Church crawl

My dear Friends Yesterday I had a lovely day. I took my friend who lives in Impington, and who has just been newly received into the Church on a 'Church crawl.' At 10am, when the refracted light on the building was truly beautiful, we went to Kings College Chapel. We walked slowly round, savouring every moment and raising our eyes to the magnificent ceiling, which has been fashioned in a sort of curve. We processed down the nave, past the choir stalls, to the high altar,above which is the painting by Reubens of 'The Adoration of the Magi.' On the left side of the chapel is a quiet room, with a painting of 'Madonna in a Rosary.' Mary is holding the baby Jesus and offering him some cherries from a bowl. We tried afterwards to find out the significance of the cherries, but in vain. Coming out of this room we read the long history of the chapel and the various kings who were involved. Descriptions of worship in those days was also portrayed, with lovely pictures of mediaeval psalters and other illuminated manuscripts. Coming out into the sunshine in the beautiful courtyard of Kings we made our way to Benet Street, where I wanted to show my friend St Benet's Church, which is the oldest building in Cambridge.I have been going there before my Christian days, to rest a-while in the peace of this church. We admired the icons near the altar of St Anne, one of Christ holding the book and the other of St Francis and St Dominic. Next we went into St Botolph's church. Very few people know he is the real patron Saint of travellers. It was dark and cold inside but still with a very interesting altar and pictures. Finally, and this was my friend's favourite, we went to Little St Mary's. We first went into the garden, small and windy with a few tombstones. The sun was shining beautifully yesterday. Inside all was quiet and my friend admired the ancient statue of Mary above the high altar. I took her into my favourite part, the Lady Chapel, and we prayed and lit candles. Just to finish off, we had lunch in the nearby Fitzwilliam Museum. Shalom from Sister Gila

Does the veil empower women?

My dear Friends

On Thursday night I went to a debate in the Cambridge Graduate Union. the debate was entitled:This house believes the veil empowers women.' It was a heated debate.

The first to propose the motion was Lauren Davidson, a third -year Theology student and outgoing President of the Union. Her arguments were quite intellectual and she made a case for the veil empowering women and allowing them to express their identity.First to oppose was Houriya Ahmed, Member of Sisters against Violent Extremists, a fellow at the Centre for Social Cohesion, and a writer. She asked the first speaker to try on the black veil which covers the whole face apart from the eyes, to see if she was expressing her identity. She then went on to say at length how our identity is formed rather by how we live and think, not by the veil. She is herself a Muslim.

The best speaker of the evening was the second to propose the motion, Krista Bremer. She is a Californian -born essayist and writer, who has written in support of a women's choice to wear the veil. She spoke very movingly about her daughter who said to her mother she wanted to wear the veil. Her father, Krista's husband, is a Libyan Muslim.She talked about the support she gave her daughter and about how her teenage daughter was criticised in the society where they lived.

Dr Taj Hargey was the second to oppose the motion. He is chairman of the Muslim Education Centre of Oxford and a writer. He is also an Immam. He strongly said that wearing the veil is an outdated custom of pre-Islamic times, more connected to the Jewish and Christian religions. He is also said it was a sign of oppression and tyranny among Muslim men who beat their wives.

Thirdly, for the motion,there was Nagihan Haliloglu, a Muslim academic, who specialises in gender issues in Islam. She spoke at length about how the veil is part of the identity of a Muslim woman and an important religious symbol connected to consecration. She denied that it was connected to oppression.

Finally against the motion, there was David Aaronovitch, a senior leader writer for The Times and columnist and broadcaster. This was a very undistinguished speech, in which he spent the whole time character assassinating the other speakers, especially Krista Bremer (with the Libyan husband). It provoked a lot of emotion from the young Muslim women behind me and I had to comfort them by saying he was out of line and playing to the gallery. Unfortunately he was a good enough 'actor' to draw a lot of laughter and applause.

I haven't yet got the results of the debate, although I suspect the motion was defeated. I voted in favour, partly because I believe that headcovering can show a respect for God and partly to be in solidarity with my Muslim women friends.It was interesting to see quite a group of young Jewish students there,all with their skullcaps.

I would welcome any views, in the form of comments.

Shalom from

Sister Gila

Lenten days

My dear Friends
I had a bright idea about Shrove Tuesday. By the way 'shrove' comes from the word 'to be shriven'-that is to make a confession before Lent. Anyway about the pancakes-I went to the cinema with a friend where they make lovely crepes at the bar. So I ate my sweet things up before Lent.
Many years ago, when I had just become a Catholic, I told Fr Brendan, my Irish spiritual director, that I was giving up smoking for Lent. 'I absolutely forbid you,' he said. 'It will put you under too much stress.' So ever since then I have never given up anything for Lent, just tried to do more, love more, try to do good deeds, read the Bible more and pray more. It takes a little time to discern.

Yesterday I had a good Ash Wednesday. Went to Mass in the Catholic school and Fr Pat anointed all our foreheads with ash procured from burning the previous Easter's crosses. 'Repent and believe the Gospel' he said as he put it on. I fasted but only for about ten hours and prayed then went into the town to Pizza Express and had a good meal.

More later
Shalom from
Sister Gila