Hogmanay again, 2007 - the Black Wood walk, further on.

Here was the source of the increasing roaring sound as we walked through the wood: the lovely 'eas' or waterfall, rushing down to the loch.

Hogmanay, 2007.

It is also the Feast Day of John Wycliffe, AD 1384, who was a reformer. Now that's an interesting description. I suppose the folk of his day looked shocked and askance at his reforms, seeking the status quo. So, what's new nowadays I wonder?
The day before yesterday we walked in the Black Wood above Loch Rannoch. It is part of both the Tay Forest and the old Caledonian Forest. Snow on the tops of Schiehallion and the mountains range of Glencoe, clearly visible down the loch and stark against the clear blue sky. Schiehallion was the nearest mountain and was also covered in whispy white cloud whipping off the top. In the sun it looked spectacular. Deep in the Black Wood there was a lovely, deep silence. The mushroomy, pine needly smell under the Scots Pines was deep and crisp. Icycles drooped from the upper branches and rain globules were in rows lower down, glistening in the sunlight. A Blackcock called from somewhere deep in the Black Wood. Siskins 'sissed' from the upper branches. A glimpse through the wood to the Loch showed a skein of Barnacle geese feeding by the lochside. The watchman goose eyed us suspiciously as if to ask.'What are you doing here; can't we feed in peace?' So we left them in peace and continued our walk in the wood. Then, in the deep silence of the forest there was a gradual roaring noise and then, through a gap there it was; a roaring waterfall rushing down through the gorge. Then we circled through the wood and returned to Kinloch Rannoch for a late lunch at the Community Venture shop by the petrol pump, for home-made leek and potato soup and lovely Stovies oh, and of course, plus a pot of tea and a laugh with the lady who served us. Then a leisurely motor down the glen back to Killiecrankie House where we arrived at around 2.30pm as the light began to fade into darkness. Night comes early in the Highlands in winter. Next morning there was a hoar frost everywhere and we were awakened by the cocker spaniel having a mad half-hour, rushing around the hedges in the grounds, from the side gardens to the vegetable garden and then the fruit garden and back again, so full of life it was exhausting to watch her. Schiehallion, overlooking Loch Rannoch and the Coillie Dubh (the Black Wood ).

Killiecrankie House

After a wash and change it was time for a wee dram before dinner -

Sunday, 23 Dec-07. 4th of Advent again.

For some time now I have been having correspondence with an Anglican monastic Community down in north England. I am now recognised officially as a Probationer Companion of the Community of the Resurrection at Mirfield, West Yorkshire. My spiritual guide there and I use e-mail and websites to communicate with each other on this my further, spiritual journey. It's a laugh in that I wonder how monks of old would have thought of the new technology in their daily lives! Nonetheless, after years and years of professional discipline of seeing folk in psychoanalysis on the hour, every hour throughout the day and early evening I found that my prayer life had diminished - I had become too tired as I gave 'all' to my 'faithful' people. So, the monastic discipline of returning to the Daily Offices and a structured prayer life has become invaluable. Interestingly also, since 'retirement' ( I am still seeing a few folk professionally at home ) my work as Secretary to the Vestry at my church has become extremely busy, so linking with CR Mirfield has become so important in maintaining that balance of life.

Sunday, 23 Dec-07. Fourth Sunday of Advent

'O Little town of Bethlehem...' This lovely carol depicts a scene which supposedly has not changed since that night when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. However, the reality is that all is not what it seems. Very few Christians remain in Bethlehem and visitors cannot enter it due to the Israeli Occupying Army, backed by the USA. The last time a friend tried to visit this holy place she was sharply butted out of the way by the rifle of a soldier from Israel who probably was a Jew with no sympathy for the Christian visitors. She remonstrated with the young Israeli for his harshness and the fact that he had hurt her but he simply ignored her and went on to rifle butt other 'infidels' out of the way. They were all ordered to back off and go away - from Bethlehem! Well, because of the attitude of Israel I would never visit the Holy Land - leave it to the occupying forces I say.
The isolation of Israel would do much to bring it to its knees economically, but that won't happen as the USA must pour millions of their dollars into the Israeli economy each week in order that Bush can keep the Jewish vote in the USA and so keep him in office and at war with countries. If the USA, in its forthcoming new Administration were to stop shoring up Israel then perhaps we would all have a chance of peace in the Holy Land and a Palestinian State. Then also perhaps Christians and Muslims will return to live there side by side as they have always done.

Joseph and Mary were of course, homeless refugees on the Eve of the Nativity ( 'I was homeless and you took me in') until that kind laddie the Inn Keeper allowed them to use his stable. Glasgow is full of homeless people, and refugee camps throughout the Middle Eastern countries are full of Palestinians fleeing the brutal Israeli forces who punish whole populations for the terrorism of a few extremists ( it's all very OT - as well as OTT ). Then there are those here in Glasgow - friends, who cannot cope with Christmas at all They are depressed, crying, feeling homeless and hopeless; lost souls.

Pray for homeless folk everywhere, that they find hope and a Christian sense of being 'home', of feeling worthy, of feeling loved and cared for. Amen.

Friday, 21 Dec-07.

A number of my 'faithful' folk, i.e., those who are still in psychoanalysis with me, dread Christmas. It brings back all the dreadful traumas of their pasts and some have said they are not celebrating it and will take to their beds. This is fairly common of course. Return of repressed material for such friends is dreadful to behold. Their psychosomatisations and anguish is so real; a mirror reflection of what they suffered as infants. Where it happened before they developed speech - usually in the first year of life, they go mute; unable to even speak. It is heart-rending. I completely understand why Mother Theresa specialised in dying women in the streets of Calcutta - and later in Glasgow where, whilst folk were not dying in the same way, her nuns found the same dreadful traumas amongst folk; not always amongst the homeless either. One of my faithful phoned to wish me a happy Christmas and to tell me that she will be in bed 'till after the bells' , i.e., after Hogmanay. She said she dare not look at TV, listen to the wireless or answer the phone, for fear of intrusional memories of terrifying ordeals as an infant at Christmas.
I suppose 'there is no room for them at Christmas', so to speak - well, from their angle. Another, who is a very successful and well-known artiste said that she dreads being with her dysfunctional family as it reminds her of her dreadfully lonely and intrusive and criticised self as a child. I make no excuse for giving her a new and different life experience, even if it brings her into open conflict within her family of origin. She feels very damaged by her experience and wonders if she will 'make it' in life. She alludes to finding a man who will care for her and give her love, which she never experienced growing up. I pray she will.
All is not tinsel and jingle bells with carols.

Wednesday 19/12/07.

Chickened out of the 10am Eucharist today although Val went. I was busy at home seeing to Christmas cards to the immediate neighbours and doing the Weekly News Sheet for next Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Advent, and also preparing the draft WNS for the 1st Sunday of Christmas (30/12/07) as we have decided to get away for a few days after Christmas Day to the Killiecrankie Hotel. We know the area so well, although have never stayed there before. We usually stop at the Loch Rannoch Hotel overlooking the lovely, quiet loch with Schiehallion beyond. It was at this mountain that the weight of the earth was calculated! How did they do that? In the village of Kinloch Rannoch is a lovely Scottish Episcopal Church. It depictes a painting of the consecration of Bishop Samuel Seabury of Connecticut in an upper room adjacent the Cathedral in Aberdeen. It was in an upper room for fear of English troops stopping Episcopal Bishops consecrating a 'rebel Church's' first bishop. England had refused the American Colony the right of their own Church and self-determination, which was why the Americans contacted another rebellious Church - our Scottish Episcopal Church. And so we formed the beginning of the Anglican Communion by that consecration. There is no Rector at Kinloch Rannoch just now but the Diocesan Bishop has laid hands on the local Presbyterian Church of Scotland Minister and so given him permission to consecrate the elements and Celebrate the Holy Eucharist according to the Episcopal Rites.

I popped into Turnbull Hall RC University Chaplaincy to give my friend Harry a Christmas bunloaf wich Val made for him, plus a bottle of vintage Rioja. Harry was delighted and we had a good laugh, as well as an interesting chat about Edvard Munch in whom Harry has developed an interest of late. I missed Father John as he was saying Mass at 1pm, but I left him a similar bottle on his desk with a card and a note to say 'Aprés Mass Wee Refreshment', which will amuse him, I'm sure. Then off to see Natalya and her sister Vrnda. Vrnda was quite unwell so I just said hello and she returned to bed. Natalya and I had quite a deep chat. She is a most talented and insightful girl as is Vrnda as a film-maker, and I love them both. Home early today but by 2-30pm it was already getting dark and everyone had their car lights on. By 3pm the mist had desceneded from the Argyll hills, blotting out the City lights in the Clyde valley below us.

Sunday, 16 Dec-07: Third Sunday of Advent.

Interestingly the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on Saturday, 08 Dec-07 really passed us by. Mary has never really been venerated in the Scottish Episcopal Catholic tradition, although is in the Roman Catholic tradition of course. Paradoxically our Lady Chapel is named after Mary and has a wee niche with a small statue of her there. I believe it is to do with the Scottish Reformation when such 'extras' were thrown out as 'non-Biblical', whatever that means nowadays. But then our Roman Catholic friends have many practices which don't seem to make sense to the Christian Church. The 'Catholic Church' as they call themselves rely on Dogmas issuing down from the Pope, which they accept without any debate or argument as to whether it is Biblically true or not. The attitude within the consituent Churches of say the Anglican Communion, is to debate and argue until a concensus is agreed. Attending the Angelus in an RC Church I am struck with the thought 'Have I missed something in the Bible after all?' Jesus said 'No man cometh to the Father but through me. I am the only advocate and mediator' and so our prayers always end with something like '....through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.' The Catholic Church have taken a different route than the Christian Church and make saints of folk, then pray to them to intercede. In the reformed tradition that makes little sense really. This is not to cast doubt on the sincerity of the Roman tradition but, as we say in Scotland "Aye...but ah hae me doots..!"

A full Family Eucharist this morning with Val as Intercessor and both of us as Sidesfolk. Val forgot her specs so we brought the Collection home, counted it, accounted for it and then deposited it in ther Night Safe of the Bank of Scotland this afternoon on the way to the Festival of Nine Lessons with Carols, followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Hall. Again a full service with many visitors including relatives mainly from England, visiting folk here for the Christmas period. Julie Legowski our Organist had brought some of her singing friends - professional singers, to swell the somewhat depleted church choir and they sang the anthems. Singing 'O little town of Bethlehem....' the main lights were dowsed and we sang by candle light. During the mulled wine, mince pies and the blether I got up on the stage and called for order so that Phyllis Cross, Rector's Warden could present two lovely hampers to Colin, our Assistant Priest, his wife and daughter, who had really been such stalwarts to pull us through a difficult time after our Rector left. Colin, Rosemary and Victoria seemed quite surprised and a bit overwhelmed by our generosity towards them but, as Phyllis said, it was to show the congregation's appreciation and love towards them.

St Aidan's Sanctuary, taken at Easter 2006

Friday, 14 Dec-07. again -Ember Day

Today is the Feast of Juan de la Cruez or, as we know it in English: John of the Cross. He helped Theresa of Avilia, Spain, rejuvinate the Carmelite Community for women and so they are now worldwide. I used to work in Bon Secours Hospital in Glasgow, where I consulted. It was run by the Soeurs de Bon Secours de Paris, a Nursing Order of RC nuns. Opposite was the Carmelite Monastry and nuns from there would often come across to the hospital chapel for services and meetings afterwards. I was always under the impression they were a contemplative Order but whenever I met the lovely sisters from over the road, they were always friendly, smiling and very chatty; a most interesting group of ladies, far removed from the idea of nuns shut away from the world so much they can no longer relate to it. Nothing further could that be from the truth. My consulting room was adjacent to the chapel so it was well used by me as well. The altar was carved by the Benedictine monks of Pluscarden Abbey by Nairn. Anyway, there I met a 6ft tall blind Franciscan brother, with a great shock of white hair and a beard, a deep and sensitive voice and a great bellow of a laugh. He could have got a job immediately on the set of 'Whisky Galore! ' He lived at the Franciscan Friary in the Gorbals, Glasgow. I met him as he left the chapel one day. He hesitated before the door and asked 'Hello?' I spoke "Hello Father, I'm Graeme." 'Ah, you have the consulting room next door, which used to be the chapel years ago.' "Oh, I didn't know." ( Curiously, my last consulting room was the Prayer Room, adjacent the chapel of St Mungo in the RC Chaplaincy at Glasgow University. ) We used to meet and chat about inner anguish, as well as football - not that I know much about the latter. I had to laugh as he told me he hears Confessions from various convents dotted around the south-side of Glasgow. 'I have a queue to see me as they think I don't know who they are, so I hear all sorts of things!' And then he had that great guffaw and he would say, 'You see, I DO see, but not with my eyes; you'll know what I mean.' "I see" I replied and then we'd both laugh. This led to many discussions about confession and absolution in both the Roman Church and other Catholic Churches such my own Scottish Episcopal Church. He was interested in my views on individual morality versus corporate morality. I said I viewed it all as firstly individual conscience, but that is nurtured by psychosocial development initially, so is sometimes flawed in some people as adults, who often fall foul of the law and end up in prison. I said that when visiting both the only Women's Prison in Scotland at Cornton Vale and indeed, the State Hospital, Carstairs, I was always struck by how "innocent" folk were at heart; innocents abroad or, "for they know not what they do" in the sense of individual conscience, although they often did see the 'Oh well, I was caught out and so here I am' idea that the state imprisoned them. The key then, is early nurturing before the age of seven or eight when by which time the personality is set and formed. Thereafter we all hope to get wiser. Some of us do and some of us are still foolish at times. My individual psychoanalytical psychotherapy work over many years is often about re-addressing the inner self problems of personality characteristics which need correction - by interpretation and not by condemnation or criticism; by example and by an accepting love of them, warts and all, so to speak. Curiously, many folk; indeed most folk in psychoanalysis with me, eventually ask about the spiritual life. Their question is usually something like, 'Are you a Christian then?'[ I think it must show ], Or perhaps, 'Is there a God? If there is, why does he let me suffer so much?" Or, "I pray so much to God but he doesn't hear me." I am often tempted to answer the last one with something like "But perhaps he sent me" I don't say that, but that's what I feel. So, my ministry is all bound up with my professional and personal selves. "That's me" as we say in Scotland. I do feel that my professional / personal / Christian SELF is parental. Why do I feel this? It feels so, and my 'faithful' as I call my people, intimate that they want to regress to 'grow again' this time to get it right in safe hands. Such awesome tragedies; such lovely people; I wonder often if they are angels - certainly they are often 'innocents abroad', for they do not know they do wrong or 'they know not what they do'. My 'faithful' folk are therefore gifts from God, for they and I are all God's folk. My individual care of my dear folk is therefore an 'in-house' job in the Christian family sense. "Home is where the heart is"
(Donald W. Winnicott).

Talking of Bon Secours Hospital, Glasgow, which is now a block of luxury flats, with the Convent still there though, I had a friend in a resident there. He was the Auxiliary Bishop of Glasgow RC Archdiocese. He said he was retired but still did all the Confirmations in the Archdiocese.
We'd sit by his fireside in his residence and drink tea and he'd smoke his pipe and have a good 'craic' (chat) and a laugh. He was a friend of our then Diocesan Bishop and the two would go in mufti to evangelical rallies, raise their hands and should halleluliahs, which he thought was great fun. He said 'all your Piskie ladies fuss over me, just like our Catholic Mothers - just the same. One day we will all be one, but sadly it won't be in my time.' I'd see him 3 times a day wending his way along the corridor to the chapel next to my consulting room. He had to attend the Western Infirmary twice a week for renal dialysis ('good time for prayer' he said). He would stagger a bit as he was frail. The Rt Revd Charles Renfrew was a Glaswegian, born and bred. He had been Principal at Blairs College, Aberdeen, the RC Seminary. Then sadly he died and was no longer there, and I missed him. He body lay overnight in the chapel. Next morning I was there at my door to pay respects as the cortege and all the nuns wended their way down the corridor and out to St Andrew's Cathedral on the Broomielaw in Glasgow. Because of the gait of the pall bearers I noticed that the coffin staggered down the corridor and I admit to having to suppress a laugh which I think Mother Superior noticed as she looked quizzically at me. Later I told her why and she threw her head back and laughed loudly: 'Bishop Charles would love that comment' she said. Sister Irene was the Matron of the hospital and she ran a very efficient and caring hospital. Some of the nuns worked as nursing sisters; one worked as chaplain to the nearby Victoria Infirmary. One of the nuns was Consultant Pathologist at the Vic. A tall, graceful and most attractive young Irish nun. But, she was not one for the 'craic' as I learned when trying to make conversation when she came home in the evening. I became a patient in my own hospital and I was impressed with the care. I had an intra-occular transplant and after surgery was in my room recovering when the ward sister arrived with a tray and a book. She was a Baptist and she bathed my eye and after re-dressing my eye, opened the book - it was the Bible, and she read from the NT the story of Jesus's healing of the man with eye disease at the Pool of Siloam. 'Nae mud packs for you though tonight, but prayer. Let us pray...' I found that infinately comforting in a profound way and I was soon asleep. I was awakened by the Mother Superior. 'Now Mr Vahey, have you said your Morning Office?' 'Well, er...no Sister, I, er..." She got my dressing gown and produced a wheelchair and wheeled me to the lift and down to the chapel where the Community awaited us. She led us all in the Morning Office, with the nuns intoning the lovely Gregorian chant. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Such care, as they took me to their heart as "one of them". Nice memories.

Friday, 14 Dec-07. John of the Cross

Now John of the Cross was a Spanish Carmelite Religious.  He was born in the village of Fonteveros near Avilia.  He is known for helping Theresa of Avilia re-start the Carmelite Community for women there, which of course, then spread throughout the world.   Well, that's only one aspect of him;  there were others.

Wednesday 12 Dec-07. Ember Day.

After a quite early ( well, for me ) Morning Office there was the 10.oo hrs Holy Eucharist in church with Colin Curtis, our Assistant Priest as Celebrant.   Today is an Ember Day, When they occur, they occur on Wednesday, then Friday and Saturday of the same week.   They are a curiosity to many folk as they seem to pass them by.   As a teenager we always prayed for the Ministry of the Church, and in particular for Ordinands.   There became so few Ordinands that the practice lapsed, although still appears in the Church Calendar.   It is a practice which I hope is returning for last year within the Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway I recall being asked to give a talk to the Ordinands at a Retreat House near here and there were about 10-12 there, so perhaps there is a revival.   It follows from prayers for Ordinands and the Holy Priesthood, that there would be such an increase - surely?   Now I hadn't made that connection until I typed that!   How we soon forget to give thanks to God:   'O give thanks to the Lord for he is gracious'   "And his mercy endureth for ever.   Amen.

Thursday, 06/12/07: Bp Nicolas of Myre again

Bishop of Myra

From Saint Nicolas, by Pierre & Germaine Noury, Paris, 1928

As Bishop of Myra, Nicholas lived the qualities that caused his fame and popularity to spread throughout the Christian world. His vigorous actions on behalf of his people and in defense of the Christian faith reveal a man who lived his convictions. Nicholas was not timid—he did what was necessary and was not easily intimidated by others' power and position. His concern for the welfare of his flock and his stand for orthodox belief earned him respect as a model for bishops and a defender of the faith.

Selection

From Saint Nicolas, by Pierre & Germaine Noury, Paris, 1928

Nicholas' selection to be a bishop was unusual. After the former bishop's death, other bishops gathered to select the next bishop for the See of Myra. During the conclave, the wisest bishop heard a voice in the night telling him to watch the doors of the church the next morning at matins. The first person to enter named "Nicholas" was to be the new bishop. The wise one told the others, counseling them to be at prayer while he waited at the doors. When the hour came, the first to arrive was a young man. When asked his name, he replied, "I am Nicholas." The bishop addressed him, "Nicholas, servant and friend of God, for your holiness you shall be bishop of this place." They brought him into the church and placed him in the bishop's seat where he was consecrated the new Bishop of Myra.

From Saint Nicolas, by Pierre & Germaine Noury, Paris, 1928

Grain Ships and Famine

Myra experienced famine in AD 311 and 312, and again in 333. Crops had failed and people were hungry. Bishop Nicholas learned that ships bound for Alexandria with cargos of wheat had anchored in the harbor. The holy man implored the sailors to take a measure of grain from each ship so that the people would have food. The sailors said, "No," as the wheat was "meted and measured" and every bit must be delivered. Nicholas replied, "Do this, and I promise, in the truth of God, that it shall not be lessened or diminished when you get to your destination." So the sailors took a measure from each ship and continued on their way to Alexandria. When the wheat was unloaded, the full amount was accounted for and the tale told—all the emperor's ministers worshiped and praised God with thanksgiving for his servant Nicholas. Throughout the famine people came to Bishop Nicholas for wheat. He gave it to all who had need and the grain lasted for two years with enough remaining to plant new crops.

From Saint Nicolas, by Pierre & Germaine Noury, Paris, 1928

Council of Nicaea

In 325 Emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicaea, which was the first ecumenical council ever held. More than 300 bishops from all over the Christian world came to debate the nature of the Holy Trinity, one of the early church's most intense theological questions. Arias, from Egypt, taught that the Son Jesus was not equal to God the Father. This was the Arian controversy which shook Christianity's very foundations. According to one account, when confronted by the unyielding Arias, Nicholas slapped him in the face. For such a breach of decorum, Nicholas was brought before Constantine, who stripped him of his office and had him thrown into prison. During the night, Jesus with his Mother Mary appeared to Nicholas: Jesus bringing the book of the Gospels, and Mary, the bishop's stole which had been taken from him. In this way Nicholas was reinstated. Many Eastern Church icons of St. Nicholas reflect this event with Jesus on the left returning the Gospels, and Mary on the right, bringing the bishop's stole or omophorion.

Thursday 06/12/07. Nicholas of Myre, Bp, 4th Cent

Lazy rise today. Pouring with rain - 'stottin doon'. Val had gone to Troon with St Aidan's Strollers ( the "SAS") the other day, for a stroll and then Christmas lunch by the Yacht Marina but had left her mac there so, we set off for Troon down the dreaded A77, heading for Prestwick Airport but diverted onto Troon Promenade where, as often happens on the coast, the rain had gone but the sea was rough. We went into Scotts, looking over both Troon Harbour, such as it is, and the Yacht Marina. Had a delightful and quiet lunch; excellent cuisine and service. Saw some folk I knew by sight and chatted to them. Afterwards we went into the Ferry Terminal, now closed until March. This is the ferry from Troon to Northern Ireland. Ferries to and from Northern Ireland are always worrying, in view of an easy route for extremists to enter Scotland. The Cairnryan, P & O Ferry still operates throughout the winter months and is used by heavy freight to and from England mainly. The proposed Mull of Kintyre to Ballycastle route had now closed again. Most folk breathe a sigh of relief.

This afternoon it was doing up the calendars and cards for posting. Val went up to Carmunnock village Post Office up the road, to post them. We have lost the Post Office in our own village of Busby; now the Post Office are to close Carmunnock PO also. There is a question mark over the next nearest one in Clarkston remaining open, leaving journeys to East Kilbride or Glasgow to find another. What is required is some enterprising firm to set up a postal service; one which would sell stamps, have letter boxes, deliver the post to premises and have an excellent parcel delivery service. I had written to the national Press in Scotland suggesting that our Government in Edinburgh ask a firm like the US Postal Service to come and set up such a business here in Scotland as the Royal Mail, now privately run, is an absolute waste of space and unworthy to serve us in Scotland. Ha ha!

Today is the Feast of Bishop Nicholas of Myre who died in the 4th century. How is it we know so little of this man? The fact that he is in the Church Calendar warrants an explantion. I shall Google him!

Wednesday, 05/12/07

It has continued to be very busy with this and that. The city is busy with traffic; an unusual thing for Glasgow during the daytime. Saw a colleague for supervision this morning. Although officially retired she asked for a continuing monthly meeting with me. Then I had lunch at a favourite Italian restaurant, now taken over by the well-known Italian Paccitti family. It was nice to see old lunch friends - folk from businesses locally and musicians from the RSNO nearby.
Then off to the RC Chaplaincy at Glasgow University and met Fr John, the Chaplain, as he came out of 1pm Mass. Also chatted with Harry, the eccentric, who answers the door, takes the Mass Collection, answers the phones - sees all visitors. He was at Glasgow Uni and did Philosophy then Theology and was training for the priesthood but gave up. He lives alone locally and is rather isolated but is a valuable front-of-house man who complains loudly how everyone there at Turnbull Hall is mad, but everyone loves Harry the eccentric as he is such an asset. He invited me to the community free lunch upstairs but I politely declined. He gave me a large magnum bottle of Reserved French wine, which was a pleasant and unexpected surprise and I thanked him warmly for his gift. I spent some time in the chapel of St Mungo praying the Angelus to myself, with one other man there. I learned from John that after Sr Bridget was transferred after so many stalwart years at Turnbull Hall, the burden and pressure of this full community of students became too much even for him. So the Archbishop has arranged for some nuns to move into the Chaplaincy to help out - well, two sisters who are Benedictines, the first one is due in February. I miss my regular sessions in the Prayer Room at Turnbull Hall. The Prayer Room was where folk consulted me professionally - an apt room for my psychoanalytical work, and handy for the chapel next door too. A nice bunch of folk there. It's like a busy Parish Church. Local residents use the chapel too for the Daily Offices, daily Mass and Confessions. During the daytime the dining rooms upstairs are used by Medical and Nursing degree Students for lectures now. Sister Bridget's old office-cum-study-cum-lounge is now a computer room. Then one of my 'faithful' who had had a distressing time in Paris flew home unexpectedly today and so I had long chats on the phone with her. Think she is calmer and less self-punishing now, until we meet later in the week. Then Val left her mac in a restaurant in Troon the other day. St Aidan's Strollers ( the SAS!) had a walk there and then retired to the Yacht Marina for Christmas lunch. So, Val and I will drive to Troon on the south-west coast tomorrow to collect it and probably have lunch too. Meanwhile, back home I had been busy doing church administration from 8am, making phone calls, etc. Spoke to Lawrence Maclaren today, who is a most able, retired Chartered Accountant and he, like me, is so busy it isn't true. Not only is he doing our Accounts and Freewill Offering Scheme weekly, he also does the Accounts for 4 other Episcopal Churches in the Diocese. We agreed that it is actually busier as volunteer workers, than running our own family businesses.

1st Sunday of Advent, 02/12/07 again -

After the Family Eucharist we devoured mince pies in the Hall; left-overs from the Christmas Coffee Morning yesterday. 50% of what we made between 10am and noon totalling £600 goes to Sight Savers International in Edinburgh; the rest for church funds. Not a bad amount for 2 hrs. Considering that Williamwood House, a residential Home run by the C of S locally for the 'confused elderly' also had a coffee morning on. I busily put out the Church Calendar for December, then put out the Weekly News Sheets (WNS) which I now type weekly on the back of the Readings and Prayers for the day. We deliberately keep the Link Corridor lights on between the Hall and the church and the church doors open and lights on. It's a bit like attracting flies to the honeypot! Anyway an interesting couple wandered in - the Gilsepies from locally. Both Presbyterian, she is a Child Care Worker and he said he is on the staff of Williamwood House although not a care worker. Douglas said he washes up, is paid very little, but loves being involved in the care of the elderly confused - "and it's Church work" he added. They were curious about seeing an altar with candles on it. They wondered what the man was doing. It was Kenneth Wilkins, Sacristan, preparing the Altar for the 8am, 10am and 4.30pm services today. Knowing that most Presbyterians haven't a clue what this means as they have no Calendar since the Reformation and don't have an altar or candles, I explained that we were a Catholic, yet not Roman Church; not protestant, deriving our beginnings from St Columba of Iona, and the support we gave to the RC Bonnie Prince Charles Eduard Stuart; at least that's the romantic notion. In fact we were once both Presbyterian and Episcopal for a while after the 1560 Reformation but in the 1580's split off from the predominantly Presbyterian membership to form the present reformed catholic, SEC. I told Douglas that he should perhaps sample our service of Family Eucharist as he said he loved to hear the organ and choir because they no longer have that in the C of S - just songs on a screen and guitars.
I also said that he was doing a very important job as a washer-upper for without his work the Home would stop operating. He grinned broadly. I added, 'It is God's work, you know'.
Afterwards Alec Philip, our People's Warden and Fabric Convener asked me to accompany him to the Rectory to do a final check of the premises before the Rector and his wife leave. Paul and Sheenah have got rid of most of their stuff yet some items still remain including a piano, a bed or two, table and chairs plus a few boxes. They promised to get rid of these items as fast as possible. They handed over the keys yet keep one set. I said we were now taking back possession of the Rectory and two members will visit twice weekly to check on things to cover us for Ecclesiastical Insurance cover during the Interregnum. I tugged at Alec to leave and we did. I said I thought it'd be better we did as we were being bombarded with details of this and that that we should do to the property. Anyway I did not answer the Fletchers as I had written to the Diocesan Architect down in Ayr and requested Rebecca Cadie to undertake a Quinquennial Survey on the Rectory, which is overdue anyway.

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: 1st Sunday of Advent: 02/12/07.

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: 1st Sunday of Advent: 02/12/07.

1st Sunday of Advent: 02/12/07.

The Collect for today: "Almighty God, give is grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son, Jesus Christ came to us in great humility......"
Well, it is all about change, isn't it? The move from darkness to light in our lives. But note that the prayer invokes the Holy Spirit of God for us to achieve this; meaning, by his Grace. I often wonder, as everyone else wonders, why God doesn't answer our prayers immediately, when the need is greatest. Yet as Christians we are always urged to watch and pray first. Have patience, in other words. In our search for a new Rector, the Diocesan Dean said the timescale we have drawn up must start with a waiting and watchful, prayerful time. Curiously, God does answer prayers but not always when we ask, but later when we often have not noticed. I have been praying for someone in great and awful anguish and their need for relief and for God's grace was immediate. However, God didn't answer immediately. Then, lo and behold, all the terrible and awful anguish had gone, replaced by contentment and happiness. I was reminded of a woman in labour and in the midst of terrible birth pain. But when the midwife plonks baby on her breast for that first bonding to take place, which is vital, the mother, despite tiredness, is content and calm; the anguish has vanished. I am but a mere man, who cannot experience childbirth pain as a mother does, but I do understand my person's terrible unhappiness and great anguish. Now it's all gone. It is a miracle. Yes, I know, don't forget to give thanks to God for his mercy and the answer to my fervent prayers. I did laugh as I recall Rabbi Lionel Blue saying that he prays so fervently and loudly that perhaps even God may hear him!
Versicle: O give thanks to the Lord, for he is gracious.
Response: And his mercy endures for ever. Amen.

Sunday, 25 Nov-07: Christ the King / Sunday Next Before Advent.

The period up until Advent was called the Kingdom of Christ by a previous RC Pope. It was adopted by the Anglican Catholic Church and is now part of the Common Lectionary of the Church. It certainly changes the tempo today as we look again, at the end of the Church Year, at the end of Christ's earthly life and we re-visit the cruxifiction, all in anticipation of Advent. Already the Church is preparing the Advent services including the annual Festival of Nine Lessons with Carols when we once again go through the Bible, first re-reading the Old Testament prophecies of the coming of The Lord, and then the NT accounts of his humble coming. So year after year we experience the coming of a baby, who is Christ the Lord. As the hymn describes him as 'Crown him the Lord of years'.

The Episcopal and Anglican seasonal changes, with changes in the colours of frontals, vestments, service settings and attention to seasonal Bible readings, hymns and prayers has always endeared me to The Church. Other Churches do not lay emphasis on this at all which, to my mind, is rather dull by comparison. The changes even in the Liturgical prayers enhances the period of Advent or, as the Liturgy also calls it, "The Anticipation". The richness of the central focus, which does not change, is the Liturgy itself, is a wonderful feeling of 'sameness', of basic security always there for us.

Busy time and a new atmosphere then at St Aidan's; also to do with Colin, our Assistant Priest, taking over the day-to-day work, although much is delegated outwards to folk as he is supposed to be part-time! We all know that part-timers work as long as full-timers.
I am attempting to draw the Vestry towards a more structured, business like approach in church business and I am trying to formulate a detailed committee structure from which we can delegate specific tasks outward. At present we have three Committees - Finance, Fabric and Social. I shall suggest a third - Administration Committee. In all Committees there will be delegated work from the Vestry, and delegation to certain folk, not necessarily on the Vestry, who have particular expertise. Our first meeting of the newly elected Vestry is on 12/12/07, so we shall see.

Wednesday, 21 Nov-07. St Columban, Bp, 615AD.

It was pleasing to note that the Bishop of Edinburgh and the Moderator of the General Assembly of The Kirk, the Rt Revd Sheila Kestings both signed a Covenant with the Toiseach, Alex Salmond at Parliament recently in Edinburgh, to categorically state that we in Scotland declare we are a peaceful nation and will not wage war. This is 'one-in-the-eye' so to speak, for "The Broons" - Gordon Brown, Prime Minister in England, who confirms his support for Mr 'Boosh' as we call him, in his war against Iraq and Afghanistan. No wonder this angers even moderate Muslims to attack us, for they see it as an Imperialist war against their very existence. The split with the English majority in favour of continuing the war, is in sharp contrast with the Scots who had the Peace March in Glasgow and Edinburgh when Blair went to war against the wishes of the people of Scotland. No wonder Labour lost out in Scotland for the first time for many decades. Labour can't plead that they were not warned. I had challenged our MP whom I know, and met and challenged our MSP who lives just down our road, but both are young men born after the war and obviously are incensed with Labour rhetoric about the 'just war' and like Blair, have ignored the lessons of history. Yes, the new Chief Constable of Strathclyde has said that there will be more terrorist attacks in Scotland.
What a sad state we are all in, through pig ignorance by some MSPs and MPs.

The marathon task of photocopying packs of papers for St Aidan's congregational AGM is over and the AGM went smoothly last evening, ably chaired by the Diocesan Dean, the Very Revd Dr Gregor Duncan, who has a sense of humour for such occasions, was very able as a Chair and he dealt with awkward questions neatly and politely. I think it pays to do one's homework and paperwork as Secretary to the Vestry, before the meeting so that all Elections had typed nominated names installed first on one sheet so that proposers and seconders could just be entered in each column, saving the past and antiquated method of having lots of bits of paper with nominations written on them.

Our new Vestry includes innovative folk. One is the recently retired Librarian to Glasgow Caledonian University. She and her husband were formerly the Librarians to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow. Jane Wilkins, the new Vestry member, has agreed to my request to Index the past Minutes and correspondence on the computer, which will saves hours of paper searching. She has also agreed to update the Inventory of the church and its artefact's. The last one I have on paper was done in 2001. Once it is done the Treasurer to the Vestry will engage Ecclesiastical Insurance to re-value the items. I have also requested the Diocesan Architect, Rebecca Cadie, to undertake a Quinquennial Survey of the now empty Rectory. Rebecca is in private practice too down south in Ayr. The Survey will enable us to highlight what needs to be upgraded before the appointment of a new Rector by say July-08.

Both Val and I are quite tired for Val is also on the Vestry, is Hall Lettings Convener - no mean task in itself, runs the Prayer House Group and is on the Finance Committee at church. Think we shall go out for lunch tomorrow to a nice, family run Indian restaurant in the West End. They are all lovely folk and all come and want a chat with you, including the brother who is the chef. The food is delicately done with fresh vegetables and served with style. We have the Kirking of the Vestry on Sunday during the 10am Family Eucharist; otherwise we would have gone away for the weekend. Perhaps the following Advent weekend.

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: Saturday, 17 Nov-07

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: Saturday, 17 Nov-07

Saturday, 17 Nov-07

All the AGM papers stapled together automatically by the 'with-it' photocopier, saving hours of manual work. Great! Took the documents to church this morning. Met Mr Mitchell, our Landscape Gardener from Newton Mearns who was re-doing the Memorial Garden. We had a chat and I said I was impressed with his cleanliness and workmanship. Left the AGM docs with a note on the church table for folk to take a pack and to check the Church Roll I had put out in the Hall for inspection / amendments. Met Kenneth Wilkins, the Sacristan who came with his wife Jane to prepare for the Eucharists tomorrow and mid-week so we had a chat. I'm hoping Jane will be elected at the AGM to the Vestry as I have a task for her. She has just retired as Librarian at Glasgow Caledonian University. Kenneth also was Librarian to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, so both talented folk. Kenneth was a Chorister with us but now sings in Glasgow Cathedral Choir although is Eucharistic Minister with us and serves at the 8am said HC and mid week services. Anyway I was pleased that Jane agreed to my suggestions of (a) indexing this Church Year's Vestry Minutes on the computer, (b) to undertake the upgrading of the Inventory and, with our Insurers' help, upgrade the valuations of artefacts and effects. (c) and there was another task, but it's late and I cannae recall what it was! After putting out the WNS (Weekly News Sheets) and material for any children, I locked up and left. During the afternoon I drove over to the Dean's house in Pollokshields, Glasgow, forgetting that there was an International football match on at 5pm at Hampden International Stadium for the match between Scotland and Italy, so the place was crammed with flag adorned folk in national dresses of both countries. All 76,000 hotel beds in Glasgow are full, according to The Herald, our national daily! That's extraordinary. Strathclyde 'Polis' have football crowds well martialled with Police horses and a friendly camaraderie, gained over many years of policing Rangers and Celtic grounds. The Italians were all martialled to different streets and parking than the Scots. All buses and trains all have British Transport Police escorts. Cars are banned from areas close to the ground and martialled into double parking in certain side streets and then guarded by police officers during the match. Anyway, found the house of the Very Revd Dr Gregor Duncan and gave him a pack of AGM papers for Tuesday as he is chairing the meeting. Admired his Jaguar car - same colour as Morse's Jag. Then the rain got heavier so I left for home via a circuitous route to avoid the crowds, now heavier and strung out across roads, all walking to Hampden. The dreich day had not dampened them at all.

St Margaret of Scotland - Friday, 16 Nov-07.

Margaret of Scotland was an asylum seeker of her day. She arrived in this country via England and married Malcolm, King of Scots (Colm Mor). She was cultured and spoke English and Latin. Indeed, she arrived from England with her Confessor in tow. Malcolm was uncultured and had no English and spoke only the Gaelic. Margaret set about trying to restore the RC faith in Scotland, which did not go down well at all, until she endeared herself to the Scots by identifying with the poor and dispossessed and affording a safe haven and free ferry for pilgrims at what we now know as Queensferry. Such pilgrims were guests within the castle at Dunfermline. There is still a ferry there and Margaret had a chapel also within Edinburgh Castle. Today that chapel is used daily for prayer and is cared for by a large group of women on a rota, all called Margaret by name. They pray, keep the chapel clean and provide fresh flowers daily there. For a country which is predominantly Protestant and Presbyterian, this is remarkable. But then, Margaret was remarkable and her faith paid off and influenced others. The ancient Roman faith is still practiced in Scotland. In the Scottish Episcopal Church we have a number of dedications to her, notably near me in Glasgow, St Margaret of Scotland Scottish Episcopal Church, Newlands.

Another busy time as I have just completed all the mounds of documents for our own congregational AGM on Tuesday, 20/11/07 and will take the bus into Glasgow at lunchtime to go to the Diocesan Office, where Christine and Jean have kindly agreed to photocopy packs of papers for the AGM, including a Voting paper and a letter to the congregation inviting comments about the sort of person we seek for a new Rector. They then cannae say we
have'nae asked them! Ha ha.

Confession and Reconciliation for Scots Episcopalians

Day by day I pray personally, usually using an Office to guide me, and ask for God's forgiveness for sins I feel I have committed; often unwittingly. Weekly at the Holy Eucharist we have corporate Confession as well as personal Confession. The Rector and Assistant Priest are also available to hear Confessions. However, since the Reformation it has never been a regular occurrence in the Scottish Episcopal Church. For example, no Scots Episcopal Church that I know of, has a confessional box, which is a common sight in Roman Catholic churches. Even in the RC Church, Confession is not as frequent as it used to be, well, in Scotland, although in other countries, notably Malta GC, it still is. RC personal Confessions are heard before Holy Communion. In our reformed tradition ( we used to be 'protestant' whatever that means today ), now reformed catholic and episcopal; emphasis has always been made on corporate Confession at the beginning of the Holy Eucharist. If we are contrite, we receive absolution via the priest who pronounces it with the sign of the Cross.

The Invitation to Holy Communion has a Responsory: 'Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the Word, and I shall be healed," which we all repeat before receiving Holy Communion. As a psychoanalyst by training I believe an interesting phenomena occurs during the Administration. The Episcopal, as well as the Anglican words intoned by the Celebrant as he profers the Host etc are..'the body of Christ given for you....preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life...' and so on, result in us feeling and experiencing that, with the taking in of bread and wine, we take in the body and blood of Christ. So, by introjection the unconscious experience of Christ within us, becomes us or, to use psychoanalytical jargon, it becomes ego-syntonic. This is no different at all from the RC view. Whatever you believe, by God's Grace, we are changed by the unconscious and inner experience. If you watch folk coming away from the altar rail after receiving HC you see that some are pensive, some serious, some quietly content, all are pre-occupied, some in tears and emotional, some walk away quickly back into external reality. Children are the most interesting. If they are not receiving HC but come for a Blessing from the Celebrant, they all take it seriously and watch, open-eyed, as to what is happening to the grown-ups kneeling at the rail. Even the hyper-active ones are quiet and wait to be Blessed, then skip away down the aisle with their parents or fellow Sunday School children. Indeed, all, children and adults recognise that they - we, have experienced something uniquely different in our everyday lives. All Christians say they miss it if they cannot come to church. Christians going on holiday nowadays always check on the .net to see where they can attend church for the Holy Eucharist - yes, it continues to be important - THE important experience in our lives. Therefore, I see a natural and seamless connection between feeling contrite, Confession, Absolution and the 'Holy Mystery' of receving HC during the Eucharist. I have asked folk if it is important to them or not. All regular Communicants say emphatically that it IS important in their lives, although many can't describe why or what has happened to them. This is because it is an 'Holy Mystery', as the Rubric of the Scottish Prayer Book calls it, so it is difficult to find earthly words to define the experience. This is common in my practice as a psychoanalyst. I have defined it as 'the space between words' and I often allude to the 'Holy Mystery' of an inner experience that can't be described normally. It doesn't mean it is less important. On the contrary, it is MORE important than words can describe. It is highly subjective, experientially, and so personal, which is what it is all about for the Christian. We all continue to seek God's Grace and continue to confess and seek reconciliation over and over. Amen.

Wednesday, 14/11/07 - St John of the Cross

Today is the Feast of St John of the Cross. It always reminds me of the famous Dali painting which hangs in the Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery, Glasgow, now the most visited venue in the country, even beating Edinburgh Castle and Culzean Castle. John was a Priest and Teacher of the Faith. I often wonder what such people were like. The nearest analogy is someone we all know about, and that is Mother Theresa of Calcutta and her nuns in Glasgow. She used to send her nuns to Third World countries to nurse the sick and dying on the streets. When Thatcher closed down all the Local Authority Hostels for the homeless, the homeless were ousted onto the streets throughout the UK. 'Cardboard cities' sprang up and rough sleepers became the norm, to the shame of the UK. Mother Theresa announced that we also are now of Third World status and so her Communities developed. I was privileged to work with one of her nuns in Glasgow and visited the Community House in Glasgow.

Remembrance Sunday, 11 Nov-07

Normally we don't attend church on this day of the year as, in memory of those who died we watch and take part in the Service at the Cenotaph in London. We do this in memory of my late father, and the fact I was in the British Army myself. It was also the last day for our Rector and his wife before they move to their farm at Sliddery on the Isle of Arran. It was an eomtional time for both of them and their family. We had refreshments, including a beautifully baked cake from Morag MacLaughlin before seh went in hospital for a knee replacement. The cake was iced and decorated with a lovely Celtic cross by Morag Hobbs of East Kilbride. Speeches were made and presentations to the Rector and his wife Sheenah. A sad time, but they feel they need to move on. Sheenah was very upset to say goodbye but I said it was just a marker in time and we all have invitations plus a guide map to visit them when sailing in the islands, which cheered her up no end.

P.S. - Friday, 09 Nov-07

As part of my continuing journeying I have approached a Religious Community down in England with a view of becoming a Companion to the Community. This term denotes someone who remains in their own community and carries on with their own life yet adheres to the Community Rule. This was done after much thought and prayer. The Assistant Priest at my Scottish Episcopal Church is most supportive to my idea, which is a great help. There are plenty of such Communities here in Glasgow, but they are RC and RCs will not allow Christians to receive Holy Communion who are not RC. Although I am a catholic, I am an Episcopal catholic, not a Roman one. Silly distinction in this day and age, but there you are. I had discussed it also with a Roman Catholic priest friend and he was most supportive. The Community of the Resurrection at Mirfield in Yorkshire, north England, is an Anglican monastic Community and Anglican Theological College.

Also spoke to John Woodhouse via Skype as he had been trying to contact me. He had a bad fall in Battersea Park the other day, damaging his upper lip and a tooth. He looks a bit battle worn and it has certainly shaken him up. It was good to talk to him, and Valerie popped over my shoulder to be introduced to him also. It'll be good to keep contact.

Friday, 09 Nov-07

Had an extra-ordinary meeting of the Vestry the other evening, chaired by the Diocesan Dean, the Very Revd Dr Gregor Duncan, to air people's worries and to peruse the vacancy procedure for the appointment of a new Rector. Bishop Idris and the Dean seem keen to appoint a full-time Rector with us. Gregor intimated that 'we should not assume we need to advertise', which of course, led to all sorts of speculations as to whom they had in mind. Either way I feel we should advertise as we need to be seen to be above board. I shall suggest we just advertise in 'Inspires' the Provincial magazine as we need a priest who is familiar with the Scottish Church's practices.
Advertising in England and Ireland will attract a lot of evangelical priests, who would not really fit in with our needs as we are more catholic. The two evangelical churches in Scotland, namely St Silas, Glasgow, and St Thomas, Corstorphine are evangelical as they were both built to serve English Hanovarian troops sent to Scotland to quell the rebellious Scots who supported Bonnie Prince Charlie ( who was RC ) and to impose English Penal Laws on Scottish Episcopalians who refused to say prayers for the English monarchy! St Silas served the soldiers garrisoned in nearby Maryhill Barracks, Glasgow. St Silas to this day, uses the English Liturgy and refuses to call itself Scottish Episcopal Church. At one time, in the '70's it said it only had allegiance to the Bishop of Carlisle, down south in England! Bishop Derek Rawcliffe, then Bishop of Glasgow & Galloway, regulated ther anomaly so that they came under his jurisdiction. However, they are still ambivalent about us Scots, and we of them, I suppose.
Anyway we outlined a rough timetable to produce a church profile and job description but it will not be done this side of the end of February as we have Advent and Christmas coming quickly and the Vestry need to get over the congregational AGM on the 20th November and 'Kirk' the new Vestry so work cannot really start until December this year.

Today I met Alec, our Fabric Convener / People's Warden at the Rectory to begin an inventory. Unfortunately this was not possible as Paul, our Rector seemed unclear about what was staying and what was leaving for store etc, and when he would vacate the premises. We are in no rush either but his tenancy cannot go on indefinitely. He has his barn in the Isle of Arran but it is not completely watertight so the Vestry agreed to allow some belongings to remain. We may have to impose a date of complete removal of affects. Alec then gave me a lift to Busby village where I was to collect Valerie from the hairdresser's but she had lft there so I walked back home on a clear, although cold autumnal day.

Sunday, 04 November 2007: All Saints' Day

Today started with difficulty as I had overlooked a request from a colleague at church to provide new church stationery for him, so I was late and Valerie set off alone for the Family Eucharist at St Aidan's, Scottish Episcopal Church. I arrived a few minutes late by taxi. Quite a few new folk there today, together with some visitors, notably some folk from the Orthodox traditions. This would be the penultimate 10am service that Paul will be Celebrant at, as he leaves to live in the Isle of Arran on 12/11/07 with his family. After the Eucharist we grabbed tea, cake and scones and I gathered Vestry members together in the Choir Vestry for an agreed Extra-Ordinary meeting to approve the Accounts and Report of the Vestry for OSCR ( Office of the Scottish Charities Register ) and the AGM of the congregation on 20/11/07. A last minute hiccup had occurred when, after receiving an OK from our Examiner of Accounts, I then learned she had changed my report and designation without discussing it with me. She had re-typed the report and changed our church name and mis-spelled folks' names! Needless to say she had a pertinent e-mail from me and the Accounts were withdrawn. To her credit she reverted to my original report and agreed that they be re-submitted in time for today's meeting and all went well after we spent a considerable time scrutinising the fine detail of the accounts, line by line. The Vestry approved them, so they can now go forward to the AGM for possible acceptance by the congregation.

Then it was poste-haste to Mitchell's up in the next village to us of Carmunnock for lunch. We were late but luckily Veronica, the co-owner, could give us a table. We were further lucky as, though late, we arrived in advance of a large birthday party of 18. We had a splendid lunch and I saw Gaille, the French waitress so I was able to practise my schoolboy French on her. Jean-Paul, her fellow countryman, is away just now. I learned that he does part-time lecturing at university here whilst he undertakes a PhD in politics at Glasgow. Ah well, 'a bientøt!'. Far from having a lazy afternoon the phone went continuously with folk on church business - for Val and myself. I shall be taking on board the production of the Weekly News Sheets for Colin, our Assistant Priest - quite a task. Then on Wednesday evening next the Vestry will meet the Diocesan Dean ( the Very Revd Dr Gregor Duncan ) to discuss the profile of our church in relation to our needs of a replacement Rector, and the type of person we seek. He will outline the Diocesan standpoint and the Vacancy procedure. Gregor is to be our Interim Moderator, to use a Scots' Presbyterian phrase. Now for a wee dram as I have earned it!

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: Sunday, 7th Oct-07: Trinity 18, Harvest Festival.

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: Sunday, 7th Oct-07: Trinity 18, Harvest Festival.

Sunday, 7th Oct-07: Trinity 18, Harvest Festival.

Lots of clearing up in the garden yesterday: a gloriously sunny and warm Autumnal day. Bushes cut back, some moved, front flower beds weeded. Lots of leaves already down now so spent much time sweeping up; a tiring yet satisfying task. I have yet to store 'Tilly Mint', the settle, garden tables and chairs as we already have had night frosts.

Harvest Festival at the 10am Family Eucharist this morning, along with the traditional, well-loved harvest hymns. Good turn-out of everyone. During the Offertory hymn folk queued up in the central isle to take foodstuffs, mainly tinned, for donation to asylum-seekers locally. £700 was also raised by the southside churches last week for the same cause. We learned that many folk from Europe now live nearby and had been attending Eastwood C of S Parish Church and had many children baptised there. They are mainly Orthodox Christians from Poland who now seek their own priest. Said goodbye to Bernadette and Bob who have been re-located by the Allied Irish Bank, to Brighton, Sussex. Said hello to Debbie ( new member ) and her boyfriend ( he is C of S. He didn't receive HC but was encouraged that he could do in future ). Then met a couple who are Tamil Malaysians from Edinburgh, staying with Rachael and Raj in the Mearns. Joel is Anglican and his wife Karen is RC. Karen received HC and I was pleased for her but did not comment to her. We discussed the complicated history of their Tamil people who all came originally from Sri Lanka but were employed in the rubber plantations by British employers and how the end of the colonial system has changed the people's self-esteem. Latterly I put up my new Fire Drill notices which Laurence had laminated for me, and posted the October church calendar. I am going to have a busy month or so with Vestry meetings and the forthcoming church AGM in November.

Sunday 30/09/07. Jerome, priest AD420. Trinity 17.

As John Aliss of golfing fame would say: 'It's been a funny old week'. We have had mixed weather, stemming from early morning heavy frost to mild 14@C temperatures. The clamatis at the front window of the drawing room is again in flower. A crocus has appeared down the drive, together with a polyanthus! Glenshee and the Cairn Gorm have snow and are hoping for more, to start the ski-ing earlier this year, but I doubt it'll stay long enough for ski-ing yet. Of course, I blame Bush for heavily polluting the ozone layer and refusing to cut greenhouse gases because big business which support him in Office will suffer. Where is the morality in such greed?

The readings in church today centred around death, dying, and resurrection. The Rector seemed to emphasise the former whilst Colin, our Curate, preaching also from the same Lectionary, emphasised the latter at Cambuslang where he was Celebrating and preaching. Like the reading today from the scripture lesson of the rich man and the poor man - it depends which end you come from! Our new lady arrived back in church today, although her fiance has yet to venture in. Folk chatted her up, which was nice. Valerie and I were Sidesfolk today so were busy dealing with the congregation etc. We had a second count of the hefty Collection as we mis-counted; an unusual event for us, but we got it correct and I took it to the Night Safe down the road. Valerie, Dorothy and Grace were in the Church Hall rehearsing a biblical passage they were parodying for a Review by the Diocesan Council tonight at St Ninian's, Pollokshields. The Dean, who is also Rector of St Ninian's has a Russian Choir singing for us at Evensong and the local presbyterian, Church of Scotland Church are also presenting something, all in aid of a charity the C of S support in Glasgow. I also put up most of the Fire Notices together with location maps, in various venues at church, suitably laminated by Laurence. All this is to do with the new regulations emanating from the Office of the Scottish Charities Register, and Ecclesiastical Insurance. The regulating of Scottish charities is quite new as in the past there were no guidelines or checks. England always had the Charities Commissioner. This then, is all new to us, but no bad thing, although it entails much new work relating to Health & Safety.

Well, I did cut the remaining 2 lawns and then trimmed some hedges and gave up. I was pleased I did get a lot done in the garden, including sweeping leaves up. That was tiresome yet relaxing. This afternoon I punched in the postcode to my relatively new SatNav, of my friend the Treasuer, Laurence Maclaren, who lives in nearby Newton Mearns. I had never been to his house before but I let my SatNav direct me verbally. It was quite accurate, although nit directed me to number 19, instead of number 30 which I had requested. Obviously No 19 has a Sat Nav!

Sunday, 23 Sep 2007 (Trinity 16 - St Adamnan of Iona, Ab 704 AD ).

Lovely Family Eucharist today with our Rector Paul as Celebrant. Colin, our Curate is away Celebrating at Aidrie this morning. Me a new lady called Debbie from Liverpool who is now living in the Mearns and looking to perhaps join us. She and her fiance are planning to get married next year so.... She came from Walton, Liverpool, and attended St John-on-the-Hill which, I recall from the 1950's, was Anglo-Catholic. She went to St Hilda's School there and was a Dietician at Fazakerley Hospital, by Liverpool. After the service we had an extra-ordinary Vestry meeting. Only a few there as of course, it's a public holiday in Scotland and many folk are away. We got through the business in quick time and soon dispersed for home and lunch.
Last evening Valerie and I took Grace and her husband David to the Uplawmoor Hotel, the other side of Barrhead and Neilston, for dinner to celebrate their Golden Wedding, and they were presented with a minature bottle of champaigne, which was nice. As usual there, an excellent dinner and excellent attention and deserted roads all the way home. This afternoon, busy around the house and managed to cut 3 lawns which were drying out after all the rain. 2 more to do, but not today. Time for a wee dram and to watch the golf from The Belfry.

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: Morning Holy Eucharist, St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow

Graemeofothaidhsjourney: Morning Holy Eucharist, St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow

Morning Holy Eucharist, St Mary's Cathedral, Glasgow

Episcopal Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin, Glasgow

Graemeofothaidhsjourney

Graemeofothaidhsjourney

10 Aug 2007 Magnus the Martyr of Orkney Category: Religion and Philosophy Driving around the lovely wee isle of Rousey ( O.N:-Hrolfsay - Rolf's Isle ) I had stopped near Westness to walk as there was no-one about and only one car had accompanied me off the ferry and that had long disappeared. The binnoculars scanned for diving gannets and yes, there they were at the tide race between Rousay and the Holy Island of Eynhallow. Two buildings only there - the cottage, which is now a research station for fulmers and the ruined monastery. I could see someone on a bicycle cycling away from the cottage over bumpy ground carrying a rucsac. Driving further on I passed numerous neolithic tombs and chambered cairns, all intact, one covered over by Historic Scotland to preserve it. near Westness. Then I could see brochs and felt that the high number of such places on Rousay gave it the name 'Egypt of the North'. I passed Westness where the Viking Sweyn Aseifsson caught Earl Paul Haakonssen in 1135 and made him 'disappear'. The body was never found. Then around the isle to stop off at Marion's Wee Shop; the only one. There you could buy anything, including tomatoes, fresh vegetables, milk, the weekly Orcadian newspaper, pot plants. In fact I was to return home the following day so did my shopping there for the week. Just after Marion's shop I could see the Holy Isle of Egilsay ( O.N:-Egil's Isle, or Gaelic/Old Norse:- Eaglesey - Church Isle ). The binnoculars scanned the exposed, treeless isle which is only 3 miles by 1.5 miles. The only real big building there was St Magnus' Church with its round tower and roofless nave. Tomstones scattered around the south side. The church was rebuilt after Magnus was murdered there and the present church only dates from the second quarter of the 12th century but like all such churches, contains all the stones from the original. To the right, about a couple of hundred yards away is the memorial stone showing where Earl Magnus Erlendsen was murdered by his cousin as he was jeolous of Magnus. When Magnus realised he had been tricked he knelt down. His cousin's Standard Bearer refused to kill the Earl so his Cook, Lifolf agreed. `Magnus asked him to do it swiftly, with one mighty blow to the skull, which he did. It was 16th April 1116 ( some records show this as 1117 ). Anyway, it was Easter. Magnus' mother Thora pleaded for her son's body and it was taken to nearby Christ Church, Birsay. Many reported strange lights appearing around the church at night-time and many miracles were attributed to Magnus. The wee church of Christ Church is a relatively new building but with many stones and inscriptions from that time. It is now just a Church of Scotland Parish Church but is also a 'thin place' because of its history and the many pilgrims who go to pray there today. Earl Rognvald became the new Earl on Orkney and on 13th December 1137, the Feast Day of Sancta Lucia he layed the foundation stone of the now St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, in honour of Magnus, who was later canonised. Like the building of the still new Parliament House opposite the Palace of the Holy Rood in Edinburgh, Earl Rognvald ran out of money due to rising costs etc. He told farmers and local residents that they needed to provide money for the cathedral building fund as the Earls had now changed Udal (Norse) Law. They did provide the money and the cathedral was built. However, the canny contributors challenged the assumption of the law change and declared that Udal Law is still the Law. Actually, when Orkney, Shetland and northern Scotland was reverted to Scotland, Scots Law incorporated Udal Law. So, today, the Cathedral Church of St Magnus belongs to the people of Orkney - not to the national Church, nor to any denomination. In 1929 the Church of Scotland laid claim to the Cathedral but this was refused by the Local Authority, although they do hold services there and have a Parish Minister at the Cathedral Church. The RC Church hold Masses there whilst their own church undergoes restoration and a priest of St Olaf's Scottish Episcopal Church in Kirkwall, is due to become Assistant "Minister" at the Cathedral Church. The presbyterians of course, have not held on to the Order of Bishops, Priests and Deacons since the Scottish Reformation and all their clergy are just Deacons - or 'Ministers' as they are termed. So, amusingly a priest of my Church is taken down a peg to again become a Deacon, or Assistant Minister of the Kirk, not that there is any shame in that at all; it is just a new experience. The Cathedral Church had another priest there some time ago so the new appointment, by permission nof the Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney, is a replacement and a help to the very busy Minister of the Cathedral Church. The medieval Cathedral Church is steeped in prayer, history and worship. It is narrow and the central aisle leading to the Chancel is only just wide enough for one person really - not easy for an Episcopal Procession of Crucifer, Acolytes, clergy and Choir to process along! They have a magnificent organ which was being played whilst I was there. The building is maintained by the Orkney Islands Council - very canny of the Church of Scotland. There are strong links with Nidaros Cathedral, Trondheim, which was Orkney's Cathedral in the past, and with other Norwegian churches, notably where Magnus and his family came from in Norway. A statue of St Olaf, the gift of Nidaros, is in the Choir. The remains of both St Magnus and St Rognvald are sited beneath stone pillars in the SE Chancel. When the bones of St Magnus were excavated the skull bore the signs of a cleft in the skull, where Lifolf struck the fatal blow. The box containing his bones is now in the Orkney Museum. The remains were re-interred. I then recalled awaiting the ferry to Rousay and seeing a Transit Van on the Houton pier with the inscription "Lifolf, Plumber" on its side!! So some things change; others don't. However, the Scottish Episcopal Church Calendar celebrates Magnus the Martyr on 16th April each year, on the day he knelt down on Egilsey and was murdered by Lifolf. The magnificent Cathedral Church which bears his name is also a testimony to him so, as Archbishop Tutu would say, 'Love is stronger than hate", and that's true, for sure. Graeme 10:43 - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

07 Aug 2007 The Viking Sweyn Åsleifsson of Gairsay Category: Religion and Philosophy Sailing this summer to the Isle of Gairsay in Orkney on a clear blue sky was a wonderful experience. I watched the gannets diving into the sea offshore - they had obviously spotted fish near the surface. The sea was a dark blue / grey with lots of 'white horses' and different from my own Hebridean sea which is bright blue and green over white sand. Here on the NE coast of Scotland the colours are more muted, unlike the west coast vibrant colourings. Gairsay ( Garek's Isle ) is so small, with a conical shape. Here the Viking Olaf Rolson lived. One of his sons who inherited the farm at Langskailli ( Long Hall ) was Sweyn Åsleifson. After the Spring sowing he would then go 'Cruising' with his sons and colleagues, plundering the West Coast isles and even as far south as England and Eire. He would return with spoils in time to harvest his crops and then return to sea on his Winter Cruise. On one such trip when he went to sack Baile-a-Cliath (Dublin ) the Irish Celts awaited him and had dug a deep ditch into which he fell and was killed. His sons continued to farm Gairsay and one son, Olaf, married Frida, the daughter of Bishop Bjarni. She was the grand-daughter of Kolbein Hruga of the neighbouring small isle of Wyre. So, the sons settled down, probably due to age and marriage and became wealthy farmers, no doubt partly due to the booty hidden away by Sweyn. It all sounds like a Kirk Douglas film - but that film was based on the reality taken from the Orkneyinga Saga. Today the outlines of the Langskali can still be seen on Millburn Bay. The Viking community around the year 1000 AD was a flourishing one in Orkney. On the Brough of Birsay Historic Scotland have maintained and renovated another Viking farm with its out-buildings which can be seen clearly. The wealth on Orkney continues in the farming community. Nowadays Orkney farmers raise cattle for the markets both on Mainland Orkey and across the Pentland Firth in Scotland. Looking at the Viking farm sites one is struck by how sensible they were in where they sited their farms with a long sloping field right down to the shore so that they could haul up their Viking Longships. The Norse Vikings held both Orkney, Shetland, Caithness and Sutherland ( 'Sudrland' to them - South Land ) the Outer and Inner Hebrides, right down to the Isle of Man off England. They held these lands for many hundreds of years and their heritage remains, even in everyday language ,place-names and personal names. The Isle of Man is a Diocese of the Church of England nowadays, called the Diocese of Soder and Man, ( Sudrmans eyrer - south men's lands ). In Viking times it was part of the Diocese of Trondheim in northern Norway. Until the reign of the new King of Norway, the late King Haakon sailed annually into Leith on his 'official' visit' to his former realm. This tradition had gone on since Viking times. In reality King Haakon came for the fishing and was a guest of HM the Queen in Scotland ( as she is constitutionally known in Scotland ) and Her late Majesty Elizabeth the Queen Mother at Balmoral and at the Castle of Mey. Graeme, August 2007. 16:22 - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

05 May 2007 The Visitor ( term used for a soul-mate who is offocial visitor to a religious house ). Category: Religion and Philosophy I had arisen early to watch two otters frolicking in the still waters of Loch Awe. A heron stood motionless watching them with utter distaste. The otters eventually tired and disappeared under water leaving 'Frank' the heron motionless, neck outstretched watching for prey. Suddenly he darted and was back with a fish as quick as lightening. He then flew off languidly down the lochside. I went indoors for breakfast and then left Ardenaiseig House and motored quietly to Connel. There was no-one on the roads and I approached Connel Bridge and then spotted a hitch-hiker thumbing for a lift. Nowadays one is ill-advised to give hitch-hikers a lift but he was adorned in boots, shorts, anorak and a rucsac emblazoned with both the French Tricolour; surprising in itself as few French come to Scotland, and the ancient Christian symbol of the fish so intrigued, I stopped and offered him a lift. For a Frenchman he spoke good English. He said he was a Religious and his name was Brother Andrew of the Ecumenical Community at Taizé, Cluny. I said that was my middle name also. Andrew said he was trying to find Ardchatten Priory; a house I knew well so I said I'd drive him there. We chatted and I told him about Ardchatten, occupied since the Reformation by the Campbell-Preston family. During the 1745 Rebellion the family decided to support the English although the Episcopalian Highlanders supported the RC Bonnie Prince Charlie as Pretender to the Throne of Scots. In recent times Lady Campbell-Preston was Lady in Waiting to the Queen in Scotland, Elizabeth I ( or, as they call her in England, Elizabeth II ). I told him that after it became a priory of the Order of Vallis Caulium from France, the then Prior had regular visits from from a nun of the convent across Loch Etive. She would row across the loch to visit the Prior. Indeed, she often stayed. They were having a relationship! Now the Abbot of Pluscarden Abbey, upon hearing a rumour, came unexpectantly on a visit of inspection. The Prior just had time to secrete his lady-love under stone in his cell where there was a central heating vault just big enough to secrete a person temporarily. The Abbot said he would stay in the Prior's cell and stayed there a number of days! It is not known what happened to the visiting nun and rumour has it that she may still be there in the vault! We laughed. By this time it began to drizzle or, as we say here, it was a 'haar'. We stopped off near Ardchatten in the glen at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Spirit for morning prayer. Interestingly there is a ship's bell hanging near the pulpit. As we lifted the latch of the church door we heard the rain, now heavy. We motored the short distance to the Priory House of Ardchatten but spotted a figure in dark oilskins leap from the drystone wall by the lochside and run quickly into the courtyard of Ardchatten to where the back door is. I stopped and suggested he do the same: enter via the courtyard rear door. He ran off waving and shouted 'Adieu!' " Bon Chance Andrew." I drove back to Oban where I caught the Caledonian-MacBrayne steamer for the Isle of Coll in the Hebrides where I was to sketch wildlife and do some reading. When I returned and disembarked at Oban Pier I walked across the road to McTavish's Kitchen for a spot of lunch and there spotted Bro Andrew pouring over an Ordnance Survey map and making notes. He greeted me warmly and said he had received a most generous welcome and was offered accommodation there to complete his history notes about the house and priory. 'Oh, and there was no-one ahead of me when I went into the house. I was the first visitor there that week!' "But we both saw the person running into the back doorway of the courtyard." 'Yes, but I was shown around and saw every room and outhouse.' I looked blank. Bro Andrew said, 'but remember the story of the black habited visitor who would come regularly from the lochside to visit the Prior!' We both hooted. Later I reflected on this and determined to tell the story to the Seanchie ( Gaelic for story-teller) of Argyll, Sir Fitzroy Maclean of Strachur. Ian Fleming based his idea of 007 on Sir Fitzroy following his exploits during the War, particularly in the Balkans. Sir Fitzroy took the story seriously and said he was not surprised as the area surrounding the Priory House and lochside has long been known as a Thin Place due to the unresolved tragedy that had taken place there. Photos of both the Priory House of Ardchatten and Ardenaiseig House are in my 'pics' ( page 5 ) which you can view. 9:00 - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove

17 Jun 2007 'THIN PLACES': some personal experiences Category: Religion and Philosophy I had often pondered about these, even from childhood. As an adult I am now aware what they are. Inheriting the Celtic gift of a 'third sense' or, as I would say, an acute awareness of my own unconscious relating to special places, the following are places where one can connect with the Holy Spirit. Here are some I have experienced: 1. South side field of Rake Hey Covert, Williston, Wirral, England. 2. St Ninian's Islet, Shetland with remains of a monk's cell and where treasure of Church plate was found. The plate was buried as Viking raiders in the long boats were spotted. Had a strong urge to go there at low tide. Over a thousand years of prayer gave the place a holy presence. Found myself checking the horizon, then laughed - Icelanders are friendly nowadays! 3. Tigh na Cailleachan Dubh, Islivig, Isle of Lewis. ('House of the black women', i.e., convent ). In the Icelandic Sagas written about 1000AD there is mention of a Bishop Aslif or Islif who came to the Hebrides to set up a Seminary for men. That is thought to be nearby, so the convent was established to perhaps serve the Seminary. There is a clear holy atmosphere there where prayers emanated daily around that time. Apart from the cells there is a circle of stones set below a natural pulpit, all looking out to sea. All those prayers; one can still sense them! As Rabbi Lionel Blue says, he prays so fervently sometimes that perhaps even God hears them. 4. NW side of the Scottish Episcopal Church of St Maelrubha at Europaidh, Isle of Lewis. This is the oldest church in use in Scotland and is thought to have been built by Viking Christians. A stone post is at the NW corner where they tethered their Icelandic horses before going in to celebrate the Holy Eucharist. ( See my pics on this site ). Real connection here with the first settlers and of their new-found Christianity and need to feel accepted - they were of course, the first asylum-seekers. 5. Ta Pinu RC Church, Isle of Gozo, Malta. Years of daily prayer emanate from this holy place, set amongst the quiet farmland. Pilgrims, including me, make a point of spending some time there in quietness and reflective prayer. It is a Roman Church basilica and, despite its tourist trade, is still the parish church of the local residents who continue with their Daily Offices and serve the tourists - all are welcome in this strange building with its very foreign RC artistry. Yes, the Holy Spirit permeates this place too. 6. Xlendi Tower, Gozo. Built by the Knights of St John on a high clifftop overlooking the sea it is the pilgrim route for local folk at the weekends who make the trek from the fishing hamlet, to be in quietness and near God as the knights felt they were. 7. Trinity Episcopal Church, Copley Square, Boston, America. This is a city centre refuge for homeless and other folk. 5,000 souls are cared for here on a daily basis. Between services the homeless and depressed come for warmth, quietness, to sleep, pray and be 'fed" spiritually and with food. The worshipping community care for them and pray for and with them. 8. St John's Episcopal house-church, Middlebury, VT, America. Tiny church in a house in this American small town which appears so middle-class and affluent. However, they provide trays of food daily for the homeless who live in their cars! This is a thin place where the Holy Spirit works with the poor and disadvantaged in what is otherwise affluent America. 9. St Mungo's Chapel in Turnbull Hall, University of Glasgow. This is the RC Students' Chaplaincy where a community attend daily. It is like a busy parish church with prayers being said throughout the day in addition to the Daily Offices and the Angelus and Masses, lunches, snacks, quiet rooms, a prayer room, study and computer rooms, lecture and dining room but above all, the Holy Spirit is tangible amongst the friendly congregation and chapel atmosphere. 10. The Nunnery, Isle of Iona, on the way to the Episcopal Church's Bishop's House. Here, standing by the ruins where Columcille's sister set up her Community of Religious, one can still see the variety of wild flowers they planted and the sense of holy and spiritual presence of the Holy Spirit in this quiet, warm spot. 11. St Kevin's Cell Church, Glendalough, Eire. Here, Kevin spent his days in isolation and prayer and the prayerful atmosphere is in the area surrounding his cell. 12. Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, Dublin, Eire, during the Choral Eucharist with such a magnificent choir; one of the finest Anglican Church choirs anywhere. Their Anglican pointings soar the spirit towards God, leaving a great and peaceful impression which permeates the fabric of the buildings. 13. Prayer Chapel,Iona Abbey Church, now a simple Church of Scotland church. It is therefore not the Abbey itself which strikes one at all, but the side chapel by the west door, where prayers are said throughout the day from a prayer list left by passers by. This tiny prayer chapel is the only bit left which carries on the tradition of Columcille and his monks, of daly prayer and praise of God. The Abbey itself now leaves one cold as it is just a meeting hall for tourists. The worshipping congregation of the Abbey does not leave a 'thin place' feeling at all, unfortunately. 14. Holy Cross Scottish Episcopal Church, Portnacrois, Lands of Appin, Argyll. This tiny and beautiful church is historical. A sign by the door says that at the tolling of the church bell so many armed Stewarts may be summoned quickly to defend - ( against the English troops sent to close down and imprison Episcopalians who refused to say prayers for the English monarchs and because they followed the RC Pretender to the Scottish throne, Bonnie Prince Charles Edward Stewart ). Romantic history apart, nearly everyone seems tonbe a Stewart of Appin locally. The atmosphere in the church is one of quiet prayerfulness and peacefulness, the result of hundreds of years of fervent prayer. 15. Greig's home at Troldhaugen, Norway, set on the lochside. Here in his summer housenoverlooking the loch he wrote his Piano Concert No.1. This man was touched by the Holy Spirit to write such a beautiful and inspired piece of pure magical music. Just standing by his piano overlooking the sun-dappled loch brings one closer to God. Yes, a thin place. 10:33 - 5 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove