Another weekend of fun

I always find liturgical seasons up the busy-ness stakes. Last week was no exception. Lent began apace and there was scarcely time to breath. But I like Lent. I think it is a wonderful season and a real opportunity to connect with hungers, desires and are very selves. The weekend came and the Cassidy clan gathered. My being in London has made these gatherings more available to me and I rejoice in them. I haven't seen my eldest nephew James, in 2 years. James lives in Evian where he is doing a PhD in Geochemistry. He is in London for a week doing some research.

My family is unremarkable, or is it? We have had alot to deal with in the past few years. Alot of sadness and a few moments of joy along the way. But what is remarkable is the desire to be there for one another, and this truth is celebrated when we gather around a table, share food and wine and one anothers companionship. in may ways these gatherings are 'upper room' moments that deepen the relationships we have with one another. Unfortunately I couldn't stay late as I had to get back to the parish for the onslaught of Sunday - 2 Masses, 1 sick call, a trip to the cathdedral for the Rite of Election and finally Top Gear on the telly!

This afternoon I am off for 24 hours of R & R.

Be well and happy :-)

Ash Wednesday

Lent is a season of the Church’s year in which all believers are called to prepare for the great celebration of the Easter Triduum, that is the great liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil, in which we remember the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus, and his resurrection in glory.

Lent is not tidy. Day’s grow longer (the word ‘Lent’ comes from ‘lengthen’), the ground thaws, and the next thing we know, everything is filthy. Our windows need washing, our temples need cleansing, the earth itself needs a good bath. The English names for these months come from the ancient words that reflect the need to roll up our sleeves this season : February (‘purification’) and March (‘the spirit of war’). Good names. Winter doesn’t leave without blustery battles that push things over and mess things up and break things.

We begin Lent by smearing ashes on our foreheads, an ancient symbol of repentance, but it would be a mistake to label lent purely as a penitential season. Lent is also about renewal. During this season we are called to take stock of our lives, to appreciate our worth and dignity, and to challenge those areas of our lives that aren’t free.

Lent is to be a graced time. It is much more about our turning again to Christ than the things we choose to 'give up'. Lent is a time to name the things we really hunger for - love, understanding, compassion, friendship, known-ness and to come to the stark reality that these hungers will be satisfied in God if we give God permission to work in our lives. Lent is more a process of letting go than giving up.

The work of Christ on Calvary and his resurrection are the real, tangible signs of the relationship that God desires for us, a relationship founded on, and nourished by love. If this is the attitude of our Lenten celebration, then this can be a graced time for us all.

"Turn away from sin and believe in the Good News"

Ethical Wedding Rings

After seeing Blood Diamond and the search for non conflict diamonds,I saw this on the Independent Catholic News website highlighting the CAFOD campaign for ethical gold.

Couple travel to Honduras on quest for 'ethical' wedding rings

A soon-to-be married couple have returned from a gruelling trip to a goldmine in Honduras where they saw the real story behind where the gold in their wedding rings may come from.

Zoe Gahan, a picture editor, and her fiancé Mat Laroche, a documentary film maker, both aged 30, from Woodstock Road in Chiswick, have been campaigning for 'ethical gold' with the aid agency CAFOD. They wanted to take the next step and see for themselves the real story behind the making of their future wedding rings.

Zoe said: "I wanted to look further into the issues of gold mining before Mat and I go off and buy our wedding rings. I only became aware recently of the problems with gold mining through CAFOD's Unearth Justice campaign. Now I've seen the devastating effects first hand that gold mining can have on the communities near a mine and the environment. It's really shaken me.

"After seeing the scar on the landscape that is the gold mine I'm very concerned to know where high street jewellery stores are sourcing their gold from. There are dangerous levels of cyanide in the water around the mine and I heard from local people that the mine causes them to fear for their health. I was shocked at the sheer size of the mine, it can use up to 220 gallons of water per minute when the people nearby struggle to find enough water for themselves and their cattle to drink."

Mat said: "I was appalled to speak to the humble farmers who had originally lived on the site of the mine but had been forced to move. They lost their fruit orchards, a forest and some are very concerned about the validity of the title deeds to their new homes. The mine has left them poorer and extremely worried about their future. I'd urge everyone out there who buys gold jewellery to ask about where it comes from."

The Unearth Justice campaign is raising awareness and calling for an end to the harm caused by gold mining. CAFOD is pressing governments and business to give poor communities a greater say in whether and how gold is mined and who benefits. They are not calling for a boycott of jewellery retailers but asking them to put pressure on the rest of the gold industry to change the way it operates.

Head of CAFOD's campaign team, Helen Wolfson, said: "Over £2 billion items of gold jewellery are bought in the UK each year. Gold is usually linked with love and commitment but this Valentine's Day we are asking people to think about where this gold comes from and help us to ensure the gold industry behaves responsibly towards poor communities and the environment. People can sign our petition which calls on high street jewellers to ensure the gold in their products is not produced that the expense of local communities or the environment."

Snow, servers & sermons

It's been a few days since my last blog and the time has been full! Thursday came and the world of london suburbs was hushed by a thick blanket of snow. An unusual phenomena in this part of the world. It amazed me how snow seems to bring a stillness that is quite beautiful. The children in the school where in heaven as they made their snowmen in the playground and the sound of their laughter was a delight to the senses. The problem with a heavy snowfall is the misery of the thaw, but thankfully it passed quickly and the landscape (cityscape) returned to normal.

On Saturday I went with some of our altar servers to Mass at the Cathedral. I don't think I have ever seen so many servers in my life! They enjoyed the experiemce and the drama of the cathedral liturgy.

Sunday was the patronal feast of the parish that I work in - The Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. I presided at the children's Mass which was all about Thankfulness. I really enjoyed the liturgy and the children were great. I shared with them a story that I have had for some time

One day a father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.
On their return for their trip, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”
“It was great, Dad.”
“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked. “Oh yeah, “said the son. “So tell me, what did you learn form the trip?” asked the father.
The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in out garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve one another. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them.”
The boy’s father was speechless. Then his son added, “Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are.”
Too many times, we forget what we have and concentrate on what we don’t have. What is one person’s worthless object is another’s prize possession. It is all based on one’s perspective. It makes one wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for what we have instead of worrying about wanting more.

The children enjoyed the story but it seemed to touch many others as well. It was one of those rare occassions when you feel that you have hit the right note!

22nd World Youth Day

Message for 22nd World Youth Day Made public today was the Message of the Holy Father for the 22nd World Youth Day, which will be celebrated in all dioceses on Palm Sunday, April 1, and has as its theme this year Jesus' words from the Gospel of John: "Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." The Message is dated January 27, 2007. Extracts are given below:

"Love is possible, and the purpose of my message is to help reawaken in each one of you - you who are the future and hope of humanity-, trust in a love that is true, faithful and strong; a love that generates peace and joy; a love that binds people together and allows them to feel free in respect for one another.""How is God-Love revealed to us? ... In Christ, true God and true Man, we have come to know love in all its magnitude. ... The manifestation of divine love is total and perfect in the Cross. ... Redeemed by His blood, no human life is useless or of little value, because each of us is loved personally by Him with a passionate and faithful love, a love without limits.""Moreover, the Crucifix, which after the Resurrection would carry forever the marks of His passion, exposes the 'distortions' and lies about God that underlie violence, vengeance and exclusion. Christ is the Lamb of God Who takes upon Himself the sins of the world and eradicates hatred from the heart of humankind. This is the true 'revolution' that He brings about: love.""Christ cried out from the Cross: 'I am thirsty.' This shows us His burning thirst to love and to be loved by each one of us. It is only by coming to perceive the depth and intensity of such a mystery that we can realize the need and urgency to love Him as He has loved us. ... To love as He loves us means loving everyone without distinction, even our enemies, 'to the end'."

"I would like to linger for a moment on three areas of daily life where you, my dear young friends, are particularly called to demonstrate the love of God. The first area is the Church, our spiritual family. ... You should stimulate, with your enthusiasm and charity, the activities of the parishes, the communities, the ecclesial movements and the youth groups to which you belong. Be attentive in your concern for the welfare of others, faithful to the commitments you have made. Do not hesitate to joyfully abstain from some of your entertainments; cheerfully accept the necessary sacrifices; testify to your faithful love for Jesus by proclaiming His Gospel, especially among young people of your age."

"The second area ... is your preparation for the future that awaits you. If you are engaged to be married, God has a project of love for your future as a couple and as a family. Therefore, it is essential that you discover it with the help of the Church, free from the common prejudice that says that Christianity with its commandments and prohibitions places obstacles to the joy of love and impedes you from fully enjoying the happiness that a man and woman seek in their reciprocal love."

"The period of engagement, very necessary in order to form a couple, is a time of expectation and preparation that needs to be lived in purity of gesture and words. It allows you to mature in love, in concern and in attention for each other; it helps you to practise self-control and to develop your respect for each other. These are the characteristics of true love that does not place emphasis on seeking its own satisfaction or its own welfare. In your prayer together, ask the Lord to watch over and increase your love and to purify it of all selfishness."Do not hesitate to respond generously to the Lord's call, for Christian matrimony is truly and wholly a vocation in the Church. Likewise, dear young men and women, be ready to say 'yes' if God should call you to follow the path of ministerial priesthood or the consecrated life. Your example will be one of encouragement for many of your peers who are seeking true happiness."

"The third area of commitment that comes with love is that of daily life with its multiple relationships. I am particularly referring to family, studies, work and free time. ... Develop your capacities, not only in order to become more 'competitive' and 'productive,' but to be 'witnesses of charity.' In addition to your professional training, also make an effort to acquire religious knowledge that will help you to carry out your mission in a responsible way. In particular, I invite you to carefully study the social doctrine of the Church so that its principles may inspire and guide your action in the world."

"My dear young friends, I want to invite you to 'dare to love.' Do not desire anything less for your life than a love that is strong and beautiful and that is capable of making the whole of your existence a joyful undertaking of giving yourselves as a gift to God and your brothers and sisters. ... Love is the only force capable of changing the heart of the human person and of all humanity, by making fruitful the relations between men and women, between rich and poor, between cultures and civilizations. This is shown to us in the lives of the saints. ... Try to know them better, entrust yourselves to their intercession, and strive to live as they did. I shall just mention Mother Teresa. ... The only desire of her life was to quench the thirst of love felt by Jesus, not with words, but with concrete action by recognizing His disfigured countenance thirsting for love in the faces of the poorest of the poor."

"Only the Lord's help will allow us to keep away from resignation when faced with the enormity of the task to be undertaken. It instils in us the courage to accomplish that which is humanly inconceivable. Contact with the Lord in prayer grounds us in humility."

"Above all, the Eucharist is the great school of love. When we participate regularly and with devotion in Holy Mass, when we spend a sustained time of adoration in the presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, it is easier to understand the length, breadth, height and depth of His love that goes beyond all knowledge. By sharing the Eucharistic Bread with our brothers and sisters of the Church community, we feel compelled, like Our Lady with Elizabeth, to render 'in haste' the love of Christ into generous service towards our brothers and sisters."

"The next World Youth Day ... will be an important stage on the way to the meeting in Sydney where the theme will be: 'You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.' May Mary, the Mother of Christ and of the Church, help you to let that cry ring out everywhere, the cry that has changed the world: 'God is love!' I am together with you all in prayer and extend to you my heartfelt blessing."

A Weekend in the Life ...

What is a weekend like in the life of a jobbing priest? They are fairly typical although there were a couple of changes this week. Friday was the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. This feast comes 40 days after Christmas and remembers the presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple by Mary and Joseph. The story can be found in the infancy narratives in Luke's Gospel. (Worth a read). The feast gives the Church a wonderful prayer that is used daily in the liturgy. Simeon (see picture) expresses the joy and longing of his people in his prayer of thanksgiving to God for the presence of the Messiah. In England the feast was known as Candlemass and was a time of processions of light and warmth in the cold darkness of winter. The church was full and many brought candles to be blessed for use in thier own homes. Friday afternoon is spent getting things ready for the weekend. Some time spent with the scripture readings to prepare for the homilies to be shared and to help compose the prayers of the faithful at Mass. Then some more practical concerns, newsletters printed, books marked, flowers done. Friday also saw me dealing with piano tuners and florists for a wedding. On Friday evening all of us in the house were invited to a birthday celebration of one of the parishioners in a local restaurant. Great fun was had by all!

Saturday morning began with prayer, I try and spend about an hour each morning tuning in with the Big Fella. If I don't everything goes pearshaped! Then Mass number 1. This was with the regular crowd that come to our morning Mass. The numbers were swelled by the promise of the Blessing of throats for the feast of St Blaise. Then a quick coffee with the ladies of the Saturday Morning Group (wonderful bunch who know how to party) then off to the convent in Palmers Green for Mass number 2 - with a retreat group focusing on coping with change. Then back home. Sautrday afternoon was spent preparing for a talk to our RCIA group on the Sacrament of the Sick. Then I was around for the vigil Mass on Saturday evening to meet the people as they came and went.

Sunday Morning arrived fog laden and cold! The Church was, as usual full for the first few Masses and again I was around to meet the people. At 11am I was with the RCIA group and the fruits of Saturdays labours on the Sacrament of the Sick were shared. Then I celebrated the 12;30 Mass. Lunch, Rugby on the TV, and 40 winks then celebrated the 6.30 Mass and finally had some time to catch up on some prayer. Monday came and the week began again!

Cinematic Theology

Yesterday was my day off and it followed the usual pattern. I went home on Tuesday evening and spent some time with my family and then went to see my Dad who is in a care home. Then I normally go to the cinema. Two films have struck me greatly in the last few weeks and have left me in a reflective mood. The firstof the films is a cinematic gem. The Carthusian Community of the Grand Chartreuse near Grenoble allowed to shoot a three-hour near-silent documentary about its life. What some critics feared would be this year's most boring movie turns out to be a strangely fascinating meditation on the eremetical life. Into Great Silence depicts its Carthusian monks in the midst of their slow moving daily devotions and duties, from mending shoes to chopping vegetables.

There are even rare moments of jollity: two monks sliding down a snowy slope in their white habits, laughing hysterically, and an elderly monk caught whispering fondly to cats.

The films director, Philip Gröning, spent 15 years gently trying to persuade the monks to let him film their routines and rituals. He was finally told "we are ready" in 2001.
But he received the go ahead only on condition that he used no artificial light, added no music or commentary and came to Chartreuse, near Grenoble, on his own. The end result's most striking aspect is its silence. There is no speech at all for the first 20 minutes, and afterwards only occasionally. What sound there is comes from throat-clearing between prayers, the wooden bell tower, the drops of melting icicles, the tailor cutting cloth for a new habit, or the monks' footsteps as they head to chapel. One elderly monk does, however, break his silence to thank God for making him blind. "I'm sure God did it for the good of my soul," he said.

The Carthusian order has 370 monks spread across the West, Latin America and Asia. On average a monk spends 65 years in his monastery. The order is a legend even within the Catholic church. Theirs is the strictest form of contemplative life in the Christian world, more severe even than that of the Trappists, who also live in silence. Founded by St Bruno of Cologne in 1084, the order defines the life of a Carthusian as a long path, the sole purpose of which is contemplation. The monks live in poverty, pray and sing Gregorian chants together but otherwise are allowed to talk only while they work - when absolutely necessary - as well as during their weekly walk together.

They sleep no more than three hours at once, as even the night-time is shaped by prayer.
In the film none of the monks, apart from two novices, Benjamin and Etienne, is given a name.

What struck me most was the sense of joy these men exuded and it was infectious. I felt challenged to deepen my commitment to prayer ans listening. In the Great Silence these men of prayer listen intently.

Yesterday I watched Blood Diamond, the latest De Caprio film. I've never been a great fan of De Caprio, but in this film he is convincing as a diamond smuggler and user of people. His character, Archer, is motivated by greed and he is prepared to go the extra mile to make big money. Those who get in the way of his pursuit of wealth are just unfortunate. The film is situated amidst the civil war in Sierra Leone and the diamond mines that fund the ongoing conflict there. We move between issues at great pace. In the course of the film we see that effects of war, the forced labour in the diamond fields, the forced conscription of children into the rebel forces and the process by which these children are brainwashed into becoming killing machines. We encounter the depravity that humanity is capable of and the immense dignity of the human person in the character of Solomon, a man forced into labouring in the diamond fields by the rebels, who finds the 'pearl of great price' in the form of a 100 carot pink diamond and is pursued as he flees the fields to find his family. The saga of Solomon and Archer intertwine and we are led deep into the concerns of Western Africa and its people.

This film moved me deeply and led me to reflect on my attitude and attatchment to things. What value do I give people? What do I take for granted? Who do I take for granted? What do I put my trust in? Who do I put my trust in?

Be Well and live simply :-)