The other night we had a Holy Hour for vocations to the diocesan priesthood, and for the conversion of England. It seems Michael had became fed up with the state of things ('Everyone's up and joining these religious orders, so we've got to be radical!'), so he advertised the Holy Hour for 2-3 am. However, most of the seminarians assumed it was meant to be 2-3 PM! Quite a few seminarians came nonetheless which was very encouraging. Please continue to pray for the diocesan priesthood in England and Wales, that young men will consider this call seriously, and that we will be true and courageous servants of the Gospel.
I have been reading Lumen Gentium for one of my courses, and it has a beautiful reference to the Church's ministries:
'[Christ] continually provides in his body, that is, in the Church, for gifts of ministries through which, by his power, we serve each other unto salvation so that, carrying out the truth in love, we may through all things grow unto him who is our head.' LG 1, 7
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Monday, 8 September 2008
Facsimile of the Shroud
Happy Feast Day of Our Lady's birth! This marks the 4th day of our return to seminary. On Saturday we went to see one of four life-size facsimiles of the Shroud of Turin, which is on display in an Anglican church in Little Aston. It was bought for the vicar's wife by a friend off Ebay, of all places! I went along, fairly indifferently I must admit, as I had already seen the Shroud in Turin some years ago and was never incredibly struck by subsequent pictures I had seen of it.
But the afternoon was a very wothwhile experience, largely because of the way the presentation was laid out. On first walking in we were confronted with the negative of the Shroud, which shows up much more clearly the scars and blood stains than the actual shroud does, and accompanied with this was scientific evidence of the shroud's credibility, as well as quotes from the Scriptures that set the scene and turned the display into a meditation on the Passion. All the seminarians that came were visibly awed by what they saw and read. At the end of the display was the facsimile itself. I thought particularly poignant a piece of artwork which depicted the Cross, composed of the words of Psalm 22 ('All who see me mock at me,/ They make mouths at me, they wag their heads').
This visit grounded my own visit to Baddesley Clinton the day before, a Catholic manor in Warwickshire where Jesuit priests hid during the Reformation. On at least one occassion they were forced to use its priest holes to escape the spontaneous search of Queen Elizabeth's priest hunters. I guess the priestly vocation, lived well, will always be open to public humiliation and even persecution. It is well for us to remember that while living relatively comfortably in seminary!
But the afternoon was a very wothwhile experience, largely because of the way the presentation was laid out. On first walking in we were confronted with the negative of the Shroud, which shows up much more clearly the scars and blood stains than the actual shroud does, and accompanied with this was scientific evidence of the shroud's credibility, as well as quotes from the Scriptures that set the scene and turned the display into a meditation on the Passion. All the seminarians that came were visibly awed by what they saw and read. At the end of the display was the facsimile itself. I thought particularly poignant a piece of artwork which depicted the Cross, composed of the words of Psalm 22 ('All who see me mock at me,/ They make mouths at me, they wag their heads').
This visit grounded my own visit to Baddesley Clinton the day before, a Catholic manor in Warwickshire where Jesuit priests hid during the Reformation. On at least one occassion they were forced to use its priest holes to escape the spontaneous search of Queen Elizabeth's priest hunters. I guess the priestly vocation, lived well, will always be open to public humiliation and even persecution. It is well for us to remember that while living relatively comfortably in seminary!
Saturday, 30 August 2008
Holy Oils!
Well, I've finished my pastoral placement in Peterborough and have found it a very useful experience. No two days were the same, and I was introduced to everything from prison chaplaincy to parish finances. I even had occassion to learn what happens when Holy Oils are accidentally spilled. Not the sort of things that are on the first year course at Oscott. The parishioners made me feel very welcome, as did the clergy, who make up a merry bunch in the presbytery. They were even good-humoured about the Summer Pudding I tried to make, and mercifully didn't include culinary ability in their assessment. Now I am looking forward to the 2nd year at Oscott starting on September 5th.
On top of that I'm still reading Abbe Trochu's famous biography of St Jean Vianney, which is very inspiring reading as a seminarian. To think that he was given such a small, indifferent parish, and yet worked for forty years as if he would not live another day. I have just read one of the many incidents in which he falls sick, due to the labours of his ministry and his severe personal discipline. When the doctors were crowded round his bed he had the humour to jest:
'I am keeping up a great fight at the present moment.'
'Eh?' said the doctors, 'and against whom, M. le Cure?'
'Against four doctors,' he replied, 'Should a fifth join them, I am lost!'
On top of that I'm still reading Abbe Trochu's famous biography of St Jean Vianney, which is very inspiring reading as a seminarian. To think that he was given such a small, indifferent parish, and yet worked for forty years as if he would not live another day. I have just read one of the many incidents in which he falls sick, due to the labours of his ministry and his severe personal discipline. When the doctors were crowded round his bed he had the humour to jest:
'I am keeping up a great fight at the present moment.'
'Eh?' said the doctors, 'and against whom, M. le Cure?'
'Against four doctors,' he replied, 'Should a fifth join them, I am lost!'
Sunday, 24 August 2008
Day in Walsingham
Yesterday I went to Walsingham for one of the days of the Youth 2000 retreat there. It's often a good place to replace my spiritual batteries and remember what I'm at seminary for! I took a few people from my placement parish, one of whom was a young Italian sister who does not often have a chance to meet young religious in our rural parts... In the morning we heard a talk from Abbot Christopher Jameson from Worth Abbey (of BBC 'The Monastery' fame) who gave a talk on prayer, particularly from a monastic perspective. He started off saying how many people claim to be tone deaf as an excuse for not singing, though the excuse is not at all true, as human speech relies on and is understood by tone. Similarly, many Britain claims to be 'tone deaf' to spirituality, even if they believe in some form of God. He suggested that, as with singing, we need to recover a culture of prayer which once flourished in Britain, at home, in church, in public communities, etc. I wonder if this will encourage praying in the shower?
There were much fewer people attending this retreat than in previous years, perhaps because it is post-World Youth Day. But actually, that suited the small shrine nicely. As Fr. Stephen Wang said in his homily for the Mass at the shrine, Walsingham is not about recurring apparitions, or an explicit message to the world, but a small wooden hut which was built to resemble the Holy house of Nazareth, where Mary first said 'Yes' to God's plan for humanity. It is, he said, the only shrine that points away from itself, telling pilgrims to go to their own homes and love there.
There were much fewer people attending this retreat than in previous years, perhaps because it is post-World Youth Day. But actually, that suited the small shrine nicely. As Fr. Stephen Wang said in his homily for the Mass at the shrine, Walsingham is not about recurring apparitions, or an explicit message to the world, but a small wooden hut which was built to resemble the Holy house of Nazareth, where Mary first said 'Yes' to God's plan for humanity. It is, he said, the only shrine that points away from itself, telling pilgrims to go to their own homes and love there.
Friday, 15 August 2008
Happy Assumption
Happy Assumption to all! This has become one of my favourite Marian feasts in the last few years, though I can't really say why. I think it's because it's the ultimate recognition of Mary's great sanctity, as if God glorified her because He knew she would never presume to glorify herself. Also, when I think of the Assumption I think of Carravaggio's painting of her deathbed, which is admittedly a sad scene: the apostles gather despondently around the young but seemingly worn figure of Mary, who has undergone so much through sharing in the life of her son. it is sad for the world to relinquish the saint of saints, but equally, it is a joyful occassion, when we can put our hope in her unbroken intercession for us.
Today in my placement parish in Peterborough there was another wedding. A young parishioner gave a rendition of Schubert's 'Ave Maria' which was a welcome break from sure wedding favourites such as 'Lord of the Dance'!
Today in my placement parish in Peterborough there was another wedding. A young parishioner gave a rendition of Schubert's 'Ave Maria' which was a welcome break from sure wedding favourites such as 'Lord of the Dance'!
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Out of Great Silence. Again!
It seems ridiculous to keep restarting this thing but I'd hate for us to give it up completely!
The four of us (soon to be five with the arrival of Tony White) are fairly occupied at the moment - Padraig and Michael are in the Holy Land doing a bit of a parish placement, Luke is in Taize after having been with me and 80 kids in World Youth Day Australia, and I'm now well into my parish placement in Peterborough. All Soul's is a busy parish, with a significant number of Poles, Lithuanians, Indians, etc. Lots of baptisms, weddings and funerals here as well! I've been in both the local prison and the local district hospital, which features as a regular part of the priest's life.
A few days ago we experienced a typical call to the hospital: a woman had just died and the family asked to have her body blessed. So a nurse bleeped the priest I was with, and we went out there. When we got there, the priest asked to go to the lady's bed, and the nurse on duty asked hesitantly, 'Has the family requested you?' The priest said of course, otherwise he wouldn't be there. As we found out just afterwards, the family had already left, hence the nurse's question. The family had asked for a blessing because their mother was Catholic, but they weren't going to stick around for it, so we ended up being the only two present. That same day we had a graveside service for a Slovakian man who had died aged 44, with no family or friends in England. The only people at the cemetary were the priest and some of the parishioners who he had invited to pray at this man's grave. I begin to think that the priest must learn a lot about human loneliness in his ministry - that of others as well as his own!
World Youth Day was a great experience, and I really hope the young people will come away from it with a greater sense of the Church's universality. Also, Cardinal Pell spoke very eloquently and directly of the need for young people to make choices in their life, rather than 'sit on the fence' as our culture encourages us to do, be it intellectually, emotionally or spiritually. In particular he said we need to learn that being a disciple of Jesus requires commitment and self-discipline. In the final Mass he made the succinct observation that 'one mission is better than a thousand options.' Luke and I also went to the Pope's Mass in Sydney Cathedral, in which he spent some time in the homily addressing seminarians and young religious about staying faithful to their calling through prayer and the Scriptures. He encouraged us to become 'living altars' in which the sacrificial love of Christ is made present and gives inspiration to those around us. I took much from the time in Sydney, and I hope that Luke has recovered from having to share a room with me (tidying up the room on the last day was not a quick job)!
Please keep us in your prayers, especially Michael and Padraig, that they may have a safe trip back from the Holy Land.
The four of us (soon to be five with the arrival of Tony White) are fairly occupied at the moment - Padraig and Michael are in the Holy Land doing a bit of a parish placement, Luke is in Taize after having been with me and 80 kids in World Youth Day Australia, and I'm now well into my parish placement in Peterborough. All Soul's is a busy parish, with a significant number of Poles, Lithuanians, Indians, etc. Lots of baptisms, weddings and funerals here as well! I've been in both the local prison and the local district hospital, which features as a regular part of the priest's life.
A few days ago we experienced a typical call to the hospital: a woman had just died and the family asked to have her body blessed. So a nurse bleeped the priest I was with, and we went out there. When we got there, the priest asked to go to the lady's bed, and the nurse on duty asked hesitantly, 'Has the family requested you?' The priest said of course, otherwise he wouldn't be there. As we found out just afterwards, the family had already left, hence the nurse's question. The family had asked for a blessing because their mother was Catholic, but they weren't going to stick around for it, so we ended up being the only two present. That same day we had a graveside service for a Slovakian man who had died aged 44, with no family or friends in England. The only people at the cemetary were the priest and some of the parishioners who he had invited to pray at this man's grave. I begin to think that the priest must learn a lot about human loneliness in his ministry - that of others as well as his own!
World Youth Day was a great experience, and I really hope the young people will come away from it with a greater sense of the Church's universality. Also, Cardinal Pell spoke very eloquently and directly of the need for young people to make choices in their life, rather than 'sit on the fence' as our culture encourages us to do, be it intellectually, emotionally or spiritually. In particular he said we need to learn that being a disciple of Jesus requires commitment and self-discipline. In the final Mass he made the succinct observation that 'one mission is better than a thousand options.' Luke and I also went to the Pope's Mass in Sydney Cathedral, in which he spent some time in the homily addressing seminarians and young religious about staying faithful to their calling through prayer and the Scriptures. He encouraged us to become 'living altars' in which the sacrificial love of Christ is made present and gives inspiration to those around us. I took much from the time in Sydney, and I hope that Luke has recovered from having to share a room with me (tidying up the room on the last day was not a quick job)!
Please keep us in your prayers, especially Michael and Padraig, that they may have a safe trip back from the Holy Land.
Monday, 30 June 2008
Vocations
For those of you who have commented on our blog, I haven't been able to respond to them for some reason (some problem with my email address), but I remember one lady, Mrs. Pea, asking how she and her family could encourage vocations. This was the topic of the homily at a First Mass I was at on Saturday (when a newly ordained priest celebrates his first Mass, and invites another priest to give the homily). The first thing I think is to foster vocational awareness in the home; make it known to your children that there are any number of vocations that God could be calling them to, and that you would be delighted to see them become a priest or religious as much as you would be to see them married. In your own parish, you could ask an individual who you think would be a good priest or religious if they have ever considered such a vocation. The thing is, they can't discern a vocation if they haven't been introduced to the possibilities, and for most people priesthood and religious life isn't even a blip on their radar screen. The other thing is, that even if they have considered it, they are not likely to do anything about it unless they receive some encouragement from outside. So it's up to us!
As for supporting priests and seminarians, the best thing is to pray constantly for them! I think it's easy to forget that they need just as many prayers as everyone else, maybe more, to stay on the straight and narrow. Also, you can encourage them just by showing that you appreciate what they do; in East Anglia priests often have to slog it out on their own and probably don't always realise the extent to which their ministry is needed and appreciated. When they meet with a kind word or a thank you I am sure they will feel that all the difficulties they undergo are worth it! I wonder if anyone else has ideas about how to effectively encourage and support vocations?
As for supporting priests and seminarians, the best thing is to pray constantly for them! I think it's easy to forget that they need just as many prayers as everyone else, maybe more, to stay on the straight and narrow. Also, you can encourage them just by showing that you appreciate what they do; in East Anglia priests often have to slog it out on their own and probably don't always realise the extent to which their ministry is needed and appreciated. When they meet with a kind word or a thank you I am sure they will feel that all the difficulties they undergo are worth it! I wonder if anyone else has ideas about how to effectively encourage and support vocations?
School's Out
Well, the academic year is finished now and we're well into our summer holidays, though there are still things here and there to keep us occupied. This last week and next week sees the ordinations of the five deacons who have spent the last six years at Oscott. These have taken me to Wales, Luton and Northampton, and I'm discovering that it's no short spell travelling on public transport across the country from East Anglia!
Two of us are going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and two of us are leaving this Saturday for World Youth Day in Australia - as I'm going on the latter, I'm thinking of making a cork hat as a gesture of cultural good will (well, really just for the fun of it). I'm certain we will have a wonderful experience of the worldwide Church there, as the last two WYDs in Toronto and Cologne have been a great witness of the love which young Catholics have for their faith, and also the admiration which they have for the Pope as their spiritual father. Plus Cardinal Pell and Bishop Anthony Fisher seem to have put a lot of time and thought into the preparation.
In August I will have my first pastoral placement, in All Souls, Peterborough. It is apparently a vibrant, active parish with many international parishioners. The other day I was changing trains in Peterborough, and two of my trains were cancelled, so I took the time to go find All Souls. When I got there, there was a Polish Mass taking place (at which there were about twenty to thirty people) followed by adoration. The church has some nice features, particularly the large wooden Stations of the Cross. Visiting there has given me a keen sense of anticipation, and I'm now looking forward to a busy couple of months!
Two of us are going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and two of us are leaving this Saturday for World Youth Day in Australia - as I'm going on the latter, I'm thinking of making a cork hat as a gesture of cultural good will (well, really just for the fun of it). I'm certain we will have a wonderful experience of the worldwide Church there, as the last two WYDs in Toronto and Cologne have been a great witness of the love which young Catholics have for their faith, and also the admiration which they have for the Pope as their spiritual father. Plus Cardinal Pell and Bishop Anthony Fisher seem to have put a lot of time and thought into the preparation.
In August I will have my first pastoral placement, in All Souls, Peterborough. It is apparently a vibrant, active parish with many international parishioners. The other day I was changing trains in Peterborough, and two of my trains were cancelled, so I took the time to go find All Souls. When I got there, there was a Polish Mass taking place (at which there were about twenty to thirty people) followed by adoration. The church has some nice features, particularly the large wooden Stations of the Cross. Visiting there has given me a keen sense of anticipation, and I'm now looking forward to a busy couple of months!
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Year of Discernment?
Exams are halfway over - woohoo! Just Boethius' reconciliation of free will and divine foreknowledge, Aquinas' argument of contingency, the life of St. Francis, and the development of the medieval parish to do! So I thought I'd take the opportunity to make an advertisement...
For any young Catholics that are looking for something to do for a year before Uni/ after Uni, there is a programme in Soho, London called St. Patrick's Evangelisation School, which is a great opportunity for growing in one's faith. It involves living in a small community in London, helping out in a busy city centre parish, receiving catechesis from many priests, religious and laypeople, including a degree in Religious Studies from Maryvale Institute. There are pilgrimages to places like Rome, and mini retreats throughout the year, with the aim of helping young Catholics discover the fulness of the Church and discern their Christian vocation. There is also an emphasis on evangelisation, mostly in the West End of London, whether it is doing outreach work for the homeless and lonely, or engaging with the many thousands of people who come to Soho to shop, who often have no sense of Christ's personal love for them.
The School is looking for young people who would be willing to give a year to God in such a way, ready to be formed as witnesses for the New Evangelisation which Pope John Paul II spoke of. The School's motto is, 'Always be ready to give an account of the hope that is within you' (Pet 3.15). Having done the year prior to coming to seminary, I can say it was a grace-filled experience and well worth the time! If anyone would like to find out more about St. Patrick's, they can check out the blog at www.sohope.blogspot.com, or they can go to the website at www.sohope.blogspot.com
For any young Catholics that are looking for something to do for a year before Uni/ after Uni, there is a programme in Soho, London called St. Patrick's Evangelisation School, which is a great opportunity for growing in one's faith. It involves living in a small community in London, helping out in a busy city centre parish, receiving catechesis from many priests, religious and laypeople, including a degree in Religious Studies from Maryvale Institute. There are pilgrimages to places like Rome, and mini retreats throughout the year, with the aim of helping young Catholics discover the fulness of the Church and discern their Christian vocation. There is also an emphasis on evangelisation, mostly in the West End of London, whether it is doing outreach work for the homeless and lonely, or engaging with the many thousands of people who come to Soho to shop, who often have no sense of Christ's personal love for them.
The School is looking for young people who would be willing to give a year to God in such a way, ready to be formed as witnesses for the New Evangelisation which Pope John Paul II spoke of. The School's motto is, 'Always be ready to give an account of the hope that is within you' (Pet 3.15). Having done the year prior to coming to seminary, I can say it was a grace-filled experience and well worth the time! If anyone would like to find out more about St. Patrick's, they can check out the blog at www.sohope.blogspot.com, or they can go to the website at www.sohope.blogspot.com
Sunday, 4 May 2008
Singing Seminarians!
ON JUNE 7th 7.30 PM, Oscott seminary will be hosting a concert as part of our annual intiative to support two charities, one national and one international. This year we're supporting Right to Life, which stands for the rights of the unborn and vulnerable in this country, and Cenacolo, wich is an Italian-founded charity helping people to come to term with addictions (they also have houses and groups in Britain). We've been practicing hard in the seminary schola all year on music, most of it four-part harmony, and some unexpected additions, so if you are around Birmingham on June 7th, do come. There are only 200 places so there's little chance that there will be a seat if you come on the night, so book in advance! See the details on the website accompanied. Spread the word as well...
http://www.oscott.net/JusticePeaceAdvert2008.pdf
http://www.oscott.net/JusticePeaceAdvert2008.pdf
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