A CHINESE EXPERIENCE

“Change and decay in all around I see...” words many will probably recognise from the hymn Abide With Me by Henry Francis Lyte. Some may think the sentiment expressed in these lines a tad too downbeat seeing change as something linked with the negative in experience but this is not necessarily so.

Change is an inevitable part of life in our world but should it sometimes prove a difficult 'pill' to swallow why not try linking it with hope, however unlikely a bedfellow that may appear. I have to say at this point that the hope I mean is what the Catholic Church calls a theological virtue and as such can move us first of all to start making changes within ourselves and from there become a source of hope for one another.

In October last year Cardinal Keith O'Brien of Scotland made a visit to China and one of three places he visited was Beijing, the city hosting this year's Olympic Games. You may recall that a few weeks ago the media made great play of the fractured passage of the Olympic Torch in some countries it passed through and Cardinal O'Brien also found much that was fractured in the lives of some of the people he met and spoke with, but he also saw definite signs of hope among the changes this country is undergoing.

Change for its own sake can be negative and musing on the ancient civilisations of China past Keith O'Brien wondered where the 'soul' of China is today. The 'soul' of a nation or a people is its inner life's force and energises that nation's or people's motives and drives, and Keith O'Brien saw much suffering in people's lives but also he said signs of hope in the deep faith of many Christians he met despite many obstacles placed before it at times by the authorities. Jesus tells the Apostles after a fruitless night of fishing the Sea of Galilee, “Launch out into the deep... ” advice we may want to allow characterise any changes we have to face in our own life right now or in the future. If we can couple change with hope it is possible we may be as surprised as the Apostles with the outcome. (Scripture Luke 5.4ff, NIV, LDS, KJV).

Fr David  

YOUR NEW PARISH COUNCIL

From the left: Roger Wright, David Close, Lynda Scriven (Clerk to the Council), John Grantham, Rob Parton, David Johnston (Vice Chairman), Ian Rutherford, Val Bartlett, Geoff Blundall, Tony Copeland, Rosalind Bolton (Chairman) & Michala Piotrowski
Don't they all look lovely and it's especially nice to see John Grantham present after his recent spell in hospital.

EDINBURGH ESCAPADE

See page 5 for all the details of Ginny's Fringe debut.

FULL HOUSE AT STATION

The complement of officers is now complete at Wellesbourne Police Station with the recent addition of PCSO's Michelle Suddaby and Henri Smith. We wish both of them and their colleagues a successful tour of duty.