Remembering loved ones at All Souls time

Candles in a Cemetery in Lithuania at All Soulstide

One October a few years ago I went to a supermarket in the Naujamiestis area of Vilnius, Lithuania. I was puzzled to see on sale a huge number of long burning candles encased in plastic, with metal covers – clearly intended for outdoor use. It was clearly there to meet a demand. Then I remembered, All Saints Day and All Souls Day were soon to come. Lithuania is a strongly Catholic countries and many people would be following the popular Catholic tradition of visiting, either individually, or communally in procession, the graves of loved ones who have died. Prayers are said and lit candles are placed upon the graves. Sometimes food is shared. Together with this often goes an act of charity to help with a local need. This is done at All Saints Day or All Souls Day, or on a day very close to them.

Different cultures, different communities do things differently. The basic connection between Autumn (in the Northern hemisphere, at least), the departed and charity has been lived out in different ways. In England in the nineteenth century, especially in areas of Cheshire and Staffordshire, homes were visited around All Saints and All Souls’ tide. Memories were shared and special cakes, ‘soul cakes,’ shared. This custom survived in some places up to the mid twentieth century.

Of course for centuries the dead have been prayed for on All Souls’ Day many masses were said, indeed priests were permitted to say mass three times on the day. Such masses were general masses for the souls of the departed, rather than for individual people. More recently churches have begun to have liturgies of prayer and memorial at All Souls’ Day at which people are named – perhaps because they have died in the past year, or they may have been former worshippers or people dear to those attending. At St Chrysostom’s we hold such a liturgy and also around this time, and indeed in the month of the Holy Souls, November have requiem masses praying for those connected with us who have died.

However, looking back to that Lithuanian supermarket makes me to reflect on how part of the traditional observance of this poignant season is about visiting and it is domestic, about place, the place of final resting, and personal prayer. Families and friends visit in life, and in faith and imagination we continue to do so though separated by death.

We all individually, and as the Church of God, wish to encourage and support personal prayer and remembrance at All Souls.

In our modern transient communities it is more difficult to visit graves or places where cremated remains are. Nevertheless God has given us the gift of imagination and prayer. Our loved ones are close to us. There are many ways we can encourage prayer and charity at this time. For some it may mean going to church for an All Souls liturgy, others may join an online act of worship.

At home at All Souls time we can take time to be still and ‘visit’ – in our minds and prayers the loved one. We could place a photograph, or significant object, of a loved one who has died on a table or significant place in our room and next to it light a candle, remember and pray. We may choose to do an act of charity as a sign of love received and shared – giving a cake is a lovely example of this.

Rest eternal grant to them, Lord, and may light perpetual shine upon them.

May they rest in peace. Amen.

Fr Ian

Sir Arthur Lewis and #BlackHistoryMonth

Fr Admos writes: We have been celebrating Black History month in our Parish in different ways. Indeed, our own parish church does have its own history makers like the late Louise Da Cacodia, an icon of racial equality struggles in Manchester who many will remember for her reassuring smile to all who walked through our doors! Our discussions on Friday night helped us to reflect on the life of Sir Arthur Lewis, the first person of colour to hold a chair in Economics in the UK. I have the privilege of working from the building named in his honour at the University of Manchester and could not help but reflect on his life and what it means for #BlackHistoryMonth.

Its hard to imagine now how it must have been at that time to be the only person of colour working in a university with this level of seniority as things have changed quite a lot in higher education in the UK- arguably not quickly or far reaching enough. He suffered racial prejudice like all other people of colour that had arrived from colonies but in his case it is fair to say he would have felt it more in the elitist universities of his time where most academics had to have had an Oxbridge education.  Indeed at the start of his career in London it is said he was not trusted to take classes on his own and had to have another ‘white’ academic with him- presumably to make his more acceptable to the students of the time. Manchester University took a leap of faith in him and gave him the opportunity to take up the Chair in Development Economics working from the then Dover Street offices where Economics department was based. This was after Liverpool University had passed on an offer to appoint him.

Although he was a brilliant economist (winning the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1979 was no easy feat), I choose to highlight a part of his legacy here in Manchester that is often overshadowed by his intellectual work. He was an academic with a conscience and indeed arriving in Manchester of the time and seeing the levels of poverty among the immigrants he was determined to do something outside the ivory tower of academia. In his analysis at the time, the immigrants mostly from the colonies (the Windrush generation) were caught in a vicious cycle that would impoverish their future generations. Many needed to work long hours on poor pay to make ends meet (Loiuse always reminded us this in of PCCs!). The dream of better paying jobs at the time was as elusive as it probably is still for many. In his analysis, the long hours of poor pay often meant their families (read children) where largely left to raise themselves in a very hostile environment. Parent would arrive home late after children had gone to bed and would need to be up at the crack of dawn (before children were even up) to start the day. In his analysis this created a vicious cycle of poverty and deprivation as the children often dropped out of school with some resorting to crime to make ends meet. With little education, this new generation found itself replacing the Windrush generation in the sweat shops scaring a living on long hour and poor pay just like their parents. Many managed to escape this vicious cycle and have made great contributions in various fields. Arthur Lewis was instrumental in helping set up the West Indian Centre in Moss Side to help the community of immigrants to organise and deal with the common issues they faced. Although this centre still exists as a focal point for the Moss side community, Arthur Lewis himself was said to have been disillusioned by the lack of structural change by the time he left Manchester.

As we celebrate Black history month, Arthur’s legacy lives on in academia but there is little change and more continuity in inner city Manchester as the attempt to break the poverty cycle continue.   The centre he helped set up continues to be a focal point for local activities and playing a positive contribution to South Manchester immigrant communities.

Pippa’s wonderful achievement

We are constantly amazed by the wonderful variety of things members of our fantastic church congregation do. Here’s a lovely example. Pippa Allen writes:

“On Sunday, 3rd October, I did something I have always said “no” to when asked the question “would I ever run a marathon?”

At 10.49am I crossed the start line of the London Marathon. I had a plan to get me round, I had put in the training but nothing prepares you for the “wall”.

My wall came at 24k just after I had completed half the marathon. It was too early to hit the wall, everything hurt I wanted to quit there and then. However due to sheer stubbornness, determination and my inner coach I realised I just had to focus on a goal….30k, get to 30k and then plan again.

I got to 30k and then the rain and wind came I was at breaking point again and then I heard people shouting “go soldier go!” Sergeant Major Rupert appeared carrying 36lbs who just like me was struggling. However carrying 36lbs I think I would be struggling!

So we started chatting and I realised I wasn’t the only runner struggling so together we ran / walked the last 12k and we crossed that finish line after 6 hours 39 minutes.

Today I’m reflecting on what I achieved yesterday and I am super proud of my courage, determination, resilience and stubbornness. But what I am immensely proud of is my amazing family and friends I could not of done it without their support and belief that I could do it.”

... and as a Church we are so proud of Pippa. Congratulations to her.

Now we can show our congratulations by sponsoring Pippa – who in doing the marathon was raising money for Allergy UK.

Pippa writes: My chosen charity is Allergy UK,  a charity close to my heart who have provided my family with invaluable resources, support and information since my daughter Grace was born. Grace was diagnosed with a suspected milk allergy a few weeks after she was born and officially diagnosed with a milk allergy at aged one.

So let’s show generous support by donating at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/philippa-allen2

The gift of a drawing

During the Summer Mtr Kim returned from a visit to Church to tell me there was a beautiful drawing of the church on the kitchen counter and we’d need to take care to look after it.

I was puzzled. I couldn’t work out what Kim was referring to. When I later went into church I discovered the remarkable drawing above, and when I asked Alan, churchwarden, he explained. Totally unknown to us one of the trafficked men who attended our language classes and who regulalrly comes to Sunday Mass had spent a great deal of time painstakingly drawing the church, and once he had completed the drawing he brought it to church as a gift to us.

The detail is amazing. The drawing, writing and the dove are all the artist’s work and make a very special gift for us at Church. We are so grateful to him for this very special gift which we have since framed, and it is at present on display in church. We’ve also had the drawing scanned so that we can use it in our church publicity and social media.

THANK YOU so much to our gifted artist, who has obviously spent hours of very careful work in creating this wonderful drawing for us.

Fr Ian

Alan writes: “My faith changes – it grows stronger”

Alan, churchwarden, is seriously ill, we hold him in our thoughts and prayers, and, of course, miss his friendly presence at Church. Alan has kindly written us this as an encouragement to us all at St Chrysostom’s. He describes how, in prayer and imagination, he is praying and finding solace in being in prayer with us at Church.

I have a mission: to be an example. I keep in the faith, however long and changing and lonely my journey is. I fast. I feel I am fed by the prayers of my Church family. I say their names. I unpack their regular “postbag” of prayers in the night, when I need those prayers the most.  My faith changes – it grows stronger. Outside, I fill in longer medical forms, but my spiritual diagnosis becomes simpler: kneeling (not physically), waiting, happier.

My priests faithfully bring me communion. I am so thankful to them for staying with me. I am not alone when I receive. I feel I walk up St C’s central aisle, surrounded.

Saying the Rosary, my hand is on the pedestal of Our Lady of Welcome at Church, with Ann’s flowers alongside me. Ann’s faithful flowers are our incense of prayer.

Saying the Lord’s Prayer, for forgiveness, I am in front of my favourite of the Stations of the Cross – the First. You have to make an effort to view it fully. It is the most dramatic: “We accuse”. Her face obscured, there is the slave girl. I pray for all the trafficked. That First Station forever includes them,  even though they are hidden behind that girl. When the artist made that Station, the Project for Trafficked Men was still in the future. Saint C’s now remembers them, among humanity’s sins.

When I say “Hallelujah”, I am in front of my favourite window, the Transfiguration, in the Anson Chapel. This Christ challenges and his face is never still, to my eyes, a pretaste of Heaven. We know we must “come down from that mountain”. I am now ready to climb to it for the last time, and when He wills.

My two arms are spread out – the First Station, Our Lady of Welcome, the Transfiguration. I raise my head to our wonderful East End Crucifix – our Christ in Glory. He is my Lord of Judgement. His arms open wide. This is the gift of Father Ian. It brings the whole Church together.

Five new lay ministers at St C’s

We’ve five new Authorised Lay Ministers (ALMs) at St Chrysostom’s. They were commissioned at Manchester cathedral by the Bishop of Manchester today, Sunday 26th September

We are so grateful to them for offering themselves for this role, and for taking the time to do the training. We are also very grateful to those who have helped and supported them, not least in difficult Covid days, including the course tutors but also those who have worked to help them in our own parish particularly Fr Admos and Alan. We have found this training course to be a valuable resource, not least in helping our ALMs meet others in the same position. We are grateful to the diocese for providing it.

Our five new ALMs are Blessing, Khodabaksh, David, Gideon and Maryam. It was lovely that Maryam read at the service in the Cathedral from Psalm 19 (v 7-14). We were proud that our ALMs raised very significantly the number of BAME ALMs at the commissioning.

Each of the ALMs has a specific area of work, and within that area will have duties at church relating to the area. Maryam’s area of training was Children and Families, and Maryam will be helping with Kharis, our Sunday School, Khodabaksh will be working in the area of Ecology and Creation, encourage us to care for God’s creation in our church and homes. Blessing trained in the pastoral care and listening area and will assist with care in our parish. Gideon trained in worship and liturgy and will be helping us in that area, especially with informal all age worship. David trained in the prayer and spiritulaity area and will be bringing the skills he has learned to assist growth in those areas at Church.

Each of the ALMs has a brief job description which they agree after discussion and help from Fr Admos.

This is a very encouraging sign for us at St Chrysostom’s as we seek to equip our people more and more for ministry and christian living. As we welcome our new ALMs please pray for them and encourage them as they develop their role among us.

Delighting in what is around us: A Victorian inspiration

“Why do I keep this voluminous journal? I can hardly tell. Partly because life seems to me such a curious and wonderful thing that it seems a pity that even such a humble and uneventful life as mine should pass altogether away without some such record as this, and partly too because I think the record may amuse and interest some who come after me.”

Many years after these words were written the twenty two closely written notebooks containing the diaries were discovered. They are the work of the Revd Francis Kilvert who for most of his sadly short life kept a diary. Born in 1841 Kilvert died on 23rd September 1879 at the age of thirty eight, only five weeks after his marriage.

Nothing greatly newsworthy, exciting or spectacular happened to this rural priest. Between 1865 and 1872 Kilvert was curate at Clyro, a parish which covered an area between Herefordshire and Wales. These years seem to have been Kilvert’s happiest years. He was a very caring and pastoral priest who was deeply concerned to visit his parishioners who lived in and around Clyro, where he served as their priest. He was fond of the people and they were fond of him.

What is so special about Kilvert is his sensitive powers of observation. Everyday life to him was not ordinary and humdrum. He saw it as curious and wonderful, and indeed, enjoyable. He had eyes to see, and he used them to notice the beauty of the coutryside and life around hime, as well as loving his people and noting their charm and their little quirks. He saw beauty, but also hardship and poverty. He was a kind, thoughtful and shrewd man whose lovely writing bring to life for us today the countryside and people of over 150 years.

In this season of creation, newly introduced into the Church’s Calendar we do well to remember, honour, and be inspired by people like Kilvert who used his eyes to see the wonder and variety of creation around him, and the individuality of people. He marvelled at it all. His writing and example ‘amuse and interest’ today and call us, who live so often uneventful lives to look around and wonder at what we see.

Clyro and part of ‘Kilvert country’

There is a lovely documentary made by Sir John Betjeman reflecting on Kilvert’s diary for BBC Cymru Wales in 1976 on YouTube here. Do watch it if you have time.

The Gift of a Poem

What a lovely and appropriate poem! Visiting St Chrysostom’s, or to give it its full title Rules for Visiting St Chrysostom’s.

Dr Andrew Rudd, a creative writing lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University, kindly led a quiet evening, The Womam at the Well, in November 2019. (See here)

We are now delighted that Andrew has now kindly written this poem for us. In fact he has adapted it from a poem he wrote for Manchester Cathedral when he was poet in residence there. We are very grateful for this gift – another of the unexpected gifts church has received this summer.

We have had the poem enlarged and added it to a photograph of the Church interior.

It now stands close to the entrance of Church to encourage us, and all who come into our church to visit in a spiritual way. The poem invites us to take time to be still and to use the sacred space of St Chrysostom’s as a space to refresh the soul.

The poem helps us to spiritually see into the objects in church, candles, seats, silence…. and invites us to take a journey around our church. Do please read and reflect on the poem, especially when you are in church – perhaps taking one verse at a time and looking, listening – sensing the object about which the poet writes.

The inspiration of La Salette

In 1865 Brooke Foss Westcott, at the time a noted academic and New Testament scholar and later to be Bishop of Durham, visited the shrine of Mary at La Salette, near Grenoble in France. Here, nineteen years before Westcott’s visit, two young children Melanie and Maximin were tending their village’s cows when they saw a vision of a beautiful lady, and spoke to her.

Later the lady was identified as the Virgin Mary. La Salette became, and 175 years later remains a place of pilgrimage, a beautiful, unique and remote place which I found to be deeply spiritual. (See an earlier post: here)

Westcott was a clear thinking scholar, a man of deep faith, but not one who would have described himself as an Anglo Catholic. However his visit to La Salette inspired him. He wrote a paper about what the inspiration he gained at La Salette. Unfortunately it was not published. Nevertheless it greatly impressed his friends J B Lightfoot (at the time Professor of Divinity at Cambridge and also a future Bishop of Durham) and E W Benson (to become later Archbishop of Canterbury).

That such an event – an apparition to two illiterate peasant children should make such an impression on such great leaders in the Church of England in the nineteenth and early twentieth century is quite remarkable. It reveals an openness and generosity to an expression of faith different from theirs, and this, in a way, is the message of La Salette for us today. A message which can be listened to, as it was by Westcott, Lightfoot and Benson, by us today.

In their vision Melanie and Maximin were told to pray, even just by saying the Lord’s Prayer and a Hail Mary, morning and evening. They were called to realise how close God is to the world and how God feels for the world, and they were called to share this message. Their message, the message of Mary, was accepted in faith, and miracles began to be attributed to La Salette and the power of prayer there. Westcott himself heard the accounts of some of the miracles at La Salette and wrote:

‘Sans croire, comment l’expliquer’ – without believing how can this be explained? At La Salette pilgrims, like Westcott, and indeed like myself, have experienced the power, strength and significance of belief.

Fr Ian

The Gift of a Cross

When we hear the call to ‘give to Church’ or the word ‘stewardship’ many immediately think we are about to hear an appeal for money. Of course churches need money to keep going. St Chrysostom’s is not a financially wealthy congregation, and we need to pay bills!

HOWEVER, as a member of our lovely church community recently said, ‘We may not be rich fiancially but we are rich in the lovely people we have…’ Too true!

Recently we have been delighted to receive some unasked for gifts at Church. Over the coming weeks, here on our church blog, we’ll tell you about some of them, and we feel sure you will be both surprised and heartened. These are somewhat difficult days, not least for churches wondering about the Post Covid future. Gifts encourage us in our day to day work and the love behind them inspires us on our christian journey in life.

First of all, earlier in the summer we received the gift of a box full of varied crosses and crucifixes from the CHN Sisters. The sisters were downsizing as they moved to their new convent in Hessle and in the process gave us some gifts. They included the sanctuary chairs we now use at the main altar, several Bibles – which we offer to those unable to buy their own, and also a box of crosses.

We invited Confirmation candidates at the Confirmation a few weeks ago to take a cross home and now we are inviting households of our church family to take one free of charge. One or two of the crosses were damaged but Maryam has kindly cleaned them all and repaired those in need of repair. We now have over 25 crosses. We begin to offer the crosses on the Sunday after the Feast of the Holy Cross – a feast which encourages us to rejoice in the glorious saving work of Our Lord.

The crosses are blessed, and freely offered. We are making a couple of conditions.

First of all we ask those taking to take one of their choice and not to take for anyone else (we are giving priority to those who are at church and able to choose for their own home).

Secondly, we ask those who take them to think carefully about where they will place them prominently where they live – in a hallway, perhaps, above a door, in a bedroom, or on a desk or table. Where is, of course, up to the person, but we are hoping they will be prominent – and the person having the cross can say where it has come from to anyone who asks. We hope the person will keep the cross for many years.

Although we are giving them freely, and emphasise that, should anyone wish to give a donation we will receive it to enable us to get more similar crosses for the future.

THANK YOU to the sisters of the Community of the Holy Name for this gift, let’s assure them they will be a blessing and have good homes.