Galloway Diocese Lent Edition March 2020 NEWSNEWS Mass for Saint Margaret, Queen of Scotland Bishop Nolan celebrated Mass with staff sand pupils in Queen Margaret Academy, Ayr, on 16th November, the feast day of St Margaret of Scotland, to honour their patron and celebrate the opening of their new school. More about QMA on page 9. The Bishop Writes We have a Christian duty to protect the planet and care for the environment. Small changes can make a big difference. Pre-loved clothes for sale”. I after the Paris meeting when saw that sign outside a governments took on commitments to charity shop. “Pre-loved” is lower their emissions of carbon more appealing than “second dioxide. -hand”. Did you know that It is also five years since Pope “using charity shops is not just a good Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si, which way of helping a charity but is also puts the care of our common home in a good for the environment? Nowadays Christian context. That is a document we are urged to reduce, reuse, recycle. that is always worth re-reading to Reusing preloved or second-hand remind ourselves that God’s creation clothes cuts down on manufacture, transport and waste. has been given to us on trust. Not only do we have to care for For the past year Justice & Peace Scotland have been it now so that all who are alive today can benefit from the encouraging us all to make small changes to our lifestyles to world’s resources, but we also have to pass it on to a future help protect the environment. Perhaps shopping in a charity generation. We should not leave our children and shop could be one of those changes. grandchildren to sort out problems that we have created, nor Other changes might be a bit more challenging. For should we use up for ourselves all the resources that nature instance, what about the milk I put on my cornflakes? gives us. The scene of cows grazing in a meadow may be educe, reuse, recycle is the motto nowadays. But it picturesque, but cows produce more than their fair share of R will take a lot to get us to change our wasteful ways. methane gas that contributes to global warming, and We have developed a throwaway culture, as can be seen in the environmentalists question whether pasture land is a good use plastic that pollutes our oceans. We buy new clothes, while of agricultural resources. That pint of milk comes at a heavy our wardrobes are full of clothes. We throw away food, while environmental cost. others in our world have no food to eat. And we are now addicted to our holiday abroad, as we chase the sun on un- During Lent, on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, we are environmentally friendly aircraft. asked to abstain from meat. But perhaps we should abstain more often. Not only do we eat too much meat than is good God has blessed us with the gift of creation. But the world for our own health but producing meat takes a heavy toll on is there for us to use, not to exploit. Its resources are there to the earth’s climate. be shared and the environment is there to be cared for. That is the challenge that we have to face if we are to pass the Later this year COP26 takes place in Glasgow. This blessings of our common home on to a future generation. United Nations meeting on climate change comes five years The priests of the diocese at the Assembly of Priests in November 2019 2 Memories of a spiritual journey Jim McKendrick remembers his visit to the Holy Land and the immediate connection to the Lord. ast November, Florence and I were privileged to visit Peter’s house (his mother-in-law’s really) have been revealed, the Holy Land. To actually see places we have read and what is thought to be a 1st century church dating from L about so often in the Gospels, to be able to visualise around 50AD. There is also a 2nd century, synagogue which the scene of so many of Christ’s miracles, was like a TV has been partially restored. Excavations beneath its programme switching from black and white to HD colour. Our foundations have revealed an earlier 1st century synagogue pilgrimage took us to some of the most atmospheric places which is thought to have been where Jesus preached. which had played such an important part in Christ’s life. To In Jerusalem, on a single day at, and inside, the walls of have walked in the footsteps of the Lord, to have breathed the the Old City, we visited some of the holiest sites air that he breathed, to have seen the sights that he saw – what of Abrahamic religions. First, we prayed at the Western a privilege! What an experience! So many memories! And it (Wailing) Wall, divided for men and women. These stones was made all the more poignant by the fact that it all occurred date back to the First Century B.C. when King Herod the as we were approaching the start of the fiftieth year of our Great built a retaining wall around the Temple. For present married life. day Jews the Wall is the place they can worship which is My memories of our visit are a kaleidoscope of closest to the Temple Mount, where tradition says Abraham experiences; washing our feet in the River Jordan; Nazareth prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. And Jews have continued and St Mary’s Well; the House of Joseph and the beautiful, to experience God’s presence near this site for over 3500 years. I was very fortunate to witness a beautiful scene. A group in the corner of the men’s section was celebrating a Bar Mitzvah, and at one point the men lifted a young boy in a chair and were dancing around holding him up. Immediately afterwards he proceeded to proclaim out loud for the first time verses from the scroll of the Torah. he Mount of Olives presents the most wonderful view T across the Kidron Valley to the old city walls .and the golden Dome of the Rock. As I stood in the Garden of Gethsemane, I thought of a disappointed Jesus, looking out across the Kidron Valley at Jerusalem, where just outside the modern Basilica of the Annunciation; the old City of city walls he would be crucified in less than 24 hours. Jerusalem. So many very special experiences it is hard to My lasting memory of the Holy Land is the visit to the single out a particular one. However there were a number of Canacle or Upper room, (pictured) where such great things extra special memories for me. happened; the Last Supper, The Washing of the Feet and the After leaving Nazareth and the River Jordan, we spent the Descent of the Holy Spirit. It was an immense emotional and rest of a delightful day in the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee. spiritual moment. Above all else, I will always remember We stopped for lunch at a spot on the shores where lunch was Florence reading the words of Consecration, as we all bowed St Peter’s fish, a tilapia, which swims in abundance in the our heads in silent contemplation. lake. Afterwards walking down to the lake side, it was easy for me to imagine Jesus preaching on its shores, meeting his disciples, Peter, Andrew, James and John, fishing and inviting them to follow him. It all became so much more real. I was profoundly moved by the beauty and panorama at the modern, octagonal Church of the Beatitudes and experiencing the peace and tranquillity of the Mount of Beatitudes where the Lord gave us his model for Christian living. Standing outside the Church, and looking down the hill towards the Sea of Galilee, the contours of the land seemed to form a natural amphitheatre, perfect for outdoor preaching. The visit to Capernaum, the site of so many miracles, was a very spiritual moment. We saw so much ongoing archaeological excavation. The site where the remains of St 3 Two SSVP Christmas Events t Joseph’s Church, Stranraer S SSVP once again entered a Christmas Tree in the Christmas Tree festival at Penningham Church of Scotland, Newton Stewart. The tree was decorated to highlight the work of SSVP locally, nationally and globally. There were over 70 from around the Diocese trees in the church, and donations from visitors raised over £900 for the work of the Bethany Trust with homeless people in the Dumfries area. SSVP Christmas Party: Amélie Davidson reports he Society of St Vincent de Paul at St Joseph’s Church, Kilmarnock, T organised a Christmas party for the recipients of their drop-in centre. They enjoyed sandwiches followed by homemade Christmas cakes and of course, mince pies! S2 pupil at St Joseph’s Academy and altar server Joseph kindly made Christmas cards which were greatly appreciated by the recipients. A great time was had by all! Pizza and Panto Night! pproximately 40 young A people gathered in St Margaret’s Cathedral Hall during Christmastide to participate in the Youth Ministry Office “Pizza and Panto” night. The young people travelled from all parts of the diocese: from Largs in the north to Dumfries in the south, and some hailed from Italy! The Youth Ministry Team did a great job with their new director, Father Jim, on their first activity together. The evening was attended by Bishop Nolan who joined us for a time to spread Christmas cheer among the young folk.