Benedict wakes us up

Well, there we were, all wending our way through life, when Pope Benedict suddenly dropped a bombshell. When I heard the news I'm afraid my first thoughts were back to my Canon Law studies in the 80s (how sad is that?), when the obscure canon (law) was dismissed with a flick of the hand "Well, that would just cause too many problems..." The offending rule in the Book of Rules states "Should it happen that the Roman Pontiff resigns from his office, it is required for validity that the resignation be freely made and properly manifested, but it is not necessary that it be accepted by anyone." (c.332/2 Code of Canon Law 1983).

Nevertheless, here we are. On Thursday evening Joseph Ratzinger will cease to be Bishop of Rome, and therefore Pope. And so we enter relatively uncharted waters... Their eminences will gather and eventually enter conclave (Latin = "with a key") and stay there until they have it in the bag. and the white smoke can float out into the Roman air.

Many people have as it were sympathised with him - he is 85, after all, and it has caused some of us to ponder how difficult it must have been for him to assume the mantle at 78 in the first place...  

Their Eminences now have a task which can truly be called awesome. Will they look to Africa, perhaps to Cardinal Turkson from Ghana, or maybe to North America, to Canada's Cardinal Ouellet (one of Fr M's Tips), or will they kick for papal touch and go back to Italy, perhaps to Cardinal Scola of Milan. The Pope is Bishop of Rome, don't forget. Maybe they will be a little more adventurous and go Filipino and younger - to Cardinal Tagle of Manila? In a word, who knows... It just amazes me that the whole thing is hoped to be concluded in time for the Holy Week liturgy, from resignation to installation in about six weeks... For a church which thinks in centuries, we can sure move when we want to! I hope they don't pick the one in this photo... (but  PS see comment below!)

Let us pray for Benedict, for the cardinals and for "X"!

PPS When i Googled "cardinals" the first image of their Eminences was only after 240 pics of birds and American sportsmen... good for their humility!

A nice cappuccino

Fr T and I often go out for a pub lunch on a Saturday. I'm afraid neither of us is much cop in the kitchen, so the Three Arches, the Ty-Glas, the Ffynnon Wen and the Nine Giants regularly profit from us. We are experts in the various 2-for-1 or 2-for £10 deals around. In the ones that don't do these deals, the meals are cheaper anyway - oh, yes, you can't fool the clergy on matters combining food and money! Last Saturday we helped out in a neighbouring parish at their First Reconciliation and popped into the local Harvesters, where we were told that we could expect at least 20 minutes' wait, so we tried another local that hadn't welcomed us before, only to find a mere handful of people in what I would have to describe as rather drab surroundings. My steak and ale pie was fair enough, but it would have been nice to have a pastry top nicely browned instead of sickly yellow... I won't embarrass anyone by naming the hostelry - partly because I was from time to time seen in there in my pre-priesthood days when it was buzzing. Nostalgia can excuse a lot.

Now, Fr M has been seen also from time to time in coffee shops, and I got round this week to trying a post-Mass cappuccino with some parishioners at Coffee Plus in Rhyd-y-penau Road. And very pleasant it was too. It's been well converted from its previous incarnation as a store. My coffee was good, toasted tea-cake good (but not as nice as Sainsbury's), and things went swimmingly once we had established that the boss's family came from one of my previous parishes. We were there at 10.20ish, and by the time we left it was packed. Good sign, good place. Fr M approves.

Today's Gospel for 2013

Doing the Dusting

As I place ashes on the head of people on Ash Wednesday, the Church gives me a choice of two sets of words. I can say “Repent, and believe the Gospel” – which is indeed a concise summary of what Lent is about. Or I can use the traditional formula “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” That’s the one I usually choose.

I love the down-to-earthness of our religion. Jesus told us to use things like bread, wine, oil and water in our faith lives. He would fill these mundane things with spiritual power, and even with his own Presence. Yet sometimes in our worship we recoil from using language that is seen to be too earthy.

“Remember you are dust…” The words come from Genesis 3:19, and the ceremony of ashes finds its roots in the ancient tradition in the Middle East of the throwing of ashes over our heads to signify repentance before God. I like the idea of reminding ourselves of our humble origins and dependence on God. Ashes bring us down to earth.

The ashes are put on in the form of a Cross, and so we are launched on the way of Lent. This way will lead us to Calvary, and there we leave ourselves at the foot of the Cross of Jesus. In his dying breaths he cries out over us, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do” – and we hope that the “they” includes you and me…

And because it does include us, we will then journey on past Calvary through an empty tomb in a garden. The Father lifts up His Son, and on his shirt-tails, as it were, we hope we can hang. New life, new hope, are possible for the sinner - and life eternal beckons.

Eventually we will arrive at the Fire of Pentecost, when we once again remember that the same God who made us and redeemed us, also wants to literally fire us up. We are whipped into new liveliness by the winds of God. We are reconstructed by the fire of the Holy Spirit.  And so the journey that will start this Wednesday in ashes, symbol of ending, of finality and destruction, will lead us to bathe once more in the warming, inspiring and purifying flames of the love of God.

Crossroads of the past

Well, I admit it, a few years ago I joined Facebook. There, I've said it!

Now, one of my favourite things on there is "Remember Old Cardiff". This was just started by some chap putting some pics of Cardiff past on there - and now it's followed by thousands, and you can just send him your own pics.

Well I was taken aback a few days ago when I saw a picture of somewhere very close to where I grew up. In the old days - yeah, even before Eastern Avenue was built in 1971 - there was a crossroads at the top of Penylan Hill, where Penylan Road met Cyncoed Road, Waterloo Road and Llwynygrant Road. When the new A48 was built, the crossroads disappeared, to be replaced by a bridge joining Penylan Road to Cyncoed Road. The pic shows this, with houses in Cyncoed Road ready for demolition.

I suppose I haven't seen this view for over forty years, and it took me back in a flash. Just another crossroads to most - but such a familiar sight to me...

The Child Who Was Never Born

I recently came across this striking and powerful image of a sculpture called "The Child Who Was Never Born". It was commissioned by a group of young mothers in Slovakia. The mother, in stone, weeps while the child, in crystal, gently lays a hand on her head. It was inaugurated in the presence of the Slovak Minister of Health. Take a few moments to sit with it...
Memorial For Unborn Children, 2010, Martin Hudáček, Slovakia

New Year videos

A while ago I posted a video from "Outside da Box", a company working in collaboration with the diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in America.   Turns out they do a lot, and so here are two more.

The first one is called "Evidence". It has caused a stir in some quarters in the US. It develops the well-known saying, "If you were arrested for being Catholic, would there be enough evidence to convict you?"  I think it's very good - challenging and well-made, like all the company's videos.  You can find it here.
The second one is food for thought as we pull away from the Christmas season. It also asks some questions - a bit cheesy, especially the end maybe, but the quizzical look on the boy's face I enjoyed. Here is the second video "Joy Story".  
The company have loads more, so why not have a browse?

Pondering

So Christmas went well in our 3 Churches - I think!  I managed to get away for a few nights to see my family, which was great.   And now a new year - St Luke tells us that Mary was pondering everything in her heart after the shepherds left. 
Maybe she was not the only one.... Here is the meditation I wrote for our Carol Service.

NATIVITY

Take your rest now, my beloved Mary, take your rest.

I will hold your baby – our baby – safe in my arms here  

in the dark of the night.

It only seems yesterday

that you told me your news back home in Nazareth

How can I tell you how sorry I am that I...?

I will never ever leave you again.      

I will look after you

both

until my dying day

I promise you, Mary

Why has God done this, my darling?

Why has he chosen us?   

I know why you...

but why me?

Look at Him, cradled in my arms.

So beautiful, so wonderful.  

So innocent.

How can it be that this little one is so...   

How can Emmanu-el  

God-with-us

Be...

with...

us?

I’m sorry that this had to happen far from Nazareth

It’s my fault, I know. 

My ancestor David -

maybe it’s his fault really.

I’m so sorry that we couldn’t find a room

and the little one arrived here of all places,

with the animals.  

Look at the stars,

oh light of my life,

shining on us tonight.

Can it be that this little fellow

had something to do with all

this? 

Look at that big star in the east.

I’ve never noticed that before

so beautiful...

And everything is still, nothing to disturb you

except a few voices far away.

Listen, Mary,

I think it’s some of the shepherds from the hillsides.

What can they be doing in the village at this time of night?

Can it be, my Mary, that

here

tonight

God has come to us

has come among us

OUR baby? 

Have the heavens up there met the earth below

Has the Lord come to meet His people

our baby? 

How can the Lord who needs nothing

now rest in my calloused carpenter’s hands

and need my poor love and care?

Rest now, Mary,

because we don’t know what lies ahead.

But I’ll get you home as soon as I can,

you and the baby.

Let me sit down here beside you,

put my arm around you,

and together we will look after this new little life.

Take your rest, my darling wife

take your rest my two precious loves.

I am here

I will look after you

both.

Pics n vids

Just flicking through Facebook and had a laugh at this.

Looked further and I found 2 Youtubes of our 3 Churches Carol Service on Wednesday. Done on a phone or camera, the quality is as expected, but I hope you can get a sense of the evening at St Paul's regarding the involvement of young people. This is one of our pastoral priorities at the moment, and more about it later. I will also post the meditation I wrote for the Service.

Meanwhile, find the videos here  (Angels we have heard on high) and here (the Virgin Mary had a baby boy).

With thanks to Sara and Bernardine

Little scenes

I popped in town this morning to do my (minimal) Christmas shopping. My brother and sister's Christmas just would not be the same without their Thorntons box. Well, so they tell me! Did a few other bits n pieces, including the CTS next to our Cathedral.Coffee time, and Debenhams seemed the closest, so I ascended to the 2nd floor. Cafe had had a facelift, and I joined the queue of busy busy shoppers. I was very very impressed by the lady who was doing the lattes, capuccinos etc etc at superfast speed and with consummate efficiency, taking the next order as she was completing the previous one. So when she handed me my mug I said "Thank you - you're doing very well!" Her face lit up as she broke into a lovely smile at an unexpected little compliment. It made my day, and maybe hers too! 

When I sat down, i was joined at the next table by a young mum, and her little boy in a buggy. Te little lad semed anxious to have a nap, but mum's schedule said it was tiem to feed him. So each time his little eyes drooped, he sensed a spoon at his lips and his mouth automatically opened. Eventually he lapsed into a blissful doze, mum finished her coffee and off they went, both contented.

Just a couple of human moments from the cafe at Debenhams - and reminders that Christmas is about God joining us, not just in our big dramas, but also in our little scenes too. How many lives did he light up with a smile or a word? And what an amazing thought that people must have watched another baby being fed by his mother - little realising that here was God being nourished by his own creation.

Many thanks to Marie for sending me this link to a brilliant adaptation of Queen's famous song :"Bethlehemian Rhapsody"   Fr M fully approves. (pics are from the video)

Advent in 2 minutes

Last year folks seemed to like the very good little video "Advent in 2 Minutes", so to see it click here.

God-who-comes

I've been taking a bit of a break from the old blog. Lot of work on at the moment, run-up to Christmas etc. Anyway a few folks said nice things about my homilies these 2 Sundays of Advent, so I thought I'd try to put something about them on here.

Advent is a particularly Christian concept - the God-who-comes. At Christmas we are celebrating, looking back to the First Coming of Jesus, his first Advent. But the liturgy of the First Sunday of Advent also points us to His second coming - at the end of time, that mysterious point to which we are all headed. So we are caught between the "already" and the "not yet", suspended as it were on the tightrope of the present.

As we journey from the one to the other, God's graciousness enables us to experience many "mini-Advents" - to keep us going, as it were.  When the Word of God takes flesh in our hearts and lives - that is Advent. When we commune with the Lord in our quiet moments - if we can find them in this busy season - his coming to us is a mini-Advent. Of course, in the Eucharist we are particularly close to the One-who-comes. At the altar steps we reach out for the one Jesus, our Holy Communion is a sublime personal Adventing of the Lord to us.

But we can also experience Jesus coming to us through other people. That unexpected smile or good deed, that unsolicited phone call from a friend or love done. That apparently random caring gesture from a  complete stranger - these are surely often telling us of the presence of Jesus in and through other people.

This brings us to a question, or maybe a challenge for Advent. If others can bring Advent to me... to whom can I bring Advent this year? Advent, like Christmas, is really about giving as well as receiving. So, into whose life do I have the possibility of bringing the presence of Jesus? For whom can I be Advent?

Decorating pt 2

So the decorating of St B's has reached its last week. I think that the plan to have four shades of green has produced something very special and interesting. The last and deepest of the four shades was put on today, to the main wall behind the altar.  Earlier in the week, after years of thought and uncertainty, I decided to remove the altar rails - and I think that it's going to be a great success. It has created a great feeling of space, and we intend to have a new lectern made to take up a position further forward in the sanctuary than the present one has been.

There has been some fall-out. Some are not keen on the colours, others object to the removal of the rails. It has not been an easy decision for me, and I decided not to do a whole parish taking of opinion. I would like to think that I am hardly the most authoritarian of parish priests, and so when some have accused me of steam rollering, it hurts a bit. However, when people see how much prominence the altar now gets at the top of its sweep of steps, and thrown into relief by the wall behind it, I hope they will be won over.

Meanwhile I gave the first of my projected monthly talks for the Year of Faith entitled "Meeting the Master".  I think it went well...

Decorating St Brigid's

Several years ago, St Brigid's and St Paul's Parish submitted a plan for the upkeep and development of its buildings.  St Paul's Church had already been decorated in 2005, and following the acceptance by the Finance Committee and Trustees of the Archdiocese of the plan, work commenced. In the Presbytery the central heating system and the utility room were replaced, and the the interior of the house decorated. Next the exterior of both the Church and the Presbytery was tackled. That left the interior of the Church - and at last we have received permission to go ahead with that. In fact we are now two weeks into the job.

From the parish point of view, general support for the job was given by the Parish Council, while members of the Finance and Maintenance Group have been involved in a more hands-on way. First we had to put out to tender, then receive agreement from the diocese to spend the money.

Then comes the exciting - and potentially challenging - part, choosing colours and what other adjustments to make in the light of the condition of furnishings and developments in liturgy since the church was built almost 50 years ago. We decided to consult two architects living in the parish....    

A quiet night in Llandough

Several people commented on this piece that I wrote for our newsletter, so I thought I'd post it here too.
It’s exactly twenty years since my father died. He’d had an infection in his heart valve earlier in the year, but struggled on in his weakened state to celebrate with my mum their Golden Wedding in October. Then, quietly in his sleep one night in Llandough Hospital, he let go.

We’d been in to see him the previous afternoon. I remember turning to wave at him from the ward door, Somehow it felt what it turned out to be - the last goodbye. And so my family entered that dream-world that envelopes you when you are bereaved, especially in that gap, surely too long in Britain, between a death and the funeral.

Dad had become Catholic after 32 years of marriage back in the 70s, and so they enjoyed sharing religion as they shared everything else for his last 20 years. I came over to St Paul’s to celebrate his Requiem, as I did nine years later for Mum. Some priests ask the parish priest to carry out this role, but I felt that, well a priest is what I am, and it’s as priest and son that I can do this for him. Somehow the order of the Requiem Mass handles all we want to say, and as a priest it carried me along on that difficult day in 1992.

Nowadays, some people who remember my dad tell me that I am becoming more and more like him. I take that as a great compliment. Our loved ones live on in different ways, not least in us, whether as a family member or friend, or just somebody we met.

This month, I ask God to hold my parents in the palm of his hands, and enfold them in his love. I’m sure you will be doing something similar. As the second reading on All Saints reminded us: “what we are to be in the future is unknown; all we know is, that we shall be like Him and we shall see Him as he really is”.

November – month of the Holy Souls.

Eternal rest grant to them, Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.

Scorpion alert

It's interesting to watch another large and respected organization - the BBC - struggle to come to terms with child abuse in its midst.  So much of what has emerged in recent weeks has echoes of the Catholic Church handling these matters - or not handling them...

 When I was faced with many of the issues back in 1997 and the following years, I came to realise how powerful denial is, for individuals, but even more for systems and organizations. To admit that you've been "had" is a mountain for directors, editors, governors, priests, bishops, and indeed most of us, a mountain that some seem unable to climb or get over. The revealing of shocking facts about your own Corporation - or Church - I felt was like coming to realise that the scorpion was crawling out from under your own stone. However, it must come out, the boils must be lanced, or as Jesus said "The truth will set you free" (John 8:32).

Things seem to have gone quieter nowadays in Britain on the question of abuse and the handling of it by the Church. It erupted of course in Ireland, and has had an enormous effect on the Church there by all accounts.

How strange that the BBC is now facing all this in its own backyard. Back in 1998 I sometimes upset people by thanking the media for bringing it all out - otherwise it could have gone on. I came to the conclusion that the Lord will have a humble Church. If we do not do it ourselves, he will allow others to do it. 

The seeker sought

So we've started the Year of Faith. I attended the talk in our Cathedral on the special day, 11th October, anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, given by Fr Stephen Wang. I'm a fan of his blog, "Bridges and Tangents", and he didn't disappoint. Very clear, he developed themes from Pope Benedict's letter for the Year. It's the image of Christ crashing through the roof of the chapel at Allen Hall seminary, where he teaches, that stays in my mind. You can find the text of that part of his talk in his current posting for 19th October.

In our deanery we are compiling a list of events for the Year of Faith. Colleague Fr Garteh Leyshon at St John Lloyd's parish is giving a series of ten talks entitled "Catholic Roots : Why we believe what we believe". There will be one each month through to July. By some strange coincidence, just as the Year begins, our deanery has floundered in its efforts to plan for the future in the city parishes. The project "Facing the Future" has been going for several years, but seems to have reached something of an impasse.

Against this background I have been wondering how I can make some contribution to the Year of Faith. I have been homing in on a project that bears a distinct resemblance to that of Fr Gareth - but a different topic. I would like to lead a series of monthly reflections on Gospel passages. How can my faith make that journey from the head to the heart? Each talk will describe an encounter between Jesus and an individual, and the plan is to call it "Meeting the Master." I hope to start in November and run through as far as I can right until the end of the Year next autumn.

My idea is to try and join together our faith and our life by watching how Jesus did it in the lives of those he met. Meeting Jesus made a difference - it did then and it does now.  So, how and where might we meet him?  And what might happen if I do meet him?...  We would hold it in church, give a talk about the passage, a brief time maybe for sharing, then a time of prayer to absorb and reflect. Perhaps we could finish with a cup of tea in the hall.

Meanwhile, I picked up this short film on another good blog, "Da Mihi Animas" called "The Pursuit". It's based on the beautiful 19th century poem "The Hound of Heaven" by Francis Thompson, a favourite of my mother. The film seems to have been sponsored by the diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in West Virginia - very enterprising. Watch out for the dark figure on the stairs at the beginning...

You can get the text here, and hear Richard Burton reading it in the video below. To get both together you could open a second window.