Prayers answered and prayers needed…

Audrey, who we asked you to pray for some time ago has given birth. Both mother and baby are doing well. Deo Gratias!

Please pray for a Nicola who is considering abortion and for another woman, who’s name we don’t know, married with young children and thinking about an abortion.

Thank you and God bless.

Yesterday

As usual, a varied day at the Initiative…

Firstly, we arrived at the office to discover that our much beloved ‘tank’ had been vandalised in the night, this is a real shame as we really depend on the car, especially for delivering goods to the women we work with. Hopefully the damage can be repaired.

On a much more pleasant note, Cathal, our godson and son of our education officer Elain, celebrated his first birthday on Sunday (incidenatlly the Initiative’s eleventh anniversary) so we held a little birthday party.

Here’s the birthday-boy with his mummy and one of his godmothers (the bad one who was away on his birthday!) blowing out the candles.

In the afternoon we were delighted to receive a visit from Srs. Kathia and Natalia, Comboni Missionary sisters from Italy and Columbia respectively. They’re in Glasgow to learn English with a view to being sent to Kenya. It’s always wonderful to meet young religious, and it was lovely to meet two such joyful and enthusiastic young women - we hope to see a lot of them while they’re in Glasgow.

Much delayed…Benbecula.

Fr Ross Crichton, parish priest of St Mary’s, Griminish, with faithful companion Pangar Dhu.

The parish house, attached to the Church, is on perhaps the only hill on the island.

This beer container caused quite a furore a while back when it was swept ashore near Griminish. It’s massive (though sadly empty). You can see Fr Ross at the base, to give you an idea of the scale.

A cemetery on the beautiful rocky island of Eriskay.

Well, contrary to all expectations, I finally landed on the isle of Benbecula on the Wednesday afternoon.  On Thursday morning I went to the community school (so called because, as well as being a school, it also serves as a sports centre, cafeteria, library & theatre for the local community. Even the BBC studios form part of it.) and spoke to some very fine first and second year pupils on vocation and the work of the Initiative.

Fr Ross told me that many had never met a religious before so simply showing upwas already a bonus! Talking to eleven and twelve year olds is a real pleasure since they’re so receptive. Please God the encounter will bear some fruit.

The plan was to go back to the school on Friday to speak to the 4th and 5th years who had already done a good bit of fundraising for the Initiative in October of last year, but it was not to be…Radio Gael announced that morning that Liniclate school was shut: the gales were so bad that no buses could safely make it over the various causeways.

On Sunday I spoke to the parish during devotions and they were - as I knew very well they would be - incredibly generous.  In fact the people throughout my stay were utterly charming and welcoming.

A number of people lamented that mainlanders have absolutely no idea about the Hebrides, where they are and how people there live and their natural pride in the Hebridean way of life & culture really impressed me. In a world that always seems to be striving to be something else, their quiet confidence is a breath of fresh air. It makes the supposed sophistication of our cities seem over-wrought and empty. Who wouldn’t trade in high-rise buildings and noise pollution for the ever-changing Atlantic on your doorstep and a sky that changes a million times a day?

I’m grateful for Fr Ross’ sterling hospitality and for the welcome I received from everyone we met (& we met people all the time! A five minute trip to the Co-op takes one hour and twenty…).

The idea of the Church as the Body of Christ is no empty rhetoric: no matter how far flung the place, there is always a sense of belonging, of communion, and the prayerful support of the Hebridean people will make all the difference to our lives and work. God bless them!

Reminder: International Student Pro-Life Conference

SPUC will be hosting an International Student Pro-Life Conference at the Carberry Tower Conference Centre, near Edinburgh, 28th - 30th of March. The main speaker will be Celeste Beal, great niece of Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

If you’re interested in attending you can get more information here.

Sr Roseann at St Andrews Canmore Catholic Society

Last night Sr Roseann gave a talk, ‘Pro-Life: Pro-Woman’ at the wonderful Canmore Catholic Society of the University of St Andrews. Sr Roseann has been visiting Canmore for many (more than she cares to remember) years and many of the students (and alumni) are great friends of the Initiative and of the Sisters of the Gospel of Life. As always there was a good crowd and lots of questions and discussion afterwards. Thanks to all, particularly to Angela and the committee for the invite and for their hospitality, and to Katya for a delicious meal!

The talk should soon be available on the society’s excellent podcast page.