Lent Course

Each Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in Lent we have local ecumenical groups using an excellent DVD based course on the Creed. CaFE produce lots of other courses equally good and they can be used anytime not just in Lent.

A modern fresh approach for Catholic Formation and Evangelisation.

 

For parishes, universities, prisons, schools and colleges.

 

 Believe Reflections on the Creed DVD Course (PAL)

Believe -Reflections on the Creed is a six-part series exploring the treasures of our faith as expressed in the Nicene Creed. Ideal for Lent, RCIA, small groups, CaFE courses and schools, it is presented by David Payne (Director of CaFE) in various locations including the Holy Land, Nicaea, Rome, Oxford, Cambridge and London. 
Each session lasts approximately 35 minutes and features several interviews with prominent men and women of faith. 

There are also testimonies from lay people, Scripture and Catechism quotations, questions for discussion and times of prayerful reflection. 

Course pack includes two 'Believe' DVDs, music CD, sample booklet and promotional material plus a free 'Knowing the Father's Love' DVD.

With their comprehensive Leader's Guides they are easy to run and fun to watch.

When shown in a welcoming "cafe style" environment, large numbers of people are being drawn to the sessions and as a result are growing in their faith.

 

A wide range of supporting material is available for the courses, with glossy publicity handouts and posters that can be overprinted and most have booklets or manuals for participants.

A Fable

Ther once was a young knight on a fine horse, riding through a forest on quest. He wore bright armour and a splendid sword, and his eyes were alight with the hope of glory. One fair morning, with sunlight dappling the path, the knight came upon a child at play. The boy was dressed roughly, in a tunic of plain homespun, and he was not very clean. He had a crude wooden sword with which he was pretending to fight invisible enemies.

"I give you good morning, young sir," said the knight with a smile - for, especially on quest, he was very polite to everyone. "I see you are training yourself to fight the king's enemies."

"Not at all," said the child, making no effort at courtesy. "I am training myself to fight whomever I please. I will fight you right now, though you think I'm not big enough."

"How now, my fierce young friend," said the knight, still smiling. "I serve the king and our Lord Jesus. What pretence, other than some whilom whim, could you have for fighting me?!!"

"I am already fighting you" said the child. "I am your pride. Though I seem small and silly now, I will look dangerous enough if you let me grow into it."

The knight grew sober. "I see it may be that I have been called on quest to engage in mortal combat against my besetting sin. But how shall I know that you speak the truth?"

"Do you fear me?" asked the child.

The knight laughed gently. "No, for you are small, untrained and ill armed."

"You should fear me," said the child grimly. "I will be your death someday. You should slay me now, before I can give you a fight."

The knight paused a moment in thought. Then he dismounted, removed his sword and his armour and laid them on the ground in front of the child. Knowing his horse would return to the stable it was used to, he sent it away with a soft word and a pat on the rump. Turning to the child, he said, "Your warning is welcome, young sir. What I would have used to build my pride, I leave for you, or for whoever passes by. For myself, I will trust the Lord." Then he walked on along the forest path, dressed as simply as the child. 

17th century movie

An ingenious Baroque machine which lowers a painting of the Holy Trinity to reveal a statue of St Ignatius Loyola has been restored to its full glory in a church in Rome.

The machine was designed in 1699 by Brother Andrea Pozzo, a Jesuit artist, to emphasise the sanctity of St Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuit order who died in 1556.

Every afternoon, visitors to the Chiesa del Gesu in Rome can see the 42ft high painting slowly slide down to show the gilded statue of the saint behind it. The show, accompanied by lights and music, is "a sequence of extraordinary emotional impact", said a spokesman for the church. Underneath the statue are the remains of St Ignatius in an urn.

Father Massimo Taggi, the rector of the church, said: "It is unique, the machine is like a cinematographic device for that epoque, and had a didactic character. The painting makes you see St Ignatius' mission and then when you see the statue you understand he has fulfilled his mission and entered heaven."
Malcom Moore in Today's Telegraph.

The story interests me as St Ignatius has been a major influenc through his "Spiritual Exercises" on my spirituality and ministry.

True Riches

Gospel Luke 12.13-21

13Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ 14But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ 15And he said to the crowd, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ 16Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” 18Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.‘” 20But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” 21So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’

St Martin-on-the-hill Sermon

In today's gospel Jesus tells a story as a warning against avarice. It is usually called 'The Parable of the Rich Fool'. Bishop John Moorman in his commentary describes the passage as Jesus' exposition of the 10th Commandment 'Thou shalt not covet'. Leaving the scripture to speak for itself on these matters let me focus on our Lord's punch line: "So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God".

The same Bishop John Moorman was an acknowledged authority on St Francis of Assisi and he wrote a number of books about him and about Franciscanism. He called his book on Franciscan spirituality 'Richest of Poor Men'. In it he describes how Francis was brought up in a wealthy home - his father was a prosperous cloth merchant - but he was gradually led to give up everything. He adopted a life of such extreme poverty that he literally owned nothing. One day he stripped himself of his clothing and placed the garments at the feet of the Bishop of Assisi declaring that he was taking Lady Poverty as his bride. The Franciscan historian Bonaventura comments: 'No one was so greedy for gold as he was for poverty; no treasure was guarded so jealously as he guarded this gospel pearl'.

We are not all called to imitate St Francis literally but he does point Christians in the right direction. In life there are riches more valuable than material riches. Cardinal John Henry Newman spoke with prophetic insight when he said: 'All bow down to wealth. Wealth is that to which the multitude of men pay homage. They measure their happiness by wealth and by wealth they measure respectability'. Christians, however, choose to be rich towards God. They are those who store up their treasure in heaven. Put in the form of a prayer he says "Lord, to know you is to be truly rich. Your Scriptures are treasure beyond price, your Eucharist is the greatest gift we can possess and your Love, unlike the shine of wealth, is eternal.'

At her Coronation the Queen had a bible placed in her hands and she was told 'This is the most valuable thing that this world affords'.

St Francis wrote to his friars about the riches of the Eucharist 'What wonderful majesty! O sublime humility! O humble sublimity! That the Lord of the whole universe, God and the Son of God, should humble himself like this and hide under the form of a little bread for our salvation'.

Frederick William Faber in his hymn on the Love of God 'No earthly father loves like Thee; No mother, e'er so mild, Bears and forbears as Thou hast done With me, Thy sinful child. Father of Jesus, loves reward, What rapture will it be Prostrate before Thy throne to lie, And gaze, and gaze on Thee'.

If you wish to be rich in the sight of God - Come to the Scriptures, Come to the Sacrament, Come to the Saviour.

'There is only Christ; he is everything and he is in everything'.
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Glastonbury

The location of the annual pop festival is significant. It suggests a spiritual search.

Spirituality

Glastonbury is reputed to have had the oldest Christian Church in England and has a long history as a place of pilgrimage. In more recent times it has attracted 'pilgrims' from many faiths and beliefs and remains a spiritual centre to this day.

Christianity
Glastonbury is reputed to be the birthplace of Christianity in England and remains a centre of Christian Pilgrimage to this day. Although the Abbey is in ruins it remains a centre of worship throughout the year.

Other Paths
In recent years the town has become a place of pilgrimage for visitors of faiths other than Christianity. The reputed healing powers of the White & Red Springs have always attracted visitors and in more recent years there has been a revival of interest in Glastonbury as a centre of alternative beliefs.

Glastonbury Abbey

The Abbey is set in 37 acres of beautifully peaceful parkland in the centre of the ancient market town of Glastonbury. It is traditionally the first Christian sanctuary in Great Britain, visited, so legend has it, by Joseph of Arimathea and Saints David & Patrick. Many believe that the Holy Thorn tree that can be seen in the grounds originated from Joseph of Arimathea's staff and others are convinced that King Arthur was buried in the Abbey beside his lovely wife Queen Guinevere. Whatever one believes the facts are that the ruins are unique, the grounds provide a spot of peace and tranquility in an otherwise hectic world, and if the weather is poor there is the new Visitor's Centre with award winning Museum which includes a model of the Abbey as it might have looked in 1539, together with a display of the Town, a children's Display and the magnificent 16th century Othery Cope.