As we wait in joyful hope

I am sitting in my room on a cold November morning. The frost is heavy on the windows; traffic is passing by beneath me. The world is not still. In a few days we will begin the season of Advent. A time for stopping in the midst of our busy lives and a time to simply ask, ‘what do I yearn for?’ maybe this economic uncertainties of our world at this time can give us the opportunity to begin to seek what our hearts yearn for, to seek out what we need to live, rather to want what makes our lives comfortable.

Advent is my favourite season in the Churches year. It just seems to follow the climate of our land. As the nights draw in we seek light and warmth. We hear in our liturgy of the long waiting of people for God’s promise to be fulfilled. The themes that are presented to us are expectancy, hope, and joy. The church invites us to ask for and live in a Spirit of expectancy and joy that our salvation is not only close at hand but faithfully present. That for which we wait this Advent is our deeper reception of this gift, wrapped in flesh for us and for the whole human family. Jesus, and the presence of Jesus in our lives, is the cause of our rejoicing and should also leave us a little bit bemused.

As we prepare for the great feast of Christ’s birth, forget the familiar but think of what Christmas really means. God breaks into our human story in a new and vibrant way. God becomes a human being. Not born in grandeur, but in a stable. Not warmed by a fine blanket, but by straw and the breath of cattle. When Mary becomes pregnant with Jesus and gives birth to him in Bethlehem the whole landscape of our future is changed. This is our story; it impacts on each one of us. And this is the real message of Christmas and it is not comfortable, but challenging. God becomes human, he has our flesh, he is bone and blood and muscle and sinew. Emmanuel – God is with us. The Good News of Christmas is here to bring us light in the midst of any darkness, poverty, rejection, emptiness, sinfulness we experience. By reminding us of where and how God comes, the Good News is also a revelation of who we are. We are the people who walk in darkness. We are the people who hunger and thirst for God’s presence. The Advent season and the feast of the Nativity give us an opportunity to express our need for absolute love and vitality, and to be reminded by God, that he is with us, the fullness of life and love.

Being Evangelised by the Young.

I was asked by the Jesuit online journal to write an article for Youth Sunday on my experiences of working with young people in the Church. This article was published on their website today.

I am fascinated by the story of people. Gazing out into the Church during the liturgy I am aware of the many stories of the members of the congregation. Some are in the first stages of grief, others of illness, still others have fallen in love and are caught up in all the excitement that those first steps of a relationship bring. Others are lonely and the parish is the place where their hunger for companionship is fed. All too often we don’t know what is happening in people’s lives until we are invited into the story, by both its telling and our becoming involved.

One of the joys of ministry is being told those stories. People ask for a chat and suddenly the story of their lives comes tumbling out, told often for the first time. It is in the context of the story of our lives that we become evangelised. Jesus knew the value of stories and wove wonderful images of God’s love and kindness into his teaching. The story of our life is our reality and this is where Christ will meet us.


Beginning my story

I am the youngest of a family of four children, brought up in a loving and faith-filled home. We wanted for little, although we were by no means wealthy in real terms. The richness of my family was the love and faith we shared.

As a child I can remember my father teaching me that life is for the living and that nothing should stand in the way of dreams becoming realised. Good words for a young person to hear; they were affirming, encouraging and a challenge to be the best that you can be – a wonderful legacy for a parent to pass on to their child. The greatest gift I received from my parents was faith. They have both shared with me the faith that makes them whole and wholly loving. Loving into life is the task of the Christian and countless times I have been loved into life by the young people of our Church.


Memory

The strongest memory of faith becoming something that I claimed for myself was during the visit of Pope John Paul II to Britain in 1982. I was fifteen and together with a group from my parish I travelled to Ninian Park in Cardiff for his meeting with young people. If I am honest I don’t remember the words that were said or anything of the liturgy. What I do remember is the energy and enthusiasm of my generation at prayer. It changed me and it changed my faith; from that moment on I chose to be part of the Church. I felt called. That call to faith came from my peers, and as I matured in faith, it has been constantly upheld and challenged by the young people I find myself with.

This participation in the Church has led me in many and various ways, from a career as a nurse into religious life and the ordained ministry. Throughout this time I have found myself among the young, and in many ways it has kept me young. It has been both joy and challenge, fruitful and mystifying. I have served in retreat ministry and university chaplaincy. I now find myself working in a densely populated parish and on a team of six priests on a diocesan youth team. I am amazed at the faith I witness among our young people, their generosity and concern for our world touches me deeply. The Church is being renewed as our young Church asks of us: how have we lived the gospel and what kind of faith community are we passing on to them? The reality of working with young people is that they ask urgent questions that demand answers; this requires some applied theology and a deep sense of honesty.


Contextualising evangelisation

St Francis of Assisi instructed his brothers to ‘preach the gospel and if necessary use the words.’ Theology is often a question of who we are and what we do. Books don’t define us, but in a real way action does. I can think of countless ways in which God is made incarnate in very real situations. As a young nurse working in an Accident and Emergency department I remember being in the midst of the pain of people’s lives, and together with other young men and women, trying to resolve that mess. I realised then that faith involves the whole person and we cannot compartmentalise faith from everyday life. I have very strong memories of that time. One September morning everything was chaos, much more so than usual, and a young boy was brought to us. He had been in a road accident and his body was broken in such a devastating way. One of my colleagues said to me, “OK Damian, you believe, where is God in this?” I had no answer. The question haunted me throughout the day. I walked home and prayed and – nothing. Next morning I returned to work and saw my colleagues and friends greeting a new day and new challenges. It then dawned on me, that God was manifestly present in what we were doing, that he was present in the suffering of that child, in his parents’ anguish and in our attempts to restore life and hope. In those moments when God seemed to be remote, he was intimately involved and it was through us that his words and promises were becoming flesh.


Love in community

The religious community that I joined as a young man is Carmel. They take their inspiration from a radical leader of his people, the Prophet Elijah, and a young girl who gave her all to God – Mary, the mother of Jesus. The charism of the Carmelite family is best expressed in its motto: ‘I am filled with jealous zeal for the Lord God of Hosts’. This ‘jealous zeal’ is what attracted me to the community and is something I find most in our young Church.

As a university chaplain, my first task was to create a space, both worshipping and informal, where community could happen. This requires an element of vulnerability, sharing who you are as a person rather than hiding behind a ministry. Late night conversations over coffee and doughnuts brought fundamental questions to the fore. What struck me most about this time is the deep thirst for justice that was expressed by the students. In spontaneous prayer, individuals led the liturgical assembly into an awareness of the needs of others. The concern of housemates for one another when life had become complicated was real and rooted. The students did not want to be bystanders in the lives of others, but brothers and sisters. When looking at the images we have of God we can find our perceptions very limited. Some experience God as a remote and patriarchal figure. Others have the hangover from childhood of an old man with a big book writing down the things we do wrong. Forming an image of God that is gospel-oriented is a major advance in the maturing of faith. A God who, because of his love for us, could not be just a spectator in the mess of our lives, but who yearned to be in the mess with us – a God Incarnate – was the God we shared and worshipped as a community. Filled with ‘jealous zeal’, my congregation of young committed Christians who wanted to change the world, changed me.

In an age where many seem isolated, community speaks to the young. A community where I have encountered love without compromise is Craig Lodge in Dalmally, set in the Scottish highlands. This flourishing community of married couples, families and single young people who choose to share their lives, talents and brokenness, is a place where that ‘jealous zeal’ has another face. The young people I meet there amaze me. Many have had a difficult past, they come and realise that they are both loved and able to love. The tensions of community life are as real there as anywhere, but they love each other anyway. In all the places I have been, that is the place where Eucharist is not merely a noun, but a verb, something to be lived out as well as celebrated.

Community life is a parable of the Eucharist. Gathering, telling the story and breaking bread together are the ingredients of life together. In my own family, meals have always been a time of joy and sharing. It is in the Eucharist that we encounter the generosity of God: this is my body for you. God can give us nothing more – God has already given us everything. Prayer is the fuel of the Christian life. ‘Lord, teach us to pray,’ is the cry of the Christian through the ages. Our young people are hungry for a spiritual life. Communities such as Craig Lodge lead people into a life of prayer, gathering throughout the day to be reminded of how God is present to them.


Pilgrimage
In July 2008 I had the privilege to accompany 170 young people to World Youth Day in Sydney. I must be honest and say that I was not looking forward to the trip. I am not a great flyer and this became an obstacle to my enjoyment of the prospect. However, from the moment we met in the chapel at Heathrow until the day we returned my days were filled with joy. Our young people are amazing. Those who knew no–one were soon making new friends, lives were shared on the long journey and I was deeply moved by the enthusiasm around me. Again as stories were told I was humbled by the experiences of the pilgrims. A turning point for the whole group was a celebration of Reconciliation. Suddenly the reason for the journey was apparent to all; we were there to be loved, and in that love to recognise Christ. These moments of pilgrimage are times when our young Church claims faith for themselves. Faith has become strong, community has become theirs, because in the words of St John of the Cross, ‘Christ is mine and all for me!’ Pilgrimage gives us that assurance. Christ is for us, we are for Christ and we celebrate his presence in one another.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to be with our young people. I hope and pray that I will continue to have my life enriched by them. The media tells us that we live in a society where the young run wild and have no sense of responsibility or consequence. These words seem to be self-fulfilling prophecies. Where were the journalists when, in this last summer of 2008, four hundred young people went with Westminster Diocese to Lourdes as helpers, or when three hundred young people went to the diocesan youth festival at London Colney, or when two thousand young people from these islands travelled to Sydney for the World Youth Day? Where are the stories of hope that abound in our communities and why aren’t they being told?

Have great faith – the Church is alive and the Church is young!

Memories of a Pilgrimage

I recently accompanied a Parish Group to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in France. This is a journal of that pilgrimage, written by those who made the journey.

From Our Lady of Lourdes to Our Lady at Lourdes: Voices of a Pilgrim Journey
Written by 'The Scribe'

It is 6am, when most of us souls would normally be tucked under the duvet, but this was the beginning of no ordinary week. Early – yes, bright – no, but shining like a beacon in the darkness was the beaming face of tour leader, Pat Bolger. Was his heightened state of euphoria due to the fact that all of us pilgrims had arrived on time at O.L.O.L. or that his beloved Spurs had less than 24 hours earlier recorded their first win of the season? Who said it’s nearly Christmas?

After an uneventful journey along the North Circular and M.11 we arrived at Stansted Airport – with time to spare! After we checked in some of us headed towards Starbucks for coffee and croissants (I’m sure I ordered a builder’s brew and a bacon sandwich). However, disappointment was soon to surface as one of our aeroplane’s engines developed the “Monday morning blues” and refused to start. We disembarked and waited for Titan Airways to summon up a replacement. After two and a half hours delay, we belatedly arrived in Lourdes and, after a hasty meal at the hotel, we all headed to the Domain of Lourdes for Mass in the magnificent Rosary Basilica.

“. . . My impression as a ‘first time pilgrim’ was participation within a welcoming, interested, caring, heartwarming group. I was deeply moved upon entering The Domain, which was enhanced by the obvious deep devotion of many pilgrims around. Altogether a wonderful experience.” ( Michael and Ineka Bolger)

Tuesday saw grey skies. Early Mass in the Oratory of the Poor Clare’s Convent, led again by our own spiritual guide, Fr. Damian, lifted our ‘spirits’ immensely. A short stroll afterwards led towards the steps of the Basilica for a group photograph.

This year, being the 150th Anniversary of the Apparitions, Pope Benedict has attached a special favour to The Jubilee Way in Lourdes. There are four main venues of this walking tour: 1) The Parish Church where Bernadette was baptised. 2) The “Cachot” or abandoned prison where the Soubirous family lived. 3) The Domain, St. Michael’s Gate, the Arches and Grotto. 4) The Hospital Oratory where Bernadette made her first Holy Communion between the 17th and 18th Apparitions. Due to the incessant rain, our walk was reduced to a mini tour, and so after supper:

“. . . some of us went to a concert in the Church of St Bernadette, on the opposite side of the river from the Grotto. It was the final concert given by 1000 French school children who had been attending a conference in Lourdes. It was a great privilege to hear these angelic, youthful voices as they soared to the heights, singing setting after setting of Ave Marias and Salve Regias. The crowning glory was the setting of the Song of Simeon, which we know as the Nunc Dimmitis. As their voices rang out, the song was our prayer “for my eyes have seen your salvation . . . a light to enlighten the Gentiles”, and we truly had been enlightened by this wonderful music.” (David and Nicky Santamaria)

An altogether different social event was taking place at our hotel – do you know who “Cool Hand Ace” is, or “The Quiet Queen”?

“. . . Cool Hand Ace, having come out of retirement for the trip to Lourdes, was eager to show the ‘young boys’ in the card school how good her hands could be! Having won two practice games, confidence was high going into the proper game. If she was nervous it did not show, as the first seven cards of the “50 Euro winner takes all” game were dealt. Despite playing with this group of boys, Cool Hand Ace was not to be bullied and she started well. Unfortunately the good beginning became a bad middle. To stave off this downturn in fortune, Cool Hand drew on her many years of experience, all to no avail, and was left disappointed from this epic card game, won by the Quiet Queen. Is this the end of an illustrious career? When asked if she would play again Cool Hand Ace said “who knows?” But this reporter feels that he knows! Cool Hand Ace will return!” (Peter Catracchia)

Wednesday saw glorious sunshine and 100 kms south of Lourdes lies the small town of Garvanie in the high Pyrannees. So it was:

“. . . off to Garvanie – with our driver, Mark, who Dympna, our tour guide, tells us can drive blindfolded! She also promised us ski equipment when we arrived! By the marvels of modern communication we had seen pictures of snow in London. She says that they mostly do cross country skiing in this area. Quite a relief as I have tried the ordinary type, and cannot do it. The sun came out which made the scenery even more beautiful. Mass on the way was celebrated at the Abbey Church of St Savin. We wondered could our own Parish of O.L.O.L. afford an organ like theirs; rude faces and all! The sense of centuries past came through strongly as we walked in the footsteps of long departed pilgrims. How they must have wondered if they could really cross the Pyrenees, not for them a luxury coach” (Kathy Wurr & Eveline Guerin)

“. . .Garvanie Mountain Walk – An experience to be enjoyed, provided you wear the right clothes. Mountains covered in fine snow like icing sugar looked pretty and amazing, and to see the source of the River Gave – a trickling waterfall, the highest in Europe – made all the effort worthwhile” (Michael and Bridie Forry)

Who was it that said, “when God created Lourdes, with its verdant pastures, He left the roof off”? After the sunshine of yesterday, Thursday was a return to damp, soggy weather. Undeterred, we embarked on a trip to the village of Bartres, where Bernadette spent two periods of her life, - First, as an infant, and later as a shepherdess. Mass was celebrated in the beautiful parish church of St John The Baptist, which contained gilt carvings dating from the XVII century inside. Part of our mass included anointing of the sick, a truly wondrous experience! After a wander around the village, plus coffee in the only cafe open, we arrived back at our hotel for early lunch. After this we took advantage of a break in the weather to do the Stations of the Cross by the river – again part of the Pilgrim Journey undertaken for the sake of faith to profess publically our desire to come closer to God. This part of the day concluded with Fr Damian hearing our confessions whilst standing under a tree – a somewhat different confessional box, but still made of wood! Soon night time approached and we:

“. . .all met at the statue of the Crowned Virgin for our torchlight procession. Lighted candles in readiness for the start: one soon became aware of other groups who had also travelled from far and wide, praying The Rosary and singing the ‘Ave’ in their own language. This truly was a wonderful atmosphere when the groups merged into a river of shimmering light.” (Maria Barguete and Libby Biberian)

Today, incidentally, we all joined in wishing Jean Smith a Happy Birthday – we never divulge a lady’s age, but why the many references to “Cool Hand Ace”??

Dawn was breaking as we breakfasted on our ultimate day in Lourdes. We were soon on our way to the Grotto to celebrate the Eucharist, led by Bishop Blase Cupick, from the Diocese of Rapid City in South Dakota, U.S.A. (all the more symbolic given the year of the U,S. Elections). We celebrated a beautiful Mass, in the chill morning air of Lourdes. This was for many THE Mass of our Pilgrimage and, upon its conclusion, Fr. Damian led us to the candle sheds, whereupon a tall candle was lit and blessed for all members of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish.

So the remainder of Friday included time for personal devotions or a visit to the Baths – an immersion into the very cold waters of Lourdes. We concluded our trip by saying our “Au Revoirs” and, thankfully, arriving safely back to the hallowed grounds of New Southgate.

“. . . This 2008 pilgrimage has been a wonderful experience, a holiday with God, Our Lady and Bernadette. The weather damp and cold but the atmosphere just the opposite – warm, embracing, exciting, joyous, everyday different in the company of fellow parishioners, pilgrims that we only get to say “hello and goodbye” as we meet at Mass. Our daily Mass, with its thought provoking homily, made the days holy and reverent, plus the after dinner socialising with banter and teasing made evenings lively and entertaining. This has been a special “holiday” not to be missed. Would we do it again – yes we would”. (Mike and Irene Albone).

On behalf of all pilgrims, a huge vote of thanks to Patrick Bolger, Tour Leader extraordinaire, to those of you who shared your voices within this narrative and, of course, our exceptional Spiritual Leader, Fr. Damian.

“The Scribe”

Young People

The news is full of horrible stories of knife, gun and gang cultures. the media seems intent on giving a very negative image of our young people. I have been asked by the editors of the Thinking Faith online theological magazine to write an article on my experience of young people. I hope it will do something to restore the balance.

It will appear in the next week or so on the Thinking faith website.