Refuse or Refuge Bins?

It’s been a long, cold winter in Brighton & Hove with ice, snow, Arctic winds, freezing temperatures and leaden skies. But in the last two or three weeks the weather has changed abruptly with balmy, shirt-sleeve temperatures. In Hove Park there are acres of bright daffodils, trees erupting with pink and white blossom, families strolling, ball games everywhere. At Brighton Marina, the All England Squid Fishing Championships took place off the wall three days ago, with nine squid caught

Summer is coming! And the change of weather has brought a long-awaited change in the fortunes of the seafront traders, with ice creams and candy floss, sunglasses, buckets and spades in demand again. 

Soon, with the warmer weather, the number of homeless in the city will rise sharply. It’s the same every year. In the depths of winter, the seafront soup run organised by the St Vincent de Paul Society near the Palace Pier has an average of 15-25 customers each night, but that will rise to 60 or more over the summer months.   

An article in Friday’s local Argus newspaper by Julian Haddow, the Manager of Project Antifreeze, a homeless charity project, was illuminating: of 68 rough sleeper clients in his centre last week, only 22 (32%) had a local connection with Brighton & Hove (and therefore any hopes of qualifying for local authority housing). Fifteen (22%) were from outside the UK, about half being economic migrants.

Obviously, rough sleepers sleep rough for a variety of reasons, including relationship breakdowns, redundancy, mental health issues, addiction, abuse, low self worth – it’s rarely through choice. The 18 rough sleepers that I met during the Sacred Heart Church Winter Night Shelter, admittedly pre-screened, seemed no different to my own friends and family. They were well turned-out considering their circumstances, pleasant, considerate, some were gregarious and funny, others introverted or melancholic. All appreciated the food, warmth, comfort and safety of our church shelter.

There can be a temptation to view rough sleepers negatively, especially after experiencing those few who beg openly or appear under the effect of intoxicants. It’s easy to forget what a lonely, cold, uncomfortable and dangerous life it can be.

Fortunately, Brighton & Hove City Council reminds us.

Many city centre streets have large communal rubbish bins like this:

But, when you look closer, you see a notice warning people not to crawl into the bins and sleep inside. This is because, about four years ago, a homeless man sleeping in a bin narrowly escaped death after he was nearly dropped into a waste truck’s crusher.

You have to be really desperate to sleep in a rubbish bin!  Sleeping rough generally is no fun, even in fine weather. If we can’t help the homeless directly, it’s often possible to help those organisations that help the homeless. And one of these whose work I have experienced personally is Off The Fence, a charity based on Christian principles, whose project – Project Antifreeze – I mentioned earlier. Details of both are readily found on the internet.  

Resources for the Rosary

For the last several years I’ve prayed the Rosary every night; the Joyful Mysteries on Monday and Saturday, the Sorrowful Mysteries on Tuesday and Friday, the Mysteries of Light on Thursday, and the Glorious Mysteries on Wednesday and Sunday.

Some evenings, especially when I’m tired or have had a glass of wine with dinner, it’s a struggle. The mind wanders and several Hail Mary’s pass in a blur, or I realise that I’ve lost my place in the Lord’s Prayer – what comes next? Did I remember to say the Glory Be for the previous decade (- and did I remember to add the Fatima prayer?). Did I say the ‘correct’ mystery for this particular evening?  And then I start to move down the slippery slope...Is there really any value in praying the rosary, isn’t it just meaningless repetition? Have I begun to treat it as a sort of magic rite? Am I doing it for the wrong reason - because I want a return from the effort – rather than doing it to praise and glorify the Creator, honour His mother and meditate on His birth, life, death and resurrection?

And then there are the rare evenings when the beads slip through the fingers. The prayers come easily and naturally, following each other with precision and perfect timing. More importantly, the words are rich with meaning, repetition stimulates rather than dulls, new insights blossom, emotions surge and ebb. The end, when it comes, always surprises, the sense of participating in something important and wonderful, tinged with a sense of loss.

But mostly there are the regular evenings, which fall somewhere between these two extremes. And that’s where I find reference materials most useful; particularly, different ways to pray the Rosary.

For travelling, there is the Rosary card produced by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), a fold-out stiff card with all the prayers, the mysteries, scriptural quotations and instructions.

For regular use, I prefer a small, simple booklet that supports each prayer. I have about a dozen books and booklets that I cycle through to vary my approach, but I find that I use two particular small booklets for the great majority of the time. (I must admit that books with lengthy dissertations or explorations of the Rosary have a wonderfully calming effect - I’m soon asleep).

The first is ‘A Way to Pray the Rosary’ by Sister Mary Francis of the Poor Clares (McCrimmon Publishing, 0855976489). This is my favourite selection of scriptural quotations to accompany the individual Hail Marys. Appropriate, crisp, complete, indispensible.

 

The second is ‘Praying the Rosary with the Saints’ by Nick Donnelly (CTS, 9781860822582). Here, the 200 or so quotations are selected from 50 great saints, ranging from Saint Patrick to Blessed Mother Teresa, from the Curé of Ars to the founder of Opus Dei. Thought-provoking, meaty, humbling, pithy - even amusing!

Here are four of my favourites, one from each mystery:

JOYFUL - ‘Let us love God my brothers, let us love God. But let it be with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our brow.’ Vincent de Paul.

LIGHT – ‘He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in His love than in your weakness.’ Mother Teresa.

SORROWFUL – ‘Lord, where are Your friends? They have left You. This running away has been going on for twenty centuries.’ Josemaria Escriva.

GLORIOUS – ‘Though I die, as die I certainly shall, nevertheless I shall not for ever die, for I shall rise again.’ John Henry Newman.

From time to time I use other forms of Rosary prayer; meditation, dramatization, icons, praise, thanksgiving, reconciliation etc to support the decades of the Hail Mary.

 

If you haven’t tried it, why not try it? And stick with it. You’ll find that it’s habit-forming (in the nicest possible way!).

Murder Mysteries and Mystics

There’s (hardly) anything more enjoyable in life than browsing in bookshops. My interests - under the letter ‘M’ - include murder mysteries and mystics. A visit to London means an obligatory pilgrimage to Foyles and a couple of hours in St. Paul’s Bookshop, beside Westminster Cathedral. Foyles is for murder mysteries, St. Paul’s for theology, spirituality, sacraments, music, homiletics, holy pictures, sacramentals etc – and mystics.

Of course, you’ve got to be careful; some mystics have a depressing tendency to forecast the imminent end of the world and, if you have a football season ticket or are looking forward to a pension, that can be somewhat depressing. Indeed, private revelations are potential punji pits for the credulous.

Fortunately, the folk at St Paul’s are quite discerning – as might be expected of a Catholic congregation of priests and brothers dedicated to proclaiming the Gospel - and the shelves are well worth a browse.
That was how I came across ‘Angel on my Shoulder’ by Val Conlon (the founder of Divine Mercy Publications Ireland). This is the story of an alleged encounter between an elderly man and his Guardian Angel, in which the angel answers his unresolved questions about life and the nature of God. Not a book about a mystic or by one, but definitely a supernatural ‘revelation.’

There is no Imprimatur or testimony from the Hierarchy, although the publisher’s introduction stresses that the book is in conformity with Pope Urban VIII’s decree on private revelations and it repeats the Pope’s warning that ‘the reader should always exercise prudence where alleged supernatural phenomena  not attested to by the Church, is concerned.’ Wise words indeed!

So, what of the contents, the revelations? Well, just to mention one tiny observation, it is suggested that women might be closer to God than men, and that more men than women go to Purgatory and for longer. You’ll have to read the book to find out why! I certainly enjoyed it and believe it is inspiring – - it raises the mind to higher things – but whether it is of supernatural origin or an outstanding piece of creative writing..well, the jury’s still out for me.      

I was reminded of this book when a friend – thanks Mady - recommended another personal revelation, ‘He and I’, by a French Catholic lay mystic called Gabrielle Bossis.

A gifted actor and dramatist for much of her life, Gabrielle heard a mysterious Voice, particularly in the last 14 years of her life, from the age of 62, and the resulting dialogue is recoded, diary-style. The Voice was believed to be that of Jesus, and, if Amazon reader feedback is to be believed, the book’s content is inspiring, even transforming. And it bears an Archbishop’s Imprimatur. I’m looking forward to reading it.     

Ah yes, that Cuban coffee!

Ah yes, that Cuban coffee...(Cuban coffee).

Well, Joy laughed at me. She told me at lunch today that I was silly to have any concerns, she would be happy to drink coffee several years old, so long as it was vacuum-packed. I think she might be right. She's a (very) sensible and clever person.

The coffee was fine.

...So far.

'Retreat' at St Cuthman's

 

It was described as a 'retreat' but was definitely more of an 'advance'. Spiritual batteries were re-charged, friendships made, companionable meals and walks enjoyed, and much progress was made in the formal meeting work.

 

 

For 24 hours the folk from Sacred Heart Church, Hove, enjoyed the hospitality of St Cuthman’s Retreat and Meeting Centre, in the countryside just south of Horsham. Fr. Kevin Dring and the Parish Team were these - together with what Jim jokingly described as ‘us hangers-on’; representatives of the Eucharistic Ministers, altar servers, catechists, readers, the church accountant, cashiers, cleaners and flowers arrangers - in short, the extended and essential family of the church.

A primary aim of the meeting was a work session, to plan the 125^th Anniversary celebration of the dedication of Sacred Heart Church. This will be held on 7^th June this year, the Feast of the Sacred Heart - less than two months away - with Bishop Kieran, invited guests and congregation.

 

 Equally important was the opportunity for prayer and spiritual reflection. The simple chapel, its end wall a window onto the trees and lake, was a place of light and peace, perfect for prayer and Eucharistic Adoration. The arrival evening, as we met in prayer, voices were stilled by the perfect magic of a young deer moving tentatively into view.

St. Cuthman's dates from (at least) the seventeenth century, and massive wood beams, oak panelling, and hefty dark pieces of furniture abound. The library, with its oak panelled walls, vast supply of books and deep armchairs, was where Fr. Charles talked to us, simply and directly, about the importance of listening to God, not praying at him, and about working together in love, giving rather than getting. That same room was the venue for our social gathering the night before with recitations, jokes, and songs, including a moving Irish love song and an excerpt from a Chinese opera.

It was also the venue for the work session when Fr. Kevin, standing by the flipchart with pen in hand, recorded the contributions, squinting and moving ever closer to the board as he tried to capture all the ideas in the rapidly-diminishing space.

Too soon, it was time to leave, with memories of fluffy white towels, enormous scones with home-made jam and cream, stately ducks paddling on the lake...and the deer that came to chapel to reminded us of the perfection of the Creator’s handiwork.          

 

 

The Last Post?

What do you think of the meaning and usefulness of dates on food products - you know, the ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ labels?

I’m one of those people who throw out anything – certainly and food or drink – that is one second past its ‘best before’ date... better safe than sorry and all that...However, I suspect certain family members believe that ‘best by’ dates are simply marketing devices to make people throw out unconsumed but perfectly fine products in order to make us buy more...and they may be right!

For example, during a holiday in Cuba in 2009 elder son bought a bottle of Havana Club rum and a vacuum-packed packet of 100% Arabica ground coffee. Both items have lain, unopened, in the garage where they’d been put for storage, ever since.

I’ve been persuaded to brew and drink the coffee – even though the ‘best before’ date is 23^rd January 2011, about 15 months ago.

I hope I’ll survive the experiment. But this may be my last post. Ever.  

The Winter Night Shelter Party

 

Party time tonight at the Sacred Heart to celebrate the end of Brighton & Hove Churches Winter Night Shelter, which ran from 1^st December 2012 to the beginning of March 2013. Nine churches provided dinner, overnight accommodation and breakfast for 15 homeless men each night for the three months of the shelter.

Each church was responsible for one night’s activity. This involved shopping for supplies, arranging the dining and sleeping accommodation,  assembling 15 beds, registration of the guests from 8.00-8.30pm, preparing and serving dinner, providing entertainment, overseeing sleeping arrangements with volunteers on duty all night, cooking and serving breakfast, departure of the guests by 8.00am, cleaning the venue and moving the beds and bedding on to the next church.

A total of 54 volunteers worked on the Night Shelter at Sacred Heart Church under Fr. Kevin Dring, formed into three shifts; Evening (7.00-10.45pm), Overnight (10.30pm-6.30am) and Morning (6.15-9.00am). Each shift had a designated Leader, a First Aider and a Fire Warden, with a Food Manger for the Evening and Morning shifts.

In total, 42 homeless men used the Shelter during the 14 weeks it was in operation. An important aspect of the Shelter was the effort made to help the men improve their lives (rather than merely to provide them with accommodation and food). Each guest was offered assistance with finding housing, getting work or identifying a course to improve their skills and, in total, 17 of the 42 men were found housing, with several more starting jobs or courses.

For the churches, the experience was enormously beneficial. It was the ability to carry out the Gospel command to feed the hungry and to shelter the homeless. It was the creation of caring communities that came together to be the Church in action. It was discovering the joy to be found in serving others. Approximately two-thirds of the volunteers at Sacred Heart were female and the ages of the volunteers ranged from university students in their late teens to pensioners, many of whom were over 70. There was a tremendous esprit de corps, with volunteers turning up early for their shifts just so they could spend more time with the guests and each other. Some comments from my file: ‘I was left with a nice warm fluffy feeling’ ‘I really enjoyed helping’ ‘it was a great experience’ ‘rewarding and pleasurable’ ‘I really loved being a volunteer.’  

So, we had a party. And we agreed that we would be volunteering again this winter.      

Looking Up & Lost Sheep

It’s easy to walk along looking straight ahead or at the ground in front of you; I do it all the time. But, sometimes, I look up and see something that blows my socks off. Walking along The Drive in Hove today I passed All Saints Anglican Church, a rather imposing Gothic-style church, famed for its lunchtime music recitals as well as for its architecture

 

Next to the church is a small block of flats, and something right at that top of that block caught my eye  - a flash of white – something that looked like...like a sheep!

Indeed, two of them! On a balcony at the top of the small block of flats!

It reminded me of the ‘lost sheep’ parable (Matthew 18: 12-14 and Luke 15:3-7). Since I was once a lost sheep myself, I felt a kinship with these guys – but, more likely, I’m misinterpreting the situation and they are just hardy explorers, mountain goats in sheep’s clothing. Either way, a Happy Easter to them too!