Light of the north issue 16

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ur front cover this issue features “The Agony in the Garden”, painted by the French artist Paul Gauguin in , which is presently on display at the Norton Art Gallery in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Gauguin is probably best known for his brightly coloured paintings of South Sea Islanders but he did execute a number of paintings based on religious subjects including “The Yellow Christ” and “The Vision after the Sermon”.

Gauguin was a financially successful stockbroker and self-taught amateur artist when he began collecting works by the Impressionists in the s. In , after a stock market crash and recession, he decided to abandon the business world to pursue life as an artist full-time.

In  he went to Pont-Aven in Brittany, a rugged land of fervently religious people far from the urban sophistication of Paris. There he forged a new style, central to which was his use of colour, which he employed for its emotive qualities. He applied it in broad flat areas outlined with dark paint which tended to flatten space and form.

This flattening of space and symbolic use of colour would be important influences on early twentieth-century artists.

In October  he travelled to Vincent van Gogh’s home in Arles, France. His stay was both traumatic and fruitful for both artists. They learned a great deal from each other but were often at odds. Gauguin returned to Paris in

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December after Van Gogh’s “ear incident” but shortly afterwards moved back to Brittany where the “Agony in the Garden” was painted in .

Gauguin considered it to be his best work to date but it was not a view held by his fellow artists. There is no doubt that this is a selfportrait though Christ’s orange hair and beard were probably modelled on Van Gogh’s.

Gauguin’s use of colour in “Agony of the Garden” is typical of his early attempts at primitive art. He places the Christ figure with vibrant orange hair off to the side, drawing the viewer’s eye to the figure and away from the dark greens and blues of the background. In contrast are the dark figures partially hidden off to the right, and the sombre, bare tree trunk in the centre of the painting which succinctly bisects the composition. This has the effect of increasing the main figure’s isolation and imbuing the whole work with a sense of forbodeing.

In this work Gauguin, who styled himself as the “Messiah of Painting”, clearly wants to express his own state of abandonment by his contemporaries. The two figures in the background might well be Van Gogh and Emile Bernard, both of whom had been critical of the way his work was developing.The figure of Christ which droops to one side finds a correspondence with the leaning trees in the background, adding to the atmosphere of dejection and hopelessness; a hopelessness which is still to be relieved by the new life born of Easter.

7UP Group thirsty for new members

T

he St Peter’s 7UP Youth Group was formed in December 2010 to bring together young people for fun, friendship and the chance to share our faith!

We have a wonderful team of enthusiastic, motivated and friendly leaders.

At the moment we meet on Monday nights from 6.30-7.30pm at St Peter’s Church in Aberdeen.

We have evenings of singing, craft, games and prayer, as well as plans to go out for meals, bowling etc..

However, WE NEED YOU! If you are aged seven or over and would like to come and join us - do come along!

Our first social outing is Saturday, 19th February - everyone welcome!

For more information call Louise on 07738573141

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contents

diocese 4

obituary 9

witness 10

liturgy 11

educationandformation 12

faithandculture 20

crossword

33

humour 34

Westminster 35

Light of the North

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

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

Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned to believe that life is meant to be a struggle. It certainly felt that way for me this morning when I woke up to find that the boiler wasn’t working and that there was no hot water. And then the dog tried to savage the telephone engineer who had turned up at an ungodly hour to repair the phone line. To put the icing on the cake, on the way to work an expensive sounding grinding noise came from the car every time I had to brake.

The Season of Lent must surely be a good time to remind ourselves, especially as Christians, that we have to be prepared to accept more goodness into our lives and to trust in the life transforming power of the Spirit, rather than adopting the philosophy of believing that, if you don’t expect anything, at least you won’t be disappointed. Even when something amazingly good happens we can find ourselves thinking, “there’s really no such thing as a free lunch�. Indeed, a certain sense of satisfaction can be had in pointing out why things are unlikely to work rather than being excited about the thought of new possibilities opening up in front of us. We can become quite adept at sabotaging our own efforts to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.

Not many people believe in something for nothing but we know that they could not be more wrong. We know that the “best of men is a man, at best� and falls dreadfully short of what we were created to be; we need grace and, by the Grace of God that is given to us, we in turn may give grace to others. That free lunch is always on offer whether we want to accept it or not. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it!

But now to this new issue of the magazine. Bishop Peter Moran shares some challenging thoughts about the the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church. Abbot Hugh Gilbert gives thanks for the gift of Lent and Canon Alistair Doyle begins a new series looking at the lives of the Saints. Another new contributor, Paul Cameron-Mowat, considers those masters of spiritual warfare, the Desert Fathers and Mothers. In addition, Fr Bernard O’Connor answers some of the more frequently posed questions regarding the creation of personal ordinariates for Anglicans or Episcopalians entering into full communion with the Catholic Church. This is an issue of particular relevance to our Diocese, as it is hoped that the first Ordinariate in Scotland will be centred in Inverness, though embracing people from all over Scotland.

And finally, talking of free lunches, the Light of the North is still your free diocesan magazine, though donations are always gratefully received.

Happy Easter.

Cowan

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The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church Pop e B en ed i c t X V I recen tl y i ssued t wo i m p o r t a n t d o c um en ts – on e on Th e Word of G o d a n d t h e o th er on New Evan gel i sat ion.

I n th e f i r s t o f t wo ar ti c l es Bi sh op Pe te r M ora n wo u l d l i ke to sh are, wi th ever yone i n o u r d i o ces e, som e c h al l en gi n g th oughts ab o u t t h e f i r s t of th ese subj ec ts.

Bishop Peter Moran

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hen we call the Bible, or the Holy Scriptures, The Word of God, we mean that God is still speaking to us, now, two thousand years after Our Lord walked this earth. He still has much to say to us: and he very much wants us to listen. If Our Lord appeared in our streets or on our television, of course we would be crowding to hear him, or glued to our screens: but he wants us to hear him in the Scriptures.

In the second half of every Sunday or weekday Mass, God comes to meet us in the person of Jesus, present in the mystery, the sacrament, of his Body and Blood. But in the first half of every Sunday or weekday Mass God comes to meet us and speak to us, in the diet of readings from the Bible, the mystery of his Word.

This is a startling statement: but all the better if it startles us. God wants to speak to us, unbelievable though that may sound.

Just think what follows from that statement: .

The first part of Mass is just as sacred, in its own way, as the second. .

Think what we might be missing, if we miss it. .

Maybe we, the listeners, need to prepare, to make sure we’ll understand it. .

Surely the readers need to prepare, if they’re going to proclaim it. .

Yes, proclaim it – for it is the Word of God: they speak for God. .

And then, when we’ve listened, what does God expect us to do with what we’ve heard – with what he has shared with us?

Synod meeting in Rome on that same topic – The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church. I myself, your own bishop, was the Scottish representative. The Pope invited us, after three weeks discussion, to suggest concerns and proposals on which he would base his document. Now he has published it.

I ask you to look back at the six points I mentioned above. Think about them. Pray about them. Check your own attitudes against them. Discuss them in your parish.

Here are some thoughts on each one: .

At Mass, are we less interested, and less attentive, up to and including the sermon than we are after it? .

If we can’t hear the readings, do we feel we have missed something? .

Do you know why the responsorial psalm should really be sung, rather than said? .

What’s the difference between reading and proclaiming? .

Should readers be commissioned, as Ministers of Holy Communion are? .

Do you ever talk about the readings when you’re at Sunday lunch?

Ask yourself whether anything needs changing, or needs improving, or is missing altogether, in the place your parish gives to The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church.

These are some of the points that Pope Benedict stresses In our next issue Bishop Peter will share with us his in his recent document. He has been working on it since thoughts on the second of these important documents, autumn . Bishops from all over the world held their on New Evangelisation.

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“ Suffer little children to come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “

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dvent in St Francis and Westhill is a very special time for our children. On each of the four Sundays they participate in a little drama, with song, costumes and actions.

On the First Sunday of Advent, the catechists help the children to fashion a Christingle: an orange with a candle, a strip of purple cloth, cocktail sticks and sweets. The children come in with the lights dimmed, and explain to the parishioners the significance of each symbol: the orange is the world, the candle is the light of Christ, the ribbon is the love of God, which never ends, the cocktail sticks represent the gifts of the spirit, and the sweets represent the fruits of those gifts.

The following Sunday a young girl dresses as Saint Lucy. In Sweden young girls take cakes and coffee to the elderly who live in the turf houses. Lights on their heads light up their path. In St Francis old people at Mass receive little cakes from the youngsters present. The children sing the song, with words adapted to the occasion “ Santa Lucia “.

The 3rd Sunday children carry little fishing rods, with paper fish attached. In their narrative they explain that fishers in the North Sea need our help with warm woolen socks and gloves.

This year the parish collected around 700 pairs of socks, gloves and scarves. Brian and Jacqui Kilkerr, who work for the Apostleship of the Sea, are present to thank the children.

The final Sunday of Advent in St Francis the children perform a Nativity play: kings, shepherds and angels, Mary and Joseph are all splendidly costumed. Song, drama and narrative conclude our Advent preparations, with one little surprise: there is a Christmas party immediately after Mass, with a magician to entertain.

Young people watch astonished as a rabbit is pulled out of a hat, items disappear into thin air, and re-appear elsewhere. Prayer, laughter, wonder and drama are the ingredients of their young lives during this Holy Season.

None of this would be possible without our wonderful, dedicated Catechists, who work so unstintingly to bring the faith alive in the most imaginative ways. “ I want you to be happy, always happy in the Lord “ ( Saint Paul )

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Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

John Perry “I don’t know, it will be a big group and a whole week on a bus is not really me.”

“Who knows how we are going to get on together, there are always some awkward folks?”

“It is quite expensive and what about the security issues in Israel?”

“But it is still something I really want to do and of course, being part of an organised group will enable us to do and see things that we couldn’t do by ourselves.”

“I think we should go; hopefully we can approach the pilgrimage with an open and generous mind.”

And so four of us from St Columba’s Parish in Banchory, became (rather late) participants in a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in October .

Essentially it was a pilgrimage to the Holy Land of a group of catholic people mainly from the diocese of Aberdeen but also from other parts of the UK. The alarm went off at am on the day of departure and we headed to Heathrow on the redeye from Aberdeen. From what I can remember, we arrived in Tel Aviv about  o’clock in the evening and then spent about an hour on a bus which took us to

Jerusalem. So to bed, exhausted; but it was up early on the following morning to begin two intensive days in Jerusalem.

Bethlehem, The Church of the Nativity, Manger Square, the Shepherds’ Fields, Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, Church of Pater Noster, Gethsemane, Dormition Abbey, The Way of the Cross, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Calvary, the West Wall. Many were places I had read about all my life and here I was actually standing in them. In fact, I was struggling to catch-up, my mind was racing to try and ground itself and appreciate just what I was experiencing and seeing. I was struggling to try and find the space to allow some spiritual reflection. Gradually, I was beginning to learn the names of some of our pilgrims, thanks to handy lapel badges, but most folks were still just names.

Through the first couple of days we got to know our guide, Nasser, much better.

He directed us with quiet charm and spoke with good humour and an underlying authority. His personal history was both interesting and disturbing, in that he is an Israeli Christian with an Arab, Palestinian background. As we developed our dialogue with him, it became clear how uncertain is the future for Christians in his position. Everything from the current exodus of Christians from the Holy Land, to

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the trauma of the divided country exemplified by the “security” wall round the West Bank, to explicit prejudice that Nasser experiences and has to deal with on a day to day basis.

The following day we were taken out of Jerusalem via Bethany to Jericho and Qumran. It was a shame we did not explore Jericho more than we did. It is clearly a very old and historic city of great significance, but I suspect the security aspects of our visit meant we were not allowed free rein there. Qumran is closeby, but much more tourist orientated and horrendously hot and crowded. We were nevertheless able to acknowledge the significance of the finds made there in the desert just a generation ago.

It was now time to leave Jerusalem behind and head for Nazareth and Galilee. There were many special moments on the pilgrimage, but one of the highlights was our time in the Church of the Annunciation at Nazareth. A beautiful and grand cathedral built in the ’s and designed by Giovanni Muzio. Like so many, it was a building built on many layers of history and at the heart of it was a shrine and grotto dedicated to Our Lady. We were able to gather there and pray and reflect for some precious moments. It was times like this that elevated the visit from mere tourism to pilgrimage. There is so much you receive in that little window of communion and for me the hurly burly of the first few days was now transforming into a wonderful journey with new-found friends.

Many people had told me what a beautiful place is Galilee, and they are not wrong. Our first morning consisted of a boat trip on the lake. We went from the bizarre, as Flower of Scotland was blasted from the boat’s speakers (for our benefit) to the sublime, as we enjoyed the peace of the early morning with the boat making its way across the water.

On the shores of Galilee lies a church dedicated to the primacy of St Peter. Father Stuart Chalmers ably and sensitively led us in our liturgies and daily Mass in a way that connected closely with where we were and what we were experiencing. However, the location for this Mass, outside by the Sea of Galilee was very special and memorable. The group was also blessed with some beautiful singing voices and we were never short of songs to help our services and thanksgiving.

There were so many precious moments, some of them planned for, some spontaneous. Moments of deep spiritual reflection and others of friends enjoying themselves; passages of scripture, singing, laughter, personal stories. A shared experience that had taken us somewhere very special and provided us with food for the road ahead; and it was clear, for some this road held deep uncertainty and worry.

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We returned through all the airports, battling with security checks and connections. We promised ourselves a reunion and there were many hugs shared as we parted to pick-up the familiar once again. Not an easy task as we were so buoyed-up and inspired from our week in the Holy Land that there was a real risk of anti-climax. It will take some time for it all to sink in and hopefully, not be lost.

A post-script: I hope I have given a little insight into our pilgrimage; an almost impossible task in so few words. But these journeys don’t happen without careful planning; and what I came to realise was that there are many dedicated Christians who help us experience a pilgrimage in this way, not least Father Stuart Chalmers, Deacon Peter Macdonald and Sr Moira Donnelly. Behind the scenes Deacon John Wire, in association with the Mancunia Travel agency, worked away quietly and efficiently to get this pilgrimage off the ground. As well as Nasser, Ann Tipper was our Mancunia rep. and Mancunia itself has a close relationship with a Jerusalem-based firm helping expedite pilgrimages. For all the folks we met in this context, it was clear that organising and enabling a pilgrimage to happen is itself an important ministry, one we definitely benefited from and give thanks for.

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0161 790 90 6838 office184@mancunia.com o ffice184@mancunia.com www. manc cunia.com www.mancunia.com

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First Holy Communions at St Duthac’s

n Sunday, th of November, five young gentlemen made their first Holy Communion at St Duthac’s Dornie. In the photo to the left (from left to right) are Rt Rev Mgr. James L. Canon MacNeil, Matthew Goodman, Gabriel Parsons, Thomas Goodman, Duncan MacRae and Sinclair Hennessey.

In the photo to the right are Liam and Melina Arnott who were unable to attend on the th and made their first Holy Communion on Thursday, nd December at Courthill Chapel in Kishorn at which Monsignor James MacNeil holds Mass once a month.

St Duthac’s serves a huge area of the Diocese of Aberdeen, from Glenelg to Applecross and the whole of Lochalsh and Kintail. It is the most westerly parish in the

Diocese and its small congregation of about  continues the long and faithful Catholic presence in the west. It is served by Right Reverend Monsignor James Canon MacNeil, who is a priest of the Diocese of Argyll and the Isles.

On Friday, rd July  St Duthac’s saw the th anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of the church when Bishop Joseph Toal celebrated with a special Mass to which all current and past Priests and parishioners were invited. This was followed by an informal evening in Dornie Hall which was enjoyed by all who attended.

An anniversary booklet was published to mark the occasion.

Robin Teago

One step closer to the priesthood

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t St Mary’s Church, Peterhead on Monday th December  the Diaconate was conferred by the Bishop of Aberdeen Reverend Peter A. Moran on local man Domenico Zanrè.

Son of James & Eva Zanrè, Domenico was born in Fife, but grew up in Peterhead, where he attended St Peter’s Episcopal School and the Central School. He spent six years at Glenalmond College before commencing undergraduate studies at the University of Glasgow. After graduation Domenico pursued a

distinguished academic career and from  to , he worked as a Lecturer in Italian Renaissance Studies at the University of Glasgow.

Domenico has practised his faith throughout his life.

From the age of seven, he helped to serve Mass as an altar boy in St Mary’s, Peterhead, and during his childhood and teenage years, he was encouraged in his vocation by several parish priests including Fr Alistair Doyle, Fr Ray Coyle, Fr Andrew Mann, and Fr Chris Brannan. In , Domenico applied to enter seminary and to train for the priesthood. He was sent to the

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ROBERT KYLE  - 

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t is with great sadness that we report the death of Bob Kyle at the age of  after his battle against cancer. Our thoughts first go to Bob’s wife Paddy, their three children, Sarah, Bridget and Ciaran and his grandson Stevie, and Bob’s very many personal friends.

Bob worked as a Health & Safety professional in the offshore oil and gas industry for nearly  years. Earlier this year he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award for services to safety by the Oil & Gas Industry at a ceremony at Ardoe House Hotel near Aberdeen. Bob was chosen for this honour because…. “He has worked tirelessly and selflessly on industry safety issues for  years, his knowledge and enthusiasm are second to none, and his views and experiences are sought out by many”.

The above quote could also apply to Bob’s contribution to our Church and community here in Ellon and we are indeed very proud to have had him as one of our own.

Bob took a very active role in the parish, serving on the Parish Council, organising the choir and helping to prepare for those busy Church festivals such as Easter and Christmas. He also ran study sessions during the Lent period and during the month of May when he led study sessions on Our Lady.

In  Bob graduated from Aberdeen University with a theology degree and went on to take a Masters Degree in Theology and Catholic Studies.

Bob was a long time member of the SVDP in Ellon and held the position of Aberdeen East President as well as serving as National Vice President of Scotland. He was a great inspiration to us all with his enthusiasm and his efforts to benefit all those with whom he came in contact.

With the qualities that all of us Vincentians strive for, compassion in alleviating the suffering of others, promoting respect, dignity and integrity, we had a wonderful guy in “our Bob”. May he rest in peace.

Peter and Carmel Twine

Scots College in Rome. He is currently continuing his theological studies with the Dominican fathers at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He will graduate next year with a Licence, or specialised teaching qualification, in the area of Dogmatic Theology.

Above: Domenico, his mother, Eva, and Bishop Peter Left: Domenico, his mother, Bishop Peter and other priests and deacons from across the Diocese

Tom Cair ns

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Why n ot me?

David Braine D avid B ra in e i s a Ph i l osoph er and Hon o ra r y R es ea rc h Fel l ow at th e Un i ve r sit y of A b erd een . I n 1977 h e was seve re ly i n jured in a m o tor acc i den t wh i c h l ef t him paralysed from the lower chest downwards.

I n t h i s, t h e s econ d i n stal men t of a t wo p ar t s er i es, D avi d h i gh l i gh ts th e fat al fl aw s i n M a rg o M ac D on al d’s i l l -fated ‘ End of L i f e A s s is t a n ce Bi l l ’ an d expresse s his cont i nu i n g f ears ab out th e deval ui ng of hu m a n li f e. ‘ L if e’, argues D avi d, ‘i s a gif t.

We mu s t n o t c l ose of f i ts p ossi bi l i ti es’.

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eantime, what is my present situation. I have a huge fear of going into hospital with the danger of hospital infections, of pressure sores, and of “do not resuscitate” orders. But at least until recently I have had a general confidence that doctors, nurses, carers and paramedical workers will not take part in attempts to kill their patients. My psychosis in  had to do with fears of doctors and others wanting to kill me, arising from auditory hallucinations in a situation of sleeplessness.

It is vital that people like myself can have confidence in doctors and nurses in the setting of general practice and of the home. This confidence must not be weakened. This is what makes the unqualified protection of the law vital.

In this setting, Margo MacDonald’s bill was nightmarishly weak in safeguards. The person seeking death was required to designate only a single registered medical practitioner who would then have almost unlimited discretion. He would have had no obligation to discover the person’s medical record or even to inform that person’s medical practice, his family or anyone who knew the person, or any public legal authority, of what was going on. There were no safeguards preventing the practitioner or the freely selected psychiatrist giving the person concerned unbalanced or incomplete information. There was no provision that the witnesses to the signatures of formal requests for death be

informed or be unprejudiced in judging the person to be free of undue influence. Worse, the provisions made in the bill extended to “the permanently incapacitated who find life intolerable” –- yet few people have been free of periods of three months in which they found life intolerable, but feel quite different later. This bill would have made it very easy for people to be led to their death, without their full responsibility, without proper information, and without anyone who knew them properly having any warning or any capacity to question the process.

We must expect more such bills, with fewer defects, and accordingly liable to meet fewer allies in opposition.

Therefore we must be clear why we must still resist them, with all our heart, humanity and mind -- all three will be required. If you ask of the general perspective from which I feel matters, it is this.

As human beings, we come into existence in a state of immaturity and dependence on others. Apart from unexpected, sudden, early, death, just as we start life in immaturity and dependence, so, also as we age, we become again liable to be weak and dependent on others. All this is part of our natural animal condition. At any stage, healing and restoration of function are to be valued, but to reject this natural passage from immaturity and dependence and back to weakness and dependence is to reject this natural human condition.

For me, suicide, whether physician-assisted or not, and “voluntary euthanasia” are kinds of “cop-out” from the human condition, a declaration of dissociation from those who went before us in two world wars, as well as in more recent wars, and from all those who went before us. It is also a cop-out from any sharing of the situation of people in poorer countries. It is a piece of individualism – an opting out from sharing the life and lot of the rest of humanity.

Nobody should close off what possibilities there are before them, what they can give to others, or what others may learn from them in ways they don’t realise. And no philosopher or scientist knows what may or may not come after death.

Life is a gift. We must not close off its possibilities. Some of the disabled and terminally ill have produced their most valued work in the period of their disability and sometimes long illness. In my own case, I published almost nothing until two major books and many articles from  onwards, long after my accident in . For all, life has unexpected possibilities in directions one would never have conceived of. Many have found fulfilment in outgoing social and care activity, which they had never conceived of.

In this setting, meeting other disabled people, I have found it extraordinary how people in situations of disability, of grievous, extended, continuing illness, without knowing it, inspire others. They do so, sometimes by their continuance through periods of mental illness, sometimes simply through long endurance, of pain, of difficulty, and

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sometimes through their patience and calm. Their experience teaches others and helps form the attitudes of others as they approach old age and ultimately death. Death comes to all in circumstances nobody can predict with accuracy. Courage, patience, perseverance, self control, fairness to others and generosity of spirit often draw out parallel qualities in others. In all relationships there is as much value in giving as in receiving, and in willingness to receive as in willingness to give.

Today, people in the richer West increasingly tend to consider anything that interferes with the pattern or plan of life that they have formed for themselves as an intrusion or an interference. They form a shell round themselves which prevents them from even seeing or responding to the needs of others. And I have a fear for all the disabled, those with

Abbot Hugh Gilbert OSB “Welcome, dear feast of Lent: who loves not thee, He loves not temperance, or Authority, But is composed of passion” (George Herbert).

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Preface is a thanksgiving, and a Lenten Preface is a thanksgiving for Lent and the activities associated with it. In other words, Lent is a gift. It comes from God. The Collect for the st Sunday of Lent even talks of the “Lenten sacrament”, the sacrament which is Lent, just as Lenten Preface  speaks of the paschal mystery. The first sacrament takes us to the second. It’s striking that this gift should be called a “sacrament”. What this suggests is that through the various signs that make up Lent, through our own Lenten efforts, it is God Himself who is principally at work, God Himself whom we meet. “By the solemn forty days of Lent,” says the Catechism, “the Church unites herself each year to the mystery of Jesus.” That’s what a sacrament does. That’s what this holy sacramental of Lent does: it unites us to the mystery of Jesus.

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Down’s syndrome, the chronically ill and those with short term or long term terminal conditions that they come to be regarded as having a human life which is less valuable than that of the vigorous and the healthy. Every bit of life expressed in the most disabled is something of value to them. Once the life of the disabled and of the gravely ill is seen as a reason for assisting the ending of this same life, this weakens our belief in the value of the life of other disabled and gravely ill people. And these might then be weakened in their disposition to endure and to increase the richness of their contribution to society through their endurance, their patience and frequently their extraordinary capacity for good spirits.

“Welcome – then – dear feast of Lent.” It is truly right and fitting to give You thanks, Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God. Lent is Your gift, Your time, Your work.

It’s this origin in God that the Prefaces first and foremost proclaim. “You courteously grant to Your faithful to look forward joyfully, each year, minds purified, to the Easter sacraments” (Preface I). “You have established this special time for Your sons with their own good in view” (Preface II). “You have willed that we give You thanks by means of abstinence” (Preface III). “By bodily fasting, You curb vices, raise the mind, impart strength and bestow rewards” (Preface IV). It isn’t said, as we might instinctively say, that fasting does these things, but that You, Lord, holy Father, do them – by way of our fasting. It is God who’s at work in the sacrament of Lent.

Lent is a time when God is at work in a special way. It is a sacramentum, leading to the mystery. “By the solemn forty days of Lent, the Church unites herself each year [the Church is united, we could say] to the mystery of Jesus.” First and foremost, then, the Liturgy suggests this God-centred, rather than man-centred, mystical rather than ascetical, vision of Lent.

It is part of God’s goodness that He gives us things to do. “Life is for action,” Newman liked to say. Lent is for action, too. And a second thing the Prefaces remind us of is the Lenten action, inner and outer. There is: Lent as expectation: “to look forward in joy to the Easter sacraments”; Lent as intensification: “to accomplish more readily the duties of piety and the works of charity” (St Leo). A growth in love of God and love of others.

Lent as a sacramental time: “to frequent the mysteries by which they are reborn.” Twice the Prefaces talk about purity: God grants us believers to look to Easter “minds purified” (Preface I); God has established for His children a time “for restoring purity of mind” (Preface II). Lent as purification, therefore.

One meaning of that is unfolded in the rest of Preface II. It means a mind “disentangled from disordered

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affections” and a use of the things that pass that doesn’t obstruct adherence to the things that last. Lent as a return to the right order lost since the Fall, a return to true priorities, to first things first – heaven before earth, for example, the life to come before this life.

Then, following Preface III, there is: Lent as abstinence. Abstinence, here, meaning not abstinence from meat, but abstinence in general, be it from “food, drink, sleep, loquacity, joking” or newspapers, novels, curiosity or correspondence. In fact, the Preface gives a little theology of abstinence. It is, first of all and paradoxically perhaps, a form of gratitude. Perhaps it could be a kind of tenderness and reverence, abstinence.

Then it “restrains us sinners from excess”. And lastly, it enables us, by giving us something to give to those in need, to imitate the Father’s goodness. “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Therefore, be imitators of God as beloved children” (Eph :-:).

Finally (Preface IV), Lent as fasting, not to be despised.

To quote Herbert again, “The Scriptures bid us fast; the Church says now.” There’s the four-fold action of God that’s promised to those who fast: repression of vices (not only gluttony), lifting of the mind (suggesting prayer), a gift of strength, and rewards. Often, of course, we maintain that fasting makes us bad-tempered, obsessed with food (with mind dragged down, therefore), and

Scottish Marriage Care Supporting our Relationships Emma Cameron

S

cottish Marriage Care’s beginnings lie in the aftermath of the Second World War as part of the Catholic Church’s response to the growing pressure on family relationships. In  the first independent SMC counselling centre was founded in Edinburgh. Since then, relationships and family life have dramatically changed and SMC continuously strives to

weak (rather than strong). In a sense, the Preface doesn’t argue. It just says: God does these things.

Out of the Prefaces, then, comes this wealth of guidance. It’s all traditional stuff, drawn from ancient sources. And its message, first of all, is Lent as a gift of God and an action of God. And then, as part of that gift, our own action. How, we may wonder, do the two relate?

Well, if Lent is a sacrament, and sacraments are celebrated, perhaps sacraments provide a key. A sacrament is, above all, an action of God in Christ. And yet it needs sacramental matter, it needs human action too, our concelebration with the Lord. And as we celebrate we know it is the Lord who is essentially at work: the “mystery of Jesus” to which we’re being united.

Prefaces are liturgical prayers, the prayer of the Church.

Lent – action of God, action of each of us – is also action of the Church: the famous “we”, “the flock adhering to its pastors”. Lent is a corporate thing. All over the world, catechumens will be getting ready for the final preparations for the Easter sacraments. If Lent’s a con¬celebration with the Lord, it’s also a con-celebration with the whole Church. And when we say Church, we don’t simply mean the Church on earth.

The fruit of it all, the gift within the gift, is beautifully expressed in a final phrase of Lenten Preface I: “And they – the faithful – are led on, led through, to the fullness of the grace of sons.” Lent from the Father to the Father.

And we are led. It is all God’s work. grow and develop alongside these changes. We currently have over  unpaid professional volunteers working from  centres across Scotland. With this dedication, commitment and professionalism, we are able to deliver a much needed support service to thousands of families.

SMC is a Scottish Registered Charity and relies upon client donations, local supporters and grant funding.

SMC have been working throughout Northern Scotland for many years providing relationship counselling to couples or individuals struggling to cope. For those with families, relationship issues can have a negative impact on their children. Mum and dad constantly arguing is distressing and unsettling, affecting their day to day lives and potentially causing behavioural problems and difficulties at school. We find that lots of couples leave it to the point where they consider breaking up before seeking counselling. It is difficult to pick up the phone to speak to us, but our counsellors are there to help and after the initial fear most couples are able to resolve things and are glad they came to SMC. SMC have designed services aimed at preventing relationship breakdown and providing couples with the skills to cope. It is SMC’s firm belief that an early intervention strategy is vital. As part of that strategy in 2001 SMC introduced FOCCUS. FOCCUS is a marriage preparation programme which

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FO CC US h el p ed to set Heath er an d Chr is’ m a r r ia ge on a f i rm f o oti n g SMC believes offers a rare chance for couples to examine their relationship away from the pre-wedding romantic whirlwind. The programme involves two sessions with a FOCCUS Facilitator and helps couples to deepen their understanding of their relationship. At the first session they each complete a questionnaire based on key elements of a successful marriage. This is then processed and the couple attend a feedback session. This is fascinating for couples, they are able to identify areas which need further discussion and areas where they have similar thoughts and values. The programme helps them prepare for the journey that lies ahead in married life and strengthens their relationship Heather and Chris Lorimer from Aberdeen married in May 2010, and attended SMC’s FOCCUS programme.

“When Chris’ priest first suggested we attend I thought it would be a bit like lessons, but the questions were really good”, said Heather, an Aberdeen City Council worker.

Heather continued, “The questions sparked us to think more about each other’s aspirations and made us talk more together. I’m a real people person, whereas Chris is really driven and can be quiet. FOCCUS helped me to understand this.”

Heather also explained that she had had some family issues that she and Chris had never discussed and during the programme these were talked about. “This helped Chris understand my point of view and be supportive.

We are opposites but balance each other and I felt it really brought us closer together. Both Chris and I found the FOCCUS experience very positive and we would recommend it to anyone getting married.”

It is clear that Heather and Chris found FOCCUS a good experience and this has set their relationship and

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marriage on a firm footing. Most couples are referred through their priest or minister, although the programme is not exclusively for those marrying in church and attendees have also included those forming a committed relationship but not marrying.

According to figures from the office of the Registrar General for Scotland, last year saw a 5% increase in marriages compared with the year before. The reason for this increase is unclear but may be due to couples seeking to cement their relationship and strengthen their support systems as other aspects of their lives face a time of turmoil.

Indeed the current economic climate is putting additional pressure on many families and SMC’s relationship counselling can offer some critical support.

I have recently joined SMC as their Area Manager North and will be working to build up FOCCUS, strengthen our counselling services and reinforce our links with the churches and local communities. I am looking to recruit more volunteers to become FOCCUS Facilitators, Counsellors and Receptionists/Chaperones.

With additional volunteers on board we hope to build on the centres we already have and reach more individuals who need our help.

If you would like to get involved and benefit from the experience and training SMC can offer, I would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact me on 07760257038 or our Head Office 0141 222 2166 and please visit our website on www.scottishmarriagecare.org for more information.

Scottish Marriage Volunteers Wanted Become a FOCCUS Facilitator

Our pre-marriage FOCCUS programme is a key element of what we do at SMC. In becoming a FOCCUS Facilitator you would be supporting couples to learn more about their own unique relationship and celebrate the strengths and opportunities in their future marriage together.

Volunteer Relationship Counsellors

S c ot t is h Ma r r ia g e C are  /  pa g e The current economic climate is putting additional pressure on many families. SMC’s relationship counselling is a critical support for couples and families working through their difficulties. We are looking for committed and caring volunteers.

No formal qualifications are necessary, however both roles require:• An ability to listen and engage with people.

• Maturity and Life Experience.

• An interest in Counselling.

For an informal chat please contact Emma Cameron, Area Manager North, on mobile 07760257038, National Office 0845 271 2711 or by email: e.cameron@scottishmarriagecare.org, Scottish Marriage Care is a registered Scottish Charity No. SCO 18249

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Fr Bernard O’Connor’s

Vatican Brief Questions Q uestions o on the A Anglican nglican Constitution Consttitution On November On November 99,, 22009, 009, Pope Pope Benedict B enedic t X XVI VI released released tthe he Apostolic A p o s to l i c C onstitution ‘‘Anglicanorum Anglicanorum Coetibus’ Coetibus’, Constitution which w hich governs governs the the creation creation o off ‘‘personal p ersonal o ordinariates rdinariates Anglicans ffor or A nglicans entering entering into into full full ccommunion ommunion with with the the C atholic C hurcch’. In In h is llast ast a r ticle Fr Fr B ernard o ffered us us a Catholic Church’ his article Bernard offered brief background b rief b ackground ccommentary ommentary to to this this historic historic document do cument and now, a nd n ow, in in tthe he following following question question and and answer answer d ialogue, he he considers considers some some of of the the specific specific provisions provisions of of dialogue, Anglicanorum A nglicanorum C Coetibus oetibus and and a answers nswers some some o off tthe he m more ore ffrequently requently posed posed questions. questions.

Fr Bernard rnard O’Connor 1.. The 1 The Constitution Constitution and and Complementary Complementary N Norms orms speak speak of Personal Ordinariate. of a P ersonal O rdinariate. Is Is tthat hat the the eequivalent quivvalent ooff a diocese? diocese?

Both notions distinguished B oth n otions sshould hould be be d istinguished because because there there iiss similarity similarity aand nd d difference. ifference. A d diocese, iocese, for for example, example, iiss d defined efined by Hence wee may Archdiocese by ggeography. eography. H ence w may speak speak ooff the the A rchdiocese ooff Saint Edinburgh Diocese Aberdeen.

Saint Andrews Andrews and and E dinburgh or or tthe he D iocese of of A berdeen.

A Personal Ordinariate, not Personal O rdinariate, however, however, is is n ot defined defined by by tterritory, erritory, but who Ordinariate.” but rrather ather aaccording ccording to to ““all all w ho belong belong to to tthe he O rdinariate.”

And Ordinariate And there there ccan an bbee more more than than one one Personal Personal O rdinariate within Episcopal within tthe he aarea rea ooff tthe he ssame ame E piscopal conference, conference, depending depending upon upon necessity. necessity.

IIn n tthe he case case of of a diocese, diocese, people people belong belong bbecause ecause ooff their their residency, residency, their their domicile domicile or or quasi-domicile, quasi-domicile, ttoo sspeak peak technically.

But part technically. B ut they they bbecome ecome p art of of tthis his Personal Personal Ordinariate when desire Ordinariate w hen they they eexpress xpress ttheir heir d esire iin n writing writing aand nd are Ordinariate.” are inscribed inscribed iin n tthe he ““appropriate appropriate register register ooff tthe he O rdinariate.”

This process who This iiss tthe he p rocess to to bbee oobserved bserved bbyy llaity aity and and by by those those w ho are members are m embers ooff “institutes “institutes ooff consecrated consecrated llife ife and and ssocieties ocieties of Like diocese, will of aapostolic postolic llife.” ife.” L ike a d iocese, tthe he Ordinariate Ordinariate w ill

diocese, ccomprise omprise faithful faithful ““from from eevery very state state of of life.” life.” As As iin nad iocese, deacons/priests d eacons/priests will will bbee aascribed scribed by by a canonical canonical process process rreferred eferred to to aass incardination incardination and and they they will will bbee aassigned ssigned ttoo parishes.

What Ordinariate p arishes. W hat those those who who join join the the O rdinariate will will have have iin n ccommon ommon iiss that that that that they they ““previously previously adhered adhered ttoo Anglicanism” will Catholic A nglicanism” oorr w ill be be admitted admitted to to tthe he C atholic ffaith aith ““through through the the Ordinariate.”

Ordinariate.”

2.

Personal Ordinariate 2. IIss the the cconcept oncept ooff P ersonal O rdinariate something something new n ew in in the the Church?

Church?

No. Thee structure was devised Pope No. Th structure w as originally originally d evised iin n 11986 986 bbyy P ope proper JJohn ohn Paul Paul II II to to eenable nable p roper pastoral pastoral care care for for Catholics Catholics iin n Armed tthe he A rmed Forces.

Forces. IIn n both both instances instances the the purpose purpose iiss eexplicit, xplicit, different; yyet et d ifferent; one one for for tthe he military military and and tthe he other other ffor or fformer ormer Anglicans.

A nglicans.

3. many dioceses people belong 3. IIn nm an ny d ioceses tthere here are are p eople who who b elong ttoo tthe he Church’s Eastern For bee C hurch’s E astern Rites.

Rites. F or instance, instance, readers readers may may b parishes ffamiliar amiliar with with Byzantine Byzantine p arishes or or Melkite Melkite parishes. parishes. IIss tthe he Ordinariate Ordinariate the the same same as as these these “particular “particullar ritual ritual Churches?”

C hurches?”

The The Holy Holy See See rejected rejected that that approach approach with with regard regard ttoo fformer ormer Anglicans, Anglicans, being being advised advised that that ttoo do do ssoo might might ccause ause wee speak ““ecumenical ecumenical difficulties.” difficulties.” Currently, Currently, w speak ooff the the Catholic Church Latin Rite C atholic C hurch aass consisting consisting ooff tthe he L atin R ite aand nd tthe he Eastern Rites.

Thee E Easterns E astern R ites. Th asterns are are further further classified classified as as 22 22 sui sui derive iiuris uris Church Church groupings groupings which which d erive ffrom rom five five historical historical Thee P Personal will not ‘‘traditions’. traditions’. Th ersonal Ordinariate Ordinariate w ill n ot be be ccategorized ategorized aass aare re Eastern Eastern Catholics.

Catholics. IInstead, nstead, they they aare re to to be be cconsidered onsidered within aass a “particular “particular reality reality w ithin the the Latin Latin Church.”

Church.”

4.

4. IIss everything everything Anglican Anglican n now now deemed deemed ass aacceptable cceptable ttoo Catholicism?

C atholicism?

No. will No. While While some some aaspects spects of of tthe he Anglican Anglican heritage heritagge w ill bbee will rretained, etained, tthis his w ill apply apply oonly nly ttoo what what conforms conforms ttoo tthe he Catechism what C atechism of of the the Catholic Catholic Church Church and an nd to to w hat iiss fformally ormallly Vatican. aapproved pproved by by the the V atican.

5.

Does mean Catholic 5. D oes this this m ean tthat hat a C atholic can can rreceive eceive Communion C ommunion in in any any Anglican An nglican Church Church and and vice vice versa? versa?

No. Personal Ordinariate No. When, When, however, however,, a P ersonal O rdinariate iiss aactually ctually Catholic Church, eestablished stablished within within tthe he C atholic C hurch, tthen hen aand nd oonly nly Catholic members tthen hen will will fformer ormer Anglicans Anglicans (by (by then then C atholic m embers ooff Ordinariate), Catholics tthe he O rdinariate), aand nd oother ther C atholics be be free free to to sshare hare iin n Eucharist tthe he E ucharist iin n eeach ach other’s other’s respective respective parishes. parishes.

6.

Will Anglican 6. W ill fformer ormer A nglican clergy clergy who who are are married married aand nd tthen hen oordained rdained as as Catholic Catholic priests priests for for the the Ordinariate Ordinariate prove Latin-rite priests byy p rove disturbing disturbing ttoo L atin-rite p riests oobligated bligated b ccelibacy? elibacyy??

I ttrust rust tthat hat tthis his will will not not bbecome ecome tthe he typical typical rreaction. eaction. IIn n Eastern Churches, 118 8 ooff tthe he 222 2E astern Rite Rite C hurches, for for instance, instance, ttheir heir history decision h istory is is ssuch uch that that celibacy celibacy iiss optional, optional, with with a d ecision ttoo marry his m arry being being made made by by the the seminarian seminarian prior prior to to h is rreception eception Holy ooff H oly Orders.

Orders. Eastern Eastern bishops, bishops, however, however, must must bbee ccelibate. elibate. Moreover, Moreover, since since tthe he era era of of the the Protestant Protestant Reformation married R eformation (16th (16th century century onwards), onwards), m arried Protestant Protestant cclergy lergy who who ‘‘converted’ converted’ could could be be proposed proposed for for Catholic Catholic dioceses oordination. rdination. Many Many Catholic Catholic d ioceses are are ffamiliar amiliar with with tthis his

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practice, just as they are with married permanent deacons.

And neither has provoked an ‘uprising’ among celibate clerics. Celibacy is still “held in great honour” in both the Latin and Eastern Rites and is viewed as a sign of giving oneself “entirely to God and to humanity.” (See the Vatican Council II’s Decree on the Ministry and Life of Priests, No. 16, and The Catholic Catechism’s Articles 15791580.). It should also be noted that the general norm of the Ordinariate will be to admit celibate men as candidates for priesthood.

7. Some Anglican clergy insist that, should they convert to Catholicism, their ordination should simply be ‘recognized’ as sufficient. Will this be the case in the Ordinariate?

No. That question was dealt with in the era of Pope Leo XIII. On September 13, 1896, his Apostolicae Curae verified that all Anglican clergy accepted by the Catholic Church would have to be thereafter ordained. The reason is because the validity of Anglican Orders is not recognized by the Catholic Church, Latin or Eastern Rites.

8. Does the Episcopal Conference of a country make the decision to erect a Personal Ordinariate?

No. The competence to establish an Ordinariate is given to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This is reasonable considering that many doctrinal questions are certain to arise in the creation process and for some years thereafter. Other dicasteries of the Holy See will also be involved; for example, the Council for the Laity (e.g. for associations of the faithful), the Congregation for the Clergy (e.g. for formation of priests), and others relevant to specialized issues.

9. How will parishes be erected for the Ordinariate?

The Ordinary will be entitled to establish “personal parishes.” But he must consult the local diocesan bishop and acquire the consent of the Holy See. This reflects a concern that harmony and accord on various levels will be facilitated and their respective experience utilized positively and constructively.

10. Anglicanism has a Synodal tradition essential to its governance, especially in the selection of bishops. Will this be abolished or retained in the Ordinariate?

In this we see the spirit of reasonable accommodation.

The Synodal tradition is reflected in the fact that a Governing Council will forward what is known as a terna of names to the Pope, who will then appoint an Ordinary from that slate of candidates. The terna will consist of those whom the Council believes to be most suitable for the position of Ordinary.

11. Would clergy of the Ordinariate be expected to interact regularly with clergy of the surrounding diocese?

Definitely yes. Joint initiatives such as charitable and pastoral activities are strongly endorsed and encouraged.

These may be regulated by a formal agreement between the

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diocesan bishop and the Ordinary. This relationship may include the rendering of mutual pastoral cooperation and assistance among priests and parishes of a diocese and those of the Ordinariate. Further, Ordinariate priests are entitled to be proposed for election to the Presbyteral Council of the diocese where the Ordinariate is located.

Conclusion: This and other approaches taken by Pope Benedict have met with criticism, frequently from uninformed and biased media. And, while many questions could be raised beyond those few upon which I have commented, even these show that the Constitution balances doctrinal integrity with pastoral compassion. The Constitution is prophetic; an authentic tribute to Christian Unity’s call to hope.

Author’s Note: Segments of Parts I-II have been published in The Atlantic Catholic, Nova Scotia, Canada, for the months of May and June, 2010.

THE S T. BARNABAS S OC IE T Y (Successor to the Converts Aid Society) President: Archbishop Vincent Nichols

Helps needy clergy and religious from other Christian communities who lose home, income and security when they are received into the Roman Catholic Church Dona tions will be gr a te f ully r e c e iv e d by the Se c r e ta r y a t 4 First Turn, Wolvercote, Oxford OX2 8AH Tel: 01865 513377

e-mail: secretary@stbarnabassociety.org.uk Website: www.stbarnabassociety.org.uk Registered with the Charity Commission No. 1009910 A Company Limited by guarantee Registered in England No. 2645233

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A CAL LEND ENDAR O OF F SAINTS saint is is always always ssomeone omeone tthrough hrough w hom we we catch catch a A saint whom glimpse of of what what God God is is like like - and and of of what what we we are are called called glimpse to be. be. In In this this fascinating fascinating new new series series Canon Canon Alistair Alistair to Doyle looks looks at at the the lives lives of of the the saints, saints, the the impact impact that that Doyle they have have had had on on the the life life of of the the Church Church and and how how they they they continue both both to to amaze amaze and and to to inspire. inspire. continue

Canon C anon A Alistair listair D Doyle oyle

Celtic c Spring Sa Saints aints

M

any of the saints whose feasts f fall in Spring are are from from the Celtic Celtiic church church of Spring Scotland, Wales, Wales, Northern Northerrn E England ngland and Ireland:Kentigern (Mungo), Ireland:- K entigern (M ungo), January January th; Brigid, Brigid, February Feebruary st; David, David,, March March st; Patrick, March March th and Cuthbert, Cuthbert, March March th.

Patrick, chu urch dr ew its inspiration from from m the D esert The Celtic church drew Desert Fathers of Egypt.

Egyptt. St St Antony of Egypt Egypt had organised o Fathers the deserts of the Nile Nile vvalley alleyy into groups groups hermits living in the deserts St Martin Martin of Tours Tours was inspired inspiired to copy of monks and St h French French (Gallic) (Gallic) monasteries. monasterries. On On his this model in his from Rome, Rome, St St Ninian Ninian stayed stayed with witth Martin Martin at way home from Marmoutier Marmoutier to study s the way of life and thee missionary missionary On his hiis return return to Wigtown, Wigtown, Ninian Niniian not only methods. On Martin att Candida Casa but dedicated d the church church copied Martin Martin of Tours.

Tours. ou urs. The missionary missionary method copied from from to Martin Gaul and adopted adopteed by by the Celtic monks was to preach preach by by Gaul m were laybrothers, laybrothers, example. The majority of the monks were farrmers. A few few masters of a craftt - scribes, teachers, cooks, farmers. ordain ned priests. Their way of lifee was austere austere would be ordained p yers and liturgies and severe pray sever e e penances.

- long fasts, long prayers For example, St St David David was wont to spend hours hou urs in the ice For n nearb y river river as a penance. In In his his monastery monastery cold waters of a nearby Menevia, David Davvid would allow allow the monks only bread, bread, in Menevia, herbs water and herbs. prepared after a years of As soon as he felt sufficiently prepared years monasstic life, a priest would seek the approval approval study and monastic brethren too select twelve twelve companions and a set off to of his brethren areas to set set up a new new monastery. monastery. By By thee example of pagan areas

d peaceful lives lives it was hoped that t local people their holy and drawn to enquire enquire further. further. Then Th the work work of would be drawn instructing people, p through the Gospels, Gosp pels, of Christ’s Christ’s instructing through redemptiv d i e love love began. lo b Th Gallic Gallic lli rite i Mass, Mass, longer l h redemptive The than Roman rite, but also in Latin, thee importance importance of the Roman weekly Mass Mass and Communion (taken fasting) f weekly and the o frequent frequent Confession to a spiritual director director advisability of ‘Soul friend’ frien nd’ would all be explained. or ‘Soul In his studyy of the Celtic church, church, Dr Dr Douglas Douglas Simpson Simpson In th hat the Picts Picts of Scotland were were not the painted points out that savages of Roman Roman historians. They were wer e e farmers and savages artists enjoying enjo j yyin ngg a civilised wayy of life. Only Only n y in battle did artists theiir bodies. When they cast off their clothing and paint their monastery was established and accepted accep pted in an ar ea, a monastery area, Pictish boys boys and a girls would be sent to gain gain a rudimentary rudimentary Pictish knowledge of of writing and reading reading Latin.

Latin. Because Because of the knowledge vastly a forested nature nature of the th he country, country, the wild and vastly forested preferred mode moode of travel travel was by by boat, so s there there was an preferred where Roman Roman roads roaads existed these abundance off boats but where were used. used d. St St Ninian, Ninian, for example, used u Roman too were the Roman roads d in his his mission to the h North North h East E di at roads ending Dunnottar, near n Stonehaven.

Stonehaven.

Dunnottar, church h was also helped by by the common com mmon language The church Not Gaelic Gaelic which was w spoken only of the Celtic nations. Not Westt Highlands, Highlands, Hebrides Hebrides and an nd Ireland, Ireland, but in the West Brythonic, a form of Welsh.

Welsh. This language ge was spoken in Brythonic, Brittanyy, Cornwall, Coornwall, Wales, Wales, N. England England d and most of Brittany, Laatin was the medium of education and Scotland. Latin peoople would have have been able to speak Latin. educated people Irish monks monks such as Finbar Finbar or Colman Colm man would have have Thus Irish problem in i studying at Candida Casaa in Scotland or no problem St David’s David’s monastery monastery in Menevia, Menevia, both b centres of St centres excellence in Scriptural studies. excellence There was much m betw ween monasteries There coming and going between church. Sometimes Sometimes it was waas to escape the in the Celticc church. pagan chieftain as in the case casse of St St Mungo.

Mungo. wrath of a pagan Exiled for a time tiime from from Scotland, Mungo Mungo went went to Wales Wales to Exiled h respects respeects to the h famous f St David David d in Menevia, Menevia, to pay his St u his influence with the pagan paagan chief in N. ask him to use Wales where where he wished to found a monast tery at St St Asaph, Wales monastery give him him news news of the work work at Candida Cand dida Casa where where and to give David himsel lf had studied as a yyoung oung ma an. No No doubt he David himself man.

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Manyy of the C Man Celtic e saints of SScotland eltic cotland aree depic d depicted teed in the M Millennium illennium Mur Murals rals at St Mar Mary’s ry’s C Cathedral athedrral a in Ab Aberdeen erd deen including, from followed byy St C Columba includ ding g, fr rom the far far left, lefft, SSaint aint Ninian N followed b olum olumba mba and some of his ccompanions ompa anions have told d him also of ho w the Christians Chrisstians in the would have how E Borders were were sue ering as the Lothians and Eastern Borders suering A er further further N orth. Their pitiless, pagan Angles pushed ev ever North. conversion would woulld have have to wait another one o hundred hundred conversion years until the monks m from SStt Columba’ o travelled ona travelled years from Columba’s’s IIona to Northumbria Edwin.

Northumbria and converted converted the King E dw win.

The other reason reasson for travel travel between between monasteries mon nasteries was the Celtic monk monk’s David’s k’s thirst for knowledge. knowledge. St St D avid’s in Wales, Wales, Candida Casa in Scotland, St St Finbar’s Finbar’s monastery monastery in M Moville Columba’s’s in K Kells, Derry oville and St St Columba Columba’ ells, ells also D erry were were all centres learning.

Gospels centres of learnin ng. Copies of the G ospels would woould be made and highly prized; prized d; it was a theft of a copy off the gospels from monasteryy at Moville from Finbar’s Finbar’s monaster m Moville that precipitated prrecipitated a battle and SStt Col Columba’s well lumba’’s exile to Iona.

Iona. As w ell as Scripture, Scripture, poetry, poetry, music, astronomy a onomy and maths were astr were among the subjects studied. IIn n a letter to the Pope Pope on the t disputed question of the date for Easter Easter,, St Columba St Colum mba claimed, “Everyone “Everyone knows knows w the Irish Irish monks are are the best mathematicians in world�. i the world �. The date of Easter Eaaster depends on the lunar cy cycle Celtic ycle in the Spring.

Spring. The C eltic monks adhered adhered to the method of calculation set out by by the Council of Arle Arles es in ďœłďœąďœ´, which had been attended by by British Augustine British bishops. SStt A ugustine of Canterbury Canterburry brought brought a new new method off calculation from from Rome Rome which was gradually adopted Europe. adopteed bbyy the rrest est of E urope. The Celtic church the partly in their church resisted resisted th he change par tly because of pride p scholarship, partly Augustine’s scholarship h l hi , and d par tl because tly b SStt A ugustine ti e’s arrogance arrogance in dealing with them Pope th hem made them stubborn. P o Gregory’s ope Gregory’s advice to A Augustine show ugusttine to sho w rrespect espect for the traditions of the Celtic church deaf church h had obviously obviously fallen on de eaf ears.

As we we shall see when w considering the life of SStt Columba, not only did the church th he Celtic chur ch establish the faith in Northern Northern Britain, Britain n, it took belief in Christ to much of Northern Northern Europe.

Europe. IIndeed, ndeed, the Emperor Emperor Charlemagne Chaarlemagne so esteemed the scholarship sch holarship p of the Celtic monks moonks that he installed them ass tutors and advisors to his court. court. IIff the Celtic monks did d not relish relish the ways of the Roman Roman missionaries, they loyalty the Bishop theey had absolute lo yalty to th he B ishop of Rome.

Rome. As one of them rremarked, emarked, “It “It wass neither to Columba nor A Augustine u ugustine that Christ gave gave thee keys of the

Peter successors�. kingdom butt to SStt P eter and his successo ors�. IIn n the end, Roman ordered they accepted d the R oman way of or dered e dioceses and bishops. diocesan bish hops.

Canon acknowledge C anon Doyle Doyle would would llike ike tto oa cknowledge Dr Dr Douglas D o ug l a s University and SSimpson impson of of Aberdeen Aberdeen U niversity a nd Diana Diana Leatham Leatham who both written w ho have have b oth w ritten extensively extensively on on the the Celtic Celtic cchurch hurch iin n tthe he 44th th to to 7th 7th ccenturies enturies - the the Dark Dark Ages, Ages, a period p eriod of of chaos chaos and and vviolence iolence following following the the fall fall of of the the Roman R oman Empire.

Empire.

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educationandformation

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Light of the North

Salvation History Part 5 Eileen Grant

A

fter the triumphant entry into the Promised Land, the Israelites settled into Canaan and the Twelve Tribes were given their own territories. The people were ruled for a time by “judges”, among whom were Samson, Gideon and Deborah.

Samson, a member of the tribe of Dan, consecrated at birth as a Nazarite, that is, someone dedicated to the service of God, was a heroic figure of whom there are several stories of great exploits of strength and courage. It was during his life that the Philistine threat arose against the Hebrew people. Settling along the Palestine coast, the Philistines posed a real danger to the Israelites, especially the more remote tribes of Dan and Judah. Having been handed over to his enemies by men of Judah, Samson broke his bonds and escaped, after first slaying a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of an ass. After many adventures and a short-lived marriage to a Philistine woman, Samson fell in love with another woman, probably also a Philistine, who betrayed him when he told her the secret of his great strength – his hair, which had never been cut. Delilah cut off his hair, his strength vanished, and he was captured and blinded by his enemies. They became careless, not noticing that his hair grew long once more, and brought him into their temple where a great assembly of  men and women gathered to honour the pagan god Dagon. Praying to God to give him strength, Samson seized two pillars with such force that they shattered and the temple collapsed on all those assembled, including Samson himself. Scripture records

that he slew even more Philistines in death than he ever did in life.

The Hebrew people were a small nation surrounded by more powerful peoples and had to be constantly on their guard. They were also jealous of their neighbours with kings to rule over them and so they persisted in demanding to be given a king. The prophet Samuel relayed their demands to God who, also through Samuel, warned them of the dangers of having a king but they insisted.

“On your own heads be it,” said God, and thus Saul, of the tribe of Benjamin, was chosen to be the first king of Israel. Saul had already proved himself to be an able battle commander and seemed the right choice, though not universally popular with the people. He later proved to be less than effective, often ignoring Samuel’s advice and usurping his position as priest. Eventually the Israelites ended up facing real danger at the hands of the Philistines who had a particularly efficient warrior, the giant Goliath.

This brings us to the next really significant person in God’s plan of salvation for humankind: King David.

Samuel had already pronounced that none of Saul’s sons would be king after him and now God sent Samuel to anoint Saul’s successor as king. Anointing was a sure sign of God’s favour, used only for kings and High Priests.

The person God chose to be the next king turned out to be the youngest son of a man named Jesse from Bethlehem in Judaea: a mere youth who tended his father’s sheep.

The boy David, however, slew Goliath, was hailed as a great hero by the people of Israel and became a favourite of Saul and his son Jonathan. David was an accomplished musician and he was invited to stay at court in order to cheer the king with his music.

David slaying Goliath

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Light of the North

David also became a very successful warrior, so successful indeed that Saul grew jealous of him and sought to kill him. David fled into the wilderness where he gathered around him a band of outlawed warriors. His great friend Jonathan, Saul’s son, tried to reconcile the two, but to no avail. Taking advantage of the situation, the Philistines once again attacked Israel and Saul bravely led his army against them. Many of the Israelites were slain, including Jonathan and his brothers. In grief and despair, Saul fell upon his sword and died. David, overcome with grief when he heard the tragic news, lamented: “Thy glory, O Israel is slain upon thy high places! How are the mighty fallen!”

Thus, eventually David became king himself. He too sinned and fell from grace, by appropriating another man’s wife, Bathsheba, and conniving at the man’s death.

He was called to repentance and God forgave him, though there were far-reaching consequences, one of which was that David was not considered worthy to build the Temple. David continued to perform feats of courage and is also credited with composing many of the Psalms, the Hebrew prayer book. The city of Jerusalem which had been occupied by the Jebusite people was recaptured

by David, thus securing his power as king of all Israel. To show to all people the sacred nature of his new capital city, David ordered the Ark of the Covenant to be brought into Jerusalem. Scripture gives us a beautiful description of how David danced for joy as the Ark of the Covenant was finally carried into the city.

Solomon, a son David had with Bathsheba, became king after him and was renowned for his wisdom, the gift he had asked of God. He built the great Temple in Jerusalem, a work that took seven years and was carried out by around , labourers under , foremen and supervisors. Vast quantities of cedar and cypress wood were shipped from Tyre in Phoenicia, along with skilled craftsmen, including the bronze smith Hiram, thought to be the architect of the Temple. However, Solomon too fell into sinful living. Taking many foreign wives and concubines, he was led by them into sacrificing to pagan gods. Because of this, God foretold him that his kingdom would be split in two after his death.

After King Solomon’s death, the kingdom was torn apart. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to Solomon’s son, King Rehoboam, the southern kingdom known as Judah, with Jerusalem its capital. The northern kingdom, comprising the other ten tribes, became known as Israel, under King Jeroboam. This happened around  BC and war carried on between the two kingdoms for sixty years before an alliance was formed. Rather confusingly, at times we find the whole Hebrew people referred to as “Israel” or the “sons of Israel”, “Israel” also being the name given to Jacob. (After the Exile in Babylon Israel became definitively the name for the whole Hebrew

Page 19

Solomon supervising the building of the Temple people.) Jeroboam introduced “calf worship” to Israel, ordering the people to go no longer up to Jerusalem to worship. This policy was followed by his successors and so the people were led deeper into sin. God then called a succession of prophets to persuade His people to come back to Him.

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a 2 20 Page P age 0

Light L ight d rawings, ssilhouetted ilhouetted against agaiinst the the deep deep blue blue ooff a ssunlit unlit drawings, w inter ssky ky oorr an an early early golden golden sunset. sunset. Th ose same same ttrees, rees, winter Those ggarlanded arlanded iin n ssnow now bblossom lossom oorr shimmering shimmering frosty frosty crystals, crystals, ttake ake on on a n ew loveliness loveliness that that ccries ries oout ut to to u of the the Creator’s Creator’s new uss of u nique artistry. artistry. I rremember emember aass a child child gazing gazing tthrough hrough a unique m agnifying glass glass aatt a snowflake snowflake before before it it melted, melted, filled filled w ith magnifying with w onder aatt the the intricate intricate p attern d isplayed. E ach snowflake, snowflake, wonder pattern displayed.

Each w are ttold, old, iiss unique, unique, never never to to be be repeated, repeated, d esigned bbyy a wee are designed M aster C raftsman: Master Craftsman:

Lightt in Darkness Ligh Darkne ess If W Winter interr comes, can Spring bee far

““God God w as my my sshaper. haper. was He hammered, hammered, He He wrought wrought me, me, He SSoo purely, purely, ssoo palely, palely, T inily, surely, surely, Tinily, Mightily, frailly, frailly, Mightily, Insculped aand nd eembossed, mbossed, Insculped With H is h ammer of of wind, wind With His hammer A nd His His graver graver of of frost.” frost.” (F. (F. Thompson) Thom And

F rost ttoo oo iiss m ade u p ooff a m illion m inute fi ligree d esigns, Frost made up million minute filigree designs, llike ike frozen frozen fferns erns and and lleaves. eaves. In In these these happy happy days days ooff central central h eating, w arely have have tthe he cchance hance ttoo trace trace tthis his ffrozen rozen gglory lory heating, wee rrarely oon nw indowpanes; bbut ut w an glimpse glimpse iitt on on blades blades of of grass, grass, windowpanes; wee ccan Clare C lare B Benedict enedict oon n fallen fallen lleaves, eaves, oon n fence-posts, fence-posts, aass the the “Super “Super T ramp”, W. W. Tramp”, don’t d on’t know know about aboutt you, you, but but my my gut gut response response tto o H avies, w ho lived lived ssoo close close to to tthe he ccreated reated w orld, H.. D Davies, who world, often well tthat hat lline ine iiss o ften ““Yes, Yes, it it jjolly olly we ell ccan!” an!” Especially Especially oobserved: bserved: aass I w write rite tthese hese wo words ords w with ith a vivid vivid rrecollection ecollecttion o off D ecember. B ut tthen hen S helley was was w rriiting his his wo ords December.

But Shelley writing words C ome, lovely lovely Morning, Morning, rrich ich iin n ffrost rost Come, in the the warmth warmth of of T uscany and and didn’t didn’t know know what what w inter in Tuscany winter O n iiron, ron, w ood and and glass; glass; On wood could be be li ike in in N orthern Scotland.

Scotland. Right Right now now II’m ’m could like Northern SShow how aallll yyour our p ains ttoo ssilver-gild ilver-gild pains fervently h oping that that we’ve we’ve seen seen the the last last of of d reary snowsnowfervently hoping dreary E ach llittle ittle bblade lade ooff ggrass. rass.

Each clad winter. winter. I h ope aalso lso that, that, when when yyou ou read read tthis, his, S pring clad hope Spring may w ell have have sprung sprung and and w e’ll b feasting o urr eeyes yes on on may well we’ll bee feasting our ome, af fter ssunset; unset; ccome, ome, O h ccome ome – Come, after Oh snowdrops and and eearly arly d affodils, “that “that ccome ome before before tthe he snowdrops daffodils, Y ou cclear lear aand nd ffrosty rosty N ight: You Night: swallow d ares and and take take the the winds winds o March w ith swallow dares off March with D ig up up yyour our fi elds of of diamonds, diamonds, till till Dig fields beauty.” beauty.”

Th heavens aallll d ance iin n llight! ight!

Thee heavens dance W inter in in these these n orthern cclimes limes ccan an present present us us w ith an an Winter northern with endurance test: test: as as well well aass ffrost, rost, ice ice and and ssnow; now; we we h ave ttoo endurance have W ho d id n ot ffeel eel a p assing tthrill hrill oon n sseeing eeing tthe he ffearsome earsome Who did not passing contend with with darkness, darkness, d ays w hen there there sseems eems very very little little contend days when m agnificence of of iicicles cicles hanging hanging ffrom rom rroof oof and and bbridge? ridge? magnificence light to to ccheer heer us us u p, causing causing m any p eople to to ssuffer uffer doziness doziness light up, many people ((While While h oping that that none none w ould fall fall oon n u nsuspecting hoping would unsuspecting and d epression. At At ssuch uch times, times, I often often tthink hink it it w ould be be and depression. would p assers-by oorr postmen!) postmen!) Or Or the the ssparkle parkle of of sunshine sunshine on on a passers-by quite pleasant pleasant to to be be a hedgehog hedgehog and and ssimply imply ccurl url u p iin na quite up p ristine quilt quilt ooff snow? snow? Or Or the the d elicate frosted frosted branches branches of of pristine delicate pile of of leaves leaves for for the the d uration, oorr a squirrel squirrel that that oonly nly pile duration, ttrees rees rising rising ffrom rom the the ghostly ghostly bbreath reath of of a morning morning mist? mist? ventures oout ut for for a scamper scamper w hen tthe he ssun un aappears. ppears. But But then then ventures when Th ese aare re tthe he iimages mages we we need need to to h old on on tto. o.

These hold again, such such lives lives m ay have have ttheir heir drawbacks. drawbacks. Perhaps Perhaps one one again, may O ur p agan aancestors ncestors kknew new tthe he d ark d espair tthis his sseason eason Our pagan dark despair way to to ssurvive urvive w inter ice ice aand nd d arkness iiss ttoo reflect reflect oon n the the way winter darkness ccould ould bring bring aand nd so, so, in in tthe he depths depths of of ttheir heir w inter, tthey hey winter, positive. Is Is there there a positive positive side side to to winter? winter? I hear hear you you aask. sk. positive. ccelebrated elebrated aan n eend nd to to darkness darkness and and the the rreturn eturn of of tthe he sun, sun, of of Well, I wouldn’t wouldn’t n ecessarily recommend recommend the the sentiments sentiments of of Well, necessarily llight. ight. F estivals of of light light are are universal. universal. Christians Christians ttoo oo Festivals that oother ther poet, poet, JJames ames Th omson, w ho h ailed winter winter thus: thus: that Thomson, who hailed d iscovered llight ight iin n d arkness aand nd w hen tthey hey bbegan egan to to discovered darkness when “Welcome kindred kindred Glooms!

Glooms! / Wish’d, Wish’d, w int’ry, Horrors, Horrors, “Welcome wint’ry, ccelebrate elebrate tthe he ggiving iving of of God’s God’s greatest greatest Gift Gift to to us, us, they they chose chose hail!” hail!” m id-winter as as the the m ost oobvious bvious date date ffor or the the bbirth irth ooff Light Light mid-winter most W could, h owever, bbrighten righten the the d ark d ays by by eemulating mulating Wee could, however, dark days iinto nto the the world. world. In In tthe he eenchanted nchanted land land ooff N arnia, lying lying Narnia, other poets poets w ho have have ffound ound a sspecial pecial bbeauty eauty in in wintry wintry other who u nder tthe he White White Witch’s Witch’s sspell, pell, iitt iiss ““always always w inter and and under winter landscapes. Leafless Leafless ttrees rees sstretching tretching sskeletal keletal bbranches ranches landscapes. n ever C hristmas”: what what a dreadful dreadful deprivation! deprivation! IIn n tthe he never Christmas”: heavenwards have have a p urity of of line, line, llike ike C hinese iink nk heavenwards purity Chinese

I

ffaithandculture a i tth han nd d ccu u l ttu u re re

Light L ight ht

depths ooff our depths our w winter, inter, tthe he Church Church ggives ives us us this this ffestival estival of of C hrist’s N ativity: a celebration celebration of of joy joy centred centred in in a newborn newborn Christ’s Nativity: bbaby aby who who is is tthe he Light Light bborn orn iinto nto tthe he darkness darkness w hich ccannot annot which oovercome vercome tthat hat L ight; so so we we ccan an ssay ay w ith Victor Victor H ugo, Light; with Hugo, ““Winter Winter is is on on m head, but but eeternal ternal spring spring is is in in my my h eart.” myy head, heart.”

Surprising though though iitt m ay seem seem to to u shivering iin n a Surprising may uss shivering n orthern winter winter and and d reaming of of h olidays iin n warmer warmer northern dreaming holidays cclimes, limes, oour ur fforefathers orefathers in in faith faith iin n tthe he M iddle E ast kknew new Middle East ssnow now aand nd iice, ce, frost frost and and cold, cold, but but tthey hey ssaw aw even even tthese hese eelements lements as as p art ooff G od’s w onderful Creation Creation aand nd ttherefore herefore part God’s wonderful aass w orthy of of p raise, ttoo bbee marvelled marvelled aat. t. I find find P salm   worthy praise, Psalm ooften ften comes comes ttoo m ind as as I w ait – aand nd wait wait – for for a bus bus on on a mind wait ffreezing reezing winter winter m orning: morning:

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Th ere iis, s, surely, surely, a ssense ense ooff magnificent magnificent grandeur grandeur iin n tthe he There picture the the P salmist p aints. IIn n a sense, sense, of of ccourse, ourse, w inter iiss picture Psalmist paints. winter result of of tthe he F all: w hen humankind humankind fell, fell, aallll Creation Creation ffell ell a result Fall: when with u s. Y et, in in His His great great llove ove for for us, us, G od h as iimbued mbued eeven ven us.

Yet, God has with allen w orld with with so so much much bbeauty, eauty, there there iin n abundance abundance iiff a ffallen world we have have eeyes yes to to ssee ee it. it. And And ssoo we we can can m ake our our own own tthe he we make song iin n the the B ook ooff Daniel Daniel of of tthe he three three yyoung oung m en iin n tthe he song Book men fiery ffurnace, urnace, ffacing acing death death but but praising praising God God aand nd calling calling oon n fiery the whole whole of of Creation Creation ttoo praise praise H im: the Him: Bless the the Lord, Lord, ice ice aand nd ccold, old, Bless SSing ing praise praise ttoo him him aand nd h ighly eexalt xalt h im for for eever. ver. highly him B less tthe he L ord, ffrosts rosts and and snows, snows, Bless Lord, Sing p raise to to h im and a d highly highly exalt exalt him him ffor or eever! ver!

Sing praise him

He showers showers d own ssnow now w hite as as w ool, He down white wool, h scatters hoar-frost hoar-frost llike ike aashes. shes. hee scatters H urls down down hailstones hailstones llike ike ccrumbs. rumbs.

Hee h hurls The w aters aare re ffrozen rozen aatt his his ttouch; ouch; The waters h sends forth forth his his w ord and and it it melts melts them; them; hee sends word aatt the the breath breath of of his his m outh the the waters waters flow. flow. mouth

A New Year A New Day A New Beginning JJoyce oyce D Davies avies

B

eginnings of new yyears eginnings ears often n bring us mixed mix e feelings, a time of rreflection ed eflecction and of looking look king ahead wee to make?

Wh ““resolutions” What resolutions” ought w What What was good and bad about ? Wha at hopes and wee hav havee for ourselv ourselves thosee w wee lo love aspirations do w es and thos ve for wee coul could havee seen ? IIf, f, at the beginning of  w ld hav was wee hav havee tiptoed what the yyear ear wa as to hold for us would w h slo slowly wly into it orr rrun un as fast as we we could too get to that journey? point on our jou urney? I wonder!

SSome ome of us tak take ke each day at a time. Always focusing on heree and no now. aree stuck in the the her w. SSome ome of us ar t past, not

wee ch choose because move because w hoose to be there, there, but becaus se we we can’t can’t mo ve forward without for ward with hout someone rreaching eaching out and a holding our wee can tr trust down. hand. SSomeone, omeoone, w ust not to let us do wn. SSomeone omeone For wee str struggle who will not harm us. F or others, w u uggle to see what there aree ar around wee cons constantly wonders ther re ar ound us as w stantly plan our new job,, a holid holiday, next steps, itt may be a ne w job dayy, a night out.

However, because wee ar aree so busy looking ahead, w wee don don’t’t H owever, bec cause w happening heree an and now. see what is h appening to us right her nd no w. Which How one off these h d i i descriptions fi yyou? fit ou?? H ow often f d yyou do ou attention aree doi doing?

How rreally eally pay att tention to what yyou ou ar ing? H ow often when yyou ou are a e doing something are ar are yyour our thoughts somewhere some where eelse? lse? Listening to the vvoice oice in n yyour our head that future.

Doo yyou is telling yyou ou about the past or the futur e D e. ou rreally eally Doo yyou see what the world looks like? D ou hear h the vvoice oice of front Doo yyou taste aree the person in n fr ont of yyou? ou? D ou tast te what yyou ou ar eating Doo yyou quickly eatin ng for yyour our lunch? D ou notice who yyou ou havee become and what messages yyou givee both hav ou giv b to strangers love? and to those whom yyou ou lo ve?

God’s Plan G od’s P lan n Wee may be believe wee take ar pre-planned, W elieve that the steps w aaree pr e-planned, wee ar aree mer merely following God’s Wee that w m ely follo wing G od’s plans for our life. W believee that wee hav havee choices, that ev everything wee do, may believ t w verything w wee choose to do it. H How often is because w ow oft ften do yyou ou find havee been heree befor before, yyourself ourself in a situation s and think, I hav b her e, meant How this was mea ant to happen? H ow often does the world securee to us? O Orr is it a frightening feel safe and d secur g g and unpredictable wheree ther theree is no or order, security. unpr edictablee place wher der, no security y. difference love make?

What differ en nce does lo ve in our life mak ke?

Att bir birth, even theree is a human A th, ev ven at conception, ther h rresponse esponse Theree is a mothe mother, father,, who to our vvery ery existence. e Ther er, a father knowledge wee hav havee begun to gr grow rreacts eacts to thee kno wledge that w ow

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Light of the North

inside our mother’s womb. At that moment in our journey the reaction may have been one of intense joy or it may have been one of fear as we grow inside and prepare for life out in the world. Their reaction and acceptance of who we are will influence who we will become. At our birth there may be great celebration by many people or the world may seem hardly to notice our arrival. Are we held safely in our mother’s arms as she gazes lovingly at our face or do we lie crying waiting for someone out there to notice us, to feed us, to change us, to hold and to love us? Do we hear the voices of love around us or do we hear the noises of an unhappy world, a world at war.

What difference does that make to who we are and who we will become?

Children have abilities in many areas that adults fail to recognize. They know what a true thirst for knowledge is and try to feed it by endless “why?” questions. They know about imagination and if allowed will develop that enormously through play and fantasy. They know about God because for them he is part of everything they do and everything they experience. Their knowledge, their imagination and their play will hugely develop under the influence of the place and time in which they live. With loving and sensitive parents they will very quickly become confident and self-assured. They will know that they are important to the people around them and to God. If that isn’t there for them then it might take a bit longer but always God is holding their hand and taking them along the path that is their life, at times carrying them, when the road is rocky and the journey too hard. It’s the same for us. Do we surround ourselves with people who help us learn? With people who let us play? With people who let us explore and share our faith? Or do we hide it, feel shame and alone? Have we stopped learning, stopped playing, and stopped praying?

Going to Church Do we attend church out of habit or out of a deep longing, which pains us to have God in our lives? Do we recite the words of Mass as fast and furiously as we can in the hope we can get out and get on with something else, something better? Or do we truly reflect on the word?

Truly hear it? Truly know the love of God in the bread and wine that is his Body and is his Blood? Do we become like little children in the blindness of faith and only hear his voice, his words, only feel his love for us, no matter what we have done and how little we are able to forgive ourselves, to love ourselves?

Can this year be different? Do we really have an opportunity to make a difference in the world? Have we an opportunity to listen to God and what he wants us to do for him? Can our hands become his hands? Can our feet be his feet? Can our words be his words? Can we touch the lives of others and walk where he wants us to

go, saying only what he wants us to say? A new year, a new day, a new beginning.

My hope is that  will be just that. I hope that when I look back at this year I will see success, I will see love, gentleness and caring. That I will have remembered to see the face of Christ in the face of every stranger, that I will have allowed others to love me too. That when I attend Mass I truly attend to the words, to the sights, to the touch of others and to the reception of his Body and his Blood. That I will allow myself to trust his undying love for me. As each time I leave the house of God that I will walk in his steps, speaking his words, doing his work in the world. Am I expecting too much of myself, will my human fragility let me down? Probably. However, with each new day there will be another opportunity to keep on trying, doing what God wants both me and you to do, forgiving us each time we slip and he picks us up again. A new year. A new day. A New Beginning.

Joyce is married to David and lives on the Shetland Isles with their three daughters, Erraid, Vhairi and Morven.

The family are members of St Margaret’s Church in Lerwick.

Holy Week Retreat Healing in the Spirit: Spirituality of True Self-Esteem 18 - 23 April 2011 (Holy Week) Fr. Jim McManus C.Ss.R. and Miss Marie Hogg Plan an ideal Holy Week for yourself next year. Celebrate Holy Week in the healing environment of St. Mary’s and begin living more consciously a spirituality of true self esteem.

Retreat for Priests, Deacons and Religious

St Ma r y s C entre /  p a g e 15 - 22 August 2011

Fr. Andrew Burns C.Ss.R. Fr. Andrew Burns, spent many years in S. Africa where he served as Provincial, novice Master and director of Formation, as well as preaching Missions and Retreats. He is an experienced teacher of Holy Scripture and retreat master.

Summer Retreats 4 – 8 July 2011 8 – 12 August 2011 Our traditional summer retreats are directed by the staff at St. Mary’s, with a focus on personal prayer, times of quiet, relaxation.

And, always of course, time to enjoy the woodlands and the panoramic views from Kinnoull Hill.

Details:

The Secretary, St. Mary’s, Kinnoull, Perth PH2 7BP, Scotland Tel: (44) 01738 624075 Fax: (44) 01738 442071 E-mail: stmaryskinnoull@btconnect.com Web Page: www.kinnoullmonastery.org

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Masters of desert warfare Banchory parishioner Paul Cameron-Mowat wrote his doctoral thesis on ‘Desert Spirituality’. In the following article he considers how, in our own lives, we should consider adopting the same tactics employed by the Desert Fathers and Mothers to wage spiritual warfare.

Paul Cameron-Mowat

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he Desert Fathers and Mothers were geniuses at spiritual warfare. Refined in the crucible of a severe landscape they sought to take on the powers of darkness whenever and in whatever form these dark powers chose to rear their ugly heads. The Desert Fathers’ and Mothers’ outward appearance resembled that of Elijah and John the Baptist while their inner disposition was cultivated through prayer, reading Holy Scripture and fasting. It was through the adoption of these spiritual tools that they gradually became warriors of love.

Whatever the motivation that drew them to the desert in the first place, it was their love of Jesus Christ that kept them there. A life of solitude was punctuated with demonic encounters that they were expected to report to their elders who were a little further along the road of spiritual growth. An elder would frequently share a dwelling place with a spiritually younger monk. Through the suggestion of sinful thoughts the devil and his entourage would seek to tear the Christian from his moorings — moorings that anchored them to Christ.

Evagrius Ponticus, a master of desert warfare, lists the evil thoughts as: gluttony, impurity or fornication, avarice or love of money, sadness, anger, acedia or the noonday demon, and pride. We should remember that our thoughts come from either God, or the devil, or ourselves.

In recognising their source we are better placed to deal with them. The evil thoughts referred to by Evagrius were from the devil and were primarily aimed at usurping one’s relationship with Christ. To defend oneself — and this remains equally true today — it was and is necessary to remain always alert. Once the thought had been recognised for what it was a strategy can be adopted to deal with it. For example, praying particular passages of Scripture like Psalm :

St Anthony, father of monasticism, with the desert hermit, St Paul of Thebes

Scripture that empowered them with the means to discern, through the Holy Spirit, when and which particular passages of Scripture to use to combat particular evil thoughts. It was their habit of recollection which helped form them as truly integrated individuals, with both their inner and outward dispositions being integrated by their love of God. St Anthony, who is widely known as the father of monasticism, chose to live in increasing levels of solitude in the desert. Some of his followers elected to live either as hermits or in communities. Others remained in towns and cities while still keeping to their vow of renunciation.

Their tools of asceticism — praying, reading Scripture, fasting, vigils, singing the Psalms and giving alms to the poor reflected their love for God — a love that all Christians seek to live out. By way of their ascetic practices they sought to cultivate a love of God which in turn would shape both themselves and the world they lived in.

As some Desert Fathers and Mothers sought to know and love God more in their desert retreats so too did those who chose to remain in the towns and cities.

Gradually they would come to aquire the profound and life-changing knowledge that they were children of Oh come and rescue me, God, God. Lord come quickly and help me!

So what, if anything, can these desert dwellers teach us today? One thing is certain. We need not leave home and The desert dwellers relentlessly meditated on the Holy family to retreat to a cave in the wilderness — unless we Scriptures. It was this deep knowledge and love of are pretty sure God has given us clear instructions to do

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so. H so.

However, owever, we we can adopt at least some of the t strategies desertt greats shown Prayer, that these deser greats have have sho wn us. P rayerr, reading reading the H oly Scriptures Scriptures and a fasting are are practices as current current today Holy as they ever ever were, were, and not just amongst tho ose called to those the monastic life, lifee, nor only amongst Cathol lics. Any one Catholics.

Anyone who h tr usts in i th h Lord he L d JJesus Lor esus Christ Ch i and d be bbelieves eliev li es in i his hi trusts the hear Jesus is i Lor d will be saved, saved, says the the Scriptures.

Scriptures. heartt that Jesus Lord IItt is not only these theese tools that are are used to nurture nurtur t e in us an awar eness of how how much G od lo ves us as well well ass a conscious awareness God loves understanding th hat we we are are children children of the oone ne Father.

Father. It It that is the H oly Spirit Spirit that breathes breathes ne w life into us and Holy new purifies us fr om sin. from Humility was a key to the life of the D esert F athers and Humility Desert Fathers Mothers in their their war against evil. When I sought the Mothers word from from a monk once he h described meaning of this word

he undergarment of love. love. It It is is in this attitude humility as th the a love love that individuals mus st move move through through of humility and must ‘deserts’ to bring healing and wholeness wholeness not only to their ‘deserts’ themselves bu ut to their communities and d to the world. themselves but ““Let Let us us charge charge into into the the good good fight fight with with joy joy and and love without without b eing afraid afraid of of our our enemies. enemies. Though T h o ug h love being unseen themselves, themselves, tthey hey can can look look at at the the face face of of our our unseen soul, and and iiff they they see see it it altered altered by by fear, fear, they they take take up up soul, arm ms against against u the more moree fiercely. fiercely. For For the the cunning cunning arms uss a allll the creatures have have observed observed that that we we are are scared. scared. So So let let us us creatures take up up a rms against against them them courageously. courageously. No No one one will will take arms fight w ith a resolute resolute fighter. fighter.“ fight with n C lim l i m a cu cus St. Joh hn

Musical Memories of the North-East Shelagh S helagh N Noden oden

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his ar article ticle focuses on the seminary s seminar ry at Aquhorties, A qu uhorties, near Inverurie, Invverurie, which wh hich in  and rreplaced epllaced the college at Scalan S con ntinued to educate young young men m for the continued untiil Blairs Blairs College was founde ed in . priesthood until founded R ecords sho w that music was important important att Aquhorties Aquhorties Records show ed musicc formed part part of the college curriculum. and sacr sacred College professors Revs. professoors included, at various various times, t Revs.

George Gordon, Gordon, Alexander Badenoch, Badenoch, adenoch John Joh hn D avidson George Davidson and others, all off whom played played an important importan nt part part in the revival of Scottish Scottish Catholic church church music that thaat took place revival in the early nineteenth nineteenth century. century. When Priest Priestt Gordon Gordon set organising a High High Mass Mass at St St Peter’s Peter’s Chapel, about organising Aberdeen, Aberdeen, he naturally natturally turned to students and and staff of the t necessary necessary choir. choir. He He wrote wrote to Bishop Bishop college to form the Cameron, Cameron, “I have havve consulted the gentlemen at at Aquhorties Aquhorties have sent s vestments and d everything everything and they have me the vestments necessary necessary for f High High i h Mass.

Mass. How How are are we we to t gett a choir h i Messrs George George Gordon Gordon and Davidson Davvidson have have formed? Messrs promised promised to be here h e but they would need some her som me others to Would oulld there there be a possibility of getting geetting two or join them. Would three three of the young young gentlemen from from Aquhorties?

Aquhorrties? Two Two of

them can sing siing and could join Messrs Messrrs Gordon Gordon and Davidson.

Davidson. The Th other would look on.” on.”

We We know know there th here were were musical instruments instruments at Aquhorties.

Aquhorties.

A harpsichord harpsichord for the students’ students’ use was transported t transpor ted on a coal boat out ou ut along the canal from from Aberdeen Aber b deen to Port Port Elphinstone, Elphinstone, and in  Priest Priest Gordon Gordon was w asked to get a flute repaired repairred belonging to one of the the students. (He (He later wrote wrote back, baack, “Charles Stuart’s Stuart’s flute iss mended but in such a clumsyy way that I am ashamed to send it…”)

A serious-minded serious-m minded committee of senior senior students dealt with musical matters, led by

by John John (later Bishop) Bisshop) Murdoch.

Murdoch.

In In  it decreed deccreed that “Whereas “Whereas the money mooney which was subscribed last laast year year for strings g to the new neew violin has all been expended, expend ded, it is hereby hereby required required of of all those who either play upon up pon the said violin just now, now, or who intend to do so before beforre the money collected at present present be finished, to come forward forward and subscribe. Nothing Nothing less than a sixpence willl be accepted.” accepted.” James James (later (lateer Bishop) Bishop) Kyle Kyle generously generously promised promised five five shillings, but a pencilled note next to his name on the list of subscribers, n subscribbers, notes “Not “Not Paid.” he later rectified Paid.” One One hopes h rectified the omission. mission.

In In the absence abseence of an organ the instrumentalists instrum mentalists must have to provide have been needed n provide an accompaniment accompaniment for music at Mass Mass a and other services. services. A set s of parts parts for Mozart’s Mozart’s Ave Ave Verum Verum Corpus, arranged for strings and harpsichord, harpsichord, (which evidently survived survived d its hazardous hazardous

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The venerable Priest Gordon journey) suggests that this motet formed part of the college repertoire in the early nineteenth century.

Recently a manuscript volume of music was discovered in St Mary’s cathedral, Edinburgh. Dated , it bears the name of Aquhorties College, and its contents are in various different hands. Even the cover, made of several sheets of scrap paper pasted together, is interesting. Over time some of the sheets have come unstuck, revealing students’ laborious Latin grammar exercises, pages from Edinburgh newspapers, and a report of a concert given

by Mr and Mrs Corri (Gianbattista Corri was a noted Catholic musician based in Edinburgh).

The handwritten text begins with a careful copy of extracts from an eighteenth century treatise, Essay On The Church Plain Chant, now known to have been written by the Catholic composer and organist at the Sardinian Embassy Chapel, Samuel Webbe. Vocal exercises are included, and a detailed explanation of the rudiments of music.

Some of the instructions to singers raise a smile, for example: “Never with violence … burst upon the notes, like a paviour upon his rammer,” and an exhortation: “let him avoid imitating those who open their mouths as they would swallow the book.” The student is warned of the consequences of insufficient practice: “What man possessed of feeling but must be disgusted to hear a hoarse voice bark the pious hymn, Stabat Mater, Lamentationes Jeremiae, &c?”

In addition there are various pieces of sacred music, which presumably formed part of the repertoire of the

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students. Several of these pieces are of Spanish origin, so were presumably contributed by those professors who, like George Gordon, were former students of the Royal Scots College in Valladolid. The Trumpet Mass, or Missa del Trompas, appears in the high key of B flat. Mr Gordon later included this in his two-volume collection of sacred music, but cautiously transposed it down into G major.

One of the most interesting items is an order of service for Easter Sunday . The Mass setting chosen for this occasion was the Trumpet Mass, and Samuel Webbe’s motet Haec Dies was sung, along with a previously unknown anonymous setting of Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus. Could this be a home-grown contribution? Several priests, including George Gordon, were said to be keen amateur composers, so this motet, like some other items in the book, could well have been composed by one or other of the Aquhorties professors.

A number of examples of plainchant, including the complete Requiem Mass, are included. These give fascinating insights into contemporary performance practice, a subject rather too vast to be discussed here, but which demonstrate that chant was regularly included in the liturgy at Aquhorties.

And finally… a reminder that college life was not always serious. Scribbled on a page between Veni Creator Spiritus and Lauda Sion Salvatorem there appears a little round for three voices. The words: “Oh nose of all noses, mine is not so great as thine.”

It’s always nice to find something like this. It shows that even though two hundred years may have passed since someone noted this down in an idle moment, students really haven’t changed all that much.

This column usually ends with an appeal for further information. Well, some has been received, all the way from Australia! Readers may remember that in the last issue Dr J A Reid, amateur composer from Aberdeen, was last heard of emigrating to Australia in . An Australian musicologist has been in touch to say that Dr Reid had a successful if slightly dodgy career as organist, church musician and opera composer in Sydney. If anyone would like further details please email me: s.noden@abdn. ac.uk Finally, I was rash enough to mention that only two versions of Adeste Fideles exist, one by Dr Reid.

Predictably a third has turned up, found at the Church of the Incarnation, Tombae, composed by Henry Leslie, Any more out there?

Shelagh Noden is researching the history of Catholic church music in Scotland, and would be delighted to hear from anyone with any musical memories to share. She can be contacted at: s.noden@abdn.ac.uk or through this magazine.

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Historical H istorical C Curiosities u r i o s i t i e s ffrom r o m tthe he D Diocese i o c e s e of of A Aberdeen berdeen

William W illiam E Elphinstone’s lphinstone’s L i b ra r y Library JJane ane S Stevenson tevenson

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iilliam lliam E Elphinstone lphinstone (–), (–), sstatesman, tatesman, B Bishop ishop o off A Aberdeen, berdeen, aand nd ffounder ounder o he U niversity of of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, off tthe University w as p robably b orn iin n G lasgow, tthe he was probably born Glasgow, iilligitimate lligitimate sson on of of a ccanon anon w who ho w was as D Dean ean o off the the University off Glasgow William.

U niversity o Glasgow aand nd also also ccalled alled W illiam. His His sson on ssimilarly imilarly decided decided tto o b become ecome a p priest, riest, took took a d egree iin n canon canon llaw aw at at P aris, aand nd m oved o n to to study study degree Paris, moved on ccivil ivil law law aatt Orléans.

Orléans. H became official official (chief (chief llegal egal Hee became o officer) fficer) of of tthe he Diocese Diocese of of G Glasgow lasgow and, and, like like his his father father before off A Arts.

Hee spent b efore him, him, the the Dean Dean o r ts. H spent much much of of his his llife ife in in the the sservice ervice of of K King ing JJames ames IIII II aand nd JJames ames IV IV aand nd w was as made made K Keeper eeper o off tthe he P Privy rivy S Seal eal o off S Scotland cotland iin n . . The The b bishop’s ishop’s cconcluding oncluding years years w were ere m mainly ainly sspent pent iin n the the foundation foundation o off tthe he U University niversity of of Aberdeen Aberdeen which was ffor or w hich a papal papal bull bull w as obtained obtained in in . .

Thee tteaching Th eaching ooff llaw aw w was as p perceived erceived aass iincreasingly ncreasingly iimportant mportant iin n Elphinstone’s Elphinstone’s time. time. IIn n , , the the Scots Scots parliament promulgated p arliament p romulgated aan n Act Act rrequiring equiring all all bbarons arons aand nd ffreeholders reeholders of of substance substance ttoo put put ttheir heir h heirs eirs ‘‘to to the the ssculis’ culis’ ttoo llearn earn L Latin, atin, after after w which hich they they w were ere ‘to ‘to remane remane tthree hree yyeris eris at at the the ssculis culis ooff aart rt aand nd jure jure [[humanities humanities aand nd law], law], so so haue tthat hat tthay hay may may h aue kknowledge nowledge and and vnderstanding vnderstanding of of tthe he would llawis’, awis’, aand nd w ould bbee able able to to administer administer justice justice effectively. effectively.

Th This is A Act ct partially partially accounts accounts ffor or Elphinstone’s Elphinstone’s ffoundation oundation ooff a University University in in h his is diocese, diocese, since since tthe he oother ther SScots cots universities northerners were u niversities were were far far ttoo the the ssouth, outh, and and n or therners w ere disadvantaged. d isadvantaged.

The university first decades.

The u niversity was was extremely extremely small small iin n iits ts fi rst d ecades.

Th There ere w were ere only only tthirty-six hirty-six masters masters and and students students ((increased increased ttoo fforty-two orty-two bbyy ), ), w within ithin fi five ve ffaculties aculties ooff theology, theology, ccanon anon aand nd ccivil ivil law, law, m medicine, edicine, and and the the liberal liberal aarts. r ts. B Bishop ishop E lphinstone gave gave it it thirty-four thirty-four bbooks. ooks. Many Many ooff tthese hese aare re Elphinstone aannotated, nnotated, showing showing tthat hat they they started started ooff ff aass part part of of his his oown wn w orking library. library. H ought sseven even of of them them w hen h working Hee bbought when hee

TThe he Elphin Elphinstone Elphinst nsttone C Coat-of-Arms oat-of-Arms pr proudly roudly oudlly display displayed yed at King’s College, University Aberdeen K ing in ng’s C ollegee, Univ ersitty of Ab berrdeen was Paris w as a sstudent tudent aand nd llecturer ecturer iin n P aris bbetween etween   aand nd which were   [[MSS MSS ‒ ‒ aand nd ), ), aallll ooff w hich w ere llawbooks awbooks which dealt with w hich d ealt w ith ccontroversial ontroversial llegal, egal, ssocial ocial aand nd problems day. uss ttoo eecclesiastical cclesiastical p roblems ooff tthe he d ay. IItt iiss hard hard ffor or u tthink hink ooff tthese hese vvenerable enerable ttomes omes aass sstate-of-the-art tate-of-the-ar t were. marginal notes kknowledge, nowledge, bbut ut ssuch uch tthey hey w ere. His His oown wn m arginal n otes problems which were his mind sshow how tthat hat tthe he p roblems w hich w ere most most on on h is m ind were proper mutual w ere the the p roper m utual limits limits of of secular secular aand nd ecclesiastical ecclesiastical jjurisdiction, urisdiction, tthe he vvalidity alidity ooff ooaths, aths, aand nd ccustomary ustomary aand nd Ass tthe Reformation was sstatutory tatutory llaw. aw. A he R eformation w as ttoo sshow, how, tthese hese were w ere eexplosive xplosive ttopics. opics. first Elphinstone’s donation IIn n tthe he fi rst century century at at King’s, King’s, E lphinstone’s d onation was discrete his w as kkept ept ttogether ogether aass a d iscrete ccollection. ollection. IItt iincludes ncludes h is

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own father’s lecture-notes from his law studies at the University of Louvain [AUL MSS −], which reveal what he was studying, who his professors were, and much else beside. His books show that the Louvain course was among the most critical and up-to-date to be found North of the Alps.

Law was central to Elphinstone’s conception of his university. In , the canonist was to be paid ₤ s d per annum, almost double the mediciner’s salary, while the civilist was to receive ₤, emphasising the dignity of both posts. His books reflect this strong emphasis on law. One is a humanist treatise on Latin style, Lorenzo Valla’s Elegancies, two are collections of homilies and devotional material, and one is an encylopedia, Bartholomeus Anglicus’s On the Properties of Things [Inc ], but all the others are law-books of one kind or another. At least one of his books was commissioned by him, Petrus de Ancarano’s Juridical Lectures [MS ].

Verses by the scribe on f.  reveal that he was ordered to write the book by ‘Villelmus sapidus’ [sic: he must mean ‘the wise William’] in .

One interesting feature of the Elphinstone bequest is how much of the collection is printed. Printing was a new technology in Elphinstone’s day – he was twentyfour in the year when Gutenberg printed his epochmaking Bible. Clearly, he was an ‘early adopter’ who immediately grasped the tremendous potential of the printed text, since he was instrumental in bringing the first press to Scotland. He supplemented the University’s manuscript copies of a key work for canon law students, Nicholas de Tudeschis’s Commentary on the Decretals (MSS ,,,,] with a printed text [Inc ].

To the Elphinstone books may be added three manuscripts which belonged to Archibald Whitelaw, Secretary to both James III and James IV, and a friend of Elphinstone’s who worked closely with him. His gifts, MSS ,  and , are late-fifteenth-century commentaries on Gregory IX’s Decretals and lectures on the Constitutions of Clement V. These are absolutely basic texts for canon law, and it is fair to deduce that they were given or bequeathed to Elphinstone for the use of his infant Law Faculty.

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Reproduction of Gutenberg-era Press on display at Printing History Museum in Lyon, France The other manuscript which has Whitelaw’s name on it also sheds light on the University’s early days. It contains Orosius’s commentary on St Augustine’s City of God, a great favourite of Renaissance humanists, Florus’s epitome of Roman history, and a text on the Trojan War. Elphinstone brought Hector Boece from Paris in  in order to introduce humanist studies to the university. Boece’s name also appears on the first folio of this manuscript, as does that of Alexander Galloway, one of Boece’s early students. Both men were clearly putting the manuscript to good use.

It is extraordinary to reflect how much Elphinstone’s surviving library reflects a forward-looking and energetic Church, already a full beneficiary of the international renaissance, and connected to the international world of learning.

Jane Stevenson is Regius Professor of Humanity at the University of Aberdeen. She is the author of a number of historical works, two collections of novellas, four novels, a biography of Edward Burra, and has written for Harper’s, the Guardian, and the Observer. The following article has been extracted from her latest work, “The Library and Archive Collections of the University of Aberdeen, a history and a description” to be published this Autumn

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”

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beef and pasta dishes; peach wine, a light golden wine which has a real peach flavour with a fruity nose and perfect as an aperitif or with seafood, chicken and salad and best served chilled; elderflower wine, with a soft floral bouquet which you can enjoy as an aperitif and sparkling perry wine made from pears, which is light and fruity and makes a refreshing and uplifting aperitif. Then there is that old favourite, sloe liqueur, a robust full-flavoured liqueur, which can be enjoyed after Margaret Bradley dinner.

Two of the more unusual wines produced at In recent columns I have written about such delicacies Moniack are silver birch wine and mead. Silver as the Aberdeen Buttery and Alford Oatmeal which birch wine is made from the rising sap of the silver are special to the Diocese of Aberdeen. I hope in birch tree, which is tapped in early spring and future editions to focus on some of the other culinary fermented to make a light dry white wine with a delights from around the Diocese starting in this issue light fruity flavour for drinking on its own or as a with a look at the age old tradition of winemaking dessert wine. Tradition has it that the Druids made using local produce. the sap into a cordial to celebrate the spring he Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen equinox. covers a third of the landmass of Scotland, stretching north from Aberdeen to the Isles of Orkney and Shetland, and west from Aberdeen to Dornie and Ullapool. It has a long coastline renowned for its fishing fleets and fish farms and rich agricultural areas prized for beef cattle and barley for the thriving whisky trade. Venison, grouse, pheasants and salmon from our ancient mountains, forests and rivers are exported world-wide and milk from our dairy farms finds its way into some wonderful cheeses and some of the most delicious ice cream you’re likely to find.

One of the lesser known products of the Diocesan Sap tapping to make this year’s Silver Birch wine larder are its fruit wines. Moniack Castle Winery, one Photo credit: Simon Bisson of the few winemakers in Scotland, is situated seven miles from Inverness. It is believed that the tradition Mead is made by fermenting a solution of honey of fruit winemaking in this region was started by the and water and can have a wide range of flavours French monks of Beauly Priory, one of three priories depending on the source of the honey. It can also be founded in Scotland by monks of the Valliscaulian flavoured with different spices like cloves, cinnamon order, from the Burgundy region of France, in the or nutmeg, or with soft fruit like raspberries, years following 1230. The other two are at Pluscarden blackberries or strawberries and herbs like hops. in Elgin and at Ardchattan in Lorne. Lacking vineyards Some meads retain some measure of the sweetness and therefore grapes to ferment, the monks would of the original honey, and some may even be instead have made wine from the local fruit from considered as dessert wines. Drier meads are also their fields and gardens and also honey from their available, and some producers offer sparkling beehives. meads.

Today a number of different fruit wines are Mead is probably the oldest alcoholic drink in the produced. Black Cherry Wine made from rich dark world, drunk by the Egyptians and the Vikings and cherries, a perfect compliment to game and good written about in sagas such as Beowulf and has red meat, best served at room temperature; plum always been a wine for special occasions, especially wine, a medium bodied fruit wine, which is wedding celebrations, hence the name recommended as an accompaniment to chicken, honeymoon. It is recommended today as an

ALittle Food For Thought

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aperitif. In summer it may be chilled and in winter, particularly at Christmastime, mulled and flavoured with spices and various fruits.

Mead can be used in cooking as a marinade to tenderise meat and makes a luxurious, sweet addition to stews and casseroles. It can also be used to make a salad dressing, with honey, balsamic vinegar and a drop of oil. Toss baby spinach leaves, pieces of blue cheese, toasted walnuts, finely chopped shallots and bits of crispy bacon in this tasty mead dressing. Or

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for something different, try this simple recipe for poaching pears with mead for a sweet luscious dessert. Serve with vanilla ice cream or just pouring cream.

With spring just round the corner and hedgerows and gardens beginning to burgeon with new life, why not treat yourself to some of our home grown speciality fruit wines, all of which can be bought locally at good delicatessens. Bon Appétit!

Pears Poached in Mead 4 dessert pears, peeled, stems intact 1 cup mead 2/3oz sugar 1/3 cup water 1 cinnamon stick juice and pared zest of 1 orange squeeze of lemon juice 1 tbsp runny honey pouring cream or vanilla ice cream

When the pears are cooked, remove them from the pan and put them on a plate. Strain the liquid into another saucepan, then boil it until it has reduced by ¾ and is a velvety syrup. Place the pears back into the pan and coat them with the syrup, leaving them in the pan until you need to serve them.

Before serving, heat up the pan gently to just warm the pears through.

Peel the pears and trim the bottoms with a knife so they stand flat, leaving the stalks on. In a large pan, bring the mead, sugar, water, cinnamon stick, orange juice, orange zest, lemon juice and honey to a boil and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is syrupy.

Reduce the heat, add the pears and simmer, covered, for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the pears are tender. Turn the pears with tongs 2 or 3 times.

To serve, stand a pear in the centre of each of 4 dessert plates. Spoon some syrup over them and serve with the vanilla cream or ice cream.

Live-in House Assistant

I NVE RN E SS

L’Arche Inverness, as a part of ongoing recruitment for those who wish to explore living and working with people with learning disabilities, in any one of our 3 houses based in and around the city in the heart of the Scottish Highlands Are currently offering a position of Live-in House Assistant. We are inviting you to participate in creating a home atmosphere with other members of the team, providing direct care for people with learning disabilities through sharing your life with them and encouraging their growth and development in a familylike setting.

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

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

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

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

faithandculture

Book

Page 30

Light of the North

Reviews

"#$!%&'(!)*+,($!

the treatment of these so called prisoners and, yet, of how they managed to survive and retain their humanity, you can’t but be moved. Somehow, the very worst of conditions and experiences can bring out the very best in people. Urszula has compassion for her fellow prisoners, at times risking life and limb to help them or bring them food and never sounds sorry for herself, talking dispassionately of her own suffering and revealing her amazing strength of character and faith.

We all have stories to tell; some of us might even get round to writing them. I for one am grateful Urszula put pen to paper for hers and don’t hesitate to recommend it to every one of you.

Eilidh Smith

!"#$%&'(#)*+,(-.(/*'"#(ŝ+ ,1*(2%&'3#4( ( 516#(6#(1*"(#,0"/4 (

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Banff Author: Tina Harris 30 pages with illustrations Limited edition of 200 copies Price: £2.00 plus p.&p.

Available from: Tina Harris Tel 07817652106

The remarkable story of 51*("*7'"8'9&*(#,0"/( an0:('+(*;,"'0"<6+'"/( extraordinary woman, whose strength =07'+>(=10#*( of#,"*+3,1(0:(?1'"'?,*"( character and faith brought her through '+<(:'6,1(9"0%31,(1*"( the terrible ordeals of ,1"0%31(,1*(,*""69&*( 0"<*'&#(0:(,1*(@,'&6+#,( the Stalinist labour &'90%"(?'7)#('+<( camps and separation #*)'"',60+(:"07(1*"( from her family before :'76&/(,0(:6+'&&/(9*("*A finally being reunited in %+6,*<(6+(,1*(!B4! the UK.

50(0"<*">()&*'#*(?'&&(C008@0%"?*(0+(( DEFG(HID(D..I(=6,1(,1*(8*/(=0"<#( JK0+3(C"6<3*J4 L0)6*#(?0#,(M.4NN()&%#(M-4DD()O)4

The remarkable story of an extraordinary lady

T

hey say we all have a book in us, a story to tell, but reading the memoir of Urszula Muskus, it became clear to me that whatever experiences or adventures I have had, they bear no comparison to the remarkable story of this extraordinary lady.

Urszula Muskus at the age of thirty-six was arrested and deported with her two children on what she describes eloquently as “an unforgettable day in Autumn 1939” when Germany invaded Poland. So began sixteen long years of exile in Stalinist labour camps for Urszula, interspersed with gruelling train journeys in cattle wagons with no provision for sanitation never mind sleeping or eating. It’s the sort of story that you wish wasn’t true. When you hear of

From Huntly Street to Banff: Connections

T

he most obvious connection between Huntly Street and Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Banff, is that Alexander Ellis was architect of both buildings. While I was labouring over the souvenir brochure, determined to leave nothing out about the Cathedral’s 150-year history, Tina Harris compiled 140 Years in Banff with apparent ease. Breezy is one way to describe it - influenced by the author’s photo on a yacht with the town behind - but the text itself is fresh and appealing.

As she says, ‘priceless pieces of history have come to light.’ This long-term student of North-east Catholicism learned a lot from Tina’s enthusiastic short-term research – all done and dusted in six months of walking the ground and consulting the books.

Some of what I learned came from medieval times, not my period but it was interesting to discover the part played by Carmelite monks and more so to hear about the Pietà – Christ and his Mother after

faithandculture

Light of the North

the Crucifixion. Both figures in local stone had heads removed by seventeenth-century Covenanters. The Banff Monstrance, of later Paris workmanship and maybe rescued from the French Revolution, was another eye-opener. The Mount Carmel Mound in the woods near Duff House remains a mystery to be solved.

Tina Harris rightly regrets that Bishop James Kyle died before the Banff church was completed, for he had close connections with the town – though born near ‘Abbeyhill on the Easter Road to Leith’. His mother Margaret Strachan grew up beside the Deveron as part of an old Catholic family with a doctor at its head. His father, also James Kyle, met her while he was resident engineer for the sevenarched bridge across the river. The better known Robert Smeaton is claimed locally as the bridge builder but he was only assistant on this project.

Bishop Kyle had a Grant uncle and aunt in Banff. He also had a Strachan uncle, an Indian army colonel who tried to persuade the Aquhorties student to join him. It would be good to know how many local relatives there were when Kyle sent Ellis north from Aberdeen.

The artist and writer Peter Anson features in the booklet, partly for his personal mission to fishermen

Page 31

while living at Macduff harbour (he also helped to found the Apostleship of the Sea) and partly for his praise of Ellis’s Gothic design. Shortly before the Second World War Anson became accepted locally as an advisor on ecclesiastical ‘furnishings’, and he approved eight statues for the reredos at Our Lady of Mount Carmel. What some might regard as the Cathedral brochure’s most poignant illustration shows Anson’s proposal for a modified but still Gothic altar. It was rejected by Bishop Walsh and his Edinburgh architect. There is no record of what Cathedral Administrator Mgr David Paterson thought about the modernising programme which included removal of statues. He certainly resigned sooner than expected, though continuing as the Bishop’s Vicar General and Provost of the Cathedral Chapter.

The final connection is that he went to Banff, and an unmodernised church by Alexander Ellis.

Alasdair Roberts

Ala sda ir Rober ts’ souvenir broc hure o f St Ma r y’s Ca thedra l, Aberdeen is a va ila b l e f ro m the Ca thedra l B ook Shop , p rice   .

Good News for Diocesan Pilgrims Father Peter Barry from St Francis’ Mannofield, Aberdeen and Fr Willie Fraser from Caoul are organising a pilgrimage to Lough Derg, o n e of th e o l d e s t p l aces o f pi l gr i ma ge i n t he Ch r i s t ian wo r l d from 1st to 5th August this year. The programme will be as follows: 1st August: Fly Aberdeen to Belfast arriving 1.20pm.Coach to Donegal town. Hotel accommodation with Mass and devotions.

2nd August : Coach to Lough Derg. Next two evenings on retreat on Lough Derg Island.

4th August: Coach to Donegal town with Mass and devotions.

5th August: Return to Belfast by coach for Belfast to Aberdeen flight, leaving 10.30am.

Cost, around £400. Some people have already booked their flights at a cost of £117. The retreat costs 56 Euros, and each night’s hotel accommodation will cost around 60 Euros.

Ron Smith, a Keith parishioner, is tentatively making arrangements to make a Pilgrimage to the Church of Notre Dame du Finistère in Brussels where the original statue of “Our Lady of Aberdeen” has its present refuge.

Ron suggests running a coach from Inverness via Elgin, Keith and Aberdeen and then to Newcastle and the overnight ferry to Amsterdam. From Amsterdam a coach could take the party to either Ghent or Brugge which would then serve as a base. Would YOU be interested in such a trip? Please let Ron know – no commitment at this stage, just an expression of interest to see if there are enough people willing to consider it. Then Ron will investigate prices, timings etc., and get back to you. You can contact Ron at: ronald-smith@ lineone.net or phone 01542 887235.

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Light of the North

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

S

t Francis of Assisi and St Martin de Porres are among the most renowned of the Church’s animal-lovers, just two out of many. Another two, of more recent date, are T.S. Eliot and Pope Benedict XVI! All four would heartily endorse the pious exclamation “blessed be God in all his creatures!”, and would have put cats at the top of their list.

So would I, and doubtless many of you! Not that we haven’t a love for dogs, birds, horses and many other species. It’s just that cats happen to have come particularly into our lives, and we have come to delight in their companionship.

Indeed so deeply can a feline friend steal a person’s heart that when the moment for final parting arrives, grief on the human side is unspeakably distressing.

Thrice I have endured this myself. It is not merely the circumstances of the cat’s demise that upsets people, or even sometimes its suddenness. As every loving owner will attest, the loss is really that of a little friend, one of God’s creatures that has given its all in terms of loyalty, goodwill and a guarantee of welcome. Most pets demand little in return for their presence and pleasantness among us. No wonder there is trauma and tearfulness when they die.

How cats’ temperaments and character differ one from another!

Each of my own three cats has been wholly distinct.

What they shared, however, was that unnerving ability purposefully but gradually to erode much of the willpower and common-sense I thought I controlled! In time one came not to resent such capitulations, but simply to relish them! As the French romantic poet Theophile Gautier put it: “If you are worthy of its affection, a cat will be your friend, but never your slave.”

Winston Churchill is reputed to have had his cat Jock beside him at wartime cabinet-meetings, and to have named him his special assistant! Thus even great folk happily acknowledge a cat’s manipulative charm, and with the charm no mean intelligence.

Granted that the cat, once described as “the perfect hunting machine”, is by nature a predator of gardenbirds, my three were virtuous, for I know of only three casualties between them: a blue-tit (the only bird), plus a vole and a harvest-mouse. So to Icky, Samuel and

Sammy I can only say from the heart: thank you for all the fun and friendship, and for doing so elegantly in your short lives exactly what your Maker intended.

Sammy

Allow me to end with these apposite lines of Christopher Smart, the th-century poet, who sang (at length!) the praises of his beloved cat Jeoffrey: “...for by stroking of him I have found out electricity.

For I perceived God’s light about him both wax and fire.

For the electrical fire is the spiritual substance, which God sends from heaven to sustain the bodies both of man and beast.

For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements.

For, though he cannot fly, he is an excellent clamberer.

For his motions upon the face of the earth are more than other quadrupeds.

For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.

For he can swim for life.

For he can creep.”

Light of the North

crossword

Crossword No.15

There’s another opportunity in this issue’s competition to win a copy of Romano Guardini’s “Learning the Virtues That Lead You to God” . Just send your completed entry, together with your name, address and telephone number to the Light of the North, Ogilvie Centre, 16 Huntly Street, Aberdeen AB10 1SH. First correct entry drawn out of the hat is the winner. Closing date: 1st June, 2011.

Page 33

Last issue’s crossword solution Across 1. Bemoan 4. Foreknew 9.Equity 10. Senators 12. Detained 13.

Thrice 15. Heir16. Revelation 19. Messengers 20. Stir 23. Ribbon 25.

Tomorrow 27. Assuaged 28. Usurer 29. Numbered 30. Plates Down 1.

Breadth 2. Mountains 3. Attain 5. Open 6. Epaphras 7. Naomi 8. Western 11. Revenge 14. Reproof 17. Interpret 18. Desolate19. Murrain 21. Morsel 22. Rewards 24. Bosom 26. Here Congratulations to our last competition winner, Mrs Sonia Keys from Inverness

Little Horror Sudoku No. 4 If you prefer sudoku to crosswords then you still have a chance to win “Learning the Virtues That Lead You to God” with our super tough “Little Horror” sudoku puzzle.

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

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

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

Across 8 Religious service (6) 9Vessel (3) 10 Drive forcibly (4) 11 Christ does this for us (10) 12 Bethesda was the name of this (4) 13 Servant of a prophet (6) 16 One who leaves the straight and narrow path (8) 17 Check the money (7) 18 Fragrant offering; make angry (7) 22 Come out from among them (8) 25 Works with clay (6) 26 Main part of text (4) 27 Chucked it too far (10) 30 Treachery sealed with this (4) 31 Simon washed his (3) 32 Migratory grasshopper (6)

Down 1 Standard for the tribe of Judah (4) 2 Brother of James; Hardy book (4) 3 Choice by vote (8) 4 Evening glow (7) 5 All sing the tune (6) 6To reduce deficiency (10) 7Take no notice of (6) 14 Look at (3) 15 Alternative Revelation (10) 19 Son of Jacob (8) 20 The blind will (3) 21 Regrets; Serpent (anag) (7) 23 Angels by another name (6) 24 Decorates (6) 28 Say it and you will be in danger of the council (4) 29 Cleanse (4)

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

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

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

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Light of the North

Page 35

S i ster Jan et ’s We s tm ins te r Blo g Si s te r J a n e t Fea rn s FMDM i s t h e Co m mu n i ca t i o n s Co o rd i n ato r fo r t h e Po n t i fi cal M i s s i o n S o c i et i es w w w.m i s s i o. o rg. uk .

What is the Most Loving Thing to do?

One day, as I drove through a small town in Nigeria, a man on a bicycle blocked half the road. Intending to repair the roof of his house, the cyclist had tied a large bundle of grass to the seat of his bicycle. Unfortunately, it was so long that the grass effectively prevented other road users from overtaking the wobbly carrier.

He was a poor man who was not poor in his own eyes or in those of his neighbours with whom he shared a similar standard of living. He had a house. He had the roofing grass he needed. He had a bicycle. He was content with his life.

This man was only poor in the eyes of those who thought he needed a tin roof on his house, running water, electricity, a vehicle to carry his load and so on. In his own eyes, he was very comfortable and had all that he needed to live.

Some years ago in Zambia, we experienced a period when the electricity supply was more than usually unreliable, a fact of life which regularly created problems for many hospitals, especially when the power failure lasted for several days. It was difficult to maintain stored vaccines and blood supplies at the correct temperature. Surgical procedures could not be scheduled without the necessary electricity for lights and other essential equipment.

Bringing babies into the world by candle and torchlight was neither easy nor desirable.

During one lengthy power cut, a nurse declared that he wished he’d never had the experience of electricity. In his village, he’d happily used candles and, when he had batteries, his torch. Having experienced electricity, he knew what he was missing when there was a power cut.

His work was made harder because of uncontrollable circumstances. He experienced a new type of helplessness: he was poor and knew his poverty.

These two incidents highlight the main problem of Development projects. When should people be left on their own, solving their own problems according to their own traditional methods? When should outsiders step in and challenge those people to a new way of looking at life and of solving their difficulties? Should villagers walk long distances every day in search of food and water, or should they be given a well? Should parents expect their children to die because of diseases such as measles or polio, or should they be vaccinated at an early age and consequently live normal lives?

Sometimes the answer seems clear. Of course a village

should have a well where people have easy access to water.

Of course children should be vaccinated. These are interventions that are difficult to challenge.

What happens when the questions do not have such ready answers?

A beautiful television documentary once featured a small tribe of Amazonian Indians who had never had any contact with the world outside their jungle home, never had to bother about clothes and were expert hunters. The entire community shared everything they possessed.

The shock came at the end of the programme. The narrator mentioned that this small tribe, because of its isolation, had never encountered diseases to which the rest of the world had developed immunity. “I suppose there is a chance,” the presenter commented, “that we might be the first and last visitors these people ever have. We might have brought with us diseases to which these people were never exposed. We might have killed them by germs we didn’t know we were carrying on our bodies.”

Was the Indians’ need for health greater than the cameraman’s need for pictures? Was the need to preserve information about a beautiful, unsophisticated way of life greater than the need of those living it to continue, hidden from the rest of the world?

When we speak of Development, we are also talking about a relationship between God, his world, his people and our own way of life. We raise questions that must be answered by our consciences.

When we talk of Development, are we helping people to live a happier, more contented existence, or are we opening up a path to greater restlessness and dissatisfaction? Are we working for the good of those whom we serve, or working towards our own ends? Are we empowering people to choose what is truly good? Are we, in reality, manipulating events to benefit our own pockets and satisfy our own greed? When we arrange or attend workshops, do we implement the lessons learned and the decisions made or do we merely collect the allowances and enjoy the food?

Does our research benefit the community or our pockets?

When a rural community receives electricity or a newlysurfaced road, is the real motive to develop that community or to develop the nearby farm of a financially or politically significant individual?

Jesus gave us one Commandment that could solve many current issues: to love one another as a loving God has loved us. Often, our way ahead would be clear if we were to simply ask ‘What is the most loving thing to do?’

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to live forever When we are young we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry about getting old.

When we are old we shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to fear the future. Age Scotland works hard to take the worry out of growing old.

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

We challenge disadvantage and unfairness. We understand whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needed to transform older peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives for the better.

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