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Issue 7, Spring, 2008 New Church for Culloden
Fr Ronald Walls prepares for Easter
It’s taken 3o years but now St Columba’s has taken a booking for its first wedding!
Welcomed by you, Lord, the home-maker with open arms, footsore grubby with the dust of the road, weary beyond telling, and you run to the door with outstretched arms to welcome me into the safety of your home. May I open my door to welcome those who come.
The Season of Lent
WELCOMED
Five young people have made a commitment to attend the WYD in Sydney next July.
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A quarterly magazine produced and published by the Ogilvie Institute for the Diocese of Aberdeen
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The Forgiving Father
This powerful image of “The Forgiving Father” by the Indian artist, Frank Wesley, has been printed from a life-sized wooden block. Wesley studied painting at the Lucknow School of Arts. He took his graduate and post-graduate work there and eventually joined the faculty, staying for 12 years. From there he went to Kyoto, Japan to spend five years at its College of Fine Arts. From Japan, Wesley went on to the United States and studied at the Art Institute of Chicago. After two years in the United States, Wesley returned to India. In 1965 he joined the Christian Association for Radio and Audio-Visual Service as a part-time staff artist. Wesley is recorded as saying that he was not interested in illustrating the biblical stories but rather in searching for and expressing meanings. He saw himself not as an artist with one technique and style, but as one who chose the style most fitting to express his subject matter. Nowhere perhaps, is this more true than in this fine example of his work. The poem is by Myrtle Hall from her book, “Offerings - Prayers and Meditations”.
Jack’s 50 years with the SVdP
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t Mary’s Cathedral parishioner, Jack Finnie, is celebrating 50 years as a member of the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Even after 50 years of service Jack shows no sign of taking it easy. Every Tuesday morning he can still be found at the Cathedral making up food parcels and then, in the evening, it’s back to the Cathedral again to help with the distribution of up to a hundred food parcels to the homeless. And what does Jack think of his time with the SVdP? “Joining the SVdP Society was the best thing I ever did,” said Jack. “ I’ve made a lot of friends through the Society and these last 50 years have passed by very quickly indeed. I’d recommend joining up to anyone. We have a really good team here. Everyone just ‘mucks in’ and does their best to help out.” Jack has always played a full part in church activities. He served as an altar boy in St Vincent’s Church in Dundee for 15 years. He was also a member of the Legion of Mary and then, at the age of 18 he was introduced into the SvdP by Jim Walls and his father. Jim Walls is now the Parish Priest at Arbroath and Monifieth parishes and is still in contact with Jack who visits him regularly. As a Vincentian in Dundee Jack’s work took him out to the big housing schemes to help families in need.His other duties included hospital visiting, restoring furniture for the poor and distributing the food parcels donated by
Jack Finnie: Service with a smile! the Heinz company. Jack then moved to Aberdeen where he once again joined the Legion of Mary in Dyce and the Cathedral Conference of SVdP. Apart from his work with the homeless, Jack’s duties also include visiting the sick and he willingly attends most of the main Masses at the Cathedral in his role as passkeeper. Evelyn Murray, the SVdP Conference President, said fondly of Jack: “In the 20 years I have worked with Jack Finnie, I have never known him to refuse any request for help. His many duties both for the SvdP and the Cathedral have always been carried out willingly and with a great deal of enthusiasm and good humour.”
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contents deaneries 4 faithinaction 11 witness 8 liturgy 10 youthlight 13 educationandformation 14 faithandculture 24 children’slight 32 humour 33 crossword 34 Rome 35 OgilvieInstitute 36
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He has risen!
Page ‘Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord! First and last alike, receive your reward. Rich and poor, rejoice together! Conscientious and lazy, celebrate the day! You who have kept the fast, and you who have not, rejoice, this day, for the table is bountifully spread! Feast royally, for the calf is fatted. Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the banquet of faith. Enjoy the bounty of the Lord’s goodness! Let no one grieve being poor, for the universal reign has been revealed. Let no one lament persistent failings, for forgiveness has risen from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the death of our Saviour has set us free’
Above all else Easter is a time of hope and joy. Perhaps nowhere is that expressed more tangibly than in the Easter Sermon of St John Chrysostom who has been called “the greatest preacher in the early church”. It’s easy to see why. Just that short extract quoted above lifts the heart and makes you realise that there really is little excuse for not being joyful at a time like this.
Curiously, in Bavaria, during the late middle ages, there was a custom in many of the Catholic churches whereby at the end of the Easter Mass, the priest would leave the altar and come down among the people and lead the congregation in what was called the “Risus Paschalis” which means “the Easter laughter.” The priest would tell amusing stories and sing comical songs, and the church would ring with laughter. Of course the point was obvious, the laughter echoing through the church was a testimony to the merriment born out of the great cosmic joke when all the forces If you would like to advertise in the that conspired to lay Jesus in his tomb could not hold Him. Light of the North from only £250 a quarter page, or sponsor a page for So, this is meant to be a joyful edition of the Light of the North with just £200, get in touch with us at some nourishing (but by no means stodgy) Lenten fare provided by Abbot Hugh Gilbert, Eileen Grant and Fr Ronald Walls. We are the address below. also celebrating the good news that Culloden’s new church is now under construction and, in addition, at least five young people Light of the North are going to Australia for World Youth Day in Sydney. Ogilvie Institute 16 Huntly Street And finally, if you still need something to smile about you can Aberdeen always turn to page 33 for our very own “Risus Paschalis”! AB10 1SH Managing Editor Deacon Tony Schmitz Editor Cowan Watson Chief Reporter Fr Paul Bonnici Editorial Advisor Canon Bill Anderson
Tel: 01224 638675 Email: lightofthenorthmagazine@gmail.com
Happy Easter Cowan
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Vision wrought in Stone
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n Thursday, 20th December the first turf at the site of a new church for Culloden was cut by Bishop Peter Moran and Don Williams, the Chairman of the Congregational Committee. It is nearly thirty years since Canon Duncan Stone, then Parish Priest at St Mary’s, Inverness, identified a site and bought the land for a new Church to meet the needs of the Catholic people who were moving into the new housing developments east of Inverness. The site is not far from the historic battlefield at Culloden. The congregation is Canon Duncan Stone, Bishop Peter Moran and Canon Peter Barry dedicated to St Columba, and for many in jubilant mood as Don Williams cuts the first turf years they have been worshipping at Duncan Forbes Primary School. Mass is celecongregation with Mass. Everyone in the parish is brated there every Sunday and holy-day, by the priest looking forward, God willing, to the dedication of in charge, Canon Peter Barry, who is also Parish priest the newly completed Church sometime in Septemof St Ninian’s, Inverness. ber/October 2008. At Culloden there are about 120 at Mass every Sunday. Over the years the congregation has raised over £250,000 towards the new church. It is faced with the prospect of raising twice that again. The total cost of the whole project will be in the region of £750,000. The congregation needs to find another £500,000. On Friday 4th January the people of St Columba’s, Culloden celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the
Canon Peter Barry, architects Reynolds Architecture the design team from UBC Group - have put together plans for an innovative building which offers opportunities for imaginative community use, as well as its primary function of being a sacred space for the Catholic people of God gathering at St Columba’s, Culloden.
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nce a month the residents ofthe Culloden estate arrive in good numbers at the local primary school for the “Catholic Bingo”. The prizes are all donated, the caller gives his services free, and the rewards for a line or a full house are so good that St Columba’s church community has won its way into the affections of many people. A surprising number of young men and women attend, most of whom had never met a Priest or Religious sister before.
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all played their part in creating a close knit and vibrant community. Several years later Canon Stone purchased a piece of ground from the Forestry Commission, 2.069 acres in area, which then appeared in the Local Plan as “ Site for Church Building.” By now the numbers attending Mass had risen, and with the advent
Two miles distant there is a professional bingo hall, but our evenings are much cheaper, rnore friendly and plain good fun. Sometimes a talented young piano-accordion player entertains at half-time, when tea and refreshments are on offer, and the youngsters have their own free game. They have seen and admired the scale model of the church, are always eager to hear the latest news, and burst into prolonged applause when Don Williams, chair of the project committee, announced that the first sod would be cut before Christmas.
The UBC design team’s impression of the new church
That evening, Friday, 7th December, a sum of £505.00 clear profit was raised. At the end people hang around to chat, before making their way home, often laden with prizes: wine and spirits, games and toiletries, cuddly toys for their children. The building project has a 30 year history, and began in the Autumn of 1977 shortly after Canon Duncan Stone was appointed to St Mary‘s as Parish Priest. ln the autumn of that year he was very keen to meet some of his parishioners on their home ground in the burgeoning Culloden Estate. A new School had been built, Duncan Forbes Primary. On a lovely autumn afternoon, he walked around the School and grounds with the young Janitor, Don Williams. With a prophetic eye, Canon Stone imagined a large settlement in years to come, and suggested Mass be said in the school to draw the Catholic community together. The first Mass was celebrated in the school gymnasium on January 7th, 1978. Around a dozen people attended, and that service continued unabated for the next 30 years. Priests and young curates from St Mary‘s, Nairn and St Ninian’s
of their own resident priest, Bishop Conti issued a challenge: Raise £l50,000, and we will commission an architect. The money was raised through the kindness of donors, and local efforts by the Catholic community: whist drives, bingo, racenights, treasure hunts, ceilidhs. Their dream has been fulfilled. An architect has drawn up a set of plans, all the permissions are in place, and work begins in January, 2008. The local Catholic Church is keen that the entire community benefits from the building, The worship space has been created in such a way that screens for community events, integral to the building, can protect the sanctuary. Already the first wedding has been booked. The news that all the permissions were in place was announced on Wednesday, 5th December and greeted with rapturous applause. Already there are committees planned to look at fabric and fund·raising. A new energy has been created, and all will co-operate till the project is completed. Canon Peter Barry
St Columba’s Building If you would like to make a contribution to Fund the building fund and this exciting project then please send your donation to: Canon Peter Barry, 12 Culloden Court, Culloden, Inverness IV2 7DX Scottish Charity No. SC005122
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Sydney here we come!
WORLD YOUTH DAY: SYDNEY Fr James Bell
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Our group consists of Maria and Mark Campbell who were married last summer at Tain, Melissa Fry who is Maria’s sister, Dani Tharakan and Iain MacGillivray. Watch this space in future editions for up-dates on our pilgrims and their expectations. Sabene Cross is also travelling with the party.
t the young age of 67 I have been told that I am now well into my fourth epoch of youth. Why, As our group is small it is joined with the group from Paisley you may wonder, is a pensioner priest jaunting Diocese, whose leader, Mrs Christine Riddoch has helped us off to Australia? at every stage of the process. We are taking part in the Paisley programme. This will include staying with Australian famiIt is hard to say when the idea turned into a practical resolve, lies in the Diocese of Wollongong before the WYD activities but it has to do with the fact that five young people from all of which lead up to the Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict the Parish of St John Ogilvie, in Easter Ross, had made the at the Randwick Racecourse on 20 July. commitment to attend the WYD in Sydney next July. They understood that it is costly to travel to Australia and to be Bishop Peter has granted £500 to each young person, and accommodated there, but the decision had been taken. the Parish is also giving them a grant. Add to that the funds from the fruitful and enjoyable fund-raising efforts and then Fund–raising is well under way, and more importantly each person will have to find £800. That puts it within their hopes have been raised. Parishioners Richard and Sabene reach. The youngsters are working and saving. Cross were enthusiastic and encouraging from the outset (their daughters had been to Canada and Cologne with We will all have our stories to tell when we get back, and WYD in the past) and they knew the benefits. Richard and perhaps we may visit you in your Parishes to encourage supSabene supported the young people to make realistic targets port for other Youth Days? for personal fund-raising, and they also organised a great band of enthusiastic helpers. We have had garden teas, rafIt may not be fles, parties, soup lunches, and all the usual ‘parish pump’ money raisers. too late for a With the help of Canon Peter Barry of St Ninian’s, Inverness, we had a happy and energetic ceilidh in the St Mary’s Parish Hall, courtesy of Fr Michael Savage. The cabaret, the good food and the sheer joie de vivre of the young people, built up fellowship, strengthened morale, and put more cash in the kitty. A fifth pilgrim has joined up, a veteran of WYD Cologne, skilled on the bagpipes, the fiddle and the bodhran.
once in a lifetime experience!
If any other young person between the ages of 18 and 35 would like to go it may not be too late to apply. With good will and the determination of their supporters and parishes surely a way could be found? Please let Father Bell know as soon as possible.
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The first Josephite Associate in Scotland Sr Audrey Thomson
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n 1866, in the small town of Penola in South Australia, Mary MacKillop and Fr Julian Tenison Woods, co-founded the Religious Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart.
One of the objectives was to provide basic education for the children of the poor but from the outset Mary instilled in the Sisters that they should never see a need without trying to do something about it so the Sisters soon found themselves involved in many and varied ministries through which they would “bring to the people the message of their own human dignity and of Christ’s saving love.” (Constitutions) Mary was the eldest of eight children born to her Scottishborn parents. Her father, Alexander MacKillop grew up in the Roy Bridge area and her mother, Flora MacDonald was born in High Street, Fort William in the Ben Nevis Hotel of which her father was the proprietor. With their respective families, both migrated to Melbourne where they met and married and raised their family. It was while she was governess to her aunt’s children in Penola that she met Fr Woods and through their common dream and determination, the Congregation of the Sisters of St Joseph came into being. Only seven years after its foundation, Mary was advised to go to Rome and seek the approval of the Pope and the Church for the Congregation. While awaiting this approval Mary travelled throughout the UK seeking support for the Congregation and gaining valuable ideas for the schools in Australia. She also visited Scotland, especially the Highlands, to connect with relatives and family friends. The 15 December 1873 found her in Nairn in response to an invitation of Fr Alexander Forbes to visit his parish. Mary stayed overnight in the parish house after which “Fr Forbes then saw me off to Aberdeen, first-class, and paid for it, for which I was so sorry as he was so poor and could ill afford
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Peggy Walker making her commitment as a Josephite Associate it.” (Mary’s letter to the Sisters). In October 2007, Srs Audrey Thomson and Therese McConway, Sisters of St Joseph now stationed in Fort William, were invited to visit Nairn to speak to the parishioners about Bl. Mary MacKillop and why the Church is now considering her as a candidate for canonization and hence as a role model for the living of Gospel values in our daily lives. The room in which this gathering of the Sisters and parishioners took place was the very room in which Mary slept during her visit to this parish in 1873. Accompanying Srs Audrey and Therese were two other Josephite Sisters who had made a brief visit to the Lochaber region to visit places connected to Mary’s story. Sr Margaret Malady works with the poor in Peru and Sr Julian Langton has spent many years in education in New Zealand. The four Sisters represented the diversity of ministries in which Josephites are now engaged. A highlight of the evening was the formal enrolment of parishioner, Mrs Peggy Walker, as a Josephite Associate – the first in Scotland! Associates are lay or clerical men and women who commit to live the spirit of Mary MacKillop in their own unique way in their daily lives. They do this to make a difference in their own local area and to further the reign of God in the world. Peggy has long been a devotee of the spirit of Mary MacKillop and has done much to spread knowledge of and devotion to her. Hopefully, as knowledge of Mary grows throughout Scotland, many others will feel called to commit to live her spirit as Associates in this land. The evening ended with all present enjoying a beautiful supper – typical of the hospitality of Scottish people. Anyone wishing to know more about Mary, her life and work, can contact the Sisters at 1 Mossfield Drive, Lochyside, Fort William PH33 7PE. Phone: 01397 700 989; email: josephite@btinternet.com
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40 M iles
Retired journalist, Bob King, Helen MacGilp and Virla Maclennan shared the dream of establishing a fraternity of secular Franciscans in Inverness. This is their story.
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he San Damiano Fraternity of Inverness, the only SFO family in the Highlands, (though Ellon, in Aberdeenshire, is home to another), was established in 2002. It was the finally realised dream of its three founder members, retired journalist Bob King, mother of three Helen MacGilp and Virla Maclennan, now sadly passed away. Bob had originally been professed in the Secular Franciscan Order in the Elgin Fraternity in 1992, but felt that Inverness, as capital of the Highlands, with Mediaeval links with the Franciscans, should have its own fraternity. National officers Mary Rose Walker and Michael Naughton were enthusiastic and feelers were put out to find if there would be any local interest. Helen and Virla declared an immediate interest and the first meeting was held in 1994. From that small beginning, the fraternity has grown to a total of nine members. Two – Frank McDermott and his wife Margaret – celebrate 30 years profession in June, while Eddie Deegan celebrates 25 years this year.
The San Damiano Fraternity of Inverness
From the original small local nucleus of three, members now come from as far away as Dornie on the west coast and remote hamlets in the mountains as well as Nairn. Furthest travelled is Charmian Horne, who thinks nothing of the 150 mile round trip to Inverness from Dornie, in Wester Ross, to attend meetings.
Helen said the Inverness fraternity had opted for the title of San Damiano after some consideration: “We talked about St Francis’ experience at the little ruined Helen and Virla made history when they made their church of San Damiano, when he received the mesfinal profession in the SFO at St Mary’s Church in In- sage from Christ to ‘go and rebuild my church’. That verness in 2000, believed to be the first women to have met with general approval and that’s how we got our done so in Inverness since the Reformation. name. Fr Peter Hall OFM, Scottish Regional Spiritual Assist- “We meet on the second Saturday of the month and ant of the SFO, who had come up from Glasgow for spend time praying, reading scripture, discussing a the occasion, accepted the profession and preached the topic that has been set for study, talking, listening and homily.
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laughing together in fellowship.
“All in all, the San Damiano Fraternity has been a quiet success story. We wondered at the start whether it “We also discuss whether anyone is perhaps ill or in would take off at all, but the Holy Spirit has His own special need or whether there is a situation that espe- way of doing things. We can only blossom where we cially needs prayer and we pray a decade of the rosary are set, as St Francis said.” for Our Lady’s intervention.
Redemptorist Centre of Spirituality St. Mary’s, Kinnoull Healing in the Spirit: A Spirituality of True Self-Esteem Holy Week: 17 – 22 March 2008 Fr. Jim McManus C.Ss.R. and Miss Marie Hogg Book now for this very popular retreat and relax in the tranquillity of St. Mary’s. Hundreds of people travel to St. Mary’s each year for this retreat.. Enjoy the beauty of Kinnoull Hill at Easter time. Why not bring a friend? Further dates for this retreat: 5 – 9th May 2008 Personal Counselling – Inner Healing – Spiritual Direction: An Integrated Model of Ministry Fr Jim McManus C.Ss.R. and Sr. Germaine O’Neill 27 January – 8 February 2008 This is an integrated model of pastoral ministry focusing on the relationship between counselling, inner healing and spiritual. Direction. “A most fruitful, learning experience” is how one participant described this course. Another said: “I now feel prepared to help people on a deeper level as they seek healing and direction in their lives” Theology of the Body An Introduction to Pope John Paul ll’s Legacy to the Church Fr. Jim McManus C.Ss.R. 28 April - 2 May 2008 Pope John Paul’s Theology of the Body has been described, by George Weigel, as a “theological time bomb set to go off, with dramatic consequences, sometime in the 21st Century”. There is a growing realisation that his highly original teaching, which he himself called The Theology of the Body will be his lasting legacy to the Church. Seven Week Sabbatical Courses For many sabbatical pilgrims our seven week renewal programme is just the right length of time in one place. 13 May – 26 June 2008 20 October – 4 December 2008 Time Away for Yourself We welcome individuals for quiet time, private retreats, or a much needed break, throughout the year. Details: The Secretary, St. Mary’s, Kinnoull, Perth PH2 7BP Tel: 01738 624075 E-mail: copiosa@aol.com Web Page: www.kinnoullmonastery.org
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The Grace of Lent
Abbot Hugh Gilbert OSB
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n his his first Ash Wednesday as Pope the Holy Father said: “Jesus Christ himself is the greatest grace of Lent.” We can get caught up in ourselves and in our work. We could get caught up in Lenten practice. But “the greatest grace of Lent”, beyond anything we may do or try to do, is Jesus Christ himself. It’s Christ who gives the pattern of the forty days, who establishes Lent in a sense, and it’s in a succession of great Gospel-passages (especially in Year A) that He comes to his Church: the temptation in the desert, the transfiguration, the meeting with the Samaritan woman, the healing of the man born blind, the raising of Lazarus, the entrance into Jerusalem, and the Gospel of the Passion. A ‘good Lent’ would be to be touched by those Gospels. There couldn’t be a better preparation for Easter: being prepared by Christ for Christ. Lent is a time of mercy and grace, or to use Paul’s image, it’s the ambassador of mercy and grace. And Christ is that mercy, present to us in word and sacrament. “Jesus Christ himself is the greatest grace of Lent.” What next? Lent is “the school of repentance”. “Do you not know that God’s patience is leading you to repentance?” (Rom 2:4). Lent is God’s patience as well, quietly waiting for us to turn round. “Repentance is the renewal of baptism and is a contract with God for a fresh start in life. Repentance goes shopping for humility and is ever distrustful of bodily comfort. Repentance is critical awareness and a sure watch over oneself. Repentance is the daughter of hope and the refusal to despair. Repentance is reconciliation with the Lord by the performance of good deeds which are the opposites of the sins” (St John Climacus). According to St Benedict (ch.49), ideally we should al-
ways be living Lent, but we’re weak, so let us at least try to keep our life in all purity during this season and “wash away the negligences of other times”. One could see in that a call to the renewal of our baptism. Catechumens throughout Lent will be preparing to receive baptism; we can be preparing to renew it. Then he goes on to the practice of Lent, giving us three ‘lists’ of good works. “We will do this [keep Lent] worthily if we refrain from, temper, all vices.” So, Lent is about that, first of all: refraining from vices. There is a wider meaning here: it really means to govern with wise moderation. In our eating and drinking, our work, our relationships, our good desires even, we need to be ‘temperate’. We need to give what’s strong in us something to strive for without frightening off our own weakness. “Temperance,” says the Catechism, “is the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the will’s mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honourable.” (1809). It means regaining dominion over ourselves. Then: “Let each one, over and above the measure prescribed for him, offer to God something of his own free will in the joy of the Holy Spirit.” Some commentators on the Rule think that Hebrews 5:7 lies behind this portrait of the monk in Lent: “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death.” During Lent, then, we should seek to associate ourselves with Jesus in Gethsemane, offering his prayers etc. in him. It’s a free-will offering and therefore made “with the joy of the Holy Spirit”. Again, we can go beyond the immediate application, beyond the private acts of devotion we take on individually. Shouldn’t everything we are and do be an offering and prayer to God, deliberately united to the saving sacrifice? To be temperate suggests Lent is for recovering our kingly character as Christians, to offer, our priestly character. Most of all, offering takes us back to certain great texts of the New Testament concerning the baptismal priesthood: “Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God.”(Heb 13:15) “Like living stones, let yourselves be built into a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Pt 2:5) Lastly, we look forward: “and with the joy of spiritual longing let him look forward to holy Easter”. This makes it all dynamic, and brings us back, if we need
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bringing back, to Christ. “To desire eternal life with all spiritual longing” is one of the tools of good works in the Rule. Here, it is expecting holy Easter with the joy of spiritual longing. Eternal life is Christ, and so is Easter. St Benedict, quite possibly, is inspired by a phrase in one of the ancient Mass-books, more precisely by a prayer he’d have heard in Lent: “Grant your faithful, O Lord, both to receive the Easter sacraments without ceasing and to look forward to the coming feasts with desire, so that persevering in the mysteries by which they are reborn, they may be led by doing this to new life.” I think it’s true that we will catch the desire for Easter, for Christ, for resurrection and new life, from the liturgy – just as that is where we express it. Again, though, it’s good to go back to the New Testament, where expectation, so often, refers to the ultimate Easter: “So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.” (Heb 9:28) “Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting
St Duthac [March 8th] St Duthac, or Duthus (1000-1065), is the patron saint of Tain.
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for these things, strive to be found by him at peace, without spot or blemish; and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation.” (2 Pt 3:14-15). So, we ‘look forward’ to the holy feast of Easter, because it anticipates the fullness of redemption. It augurs the second coming and final salvation. We fall rather short of the longing of the early Christians, I suspect. Easter is the Lord’s bait to help us on, help us catch up. But if this Lent, we become a little more kingly, a little more priestly, and – in the sense of looking forward in hope – a little more prophetic, then the grace of our baptism will have been deepened, we’ll be a little closer to Christ, and Lent won’t have been wasted. “O Lover of man, do not deprive us of our expectation!” Amen.
Aberdeen Diocesan Calendar
According to the Breviary of Aberdeen, Duthac was a native Scot. Tradition has it that Duthac was educated in Ireland and died in Tain. A chapel was built in his honour and a sanctuary established at Tain. A century later, this sanctuary was notably breached by English supporters who captured Robert the Bruce’s wife and daughter sheltering in the chapel. The chapel was burnt later in political violence between regional power groups, namely the Clan MacKay and the Clan Ross. The ruins of the chapel still exist as a centrepiece of a cemetery along the shores of the Dornoch Firth. Saint Duthac was greatly venerated in Scotland before the (First) Reformation - Celtic to Catholic - and his memory is still preserved in place names, notably Kilduthie; Arduthie near Stonehaven and Kilduich on Loch Duich. Tain, where he died and was buried, had the Church built specially in his honour. His death is recorded in “The Annals of Ulster” for the year 1065. After many years his body was found to be incorrupt and his relics were translated to a more splendid shrine at St. Duthus Collegiate Church built between 1370 and 1458. They disappeared in 1560 at the time of the Reformation. St Duthac was known as the Chief Confessor of Ireland and Scotland (Dubtach Albanach) and his saint’s feast day is 8th March. His shrine was visited by King James IV, Robert the Bruce and his family, plus many other notables. Almighty God, You chose St Duthac to be a true shepherd of your people. Listen to his earnest prayer, that we may attain the goal of our earthly pilgrimage in the eternal abode of heaven. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever.
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A New Song For The Lord In the third part of this series, David Meiklejohn, Director of Music of the Aberdeen Diocesan Choir reflects on some of the major themes tackled in ‘A New Song for the Lord ‘ an important work by Pope Benedict XVI which sets out to demonstrate that in the controversies about liturgical reform and the Latin Mass, liturgy is not just a pragmatic matter, but a central feature in our relationship to Christ, the Church and ourselves.
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hile there can be no substitute for reading the book A New Song for the Lord in its entirety, the following extracts will be helpful in contributing to the debate on enhancing liturgical music in our parishes. This article extends the knowledge of earlier contributions which were based on the writings of Pope Paul VI and Pope John Paul II. We begin with a quotation given by Pope Benedict XVI who, at the end of his book A New Song for the Lord, reflects on a beautiful saying of Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi refers to the three habitats of the cosmos and how each of these provides its own mode of being. The fish live in the sea, and they are silent. The animals of the earth scream and shout; but the birds, whose habitat is the heavens, sing (p160). Pope Benedict XVI, writing as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, has considerable insight into the joys and challenges of providing high quality music in the Catholic Church today - it is widely known that he is an accomplished pianist who plays Bach and Mozart regularly as a means of relaxation. His elder brother Monsignor Georg Ratzinger was the Director of Music (1964 –1994) at St Peter’s Cathedral, Regensburg, a German city twinned with Aberdeen. As part of his responsibilities Mgr Georg Ratzinger conducted the Domspatzen choir, which enjoys an international reputation. In A New Song for the Lord Pope Benedict articulates many of the issues and concerns facing church music today and his words are both inspiring and profound with significant implications for church musicians and liturgists. One of the first tasks Pope Benedict XVI sets himself is to
consider the question of possible biblical directives for music in the Church: “This imperative runs through all of Scripture; it is the concrete version of the call to worship and glorify God, which is revealed in the Bible as the most profound vocation of human beings. This means that musical expression is part of the proper human response to God’s self-revelation, to his becoming open to a relationship with us. Mere speech, mere silence, mere action are not enough. Conversation with God transcends the boundaries of human speech; therefore it calls on music, both vocal and instrumental, for help. That integral way of humanly expressing joy or sorrow, consent or complaint, which occurs in singing, is necessary for responding to God, who touches us precisely in the totality of our being (p126). Music does not become alienated from its own purpose when it praises God and praises him in such a way that it becomes “proclamation in the great congregation” (Ps. 22-25) (p134). Music uncovers the buried way to the heart, to the core of our being, where it touches the being of the Creator and the Redeemer. Wherever this is achieved, music becomes the road that leads to Jesus, the way on which God shows his salvation (p137). Closely though liturgy and music are related by their very natures, their relationship has been difficult time and again, especially during the transition periods of history and culture. It is therefore no surprise that the question about the right form of music in worship has again become controversial today. In the disputes of the Second Vatican Council and immediately thereafter it seemed to be merely a question of the difference between pastoral practitioners on the one hand and church musicians on the other hand. The musicians did not want to let themselves be subjected to mere pastoral expediency, but tried to show the inner dignity of music as a pastoral and liturgical standard in its own right. The controversy about
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church music has become symptomatic of the deeper question about what liturgical worship is (p141). Faith becoming music is a part of the process of the Word becoming flesh (p154). We can say that Western music, from Gregorian chant through to the music of the cathedrals and great polyphonic music, through Renaissance and Baroque music, right up to Bruckner and beyond, derives from the inner richness of this synthesis and has developed its possibilities abundantly. For me the greatness of this music is the most immediate and most evident verification that history has to offer the Christian image of human beings and of the Christian faith in redemption. Whoever is really touched by it knows deep down inside that the faith is true even if this person still has far to go before comprehending this insight with the mind and will (p157).
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Wherever faith reawakens in lively communities we also see how Christian culture develops anew, how the communal experience provides inspiration and opens new paths that we could not see before” (p159). And, more than anything else … the paschal character of the Christian liturgy: the singing of this liturgy not only represents the identity of the people of God but should also give account of our hope and proclaim to all the countenance of the Father of Jesus Christ” (p145). These aspirational thoughts require appropriate attention in developing purposeful ways forward in the development of liturgical music. In his next article David Meiklejohn will consider the practical issues which are involved in transforming these and earlier inspired writings into the provision of outstanding church music which the faithful justly deserve.
Update on St Ninian’s Youth Club Agnes Macdonald Dear readers of the Light of the North, We thought you might like to know what we have been doing with our youth club over the past two years. Our group has around 20 high-school children of all denominations with the numbers increasing to double that when the discos are on! The picture shows some of our group enjoying a Hallowe’en disco with some of our willing volunteers in costume. Even Fr Michael joined in with the rest of us boogeying on down! This was one of our many events to raise funds for equipment for the club. We have been to see a hip - hop dance group and to the panto at Christmas which starred two of our youth club members (Oh no you didn’t! Oh yes we did!). We have had visits from ‘Eden Court Outreach’ which led to some bruises, black eyes and scary cuts (Just kidding - it was was all make -up and acting). We also had an interesting talk from Nick who specialises in looking after snakes, giant tortoises and lots of bugs. Though some of the bugs in particular were very scary Nick really made us think about how we care for the world’s creatures. For example, he encouraged us to consider seriously before buying a tropi-
Boogeying on down at the Hallowe’en disco! - just one of many successful fund raising events cal pet as these animals are still exploited. A local DJ came and played some different music for us, and we had a French graffiti artist who gave a demonstration. It certainly was not easy and took a lot of concentration and time, but the results were fantastic. We’ve had a karaoke night, played rollerbowl and been swimming at the Aquadome. We have also enjoyed a food tasting night with games. For the girls we’ve tried our hand at making jewellery and had our nails painted professionally. One of our group is doing a Duke of Edinburgh Award and is selling the jewellery to add to our funds.
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Sometimes we bring a projector to the club, watch a movie and eat pizza and popcorn (just like the real thing).
thanks also to Fr Peter and our very active and supportive parish.
On a financial note our fundraising events have been very well supported. Once we had a bingonight, with everyone leaving on a winning note. Then, in the summer months we had a ‘barbie’ with face painting, bouncy castle, games and first - class burgers made by our resident chef, Neil. Neil is very kind and tidies up all our equipment without a complaint. Thanks Neil, and
Agnes Macdonald is a helper at St Ninian’s Youth Club St Ninian’s Youth Club Challenge If there are there any youth groups out there who would like to take us on at football, rugby, rollerbowl etc., do please get in touch.
Cardinal Winning Pro- Life Initiative Sister Andrea Fraile
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s archbishop, Thomas Joseph Winning had always been vociferous in his defence of human life: it is not enough, he said, for the Church to speak out against abortion if she does not offer women a suitable alternative. In 1997, thirty years on from the passing of the Abortion Act and with a death toll of five million unborn children, Cardinal Winning felt that action was long overdue. Naturally, he acknowledged the sterling work of countless pro-life organisations that emerged (and continue to thrive) over the previous thirty years, but he saw it as imperative that the official Church have a prominent role in caring for the many victims of abortion. The appeal he made on 9th March 1997 at the annual SPUC conference was disconcertingly simple: all women who felt that social, financial and emotional pressures were forcing them to opt for abortion or, because of a previous abortion decision, were struggling to cope in their relationships and daily lives, were invited to contact the Archdiocese of Glasgow for support. It was only after the announcement was made (a rather unorthodox sequence of events!) that he contacted Roseann Reddy and asked her to run it. The foundational work centres on the emotional, spiritual and material support offered to women faced with a crisis pregnancy. To that end, we have a centre in Glasgow where women come for counselling or simply practical advice and assistance in coping with a pregnancy in difficult circumstances. For so many, the problem is not the baby but the problems surrounding the baby – by alleviating her concerns regarding bad housing, debt,
unstable relationships or the prospect of being alone, she is enabled to respond favourably to her natural instincts to have and nurture her baby, and avoid taking a decision she will regret for the rest of her life. The society in which we live is such that the unborn child is considered a burden and even an enemy; and the mother herself can feel an unimaginable level of isolation at a naturally vulnerable time. A great many of them have no family to support them, and well-meaning friends can be better at highlighting the difficulties of the pregnancy rather than the miracle of new life and
Sr Andrea & Sr Roseann of The Sisters of the Gospel of Life the opportunity that a child brings for allowing real love to blossom (as opposed to that illusory ‘love’ we all at times seek in the wrong places, leaving us tired and empty). If distance or circumstances prevent the woman from coming to the centre, we will go to her or put her in touch with someone we know to be pro-life or a pro-life group in her area – the phone is useful but
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personal contact is essential. Since we operate through- her that here, in the heart of the Gospel of Life, was out the UK, it makes sense to liaise with as many like- where evangelisation was most needed, especially in secuminded people as possible. lar Britain. She therefore approached Cardinal Winning and, with his blessing, a new community was formed. John Paul II’s encyclical, Evangelium Vitae, was the viOf course, crisis pregnancies on such a scale are a product of a society that is confused and morally bank- sion that inspired it, and inspires it still. January 2000 rupt, so our work encompasses all opportunities to coun- saw the beginnings of the Sisters of the Gospel of Life for ter the culture of death, primarily through educating whom the principal apostolate was, and still is, the work young people (various school groups come to the centre), of the Cardinal Winning Pro-Life Initiative. and their teachers (through in-service days). The prevaOur Lady of Life and Light, lent (and heavily funded) notion that contraception will prevent unwanted pregnancies and abortion is false logic, and it is a lie that is infecting all our young people. It You can write to us at: is a contraceptive mentality that hardens hearts and can 106 Dixon Ave refuse to bring a baby to birth when conception occurs. GLASGOW The key concern here, therefore, is to offer a Catholic viG42 8EL sion of love and sex, a beautiful vision that respects God’s Our email address is: creation and expresses the inherent dignity of the pergospeloflifesisters@googlemail.com son. For some time Roseann had felt that God was calling her to religious life and her work at the Initiative convinced
Pray for us!
CURSILLO
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‘Wee Course’ at Pluscarden Abbey From 2nd to 5th May
ursillo, as explained in the pre-Christmas issue of Light of The North, is the name, literally meaning “a short course”, for a worldwide Movement within the Catholic Church that offers a method to help us respond positively to our Baptismal responsibilities, in particular those of living out, witnessing to and being able to speak to others about the reason for the hope that we have (1 Pet. 3:15). In the Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi, published on the Feast of St Andrew, Pope Benedict XVI reminds us of the necessity and power of the ‘hope’ we have received through the gift of faith: “Let us put it very simply: man needs God, otherwise he remains without hope.” In addition, His Holiness exhorts us to share that same hope with others: “As Christians we should never limit ourselves to asking: how can I save myself? We should also ask: what can I do in order that others may be saved and that for them too the star of hope may rise?”
We know that sometimes it is not easy to talk to others about Christ - it takes courage and often we need help. Could it be that Cursillo can help you discover or re-discover ‘what you can do’ in this regard and how it might be achieved? The Cursillo method offers a proven formula and a support network of friends in various parts of our Diocese who meet regularly, encouraging one another and praying together. Thus, through Cursillo, rather than feeling alone and isolated in your efforts, perhaps you could benefit from a real sense of community and from practical and prayerful support that is helping many Christians worldwide to persevere in answering Christ’s call. If you would like further details about Cursillo or about the next “Wee Course” at Pluscarden Abbey on the May Bank Holiday Weekend, please contact Brian Osborne, Cursillo Lay Director (Email: cursillo.aberdeen@ hotmail.co.uk) or Deacon John Woodside (01261 812204).
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The Vocation of Marriage In the first of a new series on vocations Kathleen and Peter Helms discuss their marriage relationship, marriage being the cradle from which all other vocations emerge
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t is fitting that this series of short talks on personal vocation starts with Marriage as without it and children there would not be any people to hear and respond to God’s unique call for any of us.
Kathleen The dictionary definition of Vocation is a calling, especially a spiritual calling. I’d like to say that our relationship began with such a call, but not so. It was in fact a phone call – a call from a mutual friend setting us up on a blind date. Both of us 19 at the time.
We had an immediate attraction and over the next four years a gradual and mutual understanding came that we were being called to spend our lives together. I never had the ‘down on one knee’ proposal – the firm decision to get married came when Peter’s mother offered us the top half of the family home; we were down to see the priest the next morning and married three months later (no long modern engagement for us!). Peter After establishing ourselves as a couple we soon found ourselves being called to share our love and become a family. Bringing children into the world is a truly awesome responsibility and we thank God that this was revealed to us gradually otherwise the time would never have seemed right to respond to this call. We have learnt so much from our children not least in gaining some understanding of the parenthood of God and our creator’s total commitment and unconditional love for us no matter what. This calling to be parents has taught us that family life not only brings great blessings, warmth and support but also challenges and surprises, not always pleasant as our own imperfections become all too real. Kathleen Among the promises we made on our wedding day were these: “To have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, ‘till death do us part”.
We promised to love and cherish each other and these are very easy promises for a young bride and groom.
Kathleen and Peter on their wedding day
The life-long commitment to these vows takes effort and persistence and needs to be worked at and constantly nourished. Different vocations can look very different from the outside. A priest friend shared a two week family seaside holiday with us some years ago when our children were young. We were a party of 13, including another family also with four children. At the end of the trip our priest friend remarked wryly “and I thought couples spent evenings entwined on the sofa!” Peter Now wouldn’t that be nice!
We love going to weddings as the vows mean so much more to us as a mature couple . We always hold hands as we re - commit ourselves to each other. We are reminded of God’s part in our life together and the promise “I am with you until the end of time”. Love is our origin and love is our constant calling and in a wonderful and mysterious way our feeble efforts become a reflection of God’s never ending love for us. Kathleen and Peter The final prayer at the end of our marriage celebration has grown in meaning for us over the years reminding us of the promises we made to each other and of the many blessings we have received since. “ May they grow wise through their misunderstandings, may they be brave in time of trouble and open to all who need their love. Let them rejoice as they keep the anniversary of this day through many years to come.”
Kathleen and Peter Helms
We express our deepest sympathy with Kath and Peter, Rachel, Matt and Jo on the loss of their youngest daughter and sister, Laura, who died unexpectedly but fortified by the rites of the Church on Sunday 27th January. RIP. “Love is always ready … to trust, to hope and endure whatever comes” ( I Cor 13:7). “I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you with me: so that where I am you may be too.”(John 14: 2-3)
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Passing on our faith to Shetland’s Children
Hilde Bardell
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s is the case in many parishes in the diocese, here in Shetland we have no catholic school, so the responsibility for handing on our faith rests on parents and the parish.
The parish of St Margaret’s covers all of the Shetland islands and many families have a 30-50 mile round trip to come to Mass in Lerwick. As almost all Shetland Catholics are incomers, our families come “fae aa da aerts” including recently people from Poland and eastern Europe. Our geographical and cultural diversity presents special problems in organising a catechetical programme, but we try to take advantage of the varied talents and backgrounds, and of the many lovely places outwith Lerwick itself. Over the last ten years we have taken full advantage of the catechetical courses offered by Maryvale through the Ogilvie centre, and now have a team of trained catechists (with more in the pipeline!) prepared to continue learning and honing their skills. We have developed a structure for our catechesis, dividing the children into groups: under three’s, under school age, pre-1st Communion; pre - Confirmation, and a post-Confirmation youth group, (who have called themselves CREW,
Christ rules in every way). We adapt and adjust these according to the needs and numbers of the children. For the under three’s we have a box at the back of the church for use during Mass, with books, toys and puzzles (all non-noisy!) that have a biblical/ Catholic emphasis; the education starts early so they are familiar with bible stories, rosary beads, prayer/picture books etc. In this way, parents can be with restless children at Mass, yet they are learning Church is a special place. From the age of three, the children attend Children’s Liturgy during the Liturgy of the Word, prepared by catechists, and parents helping. Again, from the age of three, there are classes in the parish rooms after Mass for the different age groups, while parents have a cup of tea. Yes, there are difficulties in holding a class when the children have just been sitting at Mass for an hour, and in trying to follow a planned curriculum in half hour sessions once a week during term time, but it is to the credit of the catechists’ ingenuity and enthusiasm that the children rarely complain and enjoy their classes. Parents are of course their children’s primary educators in the faith, and our aim is to resource and support them in this work; in turn we rely heavily on their support, particularly with regard to homework and attendance. We also hold “Faith is fun” children’s days four to five times a year, as well as children’s Masses and special
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events. In 2008 we are having a week’s summer camp at we can show them how their faith is relevant in a post a youth centre in the country. Christian, post modern era. This is where Matt and Kamila’s particular talents are invaluable, and we intend to Over the past 18 months we have been wonderfully helped keep using them as often as we are allowed! and supported by Matt Hadley, Diocesan Youth co-ordinator and his wife Kamila. We have taken full advantage Although not perfect, the structures for children’s catecheof their knowledge and skills, and their innovative ways sis we have developed in Shetland mean that we can start of using media and materials to connect with all ages and to support parents with their children from a very young illustrate aspects of faith are a great help and inspiration age, and see them through to Confirmation, but also then in our catechetical work. Particularly with CREW, their keep them coming to Mass and developing and deepen‘retreats’ are very stimulating and challenging. Although ing their relationship with God. In this increasingly secular spending time together, especially cooking and eating to- and pagan world in which we live, our great commission gether, is a very important part of the sessions, we find from Jesus, “Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations” our teens don’t need another secular-type youth club, (Matt 28-19) must begin with ourselves and our children. their social diaries are very full! They are however open to spiritual and moral challenges, to learning how to pray, Hilde Bardell is a Parish Catechist in Shetland and how to live as Christians in their own peer group, if
“Abide with us, Lord” Clare Benedict The Mass (Part 3)
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hen the Church celebrates the Eucharist, the memorial of her Lord’s death and resurrection, this central event of salvation becomes really present and ‘the work of our redemption is carried out’. This sacrifice is so decisive for the salvation of the human race that Jesus Christ offered it and returned to the Father only after he had left us a means of sharing in it as if we had been present there. Each member of the faithful can thus take part in it and inexhaustibly gain its fruits. What more could Jesus have done for us? Truly, in the Eucharist, he shows us a love which goes ‘to the end’, a love which knows no measure” (E 11 [Ecclesia De Eucharistia]). So wrote Pope John Paul in his encyclical on the Eucharist. At every Mass, we reaffirm that faith in our Lord’s self-giving for, and to, us. The Holy Father expressed concern that sometimes he encountered “an extremely reductive understanding of the Eucharistic mystery. Stripped of its sacrificial meaning, it is celebrated as if it were simply a fraternal banquet” and he fervently desired “that the Eucharist will continue to shine forth in all its radiant mystery” and that we will rediscover our sense of wonder.
Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, Supper At Emmaus, 1601. “The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated and the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord’s body and blood” (CCC 1382 [Catechism of the Catholic Church]). Do this in remembrance of me. The Jesus Christ we profess each time we gather in his name to celebrate the Mass is the same Jesus who became flesh in the Virgin’s womb, was tortured, crucified and buried, rose from the dead, ascended to his Father in heaven and sent the Holy Spirit among us; who also promised his disciples: “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” How can Jesus remain with us when he has long since
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ascended to his glory? We know that he comes to us in the sacraments; that wherever two or more members of his Body gather he, our glorified Head, is with us; we know that, through baptism, we carry the indwelling God within us. But, as Catholics, we believe that our Lord can be present to us in an even fuller, more real way. This is why we, the members of that Body, gather with our priest (in the Person of Christ our Head) weekly, or even daily, to re-present that once-for-all redemptive selfgiving on Calvary, to share in his sacrificial act and in his sacred banquet. “The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice” (CCC 1367). “We always offer the same Lamb, not one today and another tomorrow, but always the same one. For this reason the sacrifice is always only one. Even now we offer that victim who was once offered and who will never be consumed” (St John Chrysostom). Jesus, our eternal High Priest, now makes his sacrifice sacramentally present through the ministry of his priests when they say the words of consecration over the bread and wine which, through the power of the Holy Spirit, become the Body and Blood of Christ and our Lord lies before us on the altar of sacrifice – really present in the fullest sense: “a substantial presence whereby Christ, the God-Man, is wholly and entirely present” (Paul VI). This is a mystery that goes beyond human understanding and can be grasped only by faith, a mystery that should have us trembling in wonder. A non-believer once said: “If I could believe that God is really there on the altar, I think I would fall on my knees and stay there.” Do we really feel that sense of awe? My Lord and my God!
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fore be firmly and confidently uttered; it is our response in faith to that mystery of faith, a response uttered with reverence and heartfelt thanksgiving. “The Eucharist is a true banquet, in which Christ offers himself as our nourishment. When for the first time Jesus spoke of this food, his listeners were astonished and bewildered, which forced the Master to emphasise the objective truth of his words: ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life within you’ (Jn 6:53). This is no metaphorical food: ‘My flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed’” (EE 16). The Eucharist is also a sacred banquet: what Jesus offers us is supernatural nourishment which, received worthily, enables us to grow in his likeness and to progress in our journey towards eternal union with God. Sharing in Christ’s Eucharist is the highest and most intimate contact with our Lord, the source of eternal life and the spring of living water from which we derive strength to pick up our crosses daily and follow him. “Those who feed on Christ in the Eucharist need not wait until the hereafter to receive eternal life: they already possess it on earth, as the first-fruits of a future fullness which will embrace man in his totality. For in the Eucharist we also receive the pledge of our bodily resurrection at the end of the world: ‘He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day’” (EE 18).
The Eucharist is a “pledge of future glory”, offering us a foretaste of the Heavenly Banquet in which we hope to share at the end of time, when we shall see our glorified Lord face to face, “with unveiled face”. “The Eucharist is truly a glimpse of heaven appearing on earth. It is a glorious ray of the heavenly Jerusalem which pierces the clouds In his love for us, Our Lord comes to us in homely, famil- of our history and lights up our journey” (EE 19). iar signs; but after the consecration he is truly, substantially present – body, blood, soul and divinity – equally “In the humble signs of bread and wine, changed into his present under both species. Behold, the Lamb of God… body and blood, Christ walks beside us as our strength How else should we respond save with the humility of and our food for the journey, and he enables us to bethe centurion: “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come come, for everyone, witnesses of hope. If, in the presence under my roof ” (Mt 8:8). of this mystery, reason experiences its limits, the heart, enlightened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, clearly sees “The priest says to you, ‘The Body of Christ’…‘The Blood the response that is demanded, and bows low in adoraof Christ’. And you say, ‘Amen’, that is ‘True’. What the tion and unbounded love” (EE 62). tongue confesses let the heart believe” (St Ambrose). “Do not see in the bread and wine merely natural elements, because the Lord has expressly said that they are his Body and Blood: faith assures you of this, though your senses suggest otherwise” (St Cyril of Jerusalem).
Our ‘Amen’ affirms our belief that we are truly receiving the Lord in his fullness – not mere symbol or spiritual reminder – but the crucified, risen and glorified Jesus in his flesh, blood, soul and divinity. Our Amen should there-
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The Bodmer Papyrus: witness from Biblical Antiquity Fr Bernard O’Connor
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ome months ago, an American priest was accused of financial impropriety and an investigation ensued to determine if he had embezzled parish funds. But before the legal process had concluded, the media had spread his name across the country and elsewhere. Clergy tainted by accusations of sexual misconduct are treated similarly. Whether they are later cleared of wrongdoing – and many are – becomes almost irrelevant. Their reputation has already been devastated. Reversal of such damage becomes virtually impossible. Something is manifestly flawed in a system which boasts of its inherent justice, but which casually tolerates and thereby condones the very opposite of what it professes to uphold. But when priests behave Pope Benedict XVI examines the Bodmer papyrus at the in a manner worthy of being deemed exceptional, we presentation ceremony on the 22nd January, 2007 hear nothing of their exemplary commitment. Permit me to share with you one such example, which I doubt customarily understood it, as well as upon the Church’s very much will be familiar to you from your local press or integrity in safeguarding the scriptures which are her patregional radio channels or national television networks. rimony. The errors propagated by Dan Brown and those likeminded are legion. Thankfully, serious scholars have I refer to a donation to the Vatican Library of what is thoroughly refuted their contentions. Regrettably, howamong the most important biblical documents now ever, such works as Carl E. Olson and Sandra Miesel’s housed in the Library’s extensive collection. Known as The Da Vinci Hoax (San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press, the Bodmer Papyrus 14-15 (P75), it was presented to 2004), have reached but a tiny fraction of the audience Pope Benedict XVI on January 22, 2007. The extraor- which clamored after Brown et al. Quite obviously, the dinary manuscript, consisting of 144 pages, is intended public is more inclined toward an attractive lie than toto be available to reputable scholars from all Christian ward a bare truth. Little surprise then that the Bodmer denominations. The policy of the Church is never to has been overlooked by the secular media. conceal anything which may foster a deeper awareness of the scriptural foundation which relates to the Church’s The Bodmer is dated circa 175 AD and is the oldest exhistorical origins. Before commenting on the role of Rev. tant copy of parts of the Gospels of John and of Luke. Richard E. Donohoe (Diocese of Birmingham, Alabama) The evidence suggests that another papyrus contained the in the process by which the Bodmer was acquired, a sum- Gospels of Mark and Matthew. During the second cenmary explanation of the Bodmer’s significance is tury, the four canonical Gospels familiar to us, although appropriate. authored in different locations and circumstances, were compiled in a single corpus. There was no contrivance, Readers may recall how a spate of popular novels, no- no ‘conspiracy’, no manipulation by early Church leadtably The Da Vinci Code, have cast serious doubts upon ership. What is also striking is that the most ancient both the reliability of the New Testament as we have
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complete versions of the New Testament correspond to the Gospels recognized by Christian communities even during prior centuries. The bottom line is that that New Testament is trustworthy in its structure and in its transmission. The Bodmer also discredits the oft-heard assertion that
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been among his team of consultants, I saw how Fr. Donohoe’s love for the Church inspired him to persist in making sacrifices well beyond those reasonably expected. He believed that the Vatican Library should become the proper venue for the Bodmer, so that the witness it represents may enrich humanity today and for scores of generations yet to come. That is a breadth of dedication which conveys the very essence of Catholicism. Fr. Bernard O’Connor is a priest of the Diocese of Antigonish, Nova Scotia and an official with the Vatican’s Congregation for Eastern Churches.
The Bodmer Papyrus and the first chapter of the Gospel of St John
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the Church hid the bible from the faithful for hundreds of years. On the contrary, the Bodmer hails from an Egyptian parish where it was meant to be read and commented upon in the context of worship and the celebration of the Eucharist. The setting was communal, open and non-restricted. Moreover, the Bodmer affirms what the Church has long taught: that the Bible should not be interpreted literally and subjectively, but that the Sacred Word is a dimension of the living Tradition of the whole Church. Evolution is as much an aspect of the biblical record as it is characteristic of the Church’s overall growth and development. The dynamic Spirit is no less present today than during the Bodmer era and before, since the time of the Evangelists and from when Christ walked the earth.
“Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.” Francis of Assisi.
And Fr. Donohoe? As rector of Birmingham’s Cathedral of St. Paul, he is renowned for his outstanding pastoral and administrative talents. And while his normal obligations have been certainly demanding, he accepted a mandate from the Holy See to coordinate the complex project of attaining the Bodmer. He spent thousands of hours in negotiation with potential benefactors, including the eventual donor (Atlanta’s Frank Hanna III), with international commercial lawyers, with Christies of London, with New York’s Pave the Way Foundation and with the Bodmer Foundation of Cologny, near Geneva in Switzerland. At his own expense, he continually plied the American continent and visited concerned parties and agencies throughout Europe. He exhibited remarkable patience, diligence, determination and vision. Having
“Let’s peace together our world.” Itah Banda, age 8
“Religious tolerance is not religious indifference. Tolerance means to value the right of another person to hold beliefs that you know are absolutely wrong.” Anon. “Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which He looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which he is to go about doing good. Yours are the hands with which he is to bless men now.” Teresa of Avila “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” Philo
“A Native American elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: ‘Inside of me there are two dogs. One of the dogs is mean and evil. The other dog is good. The mean dog fights the good dog all the time.’ When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, ‘The one I feed the most’.” “He who walking on the sea could calm the bitter waves, who gives life to the dying seeds of the earth; he who was able to loose the mortal chains of death, and after three days’ darkness could bring again to the upper world the brother for his sister Martha: he, I believe, will make Damasus rise again from the dust.” -- St. Damasus (from an epitaph written for himself)
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Light of the North
Keeping in touch
What you always wanted to know about your faith but were afraid to ask!
Eileen Grant “Where does prayer come from? In naming the source of prayer, Scripture speaks sometimes of the soul or the spirit, but most often of the heart … The heart is the dwelling-place where I am … is the place ‘to which I withdraw’. The heart is our hidden centre … only the Spirit of God can fathom the human heart and know it fully. The heart is the place of decision, deeper than our psychic drives. It is the place of truth, where we choose life or death. It is the place of encounter, because as image of God we live in relation: it is the place of covenant” (Catechism §2562-2563). Human beings are creatures of prayer and have been ever since the dawn of Creation, when the first man stood up in the Garden and offered praise and adoration to the One who had just given him life. The urge towards prayer, towards that reaching out to our Creator, is the deepest natural instinct we possess. Even the most determined atheist cannot resist this instinct; at times of the most desperate need, he will instinctively cry ‘Help! Help me!’ The most natural expression of prayer we find in Adam and Eve, strolling in the Garden, talking with God at the end of the day, as one would talk with a father. Human beings lost that natural communication with God and, all through the Old Testament, we hear people struggling to reach out towards Him again. Then finally, we hear how God Himself, God the Son, came among us to teach us how to pray in a way that would bring us a new, more intimate relationship with Our Father. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners … when you pray, go into your
“The urge towards prayer, towards that reaching out to our Creator, is the deepest natural instinct we possess” inner room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the pagans do … for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Mt 6:5-15). So, says Jesus, don’t make a show of your prayer; don’t feel you have to gabble a torrent of words. We find God in the silence of our own hearts; go, therefore, he tells us, into that quiet inner room of the heart and there we can meet God, talk with Him, listen to Him, or merely rest in His silent love. Jesus also told his disciples: “… about the need to pray continually and never lose heart” (Lk 18:1); and St Paul repeated: Pray constantly; Pray without ceasing. Some took these words literally and gave up everything to spend their lives in prayer in the desert places, as hermits, or monks. We cannot do this, for God has called us to live in the world, with other people. How, then, can we obey this maxim to pray constantly? We can make our whole lives a prayer, just as Jesus did. Eve-
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rything we are, everything we do, we can offer to God. We can be conscious that every task, however mundane, is for His greater glory; this can make the most tedious things take on a special significance – listening to someone else’s moans, coping with insult, boorishness, misunderstanding, disappointment, pain, even dishwashing! If we think of prayer in this way, we can help to build up the Kingdom of God; we can even, according to St Peter, help to hasten the Second Coming of the Lord!
resting in His silence, allowing Him to fill us with His presence. Prayer doesn’t always come easily; there will be times when God seems far away, even absent; when distractions plague us, when we despair of getting close to God. We can all experience periods of empty silences, of hopelessness; and we’re not alone in this – the saints have felt as we do. That is one reason why they are saints: they persevered, made their whole lives an offering to God. And He gives us help. “O God, come to my aid; O Lord, make The more accustomed we become to thinking and pray- haste to help me” (Ps.69) ing in this way, the closer to God we come. A hymn for Night Prayer asks that, even when we are asleep, our God doesn’t really want polished speeches; He wants to hearts may remain aware of the Lord. Centuries ago, a hear what is in our hearts and He can do that without monk spoke of this relationship with the Lord as an en- our words. He knows what we want, what we need to say, during love affair: “Someone truly in love keeps before even when we’re scarcely aware of it ourselves, even when his mind’s eye the face of the beloved and embraces it we cannot find any words at all. He simply wants us to there tenderly. Even during sleep the longing continues lift up our hearts to Him, to be where our silence can meet unappeased and he murmurs to his beloved. That is how His silence. There are times when we desperately desire it is for the body. And that is how it is for the spirit. A His consoling presence above all else, but we’re maybe man wounded by love had this to say about himself – ‘I too tired or unhappy to find words; then, as St Paul tells sleep, but my heart is awake because of the abundance of us, God Himself comes to our help: my love” (St John Climacus). Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do For St Thérèse, familiar with both joy and pain, ‘prayer not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look turned toward intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and love.” Jesus gave us the right to call God Abba, Father (Daddy, actually!): Our personal prayer prepares and equips us for our public, communal prayer; it brings us strength, comfort, contact ‘Our Father’: at this name love is aroused in us ... and with God, the certainty that we are never alone; it gives the confidence of obtaining what we are about to ask ... a structure to our day, thereby helping us in all the tasks, What would He not give to His children who ask, since trials and tribulations we may encounter. That’s why it’s a He has already granted them the gift of being His chilgood idea to begin and end each day with prayer. dren? (St Augustine) Prayer is keeping in touch with God, communicating with Him, not just talking to Him, asking for favours, or telling Him what a rotten time we’re having, or even what a great time we’re having. It means also listening to Him,
Are you just back from holiday, and do you still have some foreign currency left? If you have, it could help towards the production costs of this magazine. Just leave it with us at the Ogilvie Institute, 16 Huntly Street, Aberdeen AB10 1SH and we’ll do the rest! Thank You
Eileen Grant is the RCIA Catechist at St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen
Light of the North If you have had some experience of selling advertising and would like to volunteer a few hours of your time to work for the Light of the North then we would like to hear from you at: lightofthenorthmagazine@gmail.com
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Light of the North
Prue King, a volunteer at Blairs Museum, takes a look at some of the remarkable objects in the museum’s collection which spans 500 years of Scottish Church History
Precious mitre with a colourful history
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ne of the showiest pieces in the Blairs Museum is the Regensburg Mitre. Even without its history it is still a remarkable piece of work. Dating from the latter part of the seventeenth century it is an outstanding example of the mitra pretiosa or the precious mitre, called so because it is worked in gold and decorated with gemstones. Never mind that the canny Bishop Aeneas Chisholm had the stones assayed and was told that there was nothing of great value amongst them – but that was by Victorian standards and there are some lovely crystals nestling in the embossed gold ornaments which edge the mitre, examples of the craftsmanship used in the manufacture of such pieces. More outstanding is the embroidery which is used for the main ground of the decoration, worked in gold threads in a variety of leaf and floral designs so skilfully, that it is easy to forget that real gold was used to achieve these effects with none of the glittery plastic stuff that is used to-day. Spangles and beads
Postcards from Blairs
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are used in the decoration too, and while it might seem as though these would be easily applied, museum staff found that there were problems when trying to replace some of the beads because the holes were eccentrically placed and could not be threaded conventionally. That left us with even more respect for the seventeenth century craftsfolk. What of its history? It is as colourful as the piece itself. It came from the Scots College in Regensburg or Ratisbon in Bavaria. For centuries Scots people had been living and working in the area and there was a long association with the Church there. Historian Alasdair Roberts wrote an excellent book called “Regensburg and the Scots” to accompany an exhibition which celebrated the twinning of Aberdeen and Regensburg. He tells the story in great detail. Suffice to say there was a long tradition of Scottish Abbots at the Benedictine College and one of these was Abbot Placid Fleming. Abbot Placid Fleming was born in Ayrshire and served as a naval officer in his youth. During his naval career he had the misfortune to be captured by pirates and impressed as a member of their crew. In due course the pirate ship was captured and he escaped by pleading that his service was forced and against his will. He went on to become a monk and when he arrived at Regensburg he found the College in one of its periods of decline. With characteristic Scottish thoroughness he set about applying some of the discipline he had learned during his time at sea and so revived the fortunes of the establishment. Despite being a disciplinarian he had his human side and was much loved by his contemporaries; to this day the smallest bell at Regensburg is called “Placid”.
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Secrets of the Painted Gallery In this, the first a new series for the Light of the North exploring the Catholic history of the Diocese, Peter Davidson, Professor of Renaissance Studies at the University of Aberdeen, takes a look at a unique example of Scottish recusant art.
Peter Davidson
T
he lonely survivor of the old Guestrow (or “Ghostrow”, the street leading to the St Nicholas’ churchyard in central Aberdeen) is a fine seventeenth-century house, known as “Provost Skene’s House” after one of its many owners. It contains a room of great Catholic interest, unique in Scotland and rare in Britain. This painted gallery appears to have been decorated for use as a Chapel in the 1630s, at a time when Catholicism was an underground religion in Scotland, although there was always a discreet Catholic community in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. Although the Aberdeen Episcopalians of that time were relaxed about religious imagery, as a few surviving paintings from the school of George Jameson testify, there is no doubt that the painted gallery in Skene’s House is explicitly, even defiantly, Catholic.
The coved ceiling
Provost Skene’s House : lonely survivor of the old Guestrow
The room is still beautiful and atmospheric, even although the painting was for many years covered up when Skene’s House sank in social status and its physical condition deteriorated.What we see today is the product of a careful campaign of restoration. The first impression of the coved ceiling is of the deep blue night sky powdered with stars which forms a background to ornately-framed panels which enclose scenes from the lives of Our Lord and Our Lady. The main panels show the Annunciation, The Nativity, the Crucifixion, the Entombment (with the kilt of one of the figures rendered as plaid cloth by the local painter) and the Resurrection. Other panels have worn away to nothing with time, but some of their subjects can be identified by notes made at the time when they were first re-discovered: Presentation in the Temple, Baptism, Last Supper. A final very worn ceiling panel has been interpreted (I think convincingly) as the Coronation of Our Lady. So we have a sequence of scenes, mostly copied from Continental prints as was the usual practice with decorative work throughout seventeenth century Britain, which remind us of the Mysteries of the Rosary, but are not precisely those either in content or sequence. The scenes are also not unlike the frequently-found continental sequence of “The Gospel of Jesus and Mary” which shows events from the lives of Our Lord and Our Lady in parallel. As well as these pictorial panels, there are smaller round panels filled with monograms and symbols. Two of these are particularly interesting. One showing the Five Wounds (the Passion Shield or Arma Christi) is a badge of persecuted Catholic defiance:
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Light of the North Matthew Lumsden. He became a Baillie of the City and apparently fought on the Covenanting side in the war of 1639-40, but we have to remember that Scottish Catholics of the troubled times of the 1630s and 1640s had to make various accommodations with the authorities, even in the fairly tolerant conditions which usually prevailed in Aberdeen. Firmer evidence suggests that several members of Lumsden’s household were indeed in trouble with the authorities on account of their Catholicism. The Jesuit badge raises a further possibility. The precise record-keeping of the Society of Jesus (with its military account of the deployment of every member in every year) indicates that there was a Jesuit stationed in Aberdeen for most of the seventeenth century, although for reasons of security it never indicates the precise whereabouts of a priest on such an illegal mission.The Guestrow might indeed be a possible location for a Jesuit ministering to Aberdeen’s small but resilient Catholic community.
‘The Five Wounds of Christ’ it was the standard of the northern English Catholic rising “The Pilgrimage of Grace” and is also found in Catholic Tower-Houses in Aberdeenshire, most notably above the oratory in Towie Barclay Castle. There are also the initials I.H.S. with a yoke above them: this was the badge of the Society of Jesus in its original form, before the addition of the now-familiar radiance Provost Skene’s house is in the welcoming care of the around the initials. Aberdeen City Museums. Admission is free and there Who was the Catholic householder who commissioned are many other things of interest in a house which is the painting? The most likely date is in the 1620s: very well worth a visit. from 1621 until the 1640s the house was owned by
St Machar ‘he/with angelis wald oft visyt be’ Kenneth Sadler, a worshipper at St Mary’s Cathedral, Aberdeen who has a particular interest in Early Scottish Literature takes a look at a 14th century work, ‘ The Legends of the Saints in the Scottish Dialect’ which provides the fullest account we have of the life of St Machar.
T
he best known work of Early Scots literature is undoubtedly John Barbour’s stirring historical romance the Bruce (c. 1375), which vividly and memorably recounts the life and deeds of Scotland’s hero-king. Yet the Aberdeen Arch-
deacon’s patriotic epic is not the only piece of Scottish vernacular literature to survive from the end of the 14th century, for we also possess Andrew of Wyntoun’s Original Chronicle, a verse history of Scotland from the earliest times to the reign of Robert I, the most neglected of these early works being the Scottish Legends of the Saints. The three works share the same metrical form (octosyllabic couplets) but linguistic scholarship has proven that Barbour is not the author of the Legends, as was once widely assumed. Other evidence, presented by the great Scots scholar Matthew P. McDiarmid, strongly suggests that they were written by one of Barbour’s colleagues at Aberdeen, William of Spyny, but the case is not conclusive. The standard edition of the Legends, and the one used here, is Legends of the Saints in the Scottish Dialect of the Fourteenth Century, ed. W.M. Metcalfe, Scottish Text Society, 3 vols. (Edinburgh,1896). The main source of the Legends of the Saints is Jacobus de Voragine’s Legenda Aurea (the Golden Legend). Voragine was an Italian Dominican who became Archbishop of Genoa in 1292 and his Legenda Aurea was immensely popular across Europe. But the author of
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the Scottish Legends was not simply a translator, as he sometimes used other works and was not afraid to add material of his own. One of the tales in the collection which is not based on an original from Voragine’s Legenda Aurea is that of a saint of our own Diocese, St Machar. In fact the narrative given in the Legends, whatever its limitations may be, is the fullest account we have of St Machar’s life. It would not surprise the author of the Legends to learn that knowledge of St Machar’s life is not widespread in contemporary Scotland; it was the same in his own time: ‘bot in this land we ken hym nocht,/quhare he wondir werkis wrocht’. This surely encourages us to attend to the legend! The son of minor Irish royalty, at baptism Machar received the name of Mocumma. Even as a baby Mocumma was blessed with signs of holiness: ‘he/with angelis wald oft visyt be’; moreover, in a ‘gret ferly’, his mere touch was enough to raise his dead brother to life. The child Mocumma also emerged unscathed from potentially deadly encounters with fire and water. Mocumma grew to be a young man ‘and ay in body as he grew,/he grew in vertu fare Inuch’, and his father sent him to Columba for instruction. Mocumma was an outstanding student who ‘folouyt his mastir in al thing’, and Columba felt ‘ful gret Ioy’ in having such a disciple. So great was Mocumma’s loyalty to his master that he chose to stay with Columba when he left Ireland for Scotland;
St Machar’s Cathedral, the site chosen by St Machar to build his kirk
Icon of the Saints of Britain and Ireland jealousy of Machar’s miracles, the other disciples tried to poison him. He escaped, but Columba, fearing for Machar’s safety, sent him away from Iona, equipped for his own mission (though only after those who had sought his life were reconciled to him). Machar and his companions landed in the north of Scotland, where a rich Christian called Farcare granted him the choice of a piece of land on which to build a church. The grateful Machar chose a site next to a river shaped like ‘a byschopis staf ’, and had his own kirk built there. Machar brought great zeal to his mission to the Picts and his evangelising bore fruit: ‘he/gert mast part of thaim cristnit be’. During this time Machar also wrought many spectacular miracles: ‘for I can nocht the teynd part tell/ of gret ferleis that thru hym fell’. Towards the end of his life, Machar joined Columba on a pilgrimage to Rome. Pope Gregory greeted them ‘Richt tendirly and with gud chere’ and made Machar Bishop of the Picts before giving him the new name of ‘morise [Morice or Mauritius]’. On the return journey, they visited Tours, where Machar was appointed Bishop before Columba returned to Scotland alone. After three and a half years at Tours, Machar died. On his deathbed, surrounded by a heavenly host, he yielded himself to Jesus: ‘In manus tuas, domine,/My saule I gyf ’.
The Scottish Legends of the Saints contains fifty legends marvelling at Mocumma’s devotion, Columba gave him in total and is composed of more than 33,500 lines of a new name: ‘thu sal be callyt machore [Machar],/and verse. Although the work suffers in comparison with that lewe the name thu had before’. of Barbour (a far greater craftsman vigorously retelling a stirring and passionate history), the sincere faith and After Columba and his disciples had established their dedication of the Legends author invite admiration. In community on Iona, Machar was sent to proclaim the any case, we must thank him for remembering St MaGospel on Mull. Before returning to Iona, he had healed char, disciple of Columba and ‘hye patron’ of Aberdeen. seven lepers and evangelised the whole island. Driven by
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Poetic licence
Light of the North
Canon Bill Anderson takes a look at some of his favourite inspirational verse.
T
he following lines were written in the 17th century, but the author is unknown. Using the verses in St Luke’s gospel (ch.23, 39-43) about the penitent thief,the poet offers us an imaginary dialogue. In it, the unnamed questioner wants to discover how it was that the criminal came to recognise Our Lord’s majesty and holiness amid the horror and agony of crucifixion. Throughout, the enquirer seems to suspect that the thief, hitherto doubtless both desperate and devious, must have misled or deceived Jesus in order to merit his pardon. The reply is couched in terms of profound insight and simple faith which cannot but move us. There is lovely material here for Lenten prayer and meditation, as we try to appreciate afresh Our Lord’s tender compassion, and his readiness to forgive the sinner whose sorrow is sincere, quite regardless of time or circumstance. You will notice how several of the words are consonant with the lifestyle of a felon — bold, slipped, trick — and how, with a delicious irony, the “good thief ” assures his interrogator (and us?) that “Heaven may be stol’n again.”
‘Say,bold but blessed thief That in a trice Slipped into paradise, And in plain day Stol’st heaven away, What trick couldst thou invent To compass thy intent? What arms? What charms?’ ‘Love and belief.’ ‘Say, bold but blessed thief, How couldst thou read A crown upon that head? What text, what gloss, A kingdom on a cross? How couldst thou come to spy God in a man to die? What light? What sight?” ‘The sight of grief-
“Today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).
I sight to God his pain; And by that sight I saw the light; Thus did my grief Beget relief. And take this rule from me, Pity thou him, he’ll pity thee. Use this, Ne’er miss, Heaven may be stol’n again.’ “Quote ... Unquote” “He who walking on the sea could calm the bitter waves, who gives life to the dying seeds of the earth; he who was able to loose the mortal chains of death, and after three days’ darkness could bring again to the upper world the brother for his sister Martha: he, I believe, will make Damasus rise again from the dust. -- St. Damasus (from an epitaph written for himself).”
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On a wing and a prayer Father Peter Barry explores the bird life of Scotland and other exotic climes!
date from the 6th century. Much incense, candles, ornate vestments and highly decorated churches everywhere.
Crusading knights, re-fried chips and the richest man in Armenia
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very year a Russian Choir from St Petersburg sings at St Ninian’s. They are considered to be the best of all the touring choirs. The bassoprofundo, Anatoly, is one of only two men in Russia who can hit the lowest notes possible. With his barrel chest and deep voice he is quite a feature of each performance, as he sings a drinking song, and slowly collapses into the arms of the leading sopranos just before his head has hit the ground. Stramgely, he is the only teetotaller in the group! We consider these events as ‘acts of reconciliation’. The horrors done by the Catholic crusading knights who marched over Europe to liberate the ‘holy places’ and raped and plundered on their way, have never been forgotten. Acts of atrocity done to Orthodox communities are remembered from one generation to the next. Please God may these memories fade for our Russian friends.
The trip also gave me a chance to travel further north, through Georgia to Kazbegi, a tiny village two miles south of the Russian border. There I had a home-stay with a family who only spoke Russian. They were very poor, but gave full bed and board for ten dollars. What wasn’t eaten at one meal was simply presented at the next: red cabbage, onions, cold meat, etc. Chips were fried, and what wasn’t finished appeared heated up at the next two meals.
All day the ploughs worked at the snowdrifts
A Visit to Armenia in Easter 2007 put me in contact with some of these Orthodox Christians. Armenia was the first declared Christian State, and some of their churches There was some snow on the ground, so high altitude birds had come down from the mountains, and were feeding in the streets: highly sought after species like the Red-fronted Serin, Great Rosefinch and Wall Creeper fed at my feet in the extreme cold. After two nights I woke for the usual re-fried chips, found that deep snow had fallen during the night, and the local buses could not run to Armenia for my return journey. The snowploughs came out, ancient pieces of machinery, as many people were now stranded. A funeral had taken a large number to Kazbegi, but they also found themselves unable to return home. The Wallcreeper
Next morning the snow was still falling heavily, and feel-
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Light of the North On the way to Yerevan we passed around 20 monasteries. On the approach to the city a group of monks were heading back to their habitation, a tiny building, carrying a few loaves of bread. I’ve rarely seen such happiness on people’s faces. A passenger engaged me in conversation, eager to point out the home of the richest man in Armenia, a Russian who had made his fortune when state industries were sold off. “ He gets all the women he wants,” the man whispered. “ But is he happy,“ I asked. I was told he was only 42, and already had suffered a heart-attack.
I watched the monks, trying hard to keep their feet in the icy conditions, clutching their bread as they made their way to the tiny monastery. Young and old, all bearded and ings of panic set in. I had one more day, only one, to get in sandals, I’m sure every one had a look of joy, a twinkle through to T’bilisi, the capital of Georgia, board a bus to in the eye, that answered my question! The rich man’s resiYerevan, amd fly back for weekend duties. dence looked forbidding ... and lonely All day the ploughs worked at the snowdrifts. I ate soggy chips and realised I had no more local currency. I said the I just made it to the airport. On the way my eye caught Divine Office several times, slept fitfully, and woke to find a view of the holy Mount Ararat, in Iran, and I thanked 30 people like myself, with jobs to attend to and flights every Orthodox saint whose name I could remember: St to catch, waiting anxiously in the square. At 3.00pm that Basil, St Gregory, a host of others through whose interafternoon a path was cleared through the mountains. We cession I was still on the payroll of the Diocese of climbed aboard an ancient bus and slithered through the Aberdeen. snow. The monks clutched their bread as they made their way to the tiny monastery
The sacred art of icon writing
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The Christian icon in a media controlled world t the beginning of 1988 Pope John Paul II wrote an Apostolic letter to the Bishops in which he laid out the importance of icons
today: ‘The re-discovery of the Christian icon will also help in raising the awareness of the urgency of reacting against the de-personalising and at times degrading effects of the many images that condition our lives in advertisements and the media, for it is an image that turns us towards the look of another invisible one and gives us access to the spiritual and eschatological world.’ (Duodecimum Saeculum).
The Pope realised that the icon is an important counter cultural witness - to provide a Christian alternative to images promoting profit, porn and spin. Images bypass the workings of the mind and arouse feelings and passions on a subconscious level: they shape our society, our expectations and our world view, but we largely ignore their power. Having studied advertising graphics at Leeds Polytechnic, I know first hand that anything can be sold - from nose Stud to lifestyle with the right image
A commission from Sancti Angeli Benedictine Skete behind it. The Pope was right to put us on to it. Before that letter, my commissions for icons came largely from the laity and Anglican clergy. After that letter, commissions for icons have come increasingly from Catholic clergy. Icons, although an ancient tradition, appeal to the modern world by
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combining abstraction and the language of light in a way which fits into modern churches. Students and young people respond to them, as I know from commissions for Bristol and Cambridge University chaplaincies. Witness to God made Man When God says, ‘Let us make man in our own image’ (Genesis I v.26) the word used in Greek is ‘icon.’ Throughout the Old Testament period we read of God’s icon becommg defaced in man through sin. God’s throne is an empty seat between two sculptured cherubim (Exodus Ch. 37). We can make images of anything else except God, provided we don’t idolize them. After God was born as man in Bethlehem, we have his self portrait to copy - Jesus, ‘the icon of the invisible God’ (Colossians1 v.15). Not only that but God restores his defaced image in us, and the saints are the first pictures of what we truly look like as children of God.’ During the first centuries of the Church the Christian icon became the banner of Christians who believed Jesus to be God and man (Chalcedon 451 AD). It was so important to them that many died as martyrs. They realised that, when people stopped using icons, it was often a sign that they did not really believe that God had become a real man, and that gradually eroded their belief in the sacraments and the resurrection of the body. After Islam( which accepts Jesus only as a prophet, so does not have icons) came out on top in its first clashes with Christianity, political expediency and religious disillusionment led to bonfires of icons. In the eighth and ninth centuries - long before the Reformation in the west- eastern bishops were exiled, monks and lay people were tortured and killed because they kept icons as a sign of faith that God really did become man. Icons in prayer and cateehesis After these martyrdoms the Church, especially in the east where persecution had been most bitter, developed the theology of the icons and began to design whole cycles of images to witness to the faith. The icon ‘is a part of the liturgy, not of the art world.’ It is the Gospel made visible, so we speak of writing the icon. In the eastern church, icon workshops are a part of both children’s and adult catechesis. Even the technique is developed - like chant - in a special way to show the changes made in our lives by the Gospel. Most important of course are big icons of Our Lord and Our Lady - often larger than life. The top story of the Church became a series of ‘statements’ of the life of Christ, for those who could not make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. By inserting the mysteries of light into the rosary, Pope John Paul re- introduced this cycle into Catholic devotion: perhaps we will now see the icon cycles to match?
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the monks and ascetics known for renouncing the world by the doors, with a lucky dip of all sorts of saints around the walls and apostles at the top end. The church becomes a visual litany. The iconographer as a sacred person Together with the development of the icon as a sacred technique came the formation of the iconographer as a sacred person. Already, in the Old Testament artistic craftsmanship was seen as a gift of the Holy Spirit. Moses tells the Israelites that the Lord has filled Besaleel and Ooliab ‘with the divine spirit’ in order to make what is needed for the tabernacle. In the eastern Church today iconographers recognised by the Church must be known for a morally upright way of life, obediencec to the church’s teaching and follow the liturgical calendar of feasts and fasts, regularly participating in the office and liturgy. Many are monks and nuns - the iconographer in the eastern monastery is as essential a part of the life as the cantor. For myself, the life of a hermit following the rule of St. Benedict and the the labour of writing the icon are two sides of the same vocation.
Students at one of Sr Petra Clare’s workshops display their work It is a hidden life - an apostolate performed in the solitude of the cell - but the fruits of that solitary prayer and manual labour go out to be used by many as part of their prayer life in church and home. I remember, when at school, seeing some of El Greco’s religious paintings in a magazine - and being struck by just how many people had seen, and been inspired by, such paintings in churches and exhibitions. Icons are a homily in paint available to anyone from a cleaner to a bank manager. Making, gifting or commissioning an icon can be a witness to the faith, in your church, for centuries. If you have artistic gifts this may be your way to serve God. Can you dedicate yourself to this hidden apostolate of making ‘something beautiful for God?’
Sister Petra Clare [Benedictine Hermit]
Further information about the Benedictine Skete project, with details of commissioning an icon and The aim is to make the building itself a ‘window’ into of icon courses can be found at: the kingdom of heaven. Around the bottom story www.sanctiangeli.org are the saints who already inhabit the kingdom -
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Light of the North the Father, and that Jesus would be safe under the care of his heavenly Father.
Father Ronald Walls’ Guide for happy young folk
Now - you have read the story - what about trying to copy what Jesus and his disciples did? There must be a hill, even a wee hill, somewhere near where you live, that you could climb. If you are fortunate enough to live in Banchory you have a beautiful hill just beside you – Scolty – and it is the very same shape as Mount Tabor, the one Jesus climbed with Peter and James and John. Get two or three of your friends to go with you, and as you climb up imagine that you are the disciples climbing up Mount Tabor..
Preparing For Easter What is Easter? Easter is what happened to Jesus on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the last week of his life on earth, the week we now call ‘Holy Week’. Every year when Holy Week comes round we go to special services like The Stations of the Cross, to remember what happened to Jesus at Easter and learn what that means for us. That is how we prepare for Easter. But we don’t need to wait until Holy Week to begin preparing for Easter. We can start now, and a good way to start is to find out how Jesus prepared his disciples for the first Easter. How do you think he did that? He took the twelve apostles on a long walk up a beautiful hill called Mount Tabor. The story of this walk is told us on the second Sunday in Lent, and you will find it in St Matthew’s Gospel chapter 17 verses 1-9. Begin now to prepare yourself for Easter by reading that story. Jesus knew that very soon he would go to Jerusalem, where he would die on the Cross; and he could imagine how sad and frightened his twelve special friends would be when that happened. And so he decided to give them a kind of preview of what was going to happen. This would prepare them for the shock of his death, and enable them to keep going for a little longer, for there was more he had to show them, which they couldn’t yet understand. That was why Jesus took his disciples up Mount Tabor before setting off on their last journey to Jerusalem. It was quite a stiff climb up to the top, and Jesus left nine of them near the foot of the mountain. Perhaps they stayed behind and got breakfast ready while Jesus took the three of his closest friends, Peter and James and John, with him right up to the top. When they got there Jesus suddenly changed: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as the light. Then two prophets appeared beside Jesus, talking with him – Moses and Elijah, men who had suffered greatly while they lived and then left this world in a mysterious fashion. What the disciples saw was telling them that something like this would happen to Jesus. The end of this vision of the transfigured Jesus came when a bright cloud covered them with its shadow, and from the cloud there came a voice which said, ‘This is my Son, the beloved, he enjoys my favour, listen to him.’ The disciples knew that this was the voice of God
Mount Tabor in Galilee where Jesus was transfigured You could take a copy of a Missal with you, and when you reach the top read the story of The Transfiguration of Jesus. And there is something else you should do - say a prayer. I hope you all possess a copy of a wee book called A Simple Prayer Book; it is very cheap and published by the C.T.S. In it you will find the prayer that is the very thing to pray when you reach the top of your imaginary Mount Tabor. It is called The Angelus. If there are two or three of you together you can pray the whole prayer; if you are by yourself you can say the last part: Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts, that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ, your Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion and cross be brought to the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord. This is a wonderful prayer, because it reminds us of the whole life of Jesus – his birth, his suffering and death and then his rising from the dead. And that is how we prepare for Easter: we remember the whole of what Jesus, the Son of God, did for us. It would be great if you could make an expedition up a hill every Saturday during Lent, imitating Jesus and the disciples on Mount Tabor, and ending up your walk with The Angelus prayer. We often ask ourselves, ‘What can I do for Lent?’. This would be a very spiritual thing to do, and it would be good exercise - and great fun.
Light of the North
humour
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. Excuse me sir, is this seat saved? ...No, but I’m praying for it. Here are some peculiar calls made to telephone company operators... Caller: I’d like the number of the Scottish knitwear company in Woven. Operator: I can’t find a town called ‘Woven’? Are you sure? Caller: Yes. That’s what it says on the label-”Woven in Scotland.” Caller: I’d like the RSPCA please. Operator: Where are you calling from? Caller: The living room. Caller: The water board please. Operator: Which department? Caller: Tap water Caller: I’d like the number for a Reverend in Cardiff, please. Operator: Do you have his name? Caller: No, but he has a dog named Ben. Caller: The Union of Shopkeepers and Alligators please. Operator: You mean the Amalgamated Union of Shopkeepers? Caller: Er, yes. About as good as you can get! An old highland woman was doing her best to live a virtuous life. She indulged in frequent study and reading of the scriptures, partaking of the sacraments, and prayer. She made her way to the Sacrament of Reconciliation one Christmas Eve, through the snow and the cold, entering the old Chapel her ancestors had frequented for many centuries. Upon sitting in the confessional to examine her conscience she came to the conclusion that she didn’t have any mortal sins to confess, indeed her mind went blank just as her Priest started... “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.....” Silence. “Yes my dear” prompted the priest.
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“Well....I’m not...err..I’m not...” “Go on my dear, I’m listening.....” “Well Father, I’m not sure....I’m not really sure that I’ve committed any sins since my last confession” “ Oh!?” replied the Priest, “Hail Mary full of Grace! Forgive me Our Blessed Lady for my not having recognised your voice!!” A big, burly man visited the clergy house and asked to see the priest, a man well known for his charitable impulses. “Father,” he said in a broken voice, “I wish to draw your attention to the terrible plight of a poor family in this district. The father of the family is dead, the mother is too ill to work, and the nine children are starving. They are about to be turned into the cold, empty streets unless someone pays their rent, which amounts to £500.00.” “How terrible!” exclaimed the priest. “May I ask who you are?” They sympathetic visitor applied his handkerchief to his eyes. “I’m the landlord,” he sobbed.
Cockahoop A priest was invited by a member of his parish to their Scottish farmhouse for dinner. They had just finished an excellent meal (chicken and dumplings) when the priest saw a rooster strutting through the farm-yard. “That’s certainly a proud-looking rooster,” the priest commented. “Yes, sir,” replied the farmer. “He has reason to be proud: one of his sons just entered the priesthood!” Confidence is what you feel when you do not really understand the situation. Occupational Therapy Did you hear about the man in Germany who recently (within the past few years) went to his priest to confess a sin and seek guidance? “I have a sin to confess,” he said, sobbing. “During World War II, I hid a refugee in my attic.” “Well,” the priest replied, “that’s not a sin.” “But,” the man admitted, “I made him pay rent.” “That wasn’t very nice,” the priest said, “but you put yourself at risk.” “Do you really think so? Oh, thank you, father. Your confidence eases my conscience greatly,” the man said. “But I have one more question.” “What is it?” “Do you think I have to tell him the war is over?”
If at first you don’t succeed, destroy all the evidence that you tried.
Crossword
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Light of the North 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, Aberdeen AB10 1SH. First correct entry drawn out of the hat is the winner.
E=MA2
2 E=MB E=MC2 Crossword
Franc Kaminski’s Brain Teaser
6
Solve the pairs of clues to generate a spare letter. Arrange the letters to find a word ( sometimes written as two words) which is something often urged on Christians during Lent along with its two companion acts of religion. a i) large church/cathedral _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ii) clergyman; head of government department _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ b i) definite article _ _ _ ii) accusative/dative of 3rd person plural pronoun _ _ _ _
c i) respected deeply, venerated _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ii) clergyman’s title _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ d i) offspring of Uranus and Gaea _ _ _ _ _ ii) Italian Renaissance painter _ _ _ _ _ _ e i) thick soup _ _ _ _ _ _ ii) charge for delivering mail _ _ _ _ _ _ _ f i) The ___ of Christ by Thomas a Kempis _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ii) restriction _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ g i) permits _ _ _ _ _ _ ii) apparatus for hanging _ _ _ _ _ _ _ h i) city in northern Germany (English spelling) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ii) morning after the night before _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ i i) female deer _ _ _ ii) avian symbol of peace _ _ _ _ j i) making a mistake; straying _ _ _ _ _ _ ii) item of jewellery _ _ _ _ _ _ _
The solution for the puzzle in the last issue was as follows: PUZZLE ONE: hEart, Swine, choicesT, radiCal, shoUt, L; PUZZLE TWO: lEather, divideNd, hugE, diCe, thoughT, pLeasant, coMma; PUZZLE THREE: coNvert, drawLing, forUm, sImile, reSign. MEA CULPA: I might have claimed that it was a deliberate mistake; or I might have suggested that at the time of the approach of Christmas ‘no L’ was appropriate, but I won’t do that. I’m sorry if this oversight spoiled your enjoyment of the puzzle, or if it added greatly to your frustration. I comfort myself with the thought that if you solved the rest of the clues you would have realised that there was a letter missing and supplied it yourself. The letters in PUZZLE ONE should have guided you to CLETUS; PUZZLE TWO: CLEMENT; PUZZLE THREE: LINUS. The correct order would be LINUS, CLETUS, CLEMENT. I intended the next name in sequence to be EVARISTUS (as the next pope), but SIXTUS is also correct as the next in sequence in the first Eucharistic Prayer.
Across: 4. Anniversary of the crucifixion. (6) 7. Feast of the resurrection of Christ. (6) 8. Eastern church. (8) 9. Vivacity. (4) 10. Remove errors from a text. (5) 12. To fall slowly downwards. (4) 18. A mountain east of Jerusalem (6) 19. Monday given to the poor on the Thursday before Easter. (6) 20. Periods of 24 hours. (4) 23. Number of Lenten days before Easter. (5) 27. Easter chocolate gifts. (4) 28. Roman Emperor. (8) 29. To place in a tomb. (6) 30. A state of intense fear. (6) Down: 1.Altar for Eucharist. (5) 2.The devil tempted Christ to make this into Last issue’s solution Across: Across 1. Tridentine; 6. awe; 7. Rahab; 9. once; 10. Amos; 11. iota; 13. opal; 17. magus; 18. eon; 19. Franciscan.
bread. (5) 3. Words added to amplify the text of the Mass. (5) 4. Christ was ...in Jerusalem. (5) 5. Metals used largely for tools. (5) 6. Tree grows from one of these. (5) 11. Piously humble. (4) 13. St Columba landed here. (4) 14. Presented to Peter. (4) 15. Friday before Easter. (4) 16. Very small. (4) 17. Abstinence from food. (4) 21. To get up from the dead. (5) 23. Member of a religious order. (5) 24. At Easter, Christ the Lord is ...(5) 25. Irish poet and dramatist. (5) 26. A bird somewhat allied to the crane, inhabiting tropical America. (5)
Down: 1. triforium; 2. Isaac; 3. Eden; 4. Tyre; 5. Nahum; 8. basilican; 12. tiger; 14. panic; 15. a Son; 16. Levi.
Congratulations to our last competition winner, J. Clarke from Nairn
Rome
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Sister Janet Fearns FMDM works with the English Programme of Vatican Radio. She also has her own website called Pause for Prayer : http://pauseforprayer.blogspot.com
What is the most loving thing to do?
O
ne day, as I drove through a small Nigerian town, a man on a bicycle blocked half of the road. Intending to repair the roof of his house, the cyclist had tied a large bundle of grass to the bicycle. The long grass effectively prevented other road users from passing him. This was a poor man who did not know poverty. In his own eyes, he was very comfortable and had all that he needed to live. His standard of living was identical to that of all his neighbours. He had a house and the grass he needed for its roof. He had a bicycle. He was content with his life. This man was only poor in the eyes of those who thought he needed a tin roof on his house, running water, electricity, a vehicle to carry his load and so on. Some years ago, when I was living in Zambia, we experienced a period when the electricity supply was more than usually unreliable. This caused great problems for the hospital. It was difficult to keep vaccines and blood supplies at the correct temperature. It was hard to schedule surgical procedures. As a midwife, I found the greatest anxiety for me personally was in the labour ward, especially during the night. Bringing babies into the world by candle and torchlight was not always easy or desirable. One of the nurses turned to me, saying that he wished he’d never had the experience of electricity. He hadn’t known what it was to be dependent on electricity in the village. He’d happily used candles and, when he had batteries, his torch. Having experienced electricity, he knew what he was missing when there was a power cut. He knew that his work was made more difficult because of circumstances he could not control. He experienced a new type of helplessness: he was poor and knew his poverty.
These two incidents highlight the main problem of Development projects. When should people be left on their own, solving their own problems according to their own traditional methods? When should outsiders step in and challenge those people to a new way of looking at life and new ways of solving their difficulties? Should villagers walk long distances every day in search of food and water, or should they be provided with a well? Should parents expect their children to die because of such diseases as measles or polio, or should the children be vaccinated at an early age and, as a result, live normal lives? There are times when the answer seems pretty clear. Of course a village should have a well where people can have easy access to water. Of course children should be vaccinated. These are interventions that are difficult to challenge. What happens when the questions do not have such ready answers? We were left one Commandment that could solve many issues in today’s society: to love one another as a loving God has loved us. Often, if I were to ask ‘What is the most loving thing to do?’ our answer, our way ahead would be clear. There could be an end to corruption, greed, theft and misappropriation of resources. We would find generosity, consideration, compassion and understanding. Love’s progress is unstoppable. True Development asks, “What is the most loving thing to do?” Interestingly, God asks that question before we do. What reply do we make? During Lent, when we are asked to go that one step further than usual, what is the most loving thing that I can do that will bring me, bring others, closer to understanding the meaning of a love so great that it could hang on a Cross?
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Light of the North
Parish Catechists Parish Catechists Parish Catechists News from the Parish Catechists Course
having not one but three trained catechists! Well done to Marlene Atkinson, Janey Oates and Anne MacIn 2007 six students received their their Catechist’s Dougall. Their positive attitude and commitment is a Certificates after having completed two years of blessing for their parish. And finally, Ann Cummings from St Anne’s in Thurso study. Two ladies from outwith our diocese were among has also completed the course. those who graduated. Susie Seed from Castle Douglas in Kirkcudbrightshire managed to attend most of Well done to you all and may you have many happy the study days despite all the travelling involved. The years of catechesis ahead of you. other lady, Cordelia Francis, hails from Greenock and, as you may remember, expressed her thoughts about the course in the last issue of the Light of the North. C.F. M.A. A.M. A.C. J.O. s.s St Ninian’s in Inverness can be congratulated for now
Top ten resources from the Ogilvie Institute 1
Discerning and Responding to God’s Presence in our Lives (Ogilvie Lenten Resource)
6
Pope Benedict XVI writing as Cardinal Ratzinger, A New Song for the Lord
2
The Story of Bernadette told for Children (DVD)
7
Maria Tarnawska, Saint Sister Faustina
3
Guilt-Free Parenting (video)
8
John Bradbourne, Songs of a Vagabond
4
John Redford, Bad, Mad or God
9
Philip Zaleski , Carol Zaleski, Prayer: A History
5
Scotland’s Catholic Heritage (DVD)
10
Gerald Vann, Heart of Compassion: The Vocation of Woman Today
MARYVALE COURSES OFFERED IN SCOTLAND
OGILVIE WORKSHOPS
Certificate for Parish Catechists Studies in the Catholic Catechism Listening to the Word BA in Applied Theology Diploma in Evangelisation and Ministry Art Beauty & Inspiration in a Catholic Perspective
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
If you would like further information on any of the above courses contact the Ogilvie Institute, 16 Huntly Street, ABERDEEN AB10 1SH, Tel 01224 638675, Email: director@ogilvie.ac.uk Director: Deacon Tony Schmitz Courses Coordinator: Mary Nelson
Have you seen the Ogilvie Institute’s new website? Just go to www.ogilvie.ac.uk to learn about all the great courses and workshops on offer, such as the ‘Listening to the Word’ scripture course or the ‘Parish Catechists’ course. You can also find out about forthcoming events, and you will have complete access to the Ogilvie Library.