Do Not Be Afraid
I love the feast of SS Peter and Paul. The stories offered to us on the 29th June are prison stories, one in Jerusalem the other in Rome. Read them and reflect (Acts 12:1-11 and 2 Timothy 6:6-8. 17-18). Indeed, they are powerful.
Peter guarded, watched, bound in chains, sadly reminiscent of the experience of many a captive and hostage. In the story Peter is presented as at ease with the situation, asleep in fact, and as in a dream the chains fall from his hands, the doors open, his guards utterly unaware of what’s happening and he walks free. Did it really happen? Or Are we offered a profound insight into the nature of the Church at its best. The truth that nothing, not even being tied down, watched, guarded and chained, similar to the story of the Gerasene Demoniac, can stop the good news of the Gospel from being preached and lived. A sign that we as members of the Church should never out of fear attempt to tie down, bind, chain, watch or silence those with whom we might disagree.
Paul also in prison, awaiting execution, totally free in himself, reminiscent of some of the greats of our world, people who have the ability to put terror into me, at any rate. Free people like Gandhi, Martin Luther King, St Thomas Moore, Dorothy Day, Edith Stein, Nelson Mandela and others: Those who hold up the possibility of internal freedom, of being truly human. Those who force me to look deep into myself and recognise the compromises, rationalisations and half truths I hide behind. Who make me wonder if there is any other way to achieve that kind of freedom than the way of the Cross. The image of Jesus on the Cross hands stretched out, blaming no one, holding all, compassionate to the end, forgiving and reconciling all comes to mind and is echoed in Paul and those other greats of our world. For myself I find a tendency to find fault and blame, though at my best, I know that it shows a lack of true freedom.
My own favourite stories of Peter and Paul are:
A) Peter on the Via Appia running away from the persecutions and meeting the Risen Christ on his way into the city. The great question Quo Vadis (Where are you going?) resulting in Peter’s return to the city of persecution and solidarity with the suffering where in fact he becomes the Rock wherein the Church and even the Vatican are built. A legend certainly but then again legends are profound conveyors of truth, like grass through concrete, they never quite go away and haunt the imagination. Where are you going? - a great question for anyone involved in the RCIA.
B) Paul responding to Peter’s compromise with the more traditional group of Jewish Christians operating as he was out of fear as described in the Letter to the Galatians 2:11-14. “I opposed him to his face”. In our terms serious debate and strongly held views are to be encouraged and treasured in a search for what is genuinely true and authentic:- A model for Church and Parish and Society!
Ah yes! Peter and Paul you invite us to listen to the words which are found around 365 times in the Bible “Do not be afraid” and not just to listen to them but to allow them to find a home within the heart.
Hearing stories of those who have gone before us!
Today is the feast of St Etheldreda! She was born in AD 636, the daughter of the King of East Anglia, a Christian, who did much for the conversion of his kingdom and neighbouring Wessex. Having been married twice, Etheldreda then built a large monastery at Ely, where she was Abbess for 7 years. Her influence was wide, and many of her friends, relations and courtiers came to her for spiritual guidance. She was a friend of St Wilfrid, and adviser to the young St Cuthbert too. These saints are all part of our rich Christian culture in these islands. It strikes me that over the Summer months, it would be good to introduce our candidates and catechumens to some of our fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers in faith, and it could be fun! We could plan visits and picnics to local convents and monasteries in the town and countryside - ring the guestmaster or pastoral centre in advance to ask - and I'm sure there would be a warm and hospitable welcome, perhaps even a guided tour, and some opportunity to talk about the history of their order or foundation, and their particular charisms. This could be on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, or one weekday in one of these lovely long Summer evenings. How about a pilgrimmage to a not-to-distant shrine? These would be great opportunities for the parish community to participate very actively in initiating candidates into Catholic Christian life, further developing relationships with them, increasing their sense of belonging with us.
As I write, the gardeners amongst the parish are getting the cemetary ready for an outdoor Mass next Sunday - and I notice two of the candidates have come along to help too. The Mass is for everyone who has someone buried in the cemetary - from the parents of the young lad killed in a helicopter accident last month, to the grandparents of grandchildren who live away from the parish now, and all in between. The graves will be blessed, and then we will all drink sangria in the sunshine (we hope) and talk about their lives and how they influenced us! And in the past, several enquirers have been amongst this group too. So we come back to Etheldreda and other saints in our 'story' right up to the present day - and as we tell the stories of those who have 'gone before us marked with the sign of faith', we will be amazed and humbled at the response, not only in the hearers, but in ourselves too. Perhaps we will find ourselves being seen, and found, and grasped and named and knocked breathless by God - again!
All of a sudden, this year-round catechumenate doesnt seem so hard after all!
Social Justice and RCIA
Dear RCIA practitioner,
RCIA Research Project on behalf of CAFOD
![The CAFOD-funded National Federation of Fishworkers organises fishermen to defend their rights [Nithila Mariampillai/HUDEC]](http://www.cafod.org.uk/var/storage/images/media_folder/cafod/images/international_images/asia/sri_lanka/fisherman_throwing_net/2862-2-eng-GB/fisherman_throwing_net_1column50_12space_landscape.jpg)
I have been commissioned by CAFOD to undertake research amongst RCIA practitioners: especially diocesan co-ordinators, catechists and clergy; but also some new Catholics with recent experience of the RCIA journey.
The aims of the research are:
- To determine whether or not there is a need to integrate CAFOD and CAFOD’S approach to global social justice into RCIA programmes
- To discern the most effective ways of achieving such integration
- To identify training needs and opportunities.
The research will be conducted across three strands: initial questionnaire, informal conversations during the RCIA National Network conference in July, and recorded interviews with a range of respondents. A final report with recommendations about future resourcing for RCIA will be presented to CAFOD at the end of September.
I would be grateful if you would agree to take part in the first strand of this project and I attach a copy of the questionnaire. Please complete it as fully as possible and return it by Friday 27 June. Please feel free to invite other colleagues involved in RCIA at local level and/or some recent new Catholics to complete a questionnaire too. All responses will be treated as confidential and any evidence cited in the final report will be de-personalised. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me, either by e-mail: research@christianfs.info or see Christian Formation Services website..
With sincere thanks in anticipation of your co-operation, and with very best wishes,
Veronica Murphy