HUGH’S
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May 1 - SundayIONA CONTINUED The first ferry to Iona is 10.00. In previous years we've had Mass at the small Catholic House/Chapel. Because our numbers are bigger this year and ours might have been the only Mass on the island today, we celebrate at the ancient chapel of St Michael's next to the Abbey at 11.30. Before this some manage to climb the small hill in the centre of the island. At times like this I'm a real Sinn Feiner, preferring to have a Mass "for ourselves", but the Eucharist can never be a private event. Others in the group were pleased that we were joined by 10 other pilgrims, especially when they expressed their pleasure at being with such a young and vibrant group. The singing is so good that I have to explain that we are not a choir. At the sermon I am not as relaxed as I would be if we were on our own. Only a few of the group were here before so I give some background to St Columba which I'm not going to repeat now (see diary for this time last year). The emphasis is on how the Faith keeps alive and spreads in unusual ways in the history of the Church. If St Patrick had not helped bring Christianity to Ireland in the 4th Century... If St Columba had not been sent in exile to Iona two hundred years later... How very remote Iona seems today, yet in the days when there were no roads and most travel was done by boat here would have been the equivalent of a motorway service station as every boat that was going up the west coast of Scotland would go through the shelter of the channel between here and Mull. From Iona the Celtic monks soon spread throughout Scotland and into England, based on the island of Lindisfarne, north of Newcastle. From here they spread out across much of Europe, converting Celtic communities. I told how when we were in Rome last weekend I bought an autobiography of our new Pope Benedict XVI. He came from an area in southern Germany that is proud of its Celtic background. The first two pages of the book are full of thanksgiving for the monks from Ireland and Britain that brought the Faith to his ancestors. Today when Christianity is struggling in Western culture we should not give up the hope that it can be revived in the most unexpected ways, as it has been many times in the past. After Mass the expected rain came down with a vengeance. Most of us took refuge in a nearby restaurant. The majority then braved the elements to take the one hour small boat trip to Staffa to see Fingal's Cave and the puffins (see Michael's article in last magazine). Those not venturing onto the waves took the excuse, if any is ever needed, to order ice-cream and stay longer in the dry. When it cleared up they went for a walk across the small island. At 5.15 those who were around gathered for evening prayer in the Catholic Chapel. My sister-in-law had given me a copy of an Iona prayer book that was full of short prayers and reflections. Most people had had a look at it in the minibus on the way up (and down). For the service we passed the book around. You could pass, or read an extract from the book, or share some other prayer or thought. Two even gave us a burst of song, Rebecca and the Sister who looks after the house. It was quite moving as we looked out at the water and the sheeps. In the evening people once again waited patiently to be fed in The Keel Row. That gives a very passive impression, for there were glasses to be filled and games to be played. Monopoly, chess, frustration, contact 4 and dominoes were all going on at the same time. I won twice at doubles and triples pool, all the sweeter because victory should not have been ours.
May 2 - MondayLEAVING IONA. THE SPIRIT IN OUR SAILS. The advantage of staying on the Isle of Mull is that you have the short but beautiful ferry crossing to Iona several times. You can imagine yourself as one of the early monks arriving back home from your mission or setting off again to spread the good news of God's love. After an early breakfast we caught the first ferry at 8.45 to have Mass at the Catholic Chapel. We don't have much time as we have to catch the 10.15 ferry back to Mull to set off at 11.00 for Oban and Glasgow. Today's first reading for Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter was from the Acts of the Apostles 16:11-15. It began: "Sailing from Troas, we made a straight run for Samothrace, the next day for Neapolis, and from there for Philippi". This is part of St Luke's description of one of his journeys with St Paul, who I'm sure was an inspiration to Columba in his missionary journeys by boat. The Gospel of John 15:26ff has Jesus promising to send the Spirit: "He will be my witness and you too will be my witnesses." We experienced enough wind over the weekend to imagine Columba and Paul's sails billowing in the breeze, but it is the Spirit that blows them and takes them where he wants. We too are called to be witnesses and to be blown by the Spirit. After the Gospel I also spoke about some of the boat journeys of Jesus and the disciples in bad weather. I had taken some stick for persuading people that the journey to Staffa would not be so choppy because the wind was blowing from the land. Wrong. On one occasion Jesus was sleeping through a storm. He is always with us. There is no need to be afraid like the disciples who woke him because they thought they were sinking. On the other hand we don't want to be over-confident and put God to the test like St Peter who, when he saw Jesus coming across the water to help them in the boat, cried out: "Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water". But when he started walking on the water he began to panic and to sink. At the Mass Veronica sang the psalm again and Adrian did a solo, a folk song that reminded him of God: "There is someone waiting for you along the road". Before we set off across Mull for the ferry to Oban we gathered for the group photograph, and presented Martin with a Celtic candle and holder as a thank you for all he had done to organise the weekend and look after us on the pilgrimage. He was also given a pair of Holy Socks which he asked me to bless: "I've already worn them", I replied. Someone shouted for a group hug and we did a couple of verses of Auld Lang Syne on the quayside. I had enlisted Veronica's presence on the minibus to see if we could get singing. She didn't have much more luck than me on the way up, though we did manage about 20 verses of 'Found a Peanut'. No-one missed the ferry this time. On the way back to Glasgow we avoided the Bank Holiday traffic along Loch Lomond, though we still sang "By yon bonnie banks" to please Anne Marie. We had a quick stop at Inverary, producing a quick chorus of: "It's a long way to ......". Our alternative route took us past the Trident submarine base and along the north shores of the Clyde from which we could see Port Glasgow, my birthplace, on the other side. The Spirit has blown me a long way since then.
May 3 - TuesdaySOME GAELIC PRAYERS Here are some prayers taken from The Iona Prayer book I mentioned on Friday and Sunday.
The peace of God, The peace of Columba kindly, The peace of Mary mild, the loving, Walk with you this day, and always.
Bless to us, O God, The earth beneath our feet, Bless to us, O God, The path whereon we go. Bless to us, O God, The people whom we meet.
May the blessing of light be on you, light without and light within. May the blessed sunlight shine upon you and warm your heart till it glows like a great fire and strangers may warm themselves as well as friends. And may the light shine from your eyes, like a candle set in the window of a home, bidding the wanderer to come in out of the storm.
May the raindrops fall lightly on your brow, May the soft winds freshen your spirit, May the sunshine brighten your heart, May the burdens of the day rest lightly upon you And may God enfold you in the mantle of his love.
We saw a stranger yesterday, We put food in the eating place, Drink in the drinking place, Music in the listening place, And, with the sacred name of the triune God, He blessed us and our house, Our cattle and our dear ones. As the lark says in her song: Often, often, often, goes Christ in the stranger's guise.
Lord of every pilgrim heart, you are beside me and before me on the way, surprising me through your Spirit at every turning on the path. Yet, like your disciples on the Emmaus road, I often fail to recognise my companion. In this morning hour, and in whatever the day may hold, open my eyes to see your presence, that I may celebrate with you the gift of morning, O Lord of the unexpected.
May 4 - WednesdayI SWEAR. I INVITE THE POPE. When we were playing pool last weekend someone almost said a naughty word when they potted the white. It can happen. I have to be careful myself. On the train back to Stockport on Tuesday I was thinking about Iona when I suddenly whistled out: "Jesus!" I had just thought to invite the Pope to Iona. The more I thought about it I situated it within John Paul's desire to go to Northern Ireland this year. I worked out the following possible itinerary. A bit of a pipe dream perhaps, but who knows? Should I send the following letter to Pope Benedict? Dear Pope Benedict Many people will be writing to you and inviting you to visit their countries. It would be impossible for you to try and imitate the voyages of John Paul II. One of his last hopes was to visit Northern Ireland which he was not able to visit in 1982. We were beginning to prepare for his visit. I hope you will consider a visit to Belfast. I am not Irish, but Scottish. I was in Rome for your Inaugural Mass. I bought a copy of your biography as published by Famiglia Cristiana. I noticed in the first pages how important the Irish missionaries were for you and your Celtic area of Germany, as they were for the re-conversion of Europe in the 7th Century, If you came to Belfast in Northern Ireland there are also other places you could visit if you had the time. It would be wonderful to be able to visit them by boat as a symbol of the fisherman, though where a suitable boat could be found I do not know.
May 5 - ThursdayBesom Project Report by Bernadette Martin Saturday 9th April two groups of volunteers
from Project 2030 set off on gardening projects to two different refuges in West
London, which support vulnerable women from minority communities.
It was the first of what we hope are many joint ventures with the charity
BESOM, who provide a bridge between those who want to give time, money, things
or skills and those who are in need. The weather was on our side with glorious
sunshine and we were greeted by Anna with coffee and biscuits. In the Kensington area our group of novice gardeners,
led by Chris Driscoll, made a cautious start in the first garden, and there were
some lengthy debates as to whether the more attractive weeds might in fact be
plants. But we were lucky enough to
have Alex, a professional gardener, who was pretty ruthless in condemning most
of the greenery to a long line of bin bags.
Trish proved to be a deft hand with the long handled loppers neatly
trimming back a glossy holly bush and we all enjoyed the scent as Jean tackled a
particularly fragrant shrub which remained unidentified (along with most other
things we came across.) The Project
Group had brought a colourful range of plants and tubs which really cheered up
what at the beginning had been a very bleak back yard. Thanks to the couple living next door to the refuge who
happened to be strolling by as we made rather slow progress with the front
hedges, we acquired an electric strimmer mid morning. This meant Alex soon made mincemeat of the remainder of the
hedge and the rest of us scrabbled at his feet doing our best to rein in and
gather in to yet more bin bags the branches that were suddenly spinning in all
directions (narrowly missing unsuspecting passers by). Anna led our group to the next refuge, and a garden
particulary rich in all sorts of insect life, which some of us took to more than
others. We tackled this garden in
pretty much the same way as the first, clearing out very well established tall
and rangy weeds, bagging up rubbish, and then creating some much needed pockets
of colour with another range of plants supplied by the group.
The rest of watched agog as Chris tried fearlessly to scale a wall in a
last effort to reach some weeds of very high altitude.
No one offered to help. About this time we heard that the other group, led by
Michael, were still slogging away in their much larger garden.
As our group dispersed, they still had much to do and worked on late into
the afternoon. But by the end of
the day some of the women living at the refuge came out to view the end result
and were genuinely delighted with the transformation.
They even eagerly joined in to have their photo taken with the group,
apparently something which Muslim women are often reluctant to do for religious
reasons. As a group it was great to be out in the fresh air
doing something together and a privilege to have the opportunity to do something
for the women who have come from some unimaginably troubled backgrounds.
Hopefully what we did will have made a small difference to their lives.
We hope to go back to plant more flowers when the danger of frost has
passed, and would always be grateful for more green, or even not so green
fingers. Footnote: What is Besom? Besom is a registered Christian charity who work
to support those in need in a number of ways: 1) Taking referrals from those
in need for gardening, decorating and other jobs by those in need -
individuals, refuges, schools, voluntary groups etc. 2) By collecting good quality household goods,
clothes etc to match and distribute to those in need. They are very strict in what they accept - with a belief that
the poor deserve the best and not our hand-offs....Interestingly, the founder of
Besom spent time with Mother Teresa... 3) Offering mentoring with successful businessmen
to the unemployed who want to start up in business - offering them practical
support and capital. 4) Matching donations from individuals and groups
to charities -eg a business might
want to donate £10,000 to an irrigation project in Africa, or an individual £100
to an inner city creche. Besom find
a charity that could do what the donors like. They have a wonderful spirit and much to teach us.
To learn more about their work look at Besom.com May 6 - FridayAGENDA FOR MY ADVISORY SUPPORT GROUP On Tuesday there is a meeting of my support and advisory group for Project 2030 which consists of three other priests from the Sacred Heart Fathers. It gives me a chance to share what is happening in the group and get their advice and wisdom on current issues and future developments. Here are the kind of issues I'll be raising. AGENDA
FOR PROJECT 2030 MEETING – 10TH MAY 2005, KILWINNING
May 7 - SaturdayLAKE DISTRICT WEEKEND. ANYONE FOR PORTUGAL? A couple of the younger men from our community in Portugal were here for the 'Growing in Community' weekend in February. Riccardo was supposed to come but was not well at the time. He already had his flights booked and they were able to be transferred, so he came over last Wednesday for 6 days, even though his time is very busy at the moment. I had saved up required visits to Malpas and Liverpool, so he came with me on Thursday and saw some of the sights. Yesterday we drove up to Keswick for the Lake District weekend, then he'll come with me to Kilwinning in Scotland where I have community meetings on Monday and Tuesday. Riccardo has invited us to come to Portugal. We have colleges in Lisbon and Oporto that would be able to put us up during the summer holidays. We don't have any big houses on the Algarve, but the Bishop there is a Dehonian that I know well.... Meanwhile we are enjoying the delights of The Lakes. This is our third time here. Previously we came the weekend after Easter but on average we did not make double figures. This weekend there are 18 of us. We went out for a meal last night then enjoyed the bar here at Castlerigg Manor which is the Residential Youth Centre for the Lancaster Diocese (see www.castleriggmanor.co.uk). Today the rain is holding off. People have gone out either to do the hill walk up Skiddaw, which I did last year, or the lakeside walk which we did two years ago. I decided to do my own thing. One group would be jealous if they knew I had gone with the other, I'm sure. This past month I have not had much quiet space to myself and the next couple of weeks are going to be as crazy. This year I decided that I would not necessarily go on all the main events. I would be better employed holding newcomers' meetings or setting up in Belfast. The Lake District was one for the chop, but then the numbers increased and I thought it would be the best way for Riccardo to meet some of the group. On the way back from Iona last weekend when I was asking where else we could go on pilgrimage someone suggested Fatima which would be easy to visit from Lisbon. Holy Island/Lindisfarne in North-East England was another suggestion. Michael was saying last night that he has been there and was also able to visit Bamburgh Castle and the Farne Isles, as well as St Bede's Monastery in Jarrow.
May 8 - SundayJOKING AND PUTTING IN THE LAKES After our own soiree yesterday evening some headed out for the bright lights of Keswick. Not everyone remembered how to get back into the Centre after midnight and, having taken an earlier taxi back, had to head down to rejoin the others in town. There wasn't too much chance of a lie-in at Castlerigg. About 20 minutes before breakfast the Big Brother tannoy goes off in all the corridors and continues to play the like of "The Road to Amarillo" until everyone has conceded defeat and staggered to the dining room. The atmosphere was bright and breezy. Or maybe it's just that when people are half asleep it's a good time to squeeze in the old jokes. Did you hear that Peter Kaye the comedian was arrested for kicking a ball of steel wool down the street? The judge gave him 3 months and asked: "Is this the way to harm a brillo". Blame Duncan for that one. I wasn't the only one telling jokes over the weekend, but people didn't believe me when I said that the inventor of crossword puzzles was buried in the Keswick cemetery. Next time you are there his grave is easy to find - it's six down and four across. Riccardo was saying that in Portugal people think that the typical "English" person is a bit crazy humour-wise. By English they also mean Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Australian, etc, etc. It's all because of Mr Bean and Johnny English. When someone tries to put on that kind of funny act they will say in Portuguese: "Oh, stop being so English!" Riccardo certainly didn't find it funny yesterday when the Skiddaw walkers took the rocky route that proved extra dangerous in the wind. "Am I going to get to become a deacon?" he wondered as he looked down. At least someone did say: "I don't think Hugh would approve of this". I approve of anything, as I say, as long as it is not dangerous or sinful. I'm thinking of adding a third category - "harmful to the group". This morning after Mass we did something safer, pitch and putt, though the safeness could be disputed. After my crown as snooker champion was tarnished at Iona (last year), I wanted to prove myself as king of the pitch and putt. My having a practice yesterday on the 9 hole course didn't affect my handicap. There were 12 of us in groups of three. Nick, Riccardo and I went first. I won that. Nick lost his ball by hitting over a 20 foot fence 20 yards behind the 5th green. By that stage Riccardo (who wasn't the only one enduring mini-golf for the first time) was content to let Nick play on with his ball. I don't know if anyone else beat 34. I doubt it. There was quite a log-jam behind the fourth group. Some of them might still be out there. Riccardo and I headed off straight after our game as we had a longish drive to a meeting in Kilwinning, Ayrshire.
May 9 - MondayPROJECT 2030 ADVISORY AND SUPPORT GROUP On Friday I gave the agenda for the group of three Dehonian priests who meet a couple of times a year to give me advice and support in my work with Project 2030. These were some of the main conclusions that resulted.
May 10 - TuesdayTHE 40 SOMETHINGS IN THE NORTH-WEST Those who are over 40 in the North-West are having a meeting next week to look at setting up a 40s group. This is an email reminder I sent to them. Dear
All,
Just a reminder
about the '40s' meeting at Loyola Hall, 2.00 pm on Sunday 22 May. They
have given us the Brown Room. Last Tuesday I had a
meeting with three other Dehonian priests who form an advisory and support group
for me in my work with Project 2030. One of the issues I raised with them
was the issue of the 40 somethings. Was I being too hard on the 40s by
encouraging them to move on to give space for the younger 30s, and so that the
younger 30s would move up from the 20s to encourage younger 20s to get involved.
The three priests were average age 44 and I thought they would have more
sympathy for their own age group. In fact they were strong in saying that
the 40s should be able to go their own way and look after themselves. They
were concerned that if I tried to do too much for the 40s it would become too
much for me if I am trying to look after the other groups etc. If the 40s
want to invite me to things or to do a retreat then the initiative should
come from the 40s. And I would gladly help. I feel closer to the 40s
in age etc. At 53 I might even qualify for membership, or do I need to set
up a 50 somethings for that? I have added below
the bit I put in the newsletter. There I encouraged people in their 40s to
come along, especially if they had not been going to the 30s because of the age
difference, but obviously I would want to encourage all the 40s to be there,
especially if you have been involved in things. Times of transition are
never easy and no-one likes to be reminded that they are not as young as they
feel, but as Christians we believe in death and resurrection, in new life and in
being prepared to make sacrifices for others. This does not mean that at
30 and 40 we have some kind of passing out parade and people have to walk the
plank. We are not throwing anybody out of the groups as soon as they reach
30 or 40 or 50, but we should leave the review meetings and organisation to
those in their own decade. The other week I was able to convince some in
their early 30s that the main reason why they wanted to stay with the 20s,
namely that they would rather be with people who are younger than them than with
people who are older, was precisely the main reason why they should move on.
Because if they were feeling that at 32 about people who were 33% older than
them how much more would someone of 22 feel it when the come to a group where
people were 50% older than them. Most of us approached the big four-oh
with a certain amount of apprehension, but we celebrated it with gusto and moved
on with a new lease of life. Hopefully we can approach the beginnings of
the 40 somethings with the same positive attitude. After
the meeting we can go across the road for something to eat. See
you there. Hugh Sunday
22nd May - 40s meeting At Loyola Hall:
Hugh
writes ''At the 30s review meeting in March it was suggested to hold a
meeting of members who are 40 or over. I am trying to encourage younger 20s and
30s to get involved in their groups. The 30s is fast becoming the 40somethings,
so for the sake of the younger ones we need to consider doing a separate 40s
programme. This
does not mean casting the 40s adrift from Project 2030. You are good at
arranging things and you can always invite the 20s and 30s to 40s events. Try
and come along, especially if you did not get involved in the 30s programme
because you felt too old". At Loyola Hall, 2pm. By car follow Prescot
A57 signs from Junction 7 of
the M62 motorway. Loyola Hall is half a mile on the right. Entrance by
front door to main hall. May 11 - WednesdayWAR AND RELIGION This week gave me time to go on the BBC web pages and start another discussion. Here is the result. Again I can only give what I have written, but I have tried to give the flavour of what other people have said in response. War
and Religion Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005 re:
War and Religion Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005 re:
War and Religion Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005 re:
War and Religion Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005 re:
War and Religion Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005
The wars in Ireland are not entirely about religion. The Normans invaded Ireland
in the 12th Century. The Irish did not become Protestant at the Reformation like
their masters and this gave the focus for resistance against the British. The
Protestants in the North were planted there in the 17th Century to try and
bolster the British culture. After the independence of the Republic the
Protestants felt their culture to be under threat and so started to beat the
drums to defend themselves. My argument is that it is not religion that is at
the root of any aggression by minorities but the defence of their culture.
Religion helps them. If Poland had been the same religion as the Russians they
would have found it more difficult to break free in the 1980s. Ukraine was able
to break free from Russia in their recent elections because the majority in the
West of Ukraine are Catholic. No wonder that Belarus is still caught in soviet
style poverty - because it has no different religion to help it break free. [reply]
[Complain
about this post] re:
War and Religion Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005 re:
War and Religion Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005 re:
War and Religion Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005 re:
War and Religion Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005
May 12 - ThursdayFURTHER WEB DISCUSSION War and Religion Hugh 2030 - 11 May 2005 re: War and Religion Hugh 2030 - 11 May 2005 re:
Religion and War Hugh
2030 - 11 May 2005
re: War and Religion Hugh 2030 - 11 May 2005 re: War and Religion Hugh 2030 - 11 May 2005
May 13 - FridayFRIDAY
– WORLD YOUTH DAYS, AUGUST, GERMANY. Sending
Out an email today about the World Youth Days in Germany.
This is what is happening. It
is still not too late to book up if you were born after 10 August 1974 (World
Youth Days limit). Dear
All, There
are 18 of us booked to go on the World Youth Days in Germany from 10 - 22
August. Bookings originally had to be in before Christmas, but we have
been told by our organisers in Germany that they have more spaces available.
So if you would like to come along please let us know as soon as
possible. 10
– 22 AUGUST – WORLD YOUTH DAYS: Germany.
The first part we will be staying with families around Kaisersesch, near
Koblenz, joining in the events organised by the Diocese of Trier.
The second part we will be staying with other Dehonian groups near
Cologne (sleeping bags needed here as we will likely be staying in a school or
community centre) where the WYD finishes with the Night Vigil and Mass with the
Pope. This will be the new Pope's
first visit away from Rome and is his first visit to Germany. Price £250
for full board, lodging, insurance, travel in Germany and flights to and from
London Stanstead (late bookers might need to pay extra for their flights).
Book as soon as possible. Open
to members of Project 2030 who were born after 10 August 1974 (WYD limit). Send deposit £30 made out to ‘Project 2030’, to
Project 2030 Office, St Joseph’s, Tilston Rd, Malpas, SY14 7DD. The
total cost is still £250 (minus the cost of your
flights). If
you have already paid your deposit please send the difference to the Project
2030 Office at Malpas (address above). Anyone aged 25 or under can apply
for an £80 grant towards this trip. The
flights we are booked on are: Outward:
London Stanstead (STN) to Frankfurt Hahn (HHN): Wed 10 Aug (Flight FR 758)
departing Stanstead at 15.40, arriving Frankfurt at 17.55. Return:
Frankfurt Hahn (HHN) to London Stanstead (STN) : Mon 22 Aug (Flight FR 755)
departing Frankfurt at 13.35, arriving Stanstead at 13.50 (we gain an hour). We
would be grateful if you could book your own flight if you are able to (let
us know if you can't do this). At the moment there are still seats on this
flight - once they are gone anyone coming will need to book on the flight before
this (the 10.55 from Stanstead - Flight FR 756) and return on the one after (the
18.20 from Frankfurt - Flight FR 761). The sooner you book the better -
late bookers may need to pay more. Best wishes, Hugh
May 14 - SaturdayMARTIN’S LETTER AFTER IONA This was Martin’s email to the group who went to Iona. Veronica is doing a full report. “Peace be
with you! Are you guys still all alive? Glad I had today off to chill. Hope you
all got back safely whatever time you departed and wherever the destination. I seem to
have got a lot of thanks this weekend for doing some of the organising but can I
thank all of you for coming, for blessing me with your company and friendship and
for being tolerant of those 'technical hitches' especially on Saturday. Was
pondering those pics e-mailed 'round to some of us by Fiona this evening and
thinking fondly of each of you. I feel so bolstered being among you and I
could happily have stayed in your company for the rest of 2005! That would have
given us just about enough time to say more than just hello and goodbye to
people. Perhaps if
we do do this again, it should be a longer less hurried 'break' for folk. I'm
encouraged to consider 'Iona IV' mostly as an excuse to abduct nothwards another
time those of you happy to consent to this arrangement. Pray haste ye back and
haste our happy re-union! Can I say a
special thanks to the following people:- Adrian - for
your beaut guitar playing, your depth, your serenity and gentleness. Anne Marie -
for trusting we'd get to the airport and for a rousing balamory story! Beatrix -
for your joyful way, your carrots and salad cream and for making Sean a happy
man! Brenda - for
being friendly and understanding and for consoling me following Celtic's 3-1
defeat! Catharine -
for being flexible, expressive, for the foot massages and for just for being
you. Chris -
for the kindness, warmth and support we are accustomed to receiving
from you. Christina -
for your smile, your tolerance and your spirit of good cheer. Christine B
- for trying so hard, being the good guy/gal, and pondering the mysteries
of the soul. Christine C
- for your calm nature, gentle and generous ways. Deirdre -
for joining us and being part of it all. welcome back! great to see you. Donna - for
being you, for sharing. Do come back......and bring yer flute too! Fiona - for
your humour and playfulness and for a fine collection of pics - captured the
moment. Hans - for
your humour too and for putting all to shame on the pool table. Hugh - for
all that you do and 'for the joy you bring, sing, sing, sing...' Joanne - for
all that driving, effort and energy when you weren't even feeling great. Joseph - for
helping with the driving and being on good form. Nice car that... Julie - for
keeping our cottage in one piece and sending me a £70 tip with your deposit! Louise C -
for being happy and doing my running for me this weekend as I'd no time. Louise S -
for being so easy to get along with and for not being sick on the bus on the way
back! Lucy - for
jumping in at the last minute, agreeing to drive and being so warm and reliable. Lynette -
for your gentle and kindly ways. I sense a person of deep spirituality and
goodness. Mairi - for
your lovely, kind and smiling way and for being in Hugh's 'target group'! Mike - for
your friendliness and for being you Mike. Wish you could have been with us
longer. Rebecca -
for your energy and humour and laughter. Great craic. Haste ye back! Sean - wow!
for your humanity and humour. What a guy! Trish - for
helping with the driving and being your usual warm, vibrant, sociable self. Veronica -
for missing the ferry - will give us a great memory! And for your hearty
beavering! It is
wonderful to ponder that whether we go to Glasgow, Dublin, Liverpool, Manchester
or London, we can say that "someone waits for me".
God bless, Marts” We should add our thanks also to Martin – for your patience, precision and persuasiveness. And we heard you are a poet – do we get a peek some time?
May 15 - SundayTHE MONASTERY - BBC 2 - TUESDAYS 9.00pm This time last year we got a few calls from a BBC producer. We thought at first that they wanted to do a documentary on Project 2030. It turned out they were looking for volunteers to spend 40 days in a monastery, a kind of religious Big Brother, though no-one would be thrown out unless they were naughty. We kept leaving messages on each others ansa-machines. By the time we made contact they had got their team of volunteers sorted. The programmes are now going out at 9.00 pm Tuesdays on BBC2. 5 male volunteers aged between 28 and 50 are following the monastic life at the Benedictine Worth Abbey near London. They join the monks for their 6 times of prayer each day, help them with work in the house and garden, have discussions and inputs on the monastic life. None of the men is a Catholic. That could be a drawback, and maybe why the producer got on to us. One is a Northern Ireland Protestant who was a member of the UDA (equivalent of the IRA). He got shocked out of his drug addiction when he became abusive to his mother. Another is a successful businessman who is pretty self-obsessed. Then there is a Ph.D student who is into Buddhism. The fourth was shown filming adverts for sex chat lines, and the last, who didn't feature much in the first programme, is the oldest of them, who is still on a spiritual search. The monks must have taken a big chance letting the cameras in, but the successful outcome has been acclaimed in the religious and secular media. The welcome, humour, patience and wisdom of the community comes across strongly. The 5 guests are visibly touched by the experience and begin to share deeply the impact it is having on them and other personal insights. An underlying question of the series is: "Does the rule of St Benedict have anything to offer to people today, outside and inside the monastery setting?" Different parts of it are explored each day. When the question is obedience, we see a couple of the men jogging down to the village shop for chocolate and fags, or missing prayers. When the theme is community, their struggles to get on with each other come to the fore. During a discussion on humility we witness an argument which brings out people's pride. The silence is the biggest benefit and the biggest challenge. Worth Abbey has been suggested for a retreat for the London groups. It looks very attractive, though now it will be inundated. A few of us have taken part in their older youth events, though the latest I heard was that these have been moved off premises. We won't be going there for a while as we have places booked up for a year. Chris has a place near Chelmsford over the summer, Michael has sussed out a convent that can take 50 for Advent days in Kensington, and Anne-Marie will be contact for another visit to the Friars, Aylesford in Kent. Do we ask Worth Abbey to do a repeat monastic experience for us - a long weekend at least. Why not a week? You only live once.
May 16 - MondayMONDAY – MAIN EVENTS FOR END OF MAY – AUGUST For those who are not on our email list here are the main events between the groups that are coming up: 27
– 30 MAY – DUBLIN WEEKEND:
5th birthday party of
Project 2030. Meet
the groups. Meet
Friday evening at the Banker’s Club, 93 St Stephen’s Green. Saturday
sightseeing round Dublin, party in the evening at the Teachers’ Club, 36
Parnell Sq. Group
Mass 11.30 Sunday, pub lunch.
Afternoon: Gaelic Football at Croke Park, or trip to Malahide.
Sunday evening, traditional music pub.
Monday visit to Glendalough.
Bank Holiday in Britain. 3-5
JUNE – WEEKEND IN CAMBRIDGE – Opportunity
to visit this charming University town and punt down the river Cam. Last
year 30 went to Stratford. 20
– 23 JUNE – WHAT NEXT? For
university leavers and those in their 20s who can contribute something to the
few days’ break. Walks,
visit to Chester, time to relax, time to reflect on the future.
How can Project 2030 help?
Will be advertised in University Chaplaincies.
£55 (subsidy included).
Deposit of £15 to Project 2030 Office, St Joseph’s, Tilston Rd, Malpas,
Cheshire, SY14 7DD. Cheques
made out to ‘Project 2030’ 24
- 26 JUNE – MANCHESTER WEEKEND: Meet
up Friday evening. Sightseeing in Manchester.
Buffet and disco at 8.00 pm Saturday at Thirty-Two Club.
Sunday morning coffee at Café Uno, followed by group Mass. 16
– 18 JULY – LOUGH DERG – St
Patrick’s Purgatory in Ireland. By popular demand, 48 hours of prayer, little
food, bare feet, all night vigil. There is a 9 am bus from Dublin or you can fly
to Londonderry. 25
– 30 JULY – A HOLIDAY RETREAT:
At St Joseph’s, Malpas, Cheshire.
A chance to get together in a relaxing atmosphere.
Also time for yourself and time for God.
Go at your own pace. Possibility
of individual time with a director each day.
Visit Chester Cathedral etc on Wednesday.
You need to come for the whole week.
Begins 6.00 pm on Monday.
Finishes with pub lunch
Friday. Cost
£95. Deposit of £30. 6
– 15 AUGUST – WALK THE PEMBROKE WAY:
For Thirtysomethings. Last
year we did West Highland Way. Bags
are taken on by taxi each day. £350
approx. 10
– 22 AUGUST – WORLD YOUTH DAYS: Germany.
The first part we will be staying with families around Kaisersesch, near
Koblenz, joining in the events organised by the Diocese of Trier.
The second part we will be staying with other Dehonian groups near
Cologne (sleeping bags here, as likely
staying in a school or community centre) where the WYD finishes with the Night
Vigil and Mass with the Pope. This
will be the new Pope’s first visit away from Rome and is his first visit to
Germany. Price £250 for full
board, lodging, insurance, travel in Germany and flights to and from London
Stanstead (late bookers might need to pay extra for their flights). Book as soon as possible.
Open to members of Project 2030 who were born after 10 August 1974 (WYD
limit). Send deposit £30 made out
to ‘Project 2030’, to Project 2030 Office, St Joseph’s, Tilston Rd, Malpas,
SY14 7DD. 26
– 29 AUGUST – EDINBURGH FESTIVAL:
Staying in Glasgow and going by
train to Edinburgh. Maybe even a
ceilidh. Also
a new event for September is: 2
– 4 SEPTEMBER – ADVENTURE WEEKEND PART II:
Now with even more activities than before to choose from since the last
adventure weekend. If you have a need for an action packed, adrenaline
pumping, thrill seeking weekend then how does paintballing, archery, quad biking
and laser pigeon shooting grab you? The total cost is £154 for the whole
weekend which includes 2 nights stay in a good hotel, all 4 events and lunch on
the Saturday and Sunday. Don't feel you have to do all the events though,
you can do as little or as many as you like. May 17 - TuesdayGLASGOW 20S. LIVING IN COMMUNITY? This evening Martin was giving a presentation to the Glasgow 20s on the weekend we had in February at Malpas on growing in community. He spoke about his reasons for joining the group almost five years ago, mainly looking to extend his social life, but gradually the group came to mean more to him. Visits to other areas and joint events like the walks and Iona gave him a sense of belonging and fellowship. Gradually he sensed that others were looking for something more in terms of community which led to his suggestion that we meet in February to explore further. Part of his inspiration was the Pope's visit to Scotland in 1982. Then John Paul laid down a challenge to the "yoong peepole of Scoatland". We watched part of the video where he spoke to them at Murrayfield, the rugby ground. "Do not be afraid... be prepared to make sacrifices.... resist selfishness.... accept the challenge.... make a difference.... Jesus has already conquered the world." Martin would like to go beyond having a sense of community within Project 2030 to actually living in community. Some from the North-West have the idea of living under the same roof, sharing together and praying together for mutual benefit. Martin would also like to do something as a group, have a sense of mission. Such an arrangement would also need to have a uniting spirit/spirituality. This could come from Leo Dehon, the founder of the Sacred Heart Fathers, based on three of his key principles which Martin had identified:
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