Letter from Owain - April & May 2013

Dear Friends,

I woke up this morning to blue skies, bright sunshine and euphoria surrounding the election of a new Pope. The adoption by the new pontiff of the name Francis promises so much good for the future.

But before his predecessor disappears from sight altogether I would like to share with you some reflections prompted by his retirement.

I was at Bec in France for (the late) Revd. Jim Samuel's welcome as an oblate eight years ago when news came that a new Pope had been appointed. The bell of the abbey rang out and groups gathered outside the church eager to hear the news.

"Its Ratzinger" said the Abbot rather gravely "What you call a hard-liner I think - not good news for ecumenism I'm afraid."

In the event Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope Benedict 16^th was indeed a conservative pontiff as we knew he would be, but also a man of surprises. Surprisingly willing, for example, to admit mistakes and to apologise. Surprising us too with his first encyclical "Deus Caratas Est - God is love". It is a beautiful piece of writing.

Here's a short extract

"Love is possible, and we are able to practice it because we are created in the image of God. To experience love and in this way to cause the Light of God to enter into the world - this is the invitation I would like to extend."

But most surprising of all the manner of his departure. His decision to stand down must have taken enormous moral courage as well as clarity of judgment. Of course, he had seen at first hand the plight of John Paul II in the 'winter of his life' and the impact John Paul's disabilities had made on the life of the Church. Perhaps this helped him to find the courage to acknowledge his own frailty mental and physical; to acknowledge the 'diminishment' that comes with age to all of us; to recognise when it is time to 'pass the baton' on. I have been very moved by the courage he showed in honestly facing his diminishment. Perhaps his example will help us all when the time comes to do the same and to find God in it.

Equally, I was surprisingly moved by the words Benedict spoke from the Balcony of Castel Gandolfo when he said farewell to the crowd below. "I am no longer the Pope but I am still in the Church. I am just a pilgrim who is starting the last part of his pilgrimage on this earth." Then he turned away to begin a new life of prayer and contemplation.

People ask me "What are you going to do when you retire?" Deep in my heart, to be honest, I have felt God prompting me not to go on doing 'much the same as before' or just to 'fill gaps' or to fill my days as quickly as possible with as much as possible in order to keep boredom and restlessness at bay but to undertake a similar Camina or journey: a journey not so much about 'doing' as an inner journey and perhaps one deeper into God.

Oddly enough, though, I have been invited to join two old friends from Germany as they continue their pilgrimage across France towards Santiago de Compostela next spring. "Are you up for it?" they have written, Oh, I do hope so!!

Wishing you all a very joyful Easter.

Revd. Canon Owain Bell

From the Parish Registers

Christenings

Molly Elizabeth Denise Kinnon; 25^th November at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Zach Philip Garbett; 15^th December at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Sebastian Elliot Beaumont; 16^th December 2012 at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Megan Emma Setchell; 9^th February at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Cameron Joshua Beech; 10^th February at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Scarlett Juno Jackson; 17^th February at St. John’s, Wolverley

Lucinda Christina Burton; 2^nd March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Beth Evelyn Copson; 16^th March at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Mason Harry Addison; 17^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Myles Christopher Yarsley; 17^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Harrie Lee Graham Healey; 24^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Weddings

Ricky John Griffiths and Samantha Clare Dallow; 9^th March at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Warrick Jon Pannell and Katrina Louise Porter; 30^th March at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Funerals

Ivy Maud (Irene) Heath of Cookley; 29^th November at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Julia Kathleen Smith; 19^th December at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Michael Terrance Andrews of Cookley; 21^st December at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Raymond Francis (Chuck) Dixon; 17^th January at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Charles William David Jones of Cookley; 18^th January at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Carolyn Evans of Wolverley; 18^th January at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Kathleen Beatrice Davies of Cookley; 5^th February at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Muriel Nixon Fenn; 11^th February at St. John’s, Wolverley & Wyre Forest Crematorium

Cathleen Mary Jennings; 12^th February at St. John’s, Wolverley

Ronald Davies; 18^th February at St. John’s, Wolverley & Wyre Forest Crematorium

Tony Brooks of Cookley; 20^th February at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Alan Joseph Timmins of Cookley; 21^st February at Stourbridge Crematorium

Pamela Ann Smith; 21^st February at St. John’s, Wolverley

Florence Irene Nicholls; 26^th February at St. Peter’s, Cookley

Harry Dunstan of Cookley; 26^th February at Wyre Forest Crematorium

Nina Rose Court; 6^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Clifford Howe; 8^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

Jean Stafford Preece; 13^th March at St. John’s, Wolverley

John Edwin Glover of Cookley; 17^th March at Wyre Forest Crematorium