Light of the North Issue 2

Light

DON’T BE LEFT IN THE DARK

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GET THE NORTHERN LIGHT

Light of the North I am the Light of the World

I s s u e 2 , S u m m e r, 2 0 0 6

Saint Benedict, Bishop’s Polish Letter

Patron of Europe, 11th July

The year of the four deacons

Wisdom of the Desert Fathers Soul Food FREE Th e b e s t t h i n g s i n l i fe a re f re e b u t a l l co n t r i b u t i o n s towa rd s p ro d u c t i o n co s t s g ra te f u l l y rece i ve d

Light of the North

Benedict, the inspiration for a new Europe cover story

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They became schools of prayer, oases of peace, and homes of education and learning.

That concept of having communities where people learn how to serve God has been taken up by Popes and pastors, theologians and teachers all through the centuries.

Pope John Paul II put it beautifully in his Apostolic Letter Novo Millennio Ineunte. “Our Christian communities”, he wrote “must become genuine ‘schools’ of prayer, where the meeting with Christ is expressed not just in imploring help but also in thanksgiving, praise, adoration, contemplation, n the fifth and sixth centuries, European civilisa- listening and ardent devotion, until the heart truly tion lay in tatters. The observance of the Law of ‘falls in love.’”

God became very much a thing of the past and the realm of the few. The threat of war, terror Today, Saint Benedict of Norcia, the great “Patriarch and discord combined with a new found paganism of Western Monasticism” is venerated in the Church were the order of the day in society at large. as Co-Patron of Europe together with Sts Cyril and Methodius, and the women Saints, Bridget of SweIt was in this context that God called the man we now den, Catherine of Siena and Edith Stein. call Saint Benedict of Norcia to be a man of prayer and to teach others to pray. He called him to be a Perhaps his greatest encouragement to us today is that, man of peace and to teach others how to receive and inspired by him, our families and parish communigive the gift of peace. He called him to be a builder ties too, are invited to become Schools of the Lord’s of small communities, each of which would become a service. We too could have our share in building a new “School of the Lord’s Service”.

Europe filled with “genuine schools of prayer”.

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Monasteries, following the Rule which Benedict Saint Benedict, Co-Patron of Europe, pray for us. adapted from one main source close at hand and Father Paul Bonnici which was taken all through Europe, soon sprang up.

It’s clear as a bell The bell ringers at St Mary’s Cathedral in Aberdeen believe that they have some of the youngest bell ringers in Scotland in their band.

At the present time they have five young ringers all of whom are under forteen yearsof age. Katie Pirie and Megan Williamson are both thirteen, Jordan Pirie is eleven and Amy Pirie and Kersten Williamson are just nine years old.

The youngsters joined the band a year ago and have made rapid progress even though Kersten and Amy have to stand on a specially made box in order to reach the ropes!

If you know of any ringers who are even younger than Kersten we’d like to hear from you.

In the meantime if any seasoned or novice ringers would like to join the St Mary’s band please get in touch with Tower Captain, Eve Murray, on 01224 780243

Kersten getting into the swing of it

Light of the North

contents deanery 5 witness 12 socialteaching social 13 youthlight youth 14 liturgy 15 educationandformation education 16 humour 29 Vatican City 31 OgilvieInstitute Ogilvie 32

Light of the North Managing Editor Deacon Tony Schmitz Editor Cowan Watson Chief Reporter Fr Paul Bonnici Editorial Advisors Canon Bill Anderson Fr Stuart Chalmers If you would like to sponsor a page of the Light of the North, advertise in these pages or simply give a donation then please get in touch with us at the following address: Light of the North Ogilvie Institute 16 Huntly Street Aberdeen AB10 1SH Tel: 01224 638675 Email: lightofthenorth. watson4918.freeserve.co.uk

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The ‘Light of the North’ needs you!

Thanks to all our readers who took the time and trouble to send us their comments and give us their encouragement for the first edition of the Light of the North. In this, the summer issue, we trust you will find something to raise the spirits, exercise one or two grey cells and even make you smile!

We have a number of fresh contributors writing for this issue including Michael Collins, Chief SubEditor of the Northern Scot, who believes that lessons learnt from his parish in Keith can help parishes and parish councils realise the rich potential that lies within their ranks.

We also welcome two new columnists, Sister Janet Fearns who writes to us from the hallowed studios of Vatican Radio and the Rev. Dr. O’Connor, an official of the Congregation for Oriental Churches in the Vatican.

Closer to home, Father Peter Barry, the Bird Man from Culloden, journeys to Uganda in search of the elusive shoebill, Abbot Hugh Gilbert celebrates the birth of St John the Baptist, and Bishop John Jukes takes a look at the Church’s teaching on the care of the elderly.

If you’re a crossword addict then turn to Page 29 for the chance to win a copy of the new Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. We’ve also a traditional recipe for you to try out taken straight from St Martha’s cookbook, and Canon Bill Anderson takes a look at the work of the poet, Arthur Hugh Clough.

Remember to stay in touch and keep sending all your parish news, articles and pictures to the lightofthenorth.watson4918.freeserve.co.uk Remember, the Light of the North needs you!

From the Editor

Light of the North

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One Faith, One Church udność Szkocka jest dumna z tego, że zdecydowaliście się na przybycie do ich kraju.

My wiemy,że wielu z Was posiada kwalifikacje zawodowe oraz natchnięty optymizm. Mamy nadzieję, że zostaliście przyjęci serdecznie. Mamy nadzieję, że znajdziecie odpowiednią pracę.

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Wielu z Was, może większość, są katolikami. Przybyliście do kraju, gdzie katolicy stanowią mały procent tutejszej ludności. Jednakże nasze małe parafie, nieraz odległe czterdzieści lub pięćdziesiąt kilometrów od siebie, chcą Was przygarnąć do siebie. Tutaj napotkacie na inny język, lecz tą samą Mszę świętą. Napotkacie się na odmienne obchody i zwyczaje ale ten sam Kościół.

Many of you, perhaps most of you, are Catholics. You have come to a country where Catholics are only a small proportion of the population. But our little parishes, sometimes forty or fifty kilometres apart, want to embrace you. Here you will find a different language, but the same Holy Mass. You will find different feasts and customs, but the same Church.

Ja jestem Biskupem tej wielkiej diecezji, która jest zwana Aberdeen, ale także pokrywa Elgin, Fraserburgh, Inverness, Ullapool na Zachodzie i nawet wyspy Orkney oraz wyspy Shetlandzkie na dalekiej Północy. Podczas Waszego pobytu w Szkocji, jestem także Waszym Biskupem.

I am the Bishop of this huge diocese, which is called Aberdeen but also includes Elgin, Fraserburgh, Inverness, Ullapool in the West and even the Orkney islands and the Shetland islands far away in the North. While you are living here, I am your bishop also.

W lutym odwiedziłem Polskę i spotkałem pięciu biskupów. Prosiłem ich o przysłanie mi polskich księży do Szkocji. Dwóch księży już przybyło, jeszcze spodziewamy się dalszych trzech. Dziękuję im za tą pomoc.

In February 2006 I visited Poland and met five bishops.

I asked them to send Polish priests to Scotland. They have already sent two, and three more are coming soon.

“Thank you” to them!

Ci polscy księża będę słuchać spowiedzi, przygotowywać chrzest dla Waszych dzieci i udzielać ślubów dla Waszych młodych mężczyzn i kobiet. Przedewszystkim będą oni odprawiać Mszę świętą dla Was. Będzie okazja, gdy będę obecny na tych nabożeństwach i będę się starał przemówić do Was w paru słowach po polsku. Jestem przecież Waszym Biskupem.

These Polish priests will hear confessions, and prepare baptism for your children and marriages for your young men and women. Most important of all, they will celebrate Holy Mass for you. Sometimes, I will be present at those Masses, and I will try to say a few words to you in Polish: I am your bishop, after all !

Mam jednak nadzieję, że ta separacja polskich od szkockich katolików powoli zaniknie. Tych pięciu polskich księży będzie pracować z angielsko mówiącymi parafianami jak także z Polakami.

Jeżeli pozostaniecie w Szkocji na dłuższy czas - a mamy nadzieję, że pozostaniecie - uczęszczajcie także na angielskie msze. Weźmijcie udział w działalnościach parafialnych. My chcemy zostać Waszymi przyjaciółmi. Wasza wiara zasili naszą wiarę.

Wasz optymizm podniesie rozwój naszych parafii. Moje motto jako biskup to “Gaudium et spes”, czyli “Radość i Nadzieja “. To jest moje życzenie dla moich polskich parafian.

However, I hope that this separation of Polish Catholics from Scottish Catholics will gradually disappear. The five Polish priests will work with English-speakers as well as with Poles. If you remain more than a few months in Scotland – and we all hope that you will remain – please come to Holy Mass in English too. Please join in parish activities. Please allow us to make friends with you. Your faith will strengthen ours. Your optimism will enliven our parishes. My motto as bishop is “Gaudium et spes”. That means “Joy and Hope”. That is my wish for all my Polish flock.

+ Peter Antony Moran Biskup diecezji Aberdeen.

Aberdeen, 21st June 2006

+ Peter Antony Moran Bishop of Aberdeen Aberdeen, 21st June 2006

cottish people have watched with pride as you Poles have chosen to come to our country. We know that many of you have come with professional qualifications and inspired by optimism. We hope that you have found a friendly welcome. We hope that you will find acceptable work.

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N e wss fro m the New th e D e a ne rie ri e s

Church hit by car park crisis

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t Peter’s Church, one of the oldest Catholic churches in Scotland, could be forced to close if plans for a drug rehabilitation centre to be sited on an adjacent car park get the go-ahead.

North Scot Press Agency

The parish priest, Father Keith Herrera, fears that, if the car park is closed, the congregation will drop and community groups will stop using the church facilities.

In a report published in the Times newspaper Father Herrera said: “It would be so sad if we lost it forever because it’s such a little treasure.”

Father Keith Herrera, fearful about the future of St Peter’s

Father Keith has already written to MPs, MSPs and local Councillors protesting against the proposed development of the ‘Timmer Market’ car park and res i de n t s a n d lo cal t raders have beg un a c a m p a i g n , “ Save t he Cast legate Car Park” (ww w. s a ve t he c ast legatecarpark .co.uk) .

Aberdeen C ity C ouncil C ity Development Ser vices St. Nicholas House Broad Street Aberdeen AB10 1FY

Father Keith has also appealed to all concerned to The closing date for objections to planning permiswrite to the council planning department objecting sion is 23rd July. to this proposal at: For all the latest news from the Aberdeen Diocese, check out www.dioceseofaberdeen.com.

Further additions will be made to the site as time goes on.

If you have any news for the website, e-mail fr.paul@dioceseofaberdeen.com .

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The year of the four deacons

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he year 2006 will be remembered in the history of the Diocese of Aberdeen as the year when four deacons were ordained to serve in the diocese.

Bishop Peter Moran travelled to Rome to ordain Indian born Anil Gonsalves as a deacon. The ordination took place on 30 April 2006 at the Pontifical Scots College on the Via Cassia Nuova, where Anil has been studying for the priesthood.

Deacon Anil Gonsalves with Bishop Peter Moran at the Scots College

Then, back home in Scotland, Colin Morrison Davies was ordained a deacon by Bishop Moran on 18 June 2006.

Colin has been completing his course of studies for the priesthood at Scotus College in Glasgow.

Both Deacon Anil and Deacon Colin are expected to be ordained priests for our Diocese next year.

We are also looking forward to the Ordination of two permanent deacons: John Joseph Wire and Patrick Kieran Darbyshire.

Deacon Colin Davies with his family and Bishop Peter Moran

John Wire who is married to Susan, is a father and grand father. He is a semi retired engineering project manager and lives in the village of Inverbervie which forms part of Stonehaven Parish. John, who is in his late fifties has been active for many years in the St Vincent De Paul Society. He is also a keen photographer and some of his pictures have been published in the Catholic press.

His ordination is planned for Saturday 19 August at St Mary’s, Blairs.

Then on Saturday 26th of August, Bishop Peter is scheduled to ordain Patrick Darbyshire as a permanent deacon.

Patrick from Drumnadrochit in the parish of Marydale, Cannich, is married to Sheila and is a father of four. With Sheila, he has been involved in the catering and hospitality industry for many years. They currently operate a bed and breakfast in Drumnadrochit. Patrick has played an active part in parish life at Marydale over the years.

John Wire and Patrick Derbyshire, Deacons in waiting

We congratulate all four men and their families and thank them for their generosity in accepting their call of service from the Lord.

Deaneries

Nuncio to visit Diocese

Light of the North Pope Benedict XVI’s personal representative to both Church and State in Britain, Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz is visiting our diocese from 10th -12th October 2006.

The Apostolic Nuncio is coming to the diocese on the invitation of Bishop Peter Moran.

His visit, though short, will contain a full programme to give him a snapshot of our diocese and allow him to meet our clergy, religious and laity.

Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz

On Tuesday evening 10th October the Lord Provost of Aberdeen. Provost John Reynolds, has most kindly offered to

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host a Civic Dinner for the Nuncio. On Wednesday morning 11th October the Nuncio will visit Aberdeen University with Bishop Peter. The Nuncio will then meet with the priests at 3 p.m. during their Priests’ Council meeting.

On Wednesday evening at 7 p.m. Mass will be celebrated by the Nuncio in St Mary’s Cathedral in Aberdeen. The priests of the diocese are invited to concelebrate and deacons, religious and laity are invited to attend. This will be followed by a reception in the Cathedral Hall. Please come to this event if you can. We would really like to see the cathedral full and the whole diocese represented at this special occasion.

Polish fruit of the vine Bishop Peter’s visit to Poland earlier on this year to invite Polish priests to come and serve in our diocese has borne much fruit. By the autumn, it is hoped that there will be five priests in all from Poland.

These are: Fr Czesław Józef Kolasa, a member of the Pallottine Fathers, and who is known as Father Joe. He is now resident at St Mary’s, Inverness as Assistant Priest. He also has responsibility for Polish speakers in that part of the diocese. Fr Ryszard Świder from Kraków Archdiocese is at present assistant to Fr Chris Brannan in Fraserburgh and Peterhead.

Fr Ryszard, 51, was accepted to study for the priesthood by Cardinal Karol Wojtyla who later became Pope John Paul II. It was the late pope’s long serving secretary, Cardinal Stanisław Dziwisz, who is now Archbishop of Kraków, who sent Fr Ryszard to our diocese.

At the beginning of August we look forward to welcomingFr. Maciej Hulas from Lublin. Then in September, we are expecting two more priests, one from Rzeszów and another from Częstochowa.

Pilgrimage of Our Lady Later this summer on Sunday 20th August there will be a second Pluscarden Pilgrimage, with the theme of Our Lady of Częstochowa, whose feast is about that time.

Poland was solemnly dedicated to Our Lady fifty years ago this year, and Father Abbot Hugh of Pluscarden and Bishop Peter Moran invite all parishioners, particularly those newly-arrived from Poland to make this occasion on which Scots and Poles can together celebrate the patronage of the Mother of God Legend has it that the icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa was painted by St. John after the crucifixion and remained in the Holy Land until it was rediscovered by St. Helena in the 4th century and taken to Constantinople and ultimately to Poland. She has survived many wars, including her miraculous intervention in 1920 when the Russian army prepared to invade Poland. The Russians are said to have made a hasty retreat when her image appeared in the clouds over Warsaw. This is known as the Miracle of Vistula.

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Facing the future with confidence Michael Collins Michael Collins , a parishioner from Keith, spells out some of the lessons the parish has learnt from previous experiences of surviving without a priest

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t’s enough to send a shiver down the spine ….. or, in the case of many Catholics, send us crashing to our knees, hands clasped tightly, praying furiously.

No, it’s not the prospect of the Da Vinci Code movie being remotely believable.

St Thomas’ Church, Keith The source of anxiety is the shortage of priests in our diocese and what the future holds for the practice of our faith, for our churches and for our parishes.

It may seem a tall order but Mrs Third said parishes often do not realise the rich resources of abilities and For those parishes which have never been without a willingness within their ranks. resident priest, the anxiety is all the greater. For those “We recently visited two parishes, linked and without that have had experience of it, the fear factor has be- a resident priest, to explain how our pastoral council come less and it is in some of these places that we can operates and to give advice on how they can organise find hope for the years ahead, even though the short- and go forward. age will become ever more critical.

“They were unsure, because of being small in numThe hope lies largely in the hands of the lay people bers, and thought they would never be able to achieve and in groups that are becoming integral to our dio- what we had. But we discovered they had people docese and parish structure, and to the bolstering of our ing lots of good work already, and I think we were able faith ….. the Pastoral Councils. to give them confidence they can face the challenges ahead,” she said.

At Keith, they are trumpeting the message that lay people have never been so important to the function- “The key to building up a body of workers is often ing of our Church. approaching and encouraging folk to help, persuading them that despite what they may think they do have a From having had spells without a resident priest since role to play in their parish.” the death in 2002 of the long-serving Mgr John Copland, St Thomas’ parishioners (now fortunate to have St Thomas’ pastoral council member Tony Milnes Father Mark Impson with them) feel valuable lessons feels that as well as councils sharing ideas and helping have been learned that should be used to help other each other, the diocese should have a team of advisers pastoral councils which may be struggling to fulfil in place to offer assistance and training. their potential.

“A well-run, well-supported council should free priests The St Thomas’ council chairwoman, Margaret Third, more for their sacramental ministry, their role as teachsaid: “The diocese needs to see every parish prepared ers of the faith, and for spiritual formation of us all as for the possibility of being without a priest, by ensur- individuals and groups,” he said. ing that there are able pastoral councils which begin to take full responsibility (under their priest’s overview) “At St Thomas we have established small groups for for all the parish activities and diocesan obligations.” helping Father Mark prepare the liturgy, for tending

Light of the North to our youth, for preparing for First Communion and Confirmation, for RCIA, for visiting the sick and elderly at home and in hospital, and we have groups looking after finance, the buildings and the church hall etc.

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“Also, our diocese needs to be more open, with decisions made openly, after consultation not just with priests but with parishes through the pastoral councils.”

Mrs Third said that as part of the concept of shar“All are represented on the pastoral council and report ing ideas and offering support, St Thomas is hoping to each meeting of the council, which oversees all ac- to organise a meeting of representatives of all pastoral tivities and, with the priest, takes decisions. councils in its deanery.

“We have learned the values of being organised but to achieve this we often need support so that we can remain viable communities in our own right, rather than simply Mass centres.

“This,” she said,“could help us learn from each other’s experiences and go forward together to make our parishes stronger and more able to face the future with confidence,.

Fifty four years of service Monsignor Robert McDonald, has now retired as Parish Priest of St Mary’s, Inverness and Dean of Highland Deanery. He is now living in active retirement in Fochabers.

Parish Priest in Dornie and then for twenty-eight years at St Sylvester’s, Elgin.

In 2001 he was appointed a Prelate of Honour of the Pope and given the title Monsignor only a few weeks after he retired as Treasurer of Aberdeen Diocese, a post he held for twenty-three years.

An accomplished photographer and author of several books, including two on cookery and a guide book to Catholic Churches in Moray, the new Provost celebrated fifty years as a priest in June 2002.

Monsignor Robert McDonald As from 31st May, Fr Michael Savage, previously at Tain, Alness and Invergordon, became Parish Priest of St Mary’s, Inverness. Fr James Bell, previously Assistant at St Mary’s, Inverness moved on 1st June to Tain, Alness and Invergordon as Priest in Charge.

Mgr Robert who is also the Provost, or head of the Chapter of Canons, hails from Dufftown. He has a brother, Canon Bernard, and a sister, Sr Monica, who is a Sacred Heart nun based at Dalkeith, near Edinburgh. His other brother Charles is married and lives in East Kilbride.

Monsignor Robert studied for the priesthood at St Sulpice in Paris. After a short period as a Curate in Inverness and Aberdeen, his first parish was in Orkney. He served as

Take a look at the new Ogilvie web site:

ogilvieinstitute.org.uk Ogilvie Library catalogue now coming on stream

Light of the North

Deaneries

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Man of the people “a robust individual, a devout catholic and a good priest” Monsignor Eddie Traynor

succeed him as Parish Priest and later as Diocesan Vocations Director.

11 January 1952 – 8 March 2006 During this time he was involved in the psychological screening of candidates for the priesthood and was a member of the Executive Committee of the National Conference of Priests and Permanent Deacons of Scotland.

Later, he succeeded Monsignor John Copland as Dean of St Thomas Deanery, a position he held undward Patrick Anthony Traynor was born til his death. in Glasgow on 11th January, 1952, and received his secondary education at the He was also Bishop Mario Conti’s Vicar General Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe, during his last two years as Bishop of Aberdeen and Banbury Grammar School, St. Illtyd’s College, then delegate of the Diocesan Administrator for Cardiff and St Michael’s Academy, Kilwinning, another two years.

Ayrshire.

Pope John Paul made him a Prelate of Honour in For a period, he studied Civil Engineering at Strath- 2001, with the title of Monsignor. In 2005 he was clyde University and Computer Studies and Statis- appointed a Canon of St Mary’s Cathedral in Abertics at North London Polytechnic. deen but was never well enough to go to the Cathedral to be formally installed.

He worked in computing and as a volunteer care assistant in communities for mentally handicapped Monsignor Eddie has been described as “a robust people and for alcoholics, and had been working individual, a devout catholic and a good priest.” As for some time with L’Arche Community in France a priest, his genius was his total sincerity in addresswhen, at Christmas 1977, he visited his family who ing both the spiritual and the temporal needs of lived near Banchory on Deeside. people.

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During this vacation he began to think seriously about the priesthood as his possible vocation. Soon after this he made an Ignatian thirty-day retreat in order to decide on his state in life.

He was essentially a man of deep prayer, always totally faithful to the Prayer of the Church. His prayerfulness came through in his preaching, which was often very moving and profound - and always without a single note in the pulpit. He combined In 1978 he asked Bishop Mario Conti of Aberdeen an orthodox faith with the knack of knowing how to accept him as a candidate for the priesthood. to look after people in any kind of need.

He then studied at the Scots College in Rome and was ordained priest in 1985. A further two years in Monsignor Eddie had a strong devotion to Our Rome led to a Diploma in Psychotherapy.

Lady, and it was no surprise when he took on the mantle of Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage Director. In Back home in Scotland, Father Eddie served as As- Lourdes, he found those things he held most dear sistant to Canon Duncan Stone in Inverness. When - prayer and the opportunity to help those who are Fr John Beveridge, parish priest of Buckie, died less fortunate - the sick and dying pilgrims. suddenly in 1988, Father Eddie was appointed to

Deaneries

Light of the North

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A colleague who knew him well said, “When you saw Eddie among disadvantaged, dispossessed, sick, Five years ago, when he was first diagnosed with dying, handicapped people, or people troubled in terminal cancer and given only a short time to live, he gave away his guitar and other possessions, while any way, then you saw Eddie at his best.” his people held prayer meetings to ask God for his He was a man of the people, - and not just of his recovery. Despite his illness, Monsignor Eddie conparishioners. He had the care and interests of eve- tinued to engage in pastoral ministry. For over four ryone in his local community at heart. Faced with years his energy during periods of remission belied someone’s need, Eddie became impatient with for- the seriousness of his condition. He was even seen malities and convention. He could often be found outside his church mowing the lawn just after comin the middle of the night going off to help some- ing out of hospital. r, 2005, he struggled to say one in distress. A friend comments that “he would Mass publicly, and he was often in great pain. In happily give the shirt off his own back to help and out of Gray’s Hospital, Elgin and of the Seafield someone who needed it: as far as he was concerned, Hospital, Buckie, and in his own home at St Peter’s, he was supported by the loving care of medical prothey needed it more!” fessionals, some of whom became personal friends.

When foreign workers with little English and less Mrs. Kyron Phimister, the parish secretary, and Dr finance arrived on his doorstep in distress, Mon- Jim Tuckerman, Eddie’s GP, are only two of the signor Eddie would help them personally and im- many who helped him to remain very much alert mediately, but he also lobbied and campaigned for and in charge of things right to the end. their rights where he believed that employers or the In mid-December Monsignor Eddie readily agreed statutory authorities should be doing more. that Bishop Peter Moran might appoint an Assistant Public recognition of this aspect of Monsignor Ed- Priest for Buckie, and in mid-January he welcomed die’s personality led to an invitation to become a back Father Gerry Livingstone, who had served his local Justice of the Peace. This was a role he took apprenticeship as a deacon in Buckie. extremely seriously, and a role which put him in contact with a lot of troubled people. These were As well as this support from so many, Monsignor people Monsignor Eddie never criticised or con- Eddie had the great consolation of being cared for, demned, but always helped well beyond the call of over many weeks, by the numerous members of his duty. This was shown by his concern for prisoners: own family – his brother Mike and their sisters, through his initiative, each year St. Peter’s, Buckie most especially his sister Jo whose own home is in provided every single inmate of Peterhead prison Portknockie only a few miles away. with a present at Christmas.

Utterly honest and determined in the face of injusFull of life and enthusiasm, Monsignor Eddie com- tice or hardship affecting others, and in the face of pleted an extensive programme of restoration works his own illness, Monsignor Eddie will be rememat St Peter’s, Buckie, both to the interior and to the bered as a man totally dedicated to the Church, to exterior of the church. He oversaw the re-order- his parishioners, and to a life of prayer. His aim ing of the sanctuary, the laying of a marble floor, was always to do whatever he could to help those in the re-positioning of the pulpit and the installation, need, and he was kind and generous to a fault. in the choir-loft by the great West window, of the magnificent pipe-organ rescued from the Abbey He is survived by his sisters Cathy, Jo, Mary, Bridget, Tess, and Liz and his brother Mike.

Church at Fort Augustus.

Monsignor Eddie was something of an ‘action man’ and in happier days extremely fit and active. He was always the first to head off to Tomintoul with a group of young parishioners - organising activities for them. If they went abseiling, he had to be the first down the rope! It came as no surprise when he took up gliding - a pursuit he found most enjoyable and very relaxing.

May he rest in peace.

Light of the North

witness

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Dosshouse to Penthouse in....

Twelve Smart Moves Peter Chappell, a recovering alcoholic and parishioner of St Pe ter ’s Church in Aberdeen, tells of the nightmare journey which led him to God

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hen I was introduced to this Programme quite a few years ago, I was told that if I stopped drinking and placed my trust in the power of the Fellowship, cleaned house and practised the principles of the Programme, my life would improve. Cleaning house was no problem, since I didn’t have one. I was then, and still am known as ‘Peter the Dosser’ I did the Twelve Steps of the Programme of recovery in the first week, threw them away and spent the next seven years getting drunk. I still attended AA, saying to myself that it was all right for them, they don’t understand that my case is different. By then I’d done the rounds of psychiatric hospitals and alcohol units. I had even tried a Christian Rehab.

Centre, and on another occasion, when I’d run out of places to hide, a doctor found me a placement in a hostel for drunken offenders. Nothing worked out. Two factors were always against me, First, that every time I stopped drinking, I went through the horrors of withdrawals and pain. To a certain extent I could cope with this, I always seemed to realise that even that would pass. The second, and biggest ob s t acle t o m y a ttempting to get sober, w as the f a c t t h at I was fr ightened my pa st w ould c atc h u p wit h m e .

For years I had gone the rounds, signing into places as of no fixed abode and no next of kin. I categorically denied I had any family. Years previously I had been put out of the family home, had then formed a relationship with a girl who presented me with two children, but who ultimately disappeared with them when even she could take no more.

I could not understand why I should have to suffer such losses. I proceeded to take my temper out on society, to such an extent that I firmly believed I was evil. I hated what I had become.

I finally put down the drink in December of ‘85. 1 attended my first meeting for a long time, and came to terms then, with the fact that the bedsitter the Aberdeen Council had given me, was not a doss house to which anyone could invite themselves. It was my home, and I did not need to go and sit in the library all day after folding up my blankets for inspection.

One morning in March ‘86, I got out of bed sober, but feeling terrible and asking myself why. I tried to switch on a small lamp that did not light because it was not plugged in.

In that instant, I realised exactly where I was missing out, I was simply going through the motions without any belief, I had never yet plugged into ‘the power’.

A few days later, my personal Judgement Day arrived in the form of a twenty seven year old man, married and with two children, who wanted to get to know the father he had not seen since he was a young child. Not only did he wish to know me, he wanted to introduce me to my mother and stepfather whom, at that time, I had not seen for twenty nine years. After years of searching, including ship to shore radio, my son had run me down. At the time I didn’t even know whether my parents were still alive. For me, this was the moment of truth, and I heard for the first time, and in its entirety, the extract from the first chapter of the Big Book. I realised then that I was constitutionally incapable of being honest with myself, and that I needed to grasp onto something to believe in, the Power of the Fellowship. whom I now know as the God of my understanding.

I spent a long time on the Fourth Step, eighteen months before I put down my thoughts. Although I was thinking of what had passed in my life, I knew that it had to be one of the most thorough things I had ever done. When finally I put pen to paper, I wrote a virtual autobiography, going back to when I discovered, at a very early age, that I could manipulate people because my dad had been killed in the local coal mine.

My Fifth Step took a month in five sessions with a minister at the church where we hold our meetings. At that time I finally came out from beneath the ‘mushroom syndrome’, no more keeping them in the dark and feeding them rubbish.

An occasion I shall remember for the rest of my life, and for which I shall always be grateful, was when I was able to lead the mourners at my mother’s funeral. I introduced myself to the priest and as we left the altar, I asked if we could talk.

I said my name is Peter and I am the eldest son and I am an alcoholic. I am grateful to asuch an extent that I cannot put my feelings into words without telling you the kind of life I have lived.’

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Light of the North

Recently I had the privilege of serving as Conference Delegate at York, for Region Five, North of Scotland. F o r t y four years previously I had joined the Royal Air Force and was posted to York. It was there that my alcoholic drinking really took off. Imagine then my delight, when having returned to York for Conference, I discovered that York University was built on the site where all those years ago I

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first let self-will run riot. As I walked, I recollected things as they were at that time. I can honestly say there was no nostalgia, just a sense of gratitude for those many events, beyond my wildest dreams, that were still happening. With the help of this Programme and trusting in God, I have gone from a doss house to a penthouse.

Just a drain on society! + John Jukes OFM Conv.

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have been asked by the Editor of the Light of the North, the Aberdeen Diocesan Magazine, to write on the teaching of the Church on care of the elderly. I declare an interest in this theme since I am well past three score and ten in fact past four score in age. Still I am not the oldest member of the parish. In modern times the Church’s teaching on this subject is to be found in Pope John Paul II’s let-

is the Church’s teaching on the true worth of the human person.

We are made as living images of the living God. Because of sin our life span in this existence is limited by death. But beyond death lies life in eternity. Every human being has a value and dignity given by God for now and for eternity that must be respected and nourished no matter how weak or afflicted the individual human person is. So life and individual human beings are to be cherished and sustained in life and dignity.

The duty of cherishing one’s own life and dignity falls first on the individual person to care for oneself and then to care for others. The elderly with their loss of physical and mental ability for self-care need the care of others. This is an essential part of human solidarity. This solidarity is to be expressed by a family in regard to its senior members. It is also a duty on society to supply assistance and help to its elderly when the family cannot provide. Naturally this teaching requires self-sacrifice on the part of many both at the family level and by society. There are the obstacles of selfishness and indifference for the needs of others to be overcome. Even worse is the attitude of those who see in the elderly a drain on society.

ter Familiaris Consortio (1982) and his message to the Second World Assembly on Ageing, 2nd April, 2002 In a consumer led society it is a temptation to see in and the Catechism of the Catholic Church #2197. the services that are provided for the elderly a nonproductive call on the resources of those who can work The Church’s teaching on the elderly flows from the and earn. Our National Health Service has to apply teaching on the family rooted in the Jewish tradition many of its efforts to caring for the elderly who are of family values. The fourth commandment given to living longer. Furthermore, especially in the present the Jewish people by God is “ Honour your father climate when euthanasia or self-assisted killing are beand your mother”. From this precept coupled to the ing promoted, it is to be hoped that under the guise example of Jesus who was obedient to Joseph and of alleged compassion for the seriously ill there is not Mary, the Church teaches that the natural bond be- a desire to rid society of its non-productive members. tween parents and children is a duty on the individu- We need the vision offered us by the Church of the als involved and a duty on the civil organisation of the dignity given by God to the human race, to each and State to support. Added to the doctrine on the family every member, so as to insist upon the proper treatment and respect to be accorded to the elderly.

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New Youth Officer appointed

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he Diocese has just announced that it has appointed a new Youth Officer to replace Marie Cooke who took up another posting ten months ago.

Bishop Peter with Youth Officer Matthew Hadley and his wife Kamila

What a scorcher?

He is twenty six year old Matthew Hadley who used to work in a school in England. He comes to the Diocese only three weeks after his marriage to Kamila.

We will be presenting a profile of Matthew in our next issue.

he ‘Youth On Fire‛ retreat, for young Catholics in the 18 to 30s age bracket, is being held in Craig Lodge in Dalmally, Argyllshire from July 27th to August 2nd 2006.

the Church. He is endowed in a very special way with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and The Lord works powerfully through Brian to bring hope, spiritual renewal and healing of all kinds to thousands. A number of Priests will also be attendance to celebrate Mass The retreat will be led by the Catholic lay and to hear confessions. missionary, Brian Welsh, and his team from Australia. Brian is a gifted evangelist who For further information or enquiries please gives retreats to the Missionaries of Char- contact James Boyle on 07078277910 or ity, the poor and young people, all over the email: james.boyle1970@virgin.net You can world. He is a gifted teacher who instils in also visit our web site at: www.youthonfirpeople a deeper understanding of the truths eretreat.com of the Faith and new enthusiasm and love for

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Walsingham Y2K With a whole range of talks, workshops and lifechanging services, Godsgift@Walsingham could be the festival for you. It’s taking place from the 24-28 August 2006. For more information about the Walsingham festival, email: info@ youth2000.org or call our office on 01937 582 200

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St John the Baptist + Abbot Hugh Gilbert OSB

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Homily for the Feasty of John the Baptist, 24th June

oday we’re solemnising the birth of John can celebrate. It’s a dawn of salvation. It’s a sign that the Baptist. At Christmas we celebrate the Someone is coming greater than her, greater than anybirth of Christ, on 8 September the birth of one, with the Spirit to give.

Mary. And these are the only three whose natural births, whose entry into the world, we – the And so to John. The angel told his father: “He will be Church, the liturgy – celfilled with the Holy Spirit even from ebrate, make much of. And his mother’s womb” (Lk 1:15). Not there must be a reason. Usubecause he was divine like Jesus, not ally saints are remembered on from the moment of his conception the day of their death, unlike Mary, but still in his mother’s derstood as their birth into womb, before he was born – at the heaven, into real, eternal life. moment Mary, pregnant with Jesus, Only these three, only this entered Elizabeth’s house and greettrinity of Jesus, Mary and ed her. This was a moment of the John the Baptist, are treated Spirit. Elizabeth was filled with him, differently. And there must be and the child in her womb leaped a reason. And there is. There for joy, being filled with the Spirit is only one thing the liturgy too. And that is why we celebrate his celebrates, and that is the rebirth. demption, the renewal of human life: its transformation, Let’s think of John, then, as someour transformation, into the one full of the Holy Spirit. Every life of the risen Christ. There Sunday we say of the Holy Spirit in is only one thing the liturgy the Creed that “He spoke through celebrates, and that is the the prophets”, and John was the last St. John the Baptist by Pierro della Holy Spirit at work in the and greatest of them. The Holy SpirFrancesca, 1449 world. it is a mystery, very hard to speak of, God at his most hidden. But we can Jesus the Christ is the Son of God, conceived by the see him in the saints, see him, or at least glimpse him Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. How could in the saints. And then begin to glimpse him in and we not celebrate his being born? He’s the beginning. around ourselves. When Jonathan first met David, He’s our renewal. He’s the resurrection and the life. “the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David”.

And because he’s the Son of God, because he was And at the Visitation, I think something similar hapoverflowing with the Holy Spirit from the very first pened to John, even in the womb, in relation to Jesus moment of his human existence, his birth wasn’t just even in the womb. The soul of John was knit to the adding another number to the population. It was Life soul of Jesus – in the Spirit. There is the great sign, – with a capital L – taking hold of our poor little life, the great fruit of the renewing Spirit. St Jerome said to make it so much better and fill it with the Spirit. it very beautifully: John, all his life, had eyes only for Christ, “didn’t look on anything other than Christ” Mary, his mother, was conceived immaculate, free (Homily 75). The Spirit went from Christ to John, from the stain of original sin, “as though fashioned focussed on him simply and Christ. And this is always by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature” (Lu- the way. From all eternity, the Spirit goes from the Son men Gentium G56). She was “full of grace”, full of and the Son is wholly turned to the Father. Now the the Holy Spirit – thanks to her Son, for the sake of Son has come among us, we’ re drawn into these same her Son – from the very first moment of her existence. relationships.

And so her being born, her birthday, is something we

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Light of the North

And then the Spirit simplified John. He lived in the desert. He ate locusts and wild honey, what came to hand. And he waited in hope. The Spirit makes us simple, patient, hopeful. And then the Spirit fired him.

The moment came. He began to preach and baptise.

He began his public mission. He wasn’t afraid to be fierce: “You brood of vipers!” That can be the Spirit too. But only in relation to Jesus. “I am not worthy to carry his sandals” (Mt 3:11); “I am not the Christ but I have been sent before him”; I am only “the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him”; “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn 3:28-30); “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

(Mt 3:14). Only the Holy Spirit can give such a sense of who we are, of how we stand before Christ, of how we’ve been given a task, but only in relation to him, circumscribed by him. Only the Spirit enabled John to see the Spirit coming down on Christ as he bap-

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tized him. And what, in the end, did the Holy Spirit ask of John? Martyrdom for the truth, the holiness of marriage to be precise. The Spirit asked John to go before the Lord, not just by a way of life and a life’s work, but by accepting death. And since Christ’s Ascension, John, in the Spirit is, with Mary and Joseph and the apostle,s one of the great intercessors in heaven. I don’t believe there’s a single one of us coming to Christ who isn’t helped by the Baptist’s prayers.

The grace today’s collect prays for is “the grace of spiritual joys”. There are such joys. There really are: John was and is full of them – from the moment he leaped with joy in his mother’s womb, full of the Spirit. In the Mass, in the body of Christ, there is the same spirit. May he fill us too as he filled John – giving him eyes for Christ, simplicity, all the rest, and joy.

Pioneers of new studies program set to graduate Our Catholic Studies program has been running for the students had completed their three required courses, two years, and the first group of students to join us is and could take their pick from any of the MA and MTh set to graduate in Autumn 2006. courses on offer in the School for their final course.

All four are taking the program part-time, so they will have had two years at Aberdeen when they graduate. All of them are mature students. Some of them took their first degrees many years ago and others have ‘non-standard’ qualifications, so we are very proud of their achievement.

Our four heroes are now gearing up for the final hurdle: the dissertation. Now that term is out and the essays are written, our four heroes are gearing up for the final hurdle: the dissertation. Summer holidays are out of the question! Aberdeen’s rainy August will prove a gift to the famous four, who vastly prefer researching a favoured nook of Catholic history or theology to lying on a beach in Greece. They have learned to study, to work and to pray together (especially before exams) and above all they have deepened their understanding of the Catholic faith.

The beginning was easy, because they had one of the best lecturers in the Divinity department, Dr. Nick Thompson. Then the ride got rougher, as the group launched into “Modern Catholic Thought’ with yours truly. The most memorable class was the lecture on Dr. Francesca Murphy Flannery O’Connor that didn’t happen because we were glued to a web-cam trained on a certain well Anyone who wants to embark on a similar adventure known chimney in Rome.

(Part-Time 2 years, Full-Time 1 year) should contact In the autumn, after another successful round of exams, Mrs. Helena Thomas at H.M.Thomas@abdn.ac.uk

A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small parcel.

Sleep in peace - God is awake.

Happy the one who can give without remembering, and receive without forgetting.

Only those who can see the Invisible can do the impossible.

Happiness is not a station you arrive at but a manner of travelling.

My tastes are simple -always like the best.

If you don’t feel strong enough try The Bread of Life.

Do good in the world and it will do you a world of good.

Snippets

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Wisdom of the Desert Fathers Some old men went to Abba Poemen and asked, “If we see brothers sleeping during the common prayer, should we wake them?”

Abba Poemen answered, “If I see my brother sleeping, I put his head on my knees and let him rest.”

Then one old man spoke up, “And how do you explain yourself before God?” Abba Poemen replied, “I say to God: You have said, ‘First take the beam out of your own eye and then you will be able to remove the splinter from the eye of your brother.’ “

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t an early stage, Christianity recognised some kind of desert experience as a necessary part of the spiritual journey. The desert was seen as a state of soul as much as a physical location. For the Christian, as for Jesus himself, it is the place of testing where we face our own envy and jealousy, our dejection or cowardice, pride, lust or anger. We all have that desert place within us. The Good News is that we CAN face it and not be overcome. With Christ, we can come to the cleansing, refreshing waters.

A spiritual revolution is taking place now in our society. In some respects we are in a similar situation to that of the first desert hermits who turned away in disillusionment from the hedonistic and materialistic world around them and sought truth and peace and wisdom in the deserts of Egypt and, indeed, in the area we today call the Gaza Strip. One factor which deeply influenced Anthony and his successors was the dulling of idealism among Christians after Constantine gave Christianity a privileged place within the Roman Empire. This dulling or loss of enthusiasm for spiritual things was known as “accidie”, the dreaded noon-day devil of apathy and tedium.

The desert dwellers saw the remedy to this to be silence of the heart. Silence for them is fullness, not emptiness. It is presence, not absence. It is an invitation to come to the sacred place where God dwells. It is an ancient part of our tradition yet unknown to many who feel they have to seek outside of Christianity for this quiet, this encounter with the Divine. In this tradition of inner stillness and silence, the heart is very important. We are all wounded people but, as one ancient writer put it, “as long as we have a heart, we can be saved.” Although wounded, our disordered passions can all be re-ordered towards God. “All passions have been given by God.. .not to be crushed but reoriented in the fire of love.” (Abba Poemen)

an attractive and helpful book on desert spirituality called “Silence and Honey Cakes.” It is, therefore, a spirituality that unites Christians today.

Something not commonly known about the hermits of the desert is the fact that they were democratic in outlook with a sense of the equality between men and women, clergy and lay and people of all races. But they were outstanding above all in their practice of charity, both to one another and to strangers.

Rowan Williams brings this out clearly in his book and quotes the advice of one of the Desert Fathers to people who came to him seeking advice about prayer: “You don’t build a house by starting with the roof and working down. You start with the foundation.” They said, “What does that mean?” He said, “The foundation is our neighbour whom we must win. The neighbour is where we start. Every commandment of Christ depends on this” .(John the Dwarf) As Helen Waddell points out, it was not in their extreme austerity that their holiness lay but in the tender and compassionate love they bore for one another.

There is an overlapping of mystical traditions and much of the spirituality of the desert passed into Western monasticism.

The person largely responsible for this was Cassian, a monk of the West who spent time with the last of the Desert Fathers and Mothers collecting their spiritual wisdom. In our own day John Main, OSB, has used Cassian’s collection to revive this tradition of inner stillness and silence. Responding to requests from lay people, he founded the World Community for Christian Meditation which has spread from Canada to many parts of the world. Participants meet in groups to learn something of this tradition, to spend time in silent prayer and then to support and encourage each other over a simple meal. Through such movements, the influence of the Desert tradition remains powerfully at work today. But only the This desert tradition of inner silence is very ecumenical, revered actual experience of inner silence and stillness can bring us to by the Orthodox Church and by such reformers as John an appreciation of the gift, the very timely gift, that Desert Wesley. Archbishop Rowan Williams has recently published Spirituality is to the world.

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religion

Rev. Dr. Bernie O’Connor The Rev. Dr. Bernie O’Connor is an Official of the Congregation for Oriental Churches in the Vatican. In this, the first of a new series of articles, Fr O’Connor, examines the myth that religion and science are inherently opposed

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theory that the earth and other celestial bodies revolved around the sun. However, many prominent scholars (e.g. Prof. Michael Fowler, UVa Dept. of Physics) now recognize that there is vastly more to the scenario than is generally considered.

A history of anti-Catholic bias has tended often to sabotage any semblance of balanced and objective discussion. Much has been deliberately ignored, frequently justified by the faulty logic of the “ignorance of the Church and her Dark Ages.” For instance, people forget that the works of Copernicus, upon which Galileo relied, were not censured by the Catholic Church, although they were rejected by Protestant reformers.

Moreover, Galileo acquired his formal scientific training from monks at Vallombrosa, then from clerics at the University of Pisa, and was actually endorsed by Jesuit astronomers on the faculty of the esteemed Roman College. Nor did these experts clash with the Church. And to the end of his life, Galileo spoke of his respect and admiration for many of these teachers’ and colleagues’ instruction and integrity. Then why would he, a friend to Cardinals and a Pope, have generated so negative a reaction?

istaken notions about Roman Catholic beliefs abound throughout modern society. Unfortunately, in an era when Catholics are minimally informed about much of what our Church teaches, there is need for reminders that popular understanding is seldom reliable.

One such example concerns empirical science. So often one hears the erroneous view that science and religion are inherently opposed, and that the Church regards itself as having to refute many of the tenets basic to physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, etc..

However, nothing could be less accurate. In fact, Roman Catholicism has a response to the achievement of the sciPerhaps one key may be found in the entific community which is so refined, aggressiveness and intolerance of his progressive and coherent, that every personality. In prefaces to his writings, other Christian denomination and reliGalileo described himself as the gion (e.g. Islam, which has virtually dis“greatest” mathematician “who had ever lived” or who missed scientific inquiry for nearly a millennium) trails “would ever live.” His style was to “pulverize” anyone who far behind its approach and leadership. disagreed; decreeing that his word alone was automatic proof of veracity. The Church had scant problem At this point, I expect that some readers will disagree with his proposing the Copernican interpretation as by recalling the famed case of Galileo (d. 1642). But a mathematical hypothesis, but objected to Galileo’s let’s pause to further evaluate for just a moment. insistence that no evidence beyond his own assertion There is no doubt that Galileo raised the ire of certain sufficed for its validity. Contemporary correspondence Church officials in his day. Some prelates were clearly discloses that the Church repeatedly appealed to Galileo uncomfortable with his defence of the Copernican for more persuasive, corroborative demonstration. He

This page of the Light of the Nor th ha s generously been sponsored by Professor Peter and Ka thleen Helms

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continues to promote interdisciplinary cooperation, the organization of conferences and the publication of treatises, together emphasizing six areas: Fundamental science, Science and technology of global problems, Science pertinent to Third World problems, Scientific policy, Bioethics and Epistemology (Philosophy of knowledge, its language and transmission).

The Academy’s composition is multi-racial, covers the full spectrum of religious affiliation, and is viewed by the Church as having “complete freedom in method and research” (Pius XII, 1940).

Galileo facing the Roman Inquisition

by Cristiano Bant (1857) refused and became entrenched. So did Churchmen, and a clash was inevitable. The consequences veered towards being as uncharitable as they were unproductive for the advance of learning. For this, Pope John Paul II issued a formal apology in 1992.

And today, are you aware that within the Holy See (the Church’s central administration) there is a group of eighty men and women, renowned for their scientific expertise, and who constitute the Pontifical Academy of Sciences? Since the group’s origin in 1603, the Academy

The Servant of God, Pope John Paul II, addressed the Academy’s Four Hundredth Anniversary on November 10th, 2003. After commending the members of his ‘advisory’ for their recent selection of two crucial themes (Mind, Brain and Education; Stem Cell Technology), he summarized the Church’s stance as one of gratitude for science’s commitment to peace and progress: “Scientific truth, which is itself a participation in divine Truth, can help philosophy and theology” to comprehend more fully “the human person and God’s Revelation about man, a Revelation that is completed and perfected in Jesus Christ.” Science and religion partake of a “mutual enrichment in the search of the truth and the benefit of mankind.”

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What you always wanted to know about your faith but were afraid to ask!

Maker of heaven and earth We Believe In One God, The Father, The Almighty, Maker Of Heaven And Earth, Of All That Is, Seen And Unseen.

GOD IS ALMIGHTY – He is “the King of glory, the Lord, strong and mighty” (Ps 24:8); “the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel” (Is 1:24). He is the Lord of the whole universe; He established its order and it is wholly subject to Him and dependent on Him. But o we ever pause to think: what do we our God is not a tyrant; this power extends to God’s mean, what do I mean, when I say these love and mercy: words?

“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, GOD IS ONE – “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one for His steadfast love endures for ever” (Ps 136).

Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your GOD IS CREATOR – “By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what might” (Deut. 6:4-5). is seen was made out of things which do not appear” This One God is merciful, “abounding in steadfast love (Heb 11:3). and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6); He is truth, “And now, O Lord God, you are God and your words are true” (2 “If God had drawn the world from pre-existent matSam 7:28); He is love, “For the mountains may depart ter, what would have been so extraordinary in that? and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall A human artisan makes from a given material whatever he wants, while God shows His power by starting not depart from you” (Is 54:6). from nothing to make all He wants” (St Theophilus GOD IS FATHER – as no one else is father; He is infi- of Antioch). nitely beyond all human parenthood. God the Father always lavished love on His people, even when they God created all things out of nothing. The Hebrew rejected Him: word bara’, to create, is used only of God, never of man. Only God does not need material out of which “When Israel was a child I loved him, and I called my to create. The nearest our ancestors could get to deson out of Egypt…but they did not know that I was scribing this nothingness is as a formless void. Then the one caring for them, that I was leading them with God said … ten times; God’s spoken word is creative, human ties, with leading-strings of love…” (Hosea is immediately followed by action: He speaks and it is, 11:1-4). it immediately comes into being. And so it was.

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Genesis 1 is not meant to be a scientific explanation of how everything was made; it is a beautiful, poetic story telling of the wonder of our world. The important points the authors wished to emphasise were that there is only One God and Creator of all that is; that He created everything out of nothing; that all He made was good, indeed, very good.

Original harmony – in the beginning all creatures live together in relationship; human beings are placed in the Garden to look after it, as God’s stewards.

No creature preys on another; there is no conflict, no pain, no sorrow, no evil - only peace and justice and love. Human beings enjoy God’s friendship; He comes down from Heaven to walk and talk with them at the end of the day.

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wich, wrote about the incredible love of God when she described a series of visions she had received when she was ill: “He showed me a little thing, the size of a hazelnut, in the palm of my hand, and it was as round as a ball. I looked at it … and I thought, ‘What can this be?’ And answer came, ‘it is all that is made … It lasts and ever shall because God loves it.’ ... In this little thing I saw three truths. The first is that God made it. The second is that God loves it. The third is that God looks after it.”

The human creature comes into being when God breathes His breath into the body that has been formed from the earth. He says to each one of us, I call you by name and you are mine. Each one of us is made in

Why did God create the world? Why did He bother to create human beings? He needed nothing. In His own inner communion of life and love, ‘the family life of God’, He was completely self-sufficient. He wasn’t bored, or lonely, or lacking in any way. The amazing truth is that He created us out of LOVE, a love for us that existed in His heart before time began. He desired to give us a share in His glory and He made a beautiful world for us to live in. He made us to have eternal happiness with Him, to share in His Creation and in His family life of love. All He asked in return was trust and love and obedience.

God upholds and sustains everything in Creation: He keeps everything and everyone in being.

“For you love all things that exist, and detest none Genesis scenes from the of the things that you have made; for you would not Moutier-Grandval Bible have made anything if you had hated it. How would anything have endured, if you had not willed it?”

God’s image, is willed by God, is known by God, is (Wis. 11:24-26). loved by God. He created us so to share in His glory; we were made to be His children – that is our desThis is what faith brings us: the belief that, no matter tiny. That is why we never stop searching and longwhat happens, God always wills good; we may not ing for Him. The whole of Creation is in this state understand how at the time, but we must hold on of journeying towards God, striving to return to the tightly to our Father’s hand and trust that all will be Garden, to return to friendship with God our Father. well. Even where evil seems to triumph, God is there, And, finally, He sent His only Son to show us the way willing good to come out of it: as St Paul assured the to achieve this.

Romans: “We know that in everything God works for Eileen Grant, RCIA Catechist, St Mary’s Cathedral, good for those who love Him.” Aberdeen St Catherine of Siena once said to “those who are scandalised and rebel against what happens to them ... everything comes from love, all is ordained for the salvation of man. God does nothing without this goal in mind.” And the medieval anchorite, Julian of Nor-

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The Morning Star that heralds in the Sun Clare Benedict

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mother of His Son simply to rot in the grave. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the humble girl who trusted God and said ‘Yes’ to Him, ‘Yes’ to bearing the Redeemer of the world, ‘Yes’ on behalf of you and me, ‘Yes’ to watching her son suffer and die on the Cross.

Surely, the Father who had been generous enough to “Today the human tent which in a wonderful way re- send His only Son to save us would also be generous ceived God, the Lord of heaven and earth, in the flesh enough to reward Mary at the end of her earthly life is taken away. She, his own flesh and blood, is made by for that ‘Yes’ and take her up into heaven to be with her Son for all eternity? him immortal, to become together with him for ever strong “And who, I ask, could to defend, protect, and save all believe that the dwellof us who are Christians” (St ing-place of the Word Modestus, d 634). of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit, could When, however, Pius XII debe reduced to ruin? My clared it as official dogma it soul is filled with horcaused some controversy. It was ror at the thought that greeted by hostility in other this virginal flesh which Christian communities and by had begotten God, had puzzlement by some Catholics. brought him into the Why, after the world had been world, had nourished through another devastating and carried him, could World War, accompanied by have been turned into the unprecedented slaughter of ashes or given over to the Holocaust, did the Vatican be food for worms” (St decide to declare another MarRobert Bellarmine). ian dogma instead of something more ‘appropriate’?

Such declarations bear witness to the love and Firstly, why was the belief veneration with which so firmly held on to? It seems Stephan Lochner: The Virgin in Mary has been regarded logical to assume that some revthe rose bower, c. 1440 ever since her Son gave elation of the Assumption was given to one or more of the apostles who passed it on her to his newborn Church as Mother, and to the iminto tradition as another sign of hope that what Mary probability that she who was herself conceived sinless, had achieved, all eventually might. And throughout chosen by God as a worthy mother for His Son and the Church’s history there has never been any refer- who so perfectly conformed to that Son, could be left ence to either a tomb for Mary or any serious search to rot in the tomb. Her ‘Yes’ brought hope to a fallfor relics – relics which would have been most eagerly en world; her obedient discipleship and readiness to help others, and her faithful trust right up to Calvary sought.

– surely these were acknowledged in the Son’s love for Secondly, it again seems logical that God would not his mother: “What son would not bring his mother have left the body of the woman He had chosen as n 1950, Pope Pius XII officially decreed that Mary, the Mother of God, was assumed, body and soul, into heaven: a belief celebrated by the faithful since the very early Church, made a Solemnity by Leo IV around 847.

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back to life and would not bring her into paradise after her death if he could?” (St Francis de Sales) “Lastly, it is Mary’s prerogative to be the Morning Star which heralds in the sun. She does not shine for herOne person who did approve was the Protestant psy- self, or from herself, but she is the reflection of her chologist Carl Jung who recognised the psychological and our Redeemer, and she glorifies Him. When she merits of the doctrine. He pronounced it: “the most appears in the darkness, we know that He is close at important religious event since the Reformation”! He hand” (J.H. Newman). continued: “The new dogma expresses a renewed hope Cardinal Newman, over a century ago, commented that, in those countries which had cast off Marian devotion at the time of the Reformation because they felt Assumption of it detracted from the praise due to her Son, they had the Virgin Mary not, in fact, enjoyed an increase in that praise; quite as depicted in the the contrary. If true then, how much more true is his stained glass of comment today? In an age when society is becoming the Cathedral of increasingly secular, with violence and sexual licence Christ the King in running amok; when feminism is increasingly aggresJohannesburg sive and woman’s natural role as mother is eroded and even mocked, there is a growing awareness of a need for the gentle, loving influence of the Mother of our for the fulfilment of that yearning for peace which stirs Saviour and for her unassuming help in the trials of deep down in the soul … the papal declaration has human life. given comforting expression to this yearning.” And certainly the world in 1950 was in sore need of a sign If we trust in the truth of Mary’s Assumption into of hope. heaven, then we can trust also in her caring intercession on our behalf. We have only to ask, in the name The solemn definition of this long-held belief gave to of that Son who loves and honours her, and she will a weary, war-scarred world, living with new fears of speak for us ‘now and at the hour of our death’; and mass annihilation, hope for the future – not an earth- who could doubt that the Son who loved his mother ly future rooted in fleeting human values, but the di- enough to raise her up into his glory will, in turn, lisvinely planned future promised by Jesus, that future ten to her pleas for us? It is good to know that we have already realised by the Mother of God. Mary did truly such a loving friend in high places! die, just as Jesus died; but as the Son was raised bodily from his tomb, so too, we believe, was the mother, by her Son’s divine power, raised and assumed, body and soul, into heaven. We can scarcely begin to imagine the joy of that reunion, we who hope one day to meet our loved ones again and to see the face of God. We are told little about Mary in Scripture but one significant event we hear about was at Cana, that famous wedding feast where the unfortunate host ran out of wine. Mary didn’t make a major production of it; she simply mentioned the fact to her son and told the servants to do whatever he told them. She has been making intercession for others ever since, quietly, without fuss, never seeking attention for herself; she always points towards her son. “Mary-the-Church keeps no grace for herself; she receives grace in order to transmit it. This is what a mother does” (von Balthasar). And so, in heaven, we believe that she continues this special work, giving us an example of discipleship and interceding for us whenever we are in need; and, surely, the Son listens to the Mother?

“Quote...Unquote” “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much.”

Mother Teresa

Light of of the the North North Light

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aint Martha, one of the best loved saints in the calendar, has her feast day on the 29th of July.

We all know the familiar story of how, as she was busy with preparing the dinner, her sister Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to His words of love and wisdom. Martha, who was no doubt preparing a very special meal in His honour, needed help, and who, she reasoned, could better give it than Mary, sitting there with nothing to do? Once the meal was served, she no doubt thought, there would be plenty of time to fold one’s hands and listen to conversation — and perhaps her irritation came from the fact that she too wanted to hear the Words that were being spoken in the other room.

S

In honour of her feast we might want to try one of the ancient Jewish dishes prepared in the same way as they were in Our Lord’s day.

It is probably fair to say that every housewife, though she might prefer being a Mary, has a sneaking sympathy for Martha. For is it not true that there are more Marthas than there are Marys in the world? And if there were not, then who would feed everyone, including the Marys? There is something touching in the complete forgetfulness of Mary and her total absorption in unworldly things. But what if Martha had added herself to the company and listened too? Instead, she remained with her task, and we are sure produced a good meal for that reason. It is to her then that we should turn as the patroness of cookery.

INGREDIENTS

One of the traditional Jewish dishes is Charoses, always to be found at the Passover Seder. It’s a simple mixture of nuts and apples moistened with wine, to represent the ‘morsel of sweetness to lighten the burden of unhappy memory’. It’s also an appropriate dish to be eaten on St. Martha’s Feast Days since Jesus told Martha to not worry about things, but to listen to His word. Accordingly, we should keep our meals simple on this day, and spend time outside of the kitchen to meditate on the Gospel.

1/2 cup walnuts·1/2 cup almonds·1 cup grated apple·sweet red wine·1 tablespoon sugar·1/4 teaspoon cinnamon DIRECTIONS Chop the nuts and apple together or run them through the food chopper. Mix with sufficient wine to form a paste. Add sugar and cinnamon.

Recipe Source: Feast Day Cookbook by Katherine Burton and Helmut Ripperger, David McKay Company, Inc., New York, 1951

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 £5.00 they can be put on our subscribers mailing list, and we will send them the next four issues of the magazine by post. All cheques should be made out to the Ogilvie Institute Light of the North

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Light of the North

B O O K R E V I E W Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church CTS £6.95 ISBN 1-86082-376-9

Available from the Ogilvie Institute

I

t was in 1992 that Pope John Paul II promulgated the long awaited Catechism of the Catholic Church. The publication of that text was a major event in the life of the Church. Its immediate predecessor had appeared over four centuries before. In spite of the forebodings of the critics, this new presentation of the Church’s faith proved hugely successful. Translated into over fifty languages to date, it has been used in countless programmes of instruction, and read by millions of faithful all over the world.

From the beginning, though, the universal Catechism was intended to be a reference point for the production of local Catechisms. No one ever suggested that it could serve everyone equally without the need for adaptation. For many people, perhaps especially those involved in teaching children, apart from any other consideration its text is simply too long, too detailed, too full. So already various briefer, simplified versions have been produced in various languages.

But the need has been felt for a condensed version that would carry the full authority of the Church. So Pope John Paul commissioned a group of Cardinals, headed by Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, to produce a Compendium of the Catechism. As was done in the preparation of the Catechism itself, the work done by this commission was not finalised before the Cardinals and Bishops of the world had been invited to offer criticisms and suggestions for improvements. That process was completed by March 2005: very shortly

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before Pope John Paul died. So the Compendium carries now two introductions, actually by the same man: one by Cardinal Ratzinger, President of the specially appointed Commission, and one by Pope Benedict XVI, giving the text his official approval.

As a “faithful and sure synthesis” of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Compendium follows the order of the larger Catechism very closely: the reader is referred back to its text by marginal references throughout. Naturally the same four major divisions apply: the first Part on the content of faith, especially as expressed by the Creed; the second on the celebration of the faith, especially as expressed in the Seven Sacraments; the third on the living of the faith, especially as expressed in the Ten Commandments, and the fourth on the prayer of faith, especially as expressed in the Lord’s Prayer. But while the ground covered is identical, the teaching about it is now pared down to the bare bones. The vast majority of quotations from holy Scripture, the Fathers, Saints, Doctors, Popes and Councils that adorned the original version have been omitted. Also omitted are the “In brief ” summaries of each Article. 2865 numbered paragraphs have been boiled down to 598. The prose style itself differs markedly. The editors of the Compendium wanted above all to be brief, clear and concise. To facilitate the accomplishment of this, they decided to adopt the traditional question and answer format. This is the difference that most immediately strikes the reader. Perhaps at first sight it appears rather artificial. Certainly no attempt has been made to simulate the sort of conversational flow one might expect in a live catechism class, or in an interview. But the format does succeed in its purpose. It enables the reader to see very clearly and exactly the point that is being made in any given case, and to understand, or even learn by heart, its direct and simple answer.

In addition to the questions and answers, the Compendium offers us fourteen colour illustrations to contemplate. Ours is a very visual age, and often an image can speak to people more clearly than many words. The inclusion of these images is also a way of giving recognition to the importance of Christian art in the Church’s patrimony. On the reverse of each picture, the editors provide explanatory notes. Here they break free from the strait-jacket of their chosen style, and expand into conversational and anecdotal prose, allowing themselves here also some fairly lengthy quotations from various sources. We note that, apart from the cover logo, the pictures used here are all different from those included in the fuller Catechism.

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Very usefully, the Compendium ends, as the old penny Catechism did, by setting out for us a selection of commonly used prayers, in both Latin and English, and a set of “formulas of Catholic Doctrine”. There is an index too, though of necessity it is far less detailed than the much longer and fuller index supplied with the complete Catechism.

This review should just note one feature of our English version: the word used for the human race is “man”, throughout, and the generic pronoun “he”.

Why was this Compendium produced? Does it represent an attempt by a hide-bound Vatican Curia to force a reluctant rank and file of the Church into line?

Is this a case of the Pope seeking to impose a set of rigid and sterile formulations on all? Indeed no. On the contrary. What we see here is the living Church reaching out, as she must, to all Christians, and to all men of good will: holding up to them in a new way the beauty of Christ; helping them satisfy their hunger for truth.

In his introduction, Pope Benedict spells out what he sees as the chief purpose of this Compendium. It is, he says, “to awaken in the Church of the third millennium renewed zeal for evangelisation and education in the faith.” We can’t evangelise if we don’t know what we believe. The faith of the Catholic Church has objective content. It is not something we invent

From the “Michael Foylan, Bishop of Aberdeen, died suddenly at his home in King’s Gate, Aberdeen, just after 5 a.m. on 28th May, 1976. On the prie-dieu in his little private chapel, his breviary lay marked for Morning Prayer of Friday after the Feast of the Ascension. Close by was a much thumbed New Testament, and an old book in French concerned with priesthood and prayer.”

The Compendium includes ten colour images to contemplate including this painting of the Agony in the Garden by El Greco (about 1590- 95) for ourselves, but something we receive; something handed down from the beginning, its authenticity guaranteed by Christ’s promise to His Church. In this little book we find that content set out with authority: briefly, clearly, and comprehensively.

Dom Benedict Hardy OSB Pluscarden Abbey

Annals

In his hierarchy work, as in his diocesan administration, his great strength was his meticulous accuracy and attention to detail.

Minutes, reports, letters, financial matters, all would be carefully logged and filed. The night before he died, his books, correspondence and journal were all written up to date. He was not a visionary innovator, but what seemed at the time to be inaction born of indecision, often showed itself in time to be patience Michael Foylan was born on 29 June, 1907, at Shet- born of insight and trust in God. tleston. Some time after he started school at St Paul’s, the family moved to Crieff. Tragedy overcame them in On 1 June 1976, all the bishops of Scotland con1917 when the father was killed in action. Through- celebrated a simple and devotional Requiem in the out his life Michael Foylan spoke of the courage and Cathedral in Aberdeen which was filled to capacity. sacrifice of his mother, who in times of great hardship That afternoon, Michael Foylan, Bishop of Aberdeen gave two sons to the priesthood, and lived to see her was laid to rest in the priests’ vault of St Ninian’s cemoldest son consecrated Bishop. And conscious of his etery, Tynet. This was the heart of the Diocese in pemother’s virtue, he had a ready appreciation of the of- nal times, and in many ways it was the fountainhead ten heroic service of women in the charity of Christ. of Catholic revival. There is nowhere more fitting that he should lie. May he rest in peace.

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oetic licence Canon Bill Anderson takes a look at some of his favourite inswpirational verse

Vain Struggle Arthur Hugh Clough

Say not the struggle naught availeth, The labour and the wounds are vain, The enemy faints not, nor faileth, And as things have been they remain.

If hopes were dupes, fears may be liars; It may be, in yon smoke conceal’d, Your comrades chase e’en now the fliers, And, but for you, possess the field.

For while the tired waves, vainly breaking, Seem here no painful inch to gain, Far back, through creeks and inlets making, Comes silent, flooding in, the main.

And not by eastern windows only, When daylight comes, comes in the light; In front the sun climbs slow, how slowly!

But westward, look, the land is bright!

A

rthur Hugh Clough (1819-61) was an academic gentleman of a melancholy turn of mind who often struggled with religious doubt. His poetic output was considerable, but our poem is one of the very few still remembered.

It is uncharacteristically hopeful.

Early Victorian in its style and message, the poem has a force and beauty that has relevance still. The images are telling, starting with the concept of life as a battle, then changing to sea-tides and sunrise. Throughout, the poet bids us be brave and determined in the face of apparent failure, and to look for signs of success and fulfilment amid bleakness and fear.

Three points stand out: first, the togetherness of folk as they face the assaults of life, and the strength of that interdependence; second, the realisation that progress may sometimes come on unobtrusively like a slow, incoming tide (Winston Churchill once exclaimed of the third verse, “What a fine sentiment for a by-election!”); third, the lesson of sunrise and daylight which,

‘For while the tired waves, vainly breaking, seem here no painful inch to gain’ though at first brightest in the east, does not deny the promises of dawn to any region.

It is easy to transfer Clough’s lines into Christian prayerfulness, wherein hope and light are fine constituents.

This new course offered by the Maryvale Institute explores the beauty and depth of visual art from a Catholic perspective.

It introduces the riches of the Eastern and Western Christian traditions that are rooted in the Incarnation and Paschal Mystery, the source and summit of Christian life. If you would like to find out more about this course or other courses of religious formation or study please contact the Courses Coordinator at the Ogilvie Institute in Aberdeen, tel. 01224 638675 or email director@ogilvie.ac.uk

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On a wing and a prayer Father Peter Barry explores the bird life of Scotland

O

ne of the world’s strangest birds is the shoebill, a stork like creature of the Mabamba swamps in Uganda. It defies classification, and is usually placed in a family of its own making it ‘monotypic’. On a journey to Uganda last June, 2005, I arrived at the same time as Magnus Macfarlane-Barrow who runs the charity, Mary’s Meals. Magnus went to the far North with an armed guard to see the devastation caused by the Lord’s Liberation Army. The rebel army, shamefully led by Catholic Catechist, Joseph Kony, abducts chil-

Pen and ink drawing courtesy of Fr Peter’s sister, Jane

Father Peter and Alex in hot pursuit of the shoebill dren; boys for the army, and girls as sex-slaves for his soldiers. Kony has lost sight of whatever clear vision he had to return his country to God. To escape, local people pour into special guarded compounds at night, where Magnus’s charity provides food once a day for 4,000 people.

There are numerous orphaned children in Uganda, their parents lost to Aids and war. These innocent victims are delightful to meet, and speak bravely of their attempts to start a new life. “I want to be a doctor”, “I want to be a teacher”, “I want to be a nurse”, etc. are ambitions voiced by many of the children in the small groups I met in orphanages and churches.

After Christmas, the parishes of St. Ninian’s and St. Columba’s, Inverness, sent out, through Magnus’s charity, several hundredweight of jotters, rulers and writing paper, all the things that are outside the buying power of ordinary children in Uganda. “Any toys?”, we asked Magnus.

“Just send out tennis balls”, he said. With these, children can The shoebill... A amuse themselves for hours on bird with a end, inventing games as they lot on its mind go along. Parishioners bought up virtually every tennis ball in Inverness. Local tennis players went round sports shops in frustration, alarmed at the dearth.

On Thursday, 16th June, three of us set out for the swamps, hoping to find a shoebill. There are only seven left in Mabamba, to be found about an hour’s drive from Entebbe, and sightings are not guaranteed. They are spread out among the papyrus reeds over some 50,000 acres. A guide, Alex, pushed out a small Mokoro (canoe) containing four of us, and after several hours of punting this tiny craft along the water channels, shouted excitedly, “ Shoebill!” At five feet tall, with the saddest expression on its face, this was worth the wait. A hook at the end of the shoe-shaped bill allows fish to be speared and eaten.

The bird is on the edge of extinction as swamps are drained, and humans encroach on the environment.

After Alex docked the boat, we had to sign the visitor’s book in his house. On the three previous days, people from as far away as Switzerland had failed to get a sighting, and had registered their disappointment: “Louis and Greta, from Lausanne, saw bee-eaters, marsh harriers, but no shoebill.” My entry will now have been read by hundreds of people: “Father Peter Barry, P.P. Culloden and St. Ninian’s, Inverness, Scotland. Saw the bird. Deo Gratias !”

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Humour from the Vestry Humour serves to destabilise the ego. This is why laughter is essential to religion. It cuts a person down to size. Humour is the first step to humility.

A priest went out one Saturday to visit his church members. At one house it was obvious that someone was at home, but nobody came to the door even though the pastor had knocked several times. Finally, the pastor took out his card and wrote “Revelations 3:20” on the back of it, and stuck it in the door.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and him with me.”

The next day, the card turned up in the collection plate. Below the pastor’s message was the notation “Genesis 3:10”.

“I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

A certain monastery on a South Pacific island was home to monks who had vowed, not the usual vow of silence, but one of plainchant. They communicated only in Gregorian tones.

Each morning, the monks assembled in the chapel and the abbot would chant, “Good morning, assembled brethren.”

The monks would dutifully reply, “Good morning, Father Abbot.”

One morning, an irreverent reverend (a mocking monk) instead chanted, “Good evening, Father Abbot.”

The abbot, not knowing who was the culprit, fixed them all with a steely-eyed gaze ... and sang in response, “Someone chanted ‘evening!’”

Summer Neologism Contest Coffee (n); the person on whom one coughs.

Flabbergasted (adj); appalled over how much weight you have gained.

Lymph (v); to walk with a lisp.

Gargoyle (n);olive flavoured mouthwash.

Balderdash (n); a rapidly receding hairline.

Moses’ first and last day as a lifeguard Flatulence (n); emergency vehicle that picks one up after being run over by a steamroller.

Esplanade (v); to attempt an explanation while drunk.

And now for some more actual announcements from church bulletins Miss Charlene Mason sang, “I Will Not Pass This Way Again,” giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of FatherJack’s sermons.

Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

Mass entertainment A little boy was attending his first Nuptial Mass.

Afterwards his cousin asked him, “How many women can a man marry?”

“Sixteen,” the little boy replied.

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Light of the North

His cousin was amazed that he was able to answer so quickly.

“How do you know that?”

“Easy,” he said.

“All you have to do is add it up, like Father Smith said, ‘Four Better, Four Worse, Four Richer and Four Poorer.”

Page 30 For your chance to win a copy of the new Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church send your completed entry, together with your name, address and telephone number to the ‘Light of the North’, Ogilvie Institute, 16 Huntly Street, AB10 1SH. First correct entry drawn out of the hat is the winner.

Crossed wires An expectant father rang the hospital to see how his wife was getting on. By mistake he dialled the number of Lord’s Cricket Ground.

“How’s it going?” asked the expectant father.

“Fine,” came the answer. ”We’ve got two out already and hope to have the rest out before lunch. The last one was a duck!”

On getting old Reporters interviewing a 104 year old woman: “And what do you think is the best thing about being 104?” the reporter asked. She simply replied, “No peer pressure.”

Know how to prevent sagging? Just eat till the wrinkles fill out.

It’s scary when you start making the same noises as your coffeemaker.

Don’t let ageing get you down. It’s too hard to get back up!

Remember You don’t stop laughing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop laughing.

Overheard during Children‛s Liturgy THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. THE FIRST COMMANDMENT WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVID‛S SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.

Crossword No. 1 Biblical references use NJB Across 1.

To me, all men should be this. (2, 8) 6.

What the High Priest’s servant lost in Gethsemane! (3) 7.

On the Last Day, we shall all get up. (4) 8.

Bird-watchers’ retreat, but from God they cannot. (4) 9.

A notable Evangelist? (4) 11.

Don’t gaze on this Element when it is red (Proverbs). (4) 13.

To do this, you need only listen. (4) 17.

Chrysostom the Baptist. (4) 18.

This was lit up on the Fourth Day. (3) 19.

Jesus did, but Mary wasn’t! (4, 6) Down 1.

An Evangelical publican who didn’t keep an inn! (7) 2.

The first element we need every day. (5) 3.

Ahab’s father (Kings). (4) 4 Samuel had to fill his with oil (1 Sam). (4) 5.

A star, confused – but not a Christian! (5) 10.

Mary Keg makes apostolic proclamation (anagram).(7) 12.

Call me Mara, and not this (Ruth). (5) 14.

A safe haven for Our Lord and his parents. (5) 15.

A joint bowed at the name of Jesus! (4) 16.

Antioch was one of the churches here. (4)

Light of the North

VaticanCity Vatican City

Sister Janet Fearns FMDM is the Light of the North’s new correspondent from Rome. She is a Franciscan Missionary of the Divine Motherhood, originally from Liverpool, and then Burscough, in 1973 and since then has spent her Religious life between England, Nigeria, Australia, Zambia and Rome. She now works with the English Programme of Vatican Radio. Sister Janet also has her own website called Pause for Prayer : http://pauseforprayer.blogspot.com

Over the sea to ... Rome!

M

ost people living in Britain know the name of Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Many have an image of an iconic figure, fighting for Scotland against the English, and eventually failing in his struggle. Many will know the name of Flora MacDonald, an equally romantic figure, deeply embedded in 17th century history, dressing her prince as her maid in her effort to help him to reach safety.

The Biblicum

Fewer will know that the building that is currently the Pontifical Biblical Institute, (Biblicum), here in Rome, was previously the home of the Stuart family.

Although some sources claim that the adjoining building, known as the Balestra, was the main living quarters of the palazzo, and therefore the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie was both born and where he died, it seems to me that the ‘feel’ of the place is wrong. The windows are too small and suggest servants’ quarters rather than royalty.

What is clear is that both Bonnie Prince Charlie and his brother were baptized in the adjacent church of the Twelve Apostles, the church that houses the tomb of the Apostles Philip and James.

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Sister Janet Fearns

from that same gallery overlook a magnificent courtyard of an ideal size for carriage access and as a ‘grand entrance’. The ceilings are ornately carved and decorated in a fashion typical of the period.

It is easy to imagine beautiful carriages and splendid period costumes on the people driven to the huge wooden doors… and so the story continues.

History is a strange thing. We are all a part of it. Our today will be the past of those who follow on after us, will help future generations to make sense of their own present. We look back and wonder what it was like to live in magnificent surroundings, whether as royalty or as servants, and yet can forget that there was no central heating in cold weather, no air conditioning or fans in the heat. There must have been times when candle glow was frustrating rather than romantic, when flicking a switch to make a cup of tea would have been so much easier than lighting a fire.

When Flora MacDonald lent her maid’s clothes to Bonnie Prince Charlie, they must both have been frightened. It all sounds easy and tidy with the hindsight of a couple of hundred years, but a grisly execution would have awaited both of them had they been caught. Probably, going back even further in time, when they were executed, Sts. Philip and James had no clue that their names would be in any way associated with a Scottish prince and were also afraid for their own lives and safety.

All of us, past, present and to come, know The building that is now the Pontifical Biblical fear. To be afraid is not cowardice. FearInstitute, and is in the care of the Jesuits, has an lessness is not bravery. Courage means doimpressive doorway, underneath what was a ter- ing what is right in spite of being afraid. race overlooking the piazza which had direct access from the ballroom, and a main staircase. A gallery Lord, give me the wisdom to see the truth and the leading from this area has beautiful original fres- courage to put it into practice, at whatever the cost. coes showing rural scenes and typical of the Jaco- Help me to make sense of my present and to create bean period, if not slightly pre-dating it. Windows a good future for those who will come after me.

Ogilvie Institute

Ogilvie Institute 16 Huntly Street Aberdeen AB10 1SH 01224 638675

Email: director@ogilvie.ac.uk www.ogilvie.ac.uk Director: Deacon Tony Schmitz Courses Coordinator: Mary Nelson Editor: Cowan Watson Acting Librarian: Adriana Grebogi Admin Assistant: Mei Lawson

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Hi, My name’s Olga Moroni. My parish is St. Mary’s Stonehaven where I have been helping with children’s catechesis for the last two years. I also decided to enrol on the Maryvale Parish Catechist Course at the same time. The course has been really good for me as it has build up my knowledge and, at the same time, helped me with the practical aspects of teaching children. I particularly enjoy the study days as they inspire me. It is also really good to meet Catechists from other parishes and we try to help each other if one of us is struggling with a particular topic. As it is coming to the end of the course I am looking forward to putting all that I have learned to good use within the parish. If anyone is thinking about joining the course, even to help their own faith development I can definitely recommend it.

Course Directory 2006 - 2007 The Glory of God is man fully alive

Maryvale Courses offered in Scotland Certificate for Parish Catechists

Dates for your Diary

Studies in the Catholic Catechism Listening to the Word BA in Applied Theology

29 – 31 August Readers & Ministers of Holy Communion Workshops, Shetland, with Deacon Tony Schmitz 16 September Adult Studies in the Catechism, The Ten Commandments, Aberdeen 23rd September Day of Retreat for Parish Catechists in Elgin, Dom Bendict Hardy OSB 28 July–4 Aug BA in Applied Theology, DiaconalCandidates, Summer School , Kinnoull 14 October Listening to theWord, Galatians & Romans, led by Sister Moira Donnelly, Aberdeen October 21st Parish Catechists Certificate, Study Day, Aberdeen

Diploma in Evangelisation and Ministry Art Beauty & Inspiration in a Catholic Perspective

Ogilvie Workshops Encyclical on the Holy Eucharist Workshops on Spirituality Workshops for Readers Workshops for Auxiliary Ministers of Holy Communion Workshops on Liturgy Workshops for Catechists Workshops on Catholic Social Teaching Workshops on Catholic Faith and Culture Workshops on Scottish Catholic History Workshops for training Echoes Coordinators