For article below the Burka is the religious dress and the Niqab is the part which goes across the face, regardless of whether the eyes are covered or not. Sorry for the confusion.
Gila
Sunday, 25 July 2010
To see or not to see
My dear Friends
Occasionally on a Thursday evening I drop into a pub on the South side of the city and join a group called Crosstalk-we have a meal and then bat around an issue which has been decided on for that week.
This past week the subject was the Birka and the Hijab-has France the right to try and ban them? The Burka is the long black dress which covers a Muslim woman completely apart from her eyes and the Hijab is the veil traditionally worn by Muslim women over their head and shoulders but not over their face. France has made a strong case for banning the use of these types of dress, but will Britain folow suit? And if so, why?
Not being able to see someone's face, some say, is scary, you don't know if you can trust them. Someone in our group said she thought the burka should be banned in places where the woman has to do business, the bank or the post office for example. And is it all a form of male oppression? Studies have revealed that the vast majority of women wearing the burka do it out of their own free will. One lady on a station was producing gurgling noises from under her burka and a lady on the station who heard it concluded that she was feeding her baby in privacy!
Perhaps even more daunting is the niqba, a form of dress where even the eyes don't show and the wearer sees through a form of gauze. Surely this is extreme? But Britain has a more tolerant attitude to all this and its unlikely they would impose a ban on Muslim dress.
I am sensitive to the issue of religious dress at the moment as I have just 'laid down' (given up ) my vows after 11 years. although I have the option of renewing in 6 months time. So I am not wearing my habit (which I only wore at home anyhow) at the moment. I still wish to be known as Sister Gila on the blog as the term 'Sister' is so much wider than just in the religious context and I am still working for The Little Sisters of Joy (possibly to be renamed The Little Sisterhood of Joy)These Muslim women feel that they are 'dressing up for God'-what do you think?
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Occasionally on a Thursday evening I drop into a pub on the South side of the city and join a group called Crosstalk-we have a meal and then bat around an issue which has been decided on for that week.
This past week the subject was the Birka and the Hijab-has France the right to try and ban them? The Burka is the long black dress which covers a Muslim woman completely apart from her eyes and the Hijab is the veil traditionally worn by Muslim women over their head and shoulders but not over their face. France has made a strong case for banning the use of these types of dress, but will Britain folow suit? And if so, why?
Not being able to see someone's face, some say, is scary, you don't know if you can trust them. Someone in our group said she thought the burka should be banned in places where the woman has to do business, the bank or the post office for example. And is it all a form of male oppression? Studies have revealed that the vast majority of women wearing the burka do it out of their own free will. One lady on a station was producing gurgling noises from under her burka and a lady on the station who heard it concluded that she was feeding her baby in privacy!
Perhaps even more daunting is the niqba, a form of dress where even the eyes don't show and the wearer sees through a form of gauze. Surely this is extreme? But Britain has a more tolerant attitude to all this and its unlikely they would impose a ban on Muslim dress.
I am sensitive to the issue of religious dress at the moment as I have just 'laid down' (given up ) my vows after 11 years. although I have the option of renewing in 6 months time. So I am not wearing my habit (which I only wore at home anyhow) at the moment. I still wish to be known as Sister Gila on the blog as the term 'Sister' is so much wider than just in the religious context and I am still working for The Little Sisters of Joy (possibly to be renamed The Little Sisterhood of Joy)These Muslim women feel that they are 'dressing up for God'-what do you think?
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Monday, 19 July 2010
Shakespeare
My dear Friends
It was a beautiful balmy evening, a few clouds in the sky but mainly blue patches. The perfect evening to view a Shakespeare play in the garden of one of the colleges, on this occasion Downing.The audience was quite full with people sitting on the grass in front of the 'stage.' Many had brought bottles of wine and things to eat; I had brought an umbrella and a blanket!
The play was one of his less popular ones Love's Labours Lost, a romantic comedy in which a group of men decide to be abstemious and not woo any ladies for 2 years. But temptation proves to get in the way and all kind of romantic entanglements ensue-typical Shakespeare.
The action was fast moving and the acting brilliant, with the garden proving the perfect setting for this delightful play. There was a lot of humour in the production too.
In the interval mulled wine was served and we chatted-a perfect night!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
It was a beautiful balmy evening, a few clouds in the sky but mainly blue patches. The perfect evening to view a Shakespeare play in the garden of one of the colleges, on this occasion Downing.The audience was quite full with people sitting on the grass in front of the 'stage.' Many had brought bottles of wine and things to eat; I had brought an umbrella and a blanket!
The play was one of his less popular ones Love's Labours Lost, a romantic comedy in which a group of men decide to be abstemious and not woo any ladies for 2 years. But temptation proves to get in the way and all kind of romantic entanglements ensue-typical Shakespeare.
The action was fast moving and the acting brilliant, with the garden proving the perfect setting for this delightful play. There was a lot of humour in the production too.
In the interval mulled wine was served and we chatted-a perfect night!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Saturday, 10 July 2010
Walsingham
My dear Friends
Walsingham is a beautiful spot tucked away in the Norfolk countryside and has been a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of years. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and you can really feel her presence when you are there.
I travelled by coach there last Sunday, with the SVP-the sick and the disabled- who make a pilgrimage every year. We bowled along in the hot sun until we reached the Catholic shrine, called the Chapel of Reconciliation, in the shape of a Norfolk barn. We were scheduled to have mass in the open air at 1.30.
Having two hours to spare,, I embarked along the Holy Mile, by a stream, to wend my way into the village of Walsingham itself, intending to find my old friend who is a nun, a Little Sister of Jesus. She lives in a little house with 2 other Sisters on the edge of the villlage. I duly found her and had a spot of lunch with her while we caught up on the latest news. It had been a long walk to her house, but I rested a little inside.
After our meetin, I steeled myself for the long walk back but was fortunate enough to hitch a ride with a local priest going to the Mass. And the Mass itself was lovely, containg a part where the sick (and anyone who wanted to ) could be anointed and receive the peace of Christ. I am alwasy very amused when umbrellas are held over the head of the priests giving out communion to shield them from the sun! And our bishop Michael celebrated the Mass, although he himself is suffering from cancer.
Afterwards there was another hour to wait before Benediction, a blessing over the holy sacrament with hyms and prayers. so I went into the little cafe and had another bite to eat before the final ceremonies. I met many nice people who had come from all over the country to attend the day.
After the Benediction we made our way by coach back to Cambridge and I chatted to Malcolm one of the parishioners and a talented amateur actor, so I had good company on the way home.
A very pleasant day!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Walsingham is a beautiful spot tucked away in the Norfolk countryside and has been a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of years. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and you can really feel her presence when you are there.
I travelled by coach there last Sunday, with the SVP-the sick and the disabled- who make a pilgrimage every year. We bowled along in the hot sun until we reached the Catholic shrine, called the Chapel of Reconciliation, in the shape of a Norfolk barn. We were scheduled to have mass in the open air at 1.30.
Having two hours to spare,, I embarked along the Holy Mile, by a stream, to wend my way into the village of Walsingham itself, intending to find my old friend who is a nun, a Little Sister of Jesus. She lives in a little house with 2 other Sisters on the edge of the villlage. I duly found her and had a spot of lunch with her while we caught up on the latest news. It had been a long walk to her house, but I rested a little inside.
After our meetin, I steeled myself for the long walk back but was fortunate enough to hitch a ride with a local priest going to the Mass. And the Mass itself was lovely, containg a part where the sick (and anyone who wanted to ) could be anointed and receive the peace of Christ. I am alwasy very amused when umbrellas are held over the head of the priests giving out communion to shield them from the sun! And our bishop Michael celebrated the Mass, although he himself is suffering from cancer.
Afterwards there was another hour to wait before Benediction, a blessing over the holy sacrament with hyms and prayers. so I went into the little cafe and had another bite to eat before the final ceremonies. I met many nice people who had come from all over the country to attend the day.
After the Benediction we made our way by coach back to Cambridge and I chatted to Malcolm one of the parishioners and a talented amateur actor, so I had good company on the way home.
A very pleasant day!
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Saturday, 3 July 2010
A touch of Slovenia
My dear Friends
Quite some time ago now I met a Slovenian priest, Fr Jose Cracovits.We became good friends. So I was delighted when he emailed me recently to say one of his colleagues was coming to Cambridge with her family.
And so I met Irena, Tomas, Jurij and David. Irena researches in literature at the university of Llubljana. Her subject is Slovenian literature as opposed to world literature and she has written a book on Ivan Cankar, a Slovenian writer and dramatist who was influenced by Dostoevsky as well as Shakespeare. Her husband Tomas is curator for one of the museums in Llubljana, specialising in medieval collections for which he is responsible.
They came to my little flat this morning with their 2 boys, David and Jurij, who ate a lot of cake! We talked widely of many things, including music-Irena used to be in a proefessional choir-and I gave them a rendering of several songs in Hebrew. Irena and I sang Hava Nagilah together which was very joyful.
At the end of their visit they invited me to Slovenia, to Llubljana next summer, to visit this beautiful city with its castle and river and also to travel round Slovenia and see the lovely lakes. I do hope to go.
Enjoy your weekend
Shalom from
Sister Gila
Quite some time ago now I met a Slovenian priest, Fr Jose Cracovits.We became good friends. So I was delighted when he emailed me recently to say one of his colleagues was coming to Cambridge with her family.
And so I met Irena, Tomas, Jurij and David. Irena researches in literature at the university of Llubljana. Her subject is Slovenian literature as opposed to world literature and she has written a book on Ivan Cankar, a Slovenian writer and dramatist who was influenced by Dostoevsky as well as Shakespeare. Her husband Tomas is curator for one of the museums in Llubljana, specialising in medieval collections for which he is responsible.
They came to my little flat this morning with their 2 boys, David and Jurij, who ate a lot of cake! We talked widely of many things, including music-Irena used to be in a proefessional choir-and I gave them a rendering of several songs in Hebrew. Irena and I sang Hava Nagilah together which was very joyful.
At the end of their visit they invited me to Slovenia, to Llubljana next summer, to visit this beautiful city with its castle and river and also to travel round Slovenia and see the lovely lakes. I do hope to go.
Enjoy your weekend
Shalom from
Sister Gila
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