in G eneva who occasions four on ttwo wo oc casio ons made an aattempt ttempt on FFrancis' ranccis' life. life e. After After fo our Bishop was Chablais even yyears, ears, the Bis hop w as able tto o visit the Ch ablais and ev en devotion cconduct onduct the FForty orty Hours dev otion in the ttown own of TThonon. honon.

About time,, Bishop de Gr Granier because great A bout this time anier beca ause of his g reat age,, sen sentt FFrancis proxy age ran ncis de SSales ales as his pr oxy on the he ad limina visit Rome.

Pope appointed Co-adjutor tto o R ome. TThe he e P ope appoin ted FFrancis rancis aass C o-adjutor tto o Granier. diplomatic King Henrii IV in P Paris, Bishop Gr anie er. On a diploma tic visit tto oK ing Henr aris, learned thatt Bishop Gr Granier died FFrancis rancis lear ne ed tha anier had die ed and he had tto o Geneva.

Since rreturn eturn to to the Cathedral Cathedral at at Annecy Annecy as Bishop of G eneva. Sinc e Geneva was Calvinist over diocese G eneva w as in nC alvinist ccontrol, ontrol, he ttook ook o ver his dioc ese aatt Annecy December thirty five.

A nnecy on D e ember 8th, 1602 aatt the age of ec o thir ty fiv e.

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Light of the North

Although offered numerous prestigious appointments during his life, he remained in Annecy and his home diocese.

His life became busy with preaching, writing, giving retreats, visiting the parishes in his diocese plus the administrative routine of any diocese. Most remarkable of all was his work as spiritual director to a wide range of people mainly by letter.

One of the people he directed was Mme de Charmoisy, a relative by marriage, who showed these letters to a Jesuit priest called Fr. Jean Fourier. ln his introduction to his book Nevertheless, on one occasion Francis de Sales was savagely beaten by a hostile crowd and on another occasion he had to spend a winter’s night up a tree besieged by a pack of wolves.

"The Devout Life" Francis de Sales says “Fr. Fourier urged me so strongly to publish these writings that after l had hastily reviewed them, l sent them to the printer.” This was in 1608 and the first edition is dated 1609. Second and third editions soon followed and the book was translated into Italian. An English translation was made for James I in 1613. St. Francis was concerned that inaccuracies had crept into these translations and he issued a final revision in 1618. By 1656, his book of spiritual direction had been translated into 17 languages including Basque.

In 1604, Francis de Sales was invited to preach the Lenten sermons in Dijon. In the congregation was the sister of the Archbishop of Bourges, Jane Frances de Chantal. She was recently widowed, the result of a shooting accident. With four very young children, she was also looking after her late husband’s estate and her father-in-law's lands, all under very trying circumstances A deeply spiritual woman, she found that the priest guiding her spiritual life was very out of his

AD

depth. At the end of Lent, she wrote to Francis de Sales asking for his advice. A copious correspondence ensued. From this correspondence came a new Religious Community - the Visitation Order - and a trio of saints - Francis de Sales, Jane de Chantal and Vincent de Paul. There also came Francis' other great work - "A Treatise on the Love of God" written for the Sisters of the Visitation in 1616. In it, Francis de Sales explains his ideas on the contemplative life and mystical theology.

Francis de Sales was always courteous and in 1622, after Christmas Midnight Mass he stood bareheaded in the cold Alpine air listening to a lady’s 30 minute chatter. The resultant chill led to his death on December 28th 1622 at the age of fifty-five. He was buried in the Visitation convent in Annecy.

His dear friend, Jane Frances de Chantal died twenty four years later in 1646. He was canonised in 1655; she in 1767.

His other dear friend to whom he had entrusted Jane’s direction, St Vincent de Paul, was canonised in 1737. Pope Pius IX declared Francis de Sales a Doctor of the Church in 1877. Three congregations of priests with Francis de Sales as their patron were founded in the 19th century. The oldest – Fransalians - founded in Savoy, came to England via the British Raj in India and are still strongest in India where they run colleges. The American Oblates of St. Francis de Sales provide chaplains to the Monaco royal family through Princess Grace who brought them with her from America.

The best known and most widespread are the Salesians of Don Bosco founded in Turin in 1853 by St. John Bosco. ln a further article I intend to write about Salesian spirituality which was so much part of 17th and 18th century Catholic life in England and Scotland.

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Light of the North

Cathedrals in common August the 15th, The Feast of the Assumption, is one of the most important dates in the Church Calendar. It is in a sense the Virgin Mary’s heavenly birthday (the day that Mary was received into Heaven). Her acceptance into the glory of Heaven is seen as a symbol of the promise of eternal life made by Jesus to all enduring Christians.

It’s not surprising then that world-wide there are literally thousands of Catholic and Orthodox churches dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary including our own Cathedral in Aberdeen and a particulary fine Cathedral church in the South Tyrol, the ‘Cathedral Maria Himmelfahrt’ which Ron Smith visited recently.

Ron Smith

T

he Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption is the full title of our Cathedral in Aberdeen, but in northern Italy they go one further than us – there is a village called Maria Himmelfahrt and also Maria Assunta. This is the same as our Cathedral but in German and also in Italian.

This Alpine autonomous region of Italy borders Austria, and was Austrian until Mussolini grabbed it and made Italian the official language, and all names of places must have the Italian name first.

However, the local people speak German (in some valleys over 90% of the population speak German!) and so although the station sign, for example, shows “Maria Assunta” first, everybody calls it “Maria Himmelfahrt” which can be confusing for tourists. Signs that are not covered by the law saying that Italian must be first (for example on some local street names), will have the German version first.

The main town is Bolzano, but everyone calls it Bozen of course.

This is in the bottom of a valley with very busy motorway and railway running through, and gets quite oppressively hot in

summer, so the residents would go up onto the Ritten plateau for the cool fresh air, and also in winter for skiing. In 1906 they opened a rack railway to climb up the steep sides of the plateau, and where it finally puffed its way over the edge onto level ground, is Maria Himmelfahrt. I was told locally that it has been a place of pilgrimage since the year 1112 and that the first church was built here in 1170, and the village gradually built around it.

Up until the 17th century there was a church here dedicated to St. George. Then in 1668 a Matthias Kreuzer decided to build a new church dedicated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This was opened on the 22nd of October 1669 (there is a plate on the wall inside detailing this in Latin). Herr Kreuzer’s daughter Anna married Herr Melchior Eberschlager, and the Eberschlager family took care of the maintenance and finance of the church, including expanding it between 1791 and 1795. Their patronage continued until 1844, when it became the responsibility of the village.

Over the years the residents of Bozen donated many beautiful things to the church, like a monstrance from 1738, many gold and silver items as well as many great paintings. The altar painting of the Assumption is from 1794 and was painted in Rome. Now the village has a grand church dedicated to Mary and today is a quiet little place, because in 1966 a new cable car was opened that replaced the rack railway up the hill, and this terminates further along the plateau at Oberbozen (or Supra Bolzano if you prefer) where there are some great hotels and a shop. This diminished the importance of Maria Himmelfahrt, which became a little isolated, and in 1991 it also lost its status as the parish church of Oberbozen.

It is a striking church in a superb location, and Maria Himmelfahrt is well worth a visit. I somehow cannot imagine a UK village being called St. Mary of the Assumption.

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faithandculture

Light of the North

Our Father

by Hazel Naughton But whose Father? I ask.

My Father! your Father! Jesus’ Father!

Men, women and children all over the world say these beautiful Words.

And even those who do not know Him as Father were all created by Him. We all share the same Father.

So that then makes us all brothers and sisters, brothers and sisters of Jesus, brothers and sisters of the woman next door, of the beggar in Sierra Leone - and Mexico, and Thailand and China.

Page 25

And it makes us brothers and sisters of all the people who ever lived, one hundred years ago, a thousand years ago stretching back through the generations, back to Adam and Eve, back to the Iron Age men and women, to prehistoric people, to the ancient Pharaohs.

All of us created by the same God; he is Father, and I am the sister of them all.

St Francis went further.

He spoke of Brother Wolf and Sister Ass created by the same Father, all sharing the same Spirit of God, so all related to us and we related to them.

Do we feel this family kinship?

Maybe we can walk in Francis’ footsteps a while as he walks through the Italian countryside.

All around him he sees the marvels of nature, the trees, the streams, the wild flowers, the butterflies, the bees. The “saints” and the “sinners”. I don’t know what he called the wasp, was it Brother Wasp or Sister Wasp. What did he call the little ant? I suspect it was Sister Ant. Francis never saw differences, they were all God’s creatures, all the Father’s creation, all His brothers and sisters.

And then there was Brother Sun and Sister Moon, a ball of burning gas and a lump of rock.

There are the seas, at times calm, at times whipped up into a furious tempest.

There is the wind, the gentle breezes and the mighty hurricanes, the mountains at once beautiful and destructive, the ice and the snow made up of beautiful delicate flakes, all individual, beloved of children with sledges and snowball fights, but fearful in avalanches and in blizzards.

All created by God, all held in balance, all interconnected.

So when I pray these words “Our Father” I am calling to my Father whose fatherhood I share with all people, living and dead and also with the tiniest insect, the smallest grain of sand and with the breath-taking immensity of outer space. With these words “Our Father” I am uniting myself with Brother Jesus as he faces the storms at sea, as he walks the dusty streets and meets the multitudes of people crying out to him, the children and the crippled and the demented as he hangs, oh my beloved Brother, suspended above the earth sharing our agony.

It is all too much to comprehend.

Our Father, I bow down in awe - and worship.

Hazel Naughton is a parishioner of St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen

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Light of the North

Auchleuchries’ soldier of fortune The Scots soldier who rose through the ranks to become a General and right-hand man to Peter the Great

Alasdair Roberts Ann Dean

T

hrough the Spalding Club, which began putting North-east Scotland’s historical documents into print at the start of Victoria’s reign, Passages from the Diary of General Patrick Gordon of Auchleuchries, AD 1635 – AD 1699 has long been familiar. The passages were taken from a German translation. Now three out of the six volumes in his own words have recently become available at Aberdeen University. The early pages set forth how ‘the yonger son of a yonger brother of a yonger house’ came to leave thirty acres near Ellon: Easter Auchleuchries, not the Mains. In the countryside round Huntly the Gordon chief protected his Catholic dependants as Cock o’ the North, but Gordons struggled in Buchan. Penal laws and presbyteries bore down on former landholders ‘some time’ of this estate or that. But Patrick Gordon rose as a soldier of fortune to become right-hand man to Peter the Great.

Parish school taught him Latin but then, barred from further education in Scotland, he was sent abroad to the Jesuits. The college at Braunsberg on the Baltic coast – Scotland’s Fr Robert Abercromby among its founders - was a bastion of Poland’s Counter-Reformation. With his faith strengthened, Patrick left

after two years. A meeting with Scots mercenaries persuaded him there was no hope for royalists in Cromwell’s Commonwealth. In his mature years Patrick Gordon loyally offered his services to two Stuart monarchs in turn. As a young man he fought indifferently for all three sides in a war involving Sweden, Poland and Muscovy, ending up as a soldier of the Tsar. A different loyalty developed through time.

Under Tsar Aleksei I, Patrick Gordon’s military attributes led to steady promotion: major-general by 1678, having helped to drive the Turks from the Ukraine. However it was as one of several tutors to the son who became Peter the Great – another was Aberdeen’s Paul Menzies - that he had a different kind of influence. Whether it was due to Jesuit education or an active life solving practical problems, Gordon helped to open Piotr Alekseevich’s mind to the wider world. St Petersburg’s ‘window on the west’ came out of that by way of the young Tsar’s ship-building experience in Holland and England. Powerful neighbours were weakened as Muscovy became ‘great Russia’, and better access to the sea was the next priority.

Patrick Gordon’s high offices included that of admiral at Archangel, but his most notable contribution was at Azov in the Crimea.

This Turkish fort near the mouth of the Don, blocking Russia’s way to the Black Sea, repelled a great army sent over the steppe in 1695. However in the next season’s campaign a flotilla of ships built upriver made a difference, along with General Gordon’s ‘moveable rampart’. Ten years before this he had been in London

This attractive watercolour of Easter Auchleuchries, the birth place of General Patrick Gordon, is by Ann Dean

u ltu faithandculture fai fa ait ith th h and han a nd d c ult l turre re

Light Ligh igh ght ht

at the cour courtt of JJames amess VII and II. The two men shared shared da concern for the co condition ondition of Catholics in two theree was talk of Gordon Gordon returning returning kingdoms, and ther to ser ve the SStuart tuart dynasty y. When JJames ames was serve dynasty. driv en into final ex xile after the battle of the driven exile Bo yne P atrick felt he would hav Boyne Patrick havee made a differ ence.

The SSpalding palding Club difference.

Club’s’s editor observed: ‘Itt may be that the walls memorably obser ved d: ‘I of D erry would hav Derry havee fallen befor beforee the conquer or of Asof; and a the ready ready counsel and conqueror daring acts which twice t sav ed the thr one of saved throne P eter the G reat migh ht hav ule ev en Peter Great might havee upheld the rrule even of JJames ames the SSecond.’ econd..’

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Understtanding the Understanding e St Story tory of the Bible - A n Intro d tion tto duc o An Introduction S alvation Hist tory Salvation History A uthor: Eileen Clar rant Author: Claree Gr Grant P ublisher: C atholic atholiic TTruth ruth Publisher: Catholic SSociety ocietty ISBN-13: 9781860828454 8454 P aperback: 67 pagess Paperback: List P rice: £2.50 Price:

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egular rreaders eaders of the Ligh Lightt of the North North will w no doubt have ha ve enjoyed enjoyed d the series of articles articles on Salvation Salvation H History istory byy Eileen Grant b Grant which we we published two two years years ago. ago. authored “Introduction Salvation Eileen has now now author a ed an “I ntroduction tto o S alvation History” has issued H i tory” which ist hi h ha h as rrecently ecently tl been b i d by

by The The h Catholic Catholic th li Truth Society Christianity T ruth S ociety ((CTS) CTS) as part part of their “Deeper C hristianity Series”.

S eries”.

Since Vatican Council Catholics have Sinc e the SSecond econ nd V atican C ouncil C atholicss ha ve been encouraged more enc ouraged to to become beccome mor e familiar with the Holy H Bible, Bible, yyet et manyy still find it a daun daunting book.. TThe gives man ting book he LLectionary ectionar t y g ives generous extracts liturgical gener ous e xtracts through through the litur gical yyear, earr, but in the process pr ocess we we ttend end to to lose the historical historical ccontext. ontext. TThis his summary summary salvation history of salv ation hist ory is a ttool ool ffor or a deeper understa understanding anding of the narrative God’s dramatic Bible as the nar ratiive of G od’s dr amatic rrelationship elationship with his People through time.

P eople thr ough tim me.

William Oddie, writing Catholic Herald William O ddie, w wr iting in the C atholic Her ald ccommented ommented surveys strategic landmarks ““This This sur veys carefully carefully chosen str ategic landmar rks of the Old Covenant TTestament, estament, arriving arriving g aatt the New C ovenant onlyy in the last chapter: designed prepare for story Our chapt er: it is all de esigned tto o pr epare us fo or the st ory of O ur Birth, time”.”. IItt is is,, in fa fact, brilliant LLord’s ord’s Bir th, ““in in the e fullness of time ct, a br illiant preliminary introduction itself. pr eliminary in trodu uction tto o the New TTestament estament it tself..”

Page P age 27 museum m; the other was used as a fr ontispiece bbyy the museum; frontispiece SSpalding pallding Club Club.. IItt may hav havee comee to Scotland when P atrick’s older br other died and his is son fell heir to the brother Patrick’s A uchleuchries pr opertyy. H rried a local girl and Auchleuchries property.

Hee mar married they sent a son abr oad to the JJesuits, esuits, this time the abroad Scots College at D ouai. The Th he portrait portrait with its Douai. medal on display became an object of pride among the G ordon kindr ed d. A marriage at Gordon kindred.

W ardhouse near H untly too ok place in a room room Wardhouse Huntly took which held this full-length pai inting. Ther painting.

Theree is also a plaque in the Cathedral. P attrick G ordon’s 1686 Patrick Gordon’s visit included sev eral weeks weeks in his nativ several nativee district, an nd he was welcomed welcomed bbyy the pr ovost o of O ld A berdeen and provost Old Aberdeen wheere he had been unable to study. stud dyy. ‘M where ‘Myy sister and -in-law being come into the towne towne w to see me, wee wee sisters-in-law d very very merr m i h good d musick. i k ’ Ann A D ean’s painting i i h has made merryy with musick.’

Dean’s w unfulfilled. Gordon Gordon wr ote from fr f om Moscow Moscow about to do with a wish wrote ‘a clay barren barren place lying betwixt the two stripes tripes as you you go to ‘a Westertowne . . . for a retireing retireing dw elling and bburial.’ urial.’

Westertowne dwelling

A Little W Way ay of Healing S econd Revised Revised E dition Second Edition A uthor: TT.. P aulin ne EEdwards dw warrds Author: Pauline P ublisher bli h : O gilvi il ie i P ress Publisher: Ogilvie Press ISBN-13: 978095 54259518 9780954259518 P aperback: 180 pages p Paperback: List P rice: £12.500 + £1.75 P .&P P. Price: P.&P. A vailable from: from: b ook@littleAvailable book@littlew ayhealingminiistries.com ayhealingministries wayhealingministries.com

G

od w works o orks in all our liv lives es although althoug gh w we e are are often often unaware una war a e off it iit.. A And nd d the h rreally eally ll good d ne news ws is i tha that h t God God d can he heal eal us fr from om all k kinds inds of limita limitations tions and ailmen ailments ts rresulting esulting fr om m buried memories of hur ts, of ten rreceived eceived in from hurts, often early childhoo od. childhood.

A n is tha wo people should ould pr ay with us Allll tha thatt is needed thatt ttwo pray with trust in G od fo or as long as nec essarry. A esent ffew ew God for necessary.

Att pr present people kknow now of this w onder ful g ift of G od aand tha wonderful gift God thatt is wh whyy this book b Pauline Edwards Edwards is so vvaluable aluable and d timely ore than byy Pauline timely.. M More thir ty persona al ttestimonies estimonies and a detailed ac count of wha thirty personal account whatt is in volved in the th he healing of memories memories should shou uld be enough to to involved enc ourage the e most hesitant hesitant to to realise realise its value. value. But abo ve all encourage above P auline’s full ac a count of her cconversion onversion and d disc overy of this Pauline’s account discovery ministr toge ether with her gentle gentle approach approach o allay ministryy together should allay an yone’s fe earss. I hope this book will lead to to the t healing of vvery ery anyone’s fears. man rowth in faith. manyy people and their g growth +A mbrrose Griffiths G OSB B, the la te Bishop Emeritus Ambrose OSB, late of He xham and Ne wcastle Hexham Newcastle TThe he Little W ay a of Healing is a Holy Spirit - led ed appro appr oach to o the Way approach healing of memories emories. It It is a charism gifted gifftteed by by the Holy Spirit tto o memories. the Ch urch off our time This gift gifft is a four - st teepped pra ayer that Church time.. This stepped prayer thr ough the healing ealing of memories ccontributes ontributees e to o the healing of through the whole p erson. son. TThrough hr hro ough this par ticular w a of pra ay aying g, JJesus esus person. particular way praying, sho ws himselff ccontinuing ontinuing his work work of healing g amongst us to today shows today in the midst of o his Ch urcch. If If you you would would lik o find out moree Church. likee to please ccontact ontact Deacon Deacon TTony ony SSchmitz: chmitz: to ony.schmitz@gmail hmitz@gmail.com. tony.schmitz@gmail.com.

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Page 28

Light of the North

The Anson legacy

Tina Harris Peter Frederick (Charles) Anson (August 22, 1889-July 10, 1975) was a notable English writer on religious, architectural and maritime topics and an accomplished artist and graphic designer.

He was born in Southsea and converted to Roman Catholicism in 1913 as a member of the Anglican Benedictine monastery on Caldey island under Aelred Carlyle. His work is a unique historical record as well as an artistic one of life and events around the fishing ports of north east Scotland such as Findochty, Portknockie, Buckie and Lossiemouth. In 1920 Anson established ‘The Apostleship of the Sea’ - a Catholic organization for seafarers.

In the first of two articles Tina Harris, who has recently coauthored a book on Peter Anson and his life, reflects on his legacy.

P

eter Anson’s work cannot be overestimated in the Catholic maritime world. Before taking up residence in Macduff, on the Banffshire coast, Anson had travelled extensively, and visited many ports and ships.

His research on all things nautical was meticulously recorded in diaries and journals. Much of this written work was undertaken whilst he was a novice monk at Caldey Abbey, and in many ways it can be seen as a vocation. A vocation, in fact, so strong that it eventually took him away from monastic life and sent him back to the sea. It was this ‘ purpose of ministry’ that led to him being regarded as an outstanding maritime missiologist.

From his extensive coastal travel both at home and abroad, Anson realised the individuality of each port, and that no single solution could apply to all.

Pope Pius XI, in a letter to Anson in 1922, blessed the work of religious assistance to the people of the sea and expressed his hope that the initiative would reach the coasts of the two hemispheres.

This has come to pass, and global technology now enables seafarers and their families across the world to interact in their own language.

The internet plays a positive role in maritime evangelism.

Since his death in 1975, Peter Anson has faced criticism both from his peers and his readers.

However the unique ‘Anson’ legacy is the relationship between seafarers and coastal communities. And it is the size of Macduff harbour that makes the relationship so uniquely personal. There is no restricted entry, no barriers, and no reason at all not to chat to visiting crew. Children too, are able to hear stories from people of the sea, and see traditional skills like net mending in action.

It is difficult for many landlubbers to appreciate life at sea, where governance is by a power that cannot be controlled by man. On the other tack, there are those who believe the sea is a channel of peace, and take comfort from it - its soothing motion, its moods and its reflective strength.

I have never met a seafarer with no belief. Leaving harbour can be the gateway to the world, but a ship at sea can be a prison, as we all too often see in times of crisis. There is nowhere to run. You have to put your trust in something. When you feel distress you need comfort. At sea there is no confessor, and no sacrament.

When you reach dry land you feel the need to give thanks. Reaching a safe haven can never be overestimated. It usually begins with the smell of seaweed on the harbour wall, and a great sigh of relief.

Seeing welcoming friendly faces willing to take your lines and guide you in is equally important.

Anson was a sailor. He understood these things. Making a difference is not an easy task, with limited resources, but once seafarers see the Stella Maris logo, there is a universal bond.

I gather much of my strength from my association with the sea.

My quest as a ship visitor is to improve on-shore support to not only welcome seafarers but to keep them safe. In many ports this might mean a change of attitude. The vulnerability of seafarers, fishermen and sailors must encourage concern. Effective pastoral care is a right for seafarers onshore, whatever their nationality or religious persuasion. Peter Anson himself once said, ‘We need a new fervour of spirit’.

These words were spoken in Macduff in 1939, uncovering a desperate need to make a difference. He made a difference all right, to the practical and pastoral support for merchant seamen worldwide.

He also wrote words to ‘the builders up of monastic waste places’.

This statement has sat at the back of my mind for a while, since I read the words in a dedication by Anson in a book he gifted to Pluscarden library. What did he mean? He was indeed a far-sighted thinker. Such words might appear optimistic, but all too often, optimism and practical application do not go hand in hand. Did he mean old ruins, such as the Abbeys of Deer and Pluscarden, or was he hinting at the failure of communities to engage their young people, who are forced by circumstance to seek their fortune elsewhere.

If we are to suppose that Anson’s tiny harbourside dwelling in Macduff was in any way monastic, then we would not be wrong.

It was a place of hospitality, learning, enlightenment and sanctity and since the sad demise on the same site, of the Harbour Café, it is now, in every sense, a waste place.

Despite having sampled life in a monastery, Anson chose to go back to the sea, and continue his vocation, and indeed his life, on the quayside of the maritime world. His mission was a mix of social values and faith.

Lessons from Celtic monastic communities would lead us to think about ‘modest monastic villages’, by which we could interpret their meaning to be self-sufficient communities where people lived independently. For many such communities, these would be on islands, totally surrounded by sea. The tiny port of Macduff is currently host to sixty-metre service vessels, which we

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Light of the North

Page 29

outstanding testament to the role of the church in its ministry, and outlines the changing role, vigilance and mobility of port chaplains and ship visitors.

In 1921, Peter Anson was fishing in the Moray Firth, when he finally consolidated the idea of forming a Catholic Sea Apostolate. The idea had been evolving in his mind since 1919, and after much soul-searching, on this morning of calm, he recited the office of Lauds with one hand on the helm, and his idea took shape.

Towards the end of 1920, a small group of lay people, including Anson, decided to unify all the efforts among Catholic seafaring missions into a single work. They decided upon the name Apostleship of the Sea. At the same time, Peter Anson advanced the idea that was to become the key issue for development in the Apostleship of the Sea. Beside the religious aspect, he introduced the idea of practical (shorebased) assistance to the seafarers. This dimension was recorded in the first constitution, which read, ‘to promote the spiritual, moral and social development of seafarers.’

Fishermen mending nets on the quayside in Macduff, just yards from In Macduff we clearly see economic progress evolving as the site of Peter Anson’s former home. we move further into the role as a service port for the Renewables Industry. Great tankers anchor off for days at see regularly anchored off. Great floating steel islands, isolated a time, and our presence on today’s quayside faces major change. marine communities where people work and live, surrounded by Peter Anson himself said, ‘We need a new fervour of spirit.’ God’s sea. Is this Peter Anson’s prophecy? providence is our inheritance, and while we move into the As I read the Annual Review for the organisation Anson councharted waters of the future, we must celebrate the legacy of our founded, I find a picture of the Pope Emeritus in Rome, being past by asking ourselves what can we do today. presented with a personalised hi-viz vest sporting the Apostleship of the Sea logo, which Anson designed. The message is new evangelisation in the maritime world which, without its holy wrapping, simply means looking at things through different eyes, and reflecting those words spoken by Anson in Macduff all those years ago.

Macduff earned its prosperity rather more by luck than design, in that the estuary of the River Deveron changed its agenda, and where Banff harbour became untenable, Macduff successfully built up its fishing and associated maritime industries. The fact that Macduff was the only port in Scotland to have its own Catholic chapel should be looked at with great pride.

The chapel was constructed by Peter Anson in the tiny attic of his harbourside home, with all costs met by himself and the goodwill of others. The first Mass was celebrated by a Benedictine monk, on 6 July, 1946. This date is very close to the celebration of Sea Sunday, when we gather locally with the uniting seafaring missions to remember people of the sea and our dependence on them.

Historically, boats were around long before churches, although the ancient Jews lived in total fear of the sea. They saw it as a power beyond their comprehension. And so it was, until Jesus chose fishermen to be his disciples, and a whole new evangelisation began. St Paul was a well-travelled seafarer as well as a missionary.

The Christian Sea Apostolate was evolving. Rules for Sea Apostles were drawn up by St Vincent de Paul.

There are but two accurate and detailed historical accounts of maritime missiology; The Church and the Sailor (1948), by Anson, which quotes that, ‘considering the Christian apostolate began with a mission to fishermen, no writer has ever thought it worthwhile to make a scientific investigation of the history and conditions of the apostolic action of the church among seafarers’.

In the second work, One Firm Anchor (2012), RWH Miller, also acknowledges that few have written on the subject of the Christian Church and its interaction with seafarers. This is an

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faithandculture

On a wing

Page 30

Light of the North

and a prayer

Father Peter Barry

Kyrgyzstan April 2013

I

’m standing on a mountain at around 9,000 feet, twice the height of our highest Scottish mountain. Through binoculars I can see two eagles hunting low over the ground. Little sousliks, the Asian equivalent of rabbits, scurry into their burrows for cover.

An old shepherd leaves his tiny hut, and speaks to me in Russianwithgreat rapidity. How can we possibly communicate?

Then he does a strange thing I cannot interpret. He clicks his index finger against his Adam’s apple, making a hollow sound.

Among the Russian spoken I pick out a single word, Wod, repeated again and again. Click, wod, click, wod, click, wod.

Suddenly I understand: he is inviting me to drink vodka in his tiny hut. I’m neither street wise or mountain savvy, but imagine the vodka in question isn’t our local bottled 30% alcohol. This is firewater. It’s 11.00 am., I can see the mountain ahead, beautifully snowcapped, and make the sign of the cross to indicate I am a Christian. He says the word Muslim.

Perhaps mercifully he doesn’t know a single word of English. “ You can’t be a good Muslim if you drink alcohol!” He smiles hugely! We shake hands, he looks through my binoculars at the distant peaks, astonished that the mountain top has suddenly come to his feet, and I set off.

I meet other people at a higher altitude: horsemen and their dogs, sheep and lone horses. The golden eagle is easy to identify, but the other is a real teaser: Steppe or imperial eagle?

I plump for the latter, and suddenly my life’s total of observed species has risen to 3,008. An old shepherdess invites me into her hut. The word “ Cha “ means Tea, and I sit drinking as she walks around her hut showing me photographs: there’s a wedding photo taken on the happiest day of her life, and three children look out at me from various poses. But now she is completely alone, and eager for the company of any traveller.

I wonder how she survives the winter. Who brings her groceries? Who looks after her health?

It’s now late afternoon and I set off for my guest-house. I’m staying with a local family who don’t speak a word of English.

They meet travellers at the local bus-stop and invite them to a home-stay. I share their food, and sleep under some old blankets at night.

At 9,000 feet, the old shepherd meets me again, with the same invitation! “ You’re not a good Muslim, I say with a grin, if you try to corrupt a holy Catholic Priest! He gives a big grin, and I set off down the mountain. After the mountain air, I’ll sleep well under those blankets tonight.

“An old shepherd leaves his tiny hut, and speaks to me in Russian with great rapidity” Illustration by Jane Barry

faithandculture

Light of the North

Margaret Bradley’s FOOD AND FAITH

T

he Garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives, is named in the New Testament as the place where Jesus went with his disciples to pray the night before he was crucified.

Beside the garden is the Church of All Nations, built over the rock on which Jesus is believed to have prayed in agony before he was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. About 100 metres north of the church is the Grotto of Gethsemane, where Jesus and his disciples often camped at night. In this natural grotto, it is believed, the disciples slept while Jesus prayed, and Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested.

Today in the Garden of Gethsemane stand eight very large and very gnarled olive trees. Three of these date from the12th century and all are believed to have originated as cuttings from the same parent plant.

It is thought unlikely that these particular trees were standing at the time of Christ as it is believed that the Romans cut down all the wood in the area to build equipment for their siege of Jerusalem in AD70.

However, it is believed that these eight olive trees could be descendants of a tree which stood at the time of Christ. This is because, when an olive tree is cut down new branches grow from the roots to create a new plant.

In biblical times, to keep from having to cut down a poor tree and plant a new seedling, branches from the good tree would be grafted on to a poorer tree. The good branch would then produce good fruit while getting nourishment from the poorer tree’s root

The Church of All Nations is built over the rock on which Jesus is believed to have prayed the night he was betrayed.

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Olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane, three of which date back to the 12th century system.

Radiocarbon-dating of the roots of the trees in the Garden of Gesthsemane, by the University of California in 1982, indicated that some of the wood could be 2,300 years old.

The olive branch has been used as a symbol for peace for thousand of years. Perhaps this came about because, in ancient times, olive trees would have taken many years to mature and produce fruit, so it would be expected that anyone planting one would have a long and peaceful life.

The garden of Gethsemane is shady, peaceful and timeless and is cared for by the Franscicans. The name is Hebrew and means “oil press”, a place for squeezing oil An ancient oil press from olives. The olives are still harvested and pressed each year. The oil is used for Gethsemane’s sanctuary lamps and the pips are used to make rosary beads, which the Franciscans give to pilgrims.

Have a peaceful summer. Try a summer salad with olives like this Salade Niçoise.

Salade Niçoise—serves four 1 clove of Garlic skinned and cut in half 1 lettuce 16 black olives 6oz cooked French beans 1 green and 1 red pepper (capsicums), seeded and cut into thin rounds 2oz can of anchovies, drained 1 large Spanish onion, skinned and finely sliced 6 tomatoes, skinned and quartered 1/2 cucumber peeled and thinly sliced 7oz can tuna steaks, flaked chopped chives vinaigrette dressing 4 eggs, hard boiled and quartered Rub the side of a salad bowl with the cut clove of garlic. Place in the bowl the smaller lettuce leaves and the heart divided into quarters. Cut the French beans into pieces and add to the lettuce with the remaining ingredients, except the eggs.

Stir the dressing in gently, just enough tomake sure everything is glistening.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Just before serving, add the quartered eggs.

faithandculture fai fa ait ith th h and han a nd d cult c u ltu turre re

Page P age 32

Light Ligh igh ght ht

P oetic etic c Licence ce Canon Bill Anderson Ca rsonn delves d l s into i t ssome me off his

favourite inspirational nspirationall verse.

Tell Me You That Sing In The Black - Thorn

A

lfred Noyes (1880-1959) was admired in his time as novelist, playwright and poet. Much of his verse was about seafaring, though his land-based piece,"The Highwayman", was perhaps his best-known. In fact it became a "by-heart" item in many a classroom!

The following poem expresses Noyes' amazement at the beauty and significance of birdsong in summer. There is a disarming spiritual quality in the stanzas themselves and in the overarching theme: Tell me you That sing in the black-thorn Out of what Mind Your melody springs.

Is it the World-soul Throbs like a fountain Up thro’ the throat Of an elf with wings?

Five sweet notes In a golden order, Out of that deep realm Quivering through, Flashed like a phrase Of light through darkness.

But Who so ordered them?

Tell me, Who? You whose throats In the rain-drenched orchard Peal your joys

In a cadenced throng; You whose wild notes, Fettered by beauty, Move like the stars In a rounded song; Yours is the breath But Whose is the measure, Shaped in an ecstasy Past all art?

Yours is the spending; Whose is the treasure?

Yours is the blood-beat; Whose is the heart?

Minstrels all That have woven your houses Of withies and twigs With a Mind in wrought, Ye are the shuttles; But out of what Darkness

Gather your thoughtless Patterns of thought?

Bright eyes glance Through your elfin doorways, Roofed with rushes, And lined with moss.

Whose are the voiceless pangs of creation?

Yours is the wild bough: Whose is the Cross?

Carols of light From a lovelier kingdom, Gleams of a music On earth unheard, Scattered like dew By the careless wayside, Pour through the lifted Throat of a bird.

Greater poets may have rhapsodised over the singing of this bird or that, but few have attempted to address feathered songsters as a community, or to see so clearly, with a kind of Franciscan insight, how the loveliness of birdsong, "carols of light from a lovelier kingdom", reflects in some manner the beauty of God, the Creator of the whole of Nature.

One cannot help wondering what Francis of Assisi, traditionally supposed to have preached to the birds, could have taught his innocent friends. Perhaps he just told them to do then what they still do, to praise their Maker with song.

Light Ligh igh ght ht

humour

Humour from the Vestry

Page P age 33

A TRUE TR UE C IR C LE OF FRIE N D S

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Headhunters!

H eadhun t ers!

A missionary missionarry had found found a guide who would would take take him hiim upstream upstream to to a tribe of headhunters headhunters ccut ut off offf frfrom om civilization. civilization. In the distanc distancee they ccould o hear dr ould drums. ums. ""What What is that that drumming?" drumming?" he asked asked ner nervously. vously. The The native native replied, replied, "Drums "Drums okay, okay, but if they stop stop it will be very very bad" bad"..

The The drums continued continued for for 3 days days as they got closer to to the headhunters' headhunters' village village..

Then, Then, without warning, warning, the drums drums stopped. stopped. TThe he fforest orest ffell ell eerily e silen silent.t. With With panic in his voice, voice, the missionary missionar sionary ccalled alled out ttoo the guide guide,, ""The The dr drums u ha ums have ve st stopped! opped! What What happens now?" now?" TThe hee guide crouched crouched do down, wn, covered covered his headd with his hands and with despair in his voice, voice, answ answered, ered, ""Tuba Tuba solo solo."."

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"Why do you say that?", the bishop asked.

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crossword

WORD No. 23

Page 34

Light of the North

In this issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s competition thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an opportunity to win a copy of Pauline Edwardsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; book, â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Little Way of Healingâ&#x20AC;? together with Eileen Grantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new CTS booklet, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Understanding the Story of the Bibleâ&#x20AC;?. Just send your completed entry by the 1st October to the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Light of the Northâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, Ogilvie Centre, 16 Huntly Street, Aberdeen AB10 1SH. First correct entry drawn out of the hat is the winner.

Answers to last issueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crossword ACROSS 1. Crusade 5. Fate 8. Stream 9. Nurses 10. Prudence 12. Talk 13. Ascension 17. Acre 18. Covenant 20. Mortal 21. Cantor 23. Blur 24. Cranmer DOWN 2. Retort 3. See 4. Demon 5. Firstborn 6. Treble 7. Angels 11. Dissenter 14. Excels 15. Scroll 16. Snooze 19. Vicar 22. Nun

Little Horror Sudoku No. 10 If you prefer sudoku to crosswords then you still have a chance to be a prize winner with our super tough sudoku puzzle.

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Across 1. Famous hymn writer (7, 6) 8. Concert (7) 9. Sold land to Jacob (5) 10. Guardian of Samuel (3) 11. Sunday service (8) 13. Involve(6) 14. Friend of Jeremiah (6) 17. These people were said to be tall as the cedars and strong as the oaks (Amos 2:9) (8) 19. Respectful address (3) 21. Bishopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hat (5) 22. Surrounded remnant of land (7) 24. Parable (4, 9)

Down 1. Comfortably furnished (8) 2. Connecting two pillars (7) 3. Ignited (3) 4. Second only to gold (6) 5. One of Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letters (9) 6. Fruit of Israel (5) 7. Second only to Canterbury (4) 11. Enthusiasm (9) 12. A dozen for the breadmaker (8) 15. Cheeky one (7) 16. Brook (6) 18. Words to inspire (5) 20. Conceited (4) 23. Vehicle to save on shoe leather (3)

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Light of the North

A True Friend is a Priceless Treasure

Sr Janet Fearns FMDM

P

eople have different approaches to their relationships with others. A teenager recently spoke on Radio 4 of his great popularity on Twitter and Facebook. “I have thousands of followers and that gives meaning to my life. I update my account every few minutes so that everybody knows everything that I am doing. If I were never to do anything else in life, I think that I have ‘made it’ and have become famous.”

The interviewer asked how his parents viewed their son’s publicity. “They don’t like it and think that I will regret it later on in life but I don’t care. I’m online for several hours each day and that makes me happy. My dream is to organise a gettogether of all the people who follow me on Twitter and Facebook. I would love just to walk in and hear them say ‘Oh, it’s you!’ I don’t agree with my parents that I am putting too much of my life in the public domain. I don’t care if I regret it later. What matters is the here and now. Now, I have thousands of followers.”

The Internet has put a whole new face on the meaning of friendship. Suddenly, it is possible to have vast numbers of ‘friendships’ with people one is never likely to meet except in brief messages on a webpage accessible to vast numbers of individuals across the globe. Yet do such networks deserve to be put on a par with a relationship which has weathered storms and emerged the stronger for the testing? For the most part, a momentary, untested relationship is unworthy of being called a friendship. To be a friend is not a trivial encounter, not something to be taken lightly.

There are also those who call others their friends after a casual meeting which only lasted a few minutes. Has such a relationship the lasting quality worthy of being called ‘friendship’? Here today. Gone tomorrow. It is, of course, entirely possible to meet someone for the first time and to realise that this person could become a lifelong friend, but this does not happen very often. ‘Love at first sight’ is frequently only a shallow attraction leading to infatuation and, perhaps, to heartbreak.

Real friendship stands the trials of time and separation. It is a kind of loving which takes a moment to establish and a

Page 35

lifetime to bring to fulfilment. It is a lifelong commitment, a gift of all that I truly am, to another individual, who makes the same gift of himself or herself to me. That is why, when someone puts his or her life into my hand in friendship it seems a contradiction if, after only a short while, I spread my fingers and let that gift trickle away like sand. That is why it is sometimes said that a friend is ‘a once in a lifetime experience’.

It does not mean that I have only one friend. It does mean that each friend is uniquely precious and irreplaceable.

A couple with two children left the small town where they had lived for many years and severed their ties with most, if not all, of those whom they had previously called friends.

From the day they left, they didn’t write, phone or visit although their new home was not far from their old one.

Strange. What did they understand as the meaning of friendship? Is it something temporary and disposable?

Someone once said that a true friend is ‘someone who knows all of my shortcomings but likes me anyway’. True, but a real friend is also someone who notices ‘all the secret belongings that nobody else cared enough to notice’, the qualities that even I hadn’t known were within me.

Each of us is like a swimming pool with a deep end and a shallow end. I allow some of the people in my life into the shallow end of my heart and others into deeper water. A true friend is allowed to swim anywhere even though they will discover my weaknesses and shortcomings as well as all the precious treasures that I don’t put on public display and reserve for those whom I love most dearly.

My friends change me, help me to become more truly myself, make me ever more beautiful and lovable. They help me to bring out into the daylight my best qualities. If my companions do not do this and I become a worse person through their company, then they are not friends. Changing for the better is not always comfortable and pain-free, but it is only someone who truly loves me, who is a friend in the best sense of the word, who will both challenge me to make the necessary changes and will accompany me on that journey.

Friendship does not ‘just happen’. It takes commitment, time and sharing, not only laughter, but also tears. It is easy to be good company in good times. What about when I am not very good company because of pain, discouragement, failure, tragedy, sickness? It is only a true friend who remains ‘through thick and thin’.

Friendship means shared values, not just superficially, but at the very deepest level of my being. We are not clones of each other, so there are areas of difference, but there is enough common ground for a relationship to grow, develop and flower. There is a determination to spend time together, perhaps not always talking. Sometimes it is necessary to share silence. It is because of the attitude of total giving, receiving and sharing that are the very fabric of true friendship that its highest human form is found in marriage, where two individuals give themselves heart and soul into each other’s hands in a lifelong commitment.

True friendship celebrates the life and goodness of another person. It is unselfish and outward looking. It makes life worth living and an ongoing adventure of discovery. A true friend is a priceless treasure: no one can measure its worth.

Sr Janet Fearns is Publications Officer for the Pontifical Mission Societies and a regular contributor to the Catholic Press.

Page 36

Light of the North Rainbow Glass Studio LTD is a family company, which specialise in the design, manufacture and installation of Ecclesiastical, Public and Residential stained glass. Along with a number of new contemporary commissions, we are currently working on a conservation project for the Nazereth Trust, Aberdeen.

Rainbow Glass FP

Nazareth Care home is moving to new premises this year. The project involves de-glazing 6 beautiful stained glass windows from the original chapel and re-locating them within their new building. The stained glass windows are by the London company, Lavers and Westlake and dated 1897.

Each lancet contains a central figure of various saints surrounded by gothic architecture. The style is “Gothic Revival” and typical of the company. All are commemorative with the names listed on labels at the base. The windows and are part of the history of the chapel and this project will “save” these stained glass windows and bring some of the history from the old chapel into the new one. We would like to thank all those involved in the project.

We have now removed the 6 stained glass windows and they are in our studio, where they will be sensitively conserved and cleaned, ready for re-installation in their new home. All work carried out will be of the highest standard by skilled craftsperson’s using traditional methods and high quality materials. We do not compromise the quality or finish of our work. All work carried out Window being removed. followed CVMA guidelines, which promotes minimal intervention and maximum retention of original materials.

Bonding broken pieces.

Our Directors include a PACR accredited conservator and an Accredited artist of the Church of Scotland. Please feel free to contact us if you require any future advice regarding architectural stained glass windows. We cover all areas of Scotland but we would welcome any enquiries from further a field.

Window before removal.