Reconnecting with Glasgow

My dear Friends

Life this past week was pretty exciting. I reconnected with my roots and had a lot of fun in glasgow. I stayed near the Botanic Garden, close to Byres Road, scene of my wild youth.The place has changed, with a lot of trendy cafes,but one place has not changed-the University cafe, started in 1918 by one Italian family and still going strong. It is a place where what I call the 'real' Glaswegians go-when you look at the chiselled faces it really moves you, to say nothing of the place itself, with its narrow seats and long mirrors.

Mass at St Peter's in Partick was amazing-the chamber choir from Strathclyde University sang beautifully, including singing a setting called the Russian Kyrie which I was familiar with.I was also there on the Feast of St Margaret of Scotland, the second Patron of the country along with St Mungo. The delightful priest, Fr John, explained to the children from the primary school that St Margaret was not a nun, but a good wife and mother who minstered to the poor and who was married to King Malcolm of England.

I was also in Glasgow cathedral (more in the next post) but the highlight of the trip was a tour of Garnethill Synagogue, the oldest one in Glagow and the place where my parents and grandparents worshipped.My cousin came with and identified the place near the Ark where her father and my father sat, and where my father's eyes would have drifted (across and up to the ladies gallery) and spotted my mother! We had a good guide and we spotted a stained glass window in memorial to Anna And Samuel Solomon, our grandparents.

For now
Shalom from
Gila

Is he invisible?

My dear Friends

Just to let you know that i will be off the air from tomorrow, Tuesday 13th November 2012 until Friday 23rd November, as I will be going to Glasgow.(See previous blogs.) I am really looking forward to this break, seeing my family and taking a little rest, as it has been an extraordinary year. Last year, 2011 was one of the most difficult years I have had in a long time and I suffered from ill health and a kind of lassitude. Only on december 11th and on my 60th birthday did I suddenly take on a new lease of life!

This year I have given two Concerts for Peace and Reconciliation and a talk with music, published two Newsletters for Friends of The Little Sisters of Joy and been on wonderful trip to Amsterdam.

But if we look back to 1998, also a watershed year and my trip to Rome, I want to tell you a little tale. I was there on 1st November, All Saints Day and attended Mass(but not in St Peters in the Vatican) near to the Vatican square. I discovered that there was also to be a wedding! A man struck up with a rather poor rendition of Ave Marie, the bride's father looked as if he should be wearing a toga and, all, in all, it had a touch of the bizarre. I melted among the wedding guests without a suitable wedding garment.

Reeling from this experience, I staggered out to St Peters Square. suddenly I heard a voice coming through a microphone. I thought to myself that i recognised the voice and when I looked up at the window, there was the Pope! John Paul II blessed us in Polish and everyone clapped. There were two curtains, one on either side of the Pope. He stepped back...and was gone.

Recounting this story to a little Catholic girl called Rosie the following week at Mass in cambridge, Rosie asked: 'Is he invisible?'

See you when I return
Shalom from Gila

Fasts and Feasts

My dear Friends

I love being part of the Church liturgical calendar, with, from time to time, also being in tune with the Jewish liturgical calendar, from where, of course, I originate.

From September to November, we seem to have happily swung from fasts to Feasts, what with the Jewish New Year then the Day of Atonement, then the Feast of Tabernacles. We have celebrated several Saints days in the Church recently, including St Francis of Assisi, and last Thursday was the big one-the Feast of All Saints. Among my favourites, for different reasons, are-Thomas More, the first Saint I ever encountered at fourteen (when my Protestant school performed A Man for All Seasons), who slightly unfortunately is the Patron saint of politicians!

Then, you may not know about St Botolphe, who is the patron Saint of travellers. You may think this is St Francis and I am not sure when the change occurred! Then amongst the women St Cecilia, patron Saint of music and of course St Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, known as Edith Stein, who came from a Jewish family in Breslau and perished in Auschwitz, and was brought into official sainthood by John Paul II.

All these give us an example of holiness by their lives; there are many unknown and hidden people who could be called saints by their selflessness and devotion. For many, they live lives in obscurity but of course God knows all of their goodness.

Hannah Senesh, who lived in Palestine on a kibbutz, but who went back to Hungary and flew a plane behind enemy lines and perished at the hands of the Nazis, said in one of her letters:

'The souls of those who have gone before us light up the way for the rest of mankind.'

In November the Church remembers especially those who have gone before us, and with whom we are in communion for the rest of our live too.

In the next Blog I will tell you my unusual experiences on All Saints Day in Rome 1998, when I was about to embark on my new life.

Shalom from Gila