Reflections of a Curlew

Voices behind the Photograph - podcasts on Bloody Sunday

2012-01-31T13:37:00.000Z

Bogside Artists' mural of Bishop Daly, Jackie Duddy and others on a wall in the Bogside where the shooting happened.

Yesterday - 30th January - was the 40th anniversary of Bloody Sunday. I made two trips to Derry to interview victim's families, people who were there and people who became involved in violence. It was an emotional roller coaster. Thanks to CTVC for supporting this. They put the interviews on their website Fifth Column, which hosts very interesting and thoughtful podcasts on different issues.

I have also now put them on my own site, do have a listen on the internet productions page. There are 11 in all. I talked to the priest who is waving the white handkerchief in this mural, and the sister of the young man they are carrying - who died, 3 people who became activists in the IRA, members of the Protestant community and others. 40 years on they are still moving and astonishing, as well as thought provoking.

Confidently Spiritual - a Bigger Big Society

2012-01-02T10:58:00.000Z

Arctic tern over waves - N Ireland

Listening to Today again this morning I was struck by the undercurrent coming through the interviews around the change we expect to see in the coming year. What will be different in 2012? was the question posed, what are the trends? It was no surprise to hear a whole range of people talk about new values, re-adjustment of our ideas about what is important etc. Nothing new there...

One interview was very interesting. It was with 2 academics who want the Prime Minister to redefine what he means by The Big Society. Professor Anthony Seldon, master of Wellington College, and Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the RSA, argue that the concept needs deepening and extending. This is not just a call for more voluntary work but a drive to create citizens that are fit for purpose.

Anthony Seldon wants the Big Society concept to have more "more substance" and with a more "thoughtful" government and more "responsible" and "responsive" citizenry. Matthew Taylor says The Big Society "needs big citizens", with people being "more autonomous" and "responsible".

What does all that mean? For me it is hinting at a deeper aspect to people than present society would allow us to believe is important. Big, selfless, giving, responsible, substantial people are generated by looking out and up. They are people who don't see themselves as the centre of everything. Its not all about you! That could be the strap line for The Big Society in its new form.

The new BS people are not simply concerned with pay packets and career prospects but with generating a thriving community that seeks justice, peace and integrity. It is all sounding familiar.

It is not essential to have a religious faith to be a new BS person - by no means - but to those who have a faith it gives a framework to operate from within, a sense of bigness that takes us way beyond the day to day and allows us to see the familiar in a huge, new context. Happiness is not generated by wealth but by living in a faith consistent way that is based on doing the right thing.

For me the new BS is based on 4 relationships which I discuss in my public talks a lot. To be the fully human, big people for a big society there are only 4 relationships we have to get right and in balance. Our relationship with God, with ourselves, with each other and with the earth.

The Catholic Church is urging people to be "confidently Catholic" this coming year. By that I think it means that we shouldn't be embarrassed or shy about showing the world that faith is important - and people will only perceive that it means something if we demonstrate that the Christian values of giving, service, truthfulness, community spirit and peacemaking are at the heart of our actions. Of course these are not only Catholic - these are values that are enshrined by all the religions of the world - and for those who simply call themselves "spiritual." To live for God is to be a big citizen.

Perhaps society should be more "confidently spiritual" in 2012, be outward about something greater than ourselves. I am convinced society will be happier, more fulfilled and more content if we do.

The Yeti's Finger

2011-12-31T09:14:00.000Z

The Yeti's Finger was a doc I made for Radio 4 earlier this year - but it was only broadcast on 27th Dec. BBC News did a write up. It wasn't my idea, it was wholly the work of Matthew Hill, the BBC Bristol Health correspondent, all I did was put the tapes together. Fascinating it was too. A true journalistic nose led him to this extraordinary tale involving an ancient finger of a Yeti, James Stewart the actor and an oil tycoon. Do have a listen if you have time, its great fun and intriguing. Is it a yeti digit or not? I'd love to think they exist.

Betty - Man Up!

2011-12-30T13:11:00.001Z

Betty and her sworn enemy

On the Today Programme this morning Betty Boothroyd (guest editor) was not happy. "Ive been pestered with moles for many years" she said. She proudly showed a dead mole that had been caught in her garden - the biggest one I've ever seen!

A jolly female mole catcher turned up to give advice to those whose lawns are turned into the "Himalayas" by mole hills. Trap them, gas them or - if you see one - take a pot shot with a gun. It is open warfare in Betty's garden. And not just on moles - on rabbits and deer as well. Hanging the dead bodies on your fence, sadly, won't deter others from taking their chances. As one old saying goes said the mole catcher, "kill one mole and another will go to its funeral." Betty doesn't like to see the ferrets do their work down her rabbit holes though - she says she gets into the car and goes to London. Can't bear the sight of the bloody slaughter.

All this got me thinking. I've been musing on the meaning of community for a while. The Dali Lama is among many who feel that a strong sense of community is essential for overall happiness. Living together with all our strengths, weaknesses, individuality and talents adds to our overall health and well being in immeasurable ways. A community is made up of different individuals and it is the variety that gives it strength and resilience. That's not to say that it is easy to live in community - it isn't. But it has to be worth trying, and making sacrifices and adjustments to let us all be who we are.

Its about time we considered the community as incorporating the natural world too - all the birds and butterflies, nettles and wasps -and yes Betty, even moles. Of course moles dig tunnels and make piles of earth (the soil of which makes very good as potting compost I am told). Can't you live with them? If you are in an area with lots of moles then celebrate that and don't try to get order into your garden as you once did in parliament. Moles aren't politicians. Perhaps you had better accept that a billiard table lawn isn't possible where you live. I have to accept I can't have chickens in my garden because there are so many urban foxes in my part of Bristol. So be it. I am happy to make my sacrifices to live with non-human life.

Please Betty, don't be so cosy about exterminating life so you can look at a lawn. Set an example and garden with the natural world around you, not against it.

New Relationship With Nature - The Government is going backwards.

2011-11-30T08:52:00.001Z

The Great Hall at the University of Bristol for the recording of Sustaining Life for Radio 4

Panelists Jon Bridle, Vandana Shiva, Aubrey Manning and Jacqueline McGlade - Presenter in the middle - Brett Westwood

At times it is very easy to give in to despair about what is happening to the natural world - it was hard enough in good times when governments thought they had the money for the "luxury" of policies that protect nature, but it turns out that was little more than gardening - a nice feeling from getting Britain to look nice for those family walks in nature reserves. True colours begin to show when economic times are harder and the desire to drive the economy by building and consuming our way out means any notions about meadows and butterflies, seabirds and wetlands are quickly dispensed of. Now protected sites are up for grabs as the government is thinking of having another look at the Habitat's Directive - the legislation that is protecting the places many species need to thrive - and one example is revoking its objection to a new airport on the Thames estuary and - as George Osbourne put it in the Autumn Statement yesterday:
“We will make sure that gold-plating of EU rules on things like habitats aren’t placing ridiculous costs on British businesses.“ Things like habitats - pardon?

2 weeks ago the government also seemed to be massively scaling down its plans to establish Marine Conservation Zones. 127 were identified for designation this year by a range of organisations and recommended to the government for protection. Now only a handful (no number or locations specified) will be designated initially and the remainder will be looked at again at the end of next year after "more consultations." How much more is needed? Isn't 2 year's worth of consultations enough? The jungle beat is saying less than a quarter of the original number will be accepted. Why? Because it too difficult to accept marine protection in times when we need the sea's resources to boost the economy. It is money talking, not compassion and care for the seas.

Jacqui McGlade in Saving Species urged governments to do what it takes to care for the oceans - after all, she said, it is probably what will keep 9 billion people alive in the future.

So on a day when one of my son's schools is shut because of demonstrations about pensions, when we heard yesterday about how the economy is worse off than we thought and when everyone is dreading the expense of Christmas because even paying the food bills is getting harder - do fish and butterflies really matter to us? As Harry Cotterell the new president of the CLA said “The Government is starting to melt the goldplating on this (the Habitat's) directive. We support conservation, but it is important that humans are considered as important as bats, newts and dormice.”

I am bound to disagree aren't. And I do. Not that humans are less important but with the notion behind this statement. It is short sighted in the extreme and the increasing distance between our lives and our understanding of our reliance on the world around us has led us to really believe we are disconnected from the nitty-gritty rawness of earth processes. To the money people the earth is little more than a never emptying box of resources for us to use to make money. Well, so it could be in many ways if we treat it well, but that is not what we are planning on doing.

I think Dr Jon Bridle in the recording of Saving Species - Sustaining Life programme on Monday - put it beautifully when he said - when will we realise that the Department of the Environment is actually the Treasury? We place so much emphasis on industry and the economy and the Dept of the Environment is brushed into a dark corner - but the Department of the environment holds the key to the wealth of any nation.

So if the pollinators die - how will we have crops? If we destroy the range of plants and animals that cleanse water - what will we drink? If we poison soils what will we grow? If we destroy the balance of the seas by removing all predators - what will happen to the 1 billion people who depend on fish for their livelihood? If we take out all mangroves where will fish breed and what will dampen storm waves? The list goes on and on and on.

But it is more than that isn't it. Its not just about us - it truly isn't. We are diminished and degraded if we fail to protect the planet we live on - fail to care about it, respect it and marvel at it. In the superb "British Wildlife" magazine Peter Marren says:

We plainly need an independent voice that brings to an issue nature as a whole, not in terms of preconceptions of human health or happiness ... but for its own sake. This voice would not be diverted by "environment" concerns (which are invariably about the human environment ... but would talk about the real wild plants, animals, invertebrates and fungi, in all their glorious individuality, complexity and vulnerability. We need someone to tell the politicians about the natural world as it is.

On Monday night the Great Hall at the University of Bristol hosted the recording of a very important debate for Radio 4 - a special edition of Saving Species called Sustaining Life. it examined the relationship between a growing human population and our demands on the earth - and the survival of the natural world. No one listening could be in any doubt about our place in nature, our dependence on its health and why it is important to love it for what it is.

I love working on this series - it does exactly what Peter Maren wants to hear - a voice for nature that says it as it is. It champions all of life, big small and the seemingly irrelevant; and it tells the world it is worth protecting because it exists. The recognition that we have a duty of care towards the earth can only make us more fully human - but we need a change of heart.

Brett asked the panel if they thought we are entering a new age of creativity, where we view the world differently and live in a more creative way that allows all of life on earth to flourish. They thought we could do that, given a drive from governments, organisations and from the people themselves. We have to want to change - but do we?

Saving Species - Sustaining Life will be broadcast on Dec 23rd at 8.00 pm

I was also delighted yesterday by a speech given by Pope Benedict to a gathering of young people in Italy:

"Dear friends the Church, while appreciating the most important scientific research and discoveries, has never ceased to remind people that by respecting the mark of the Creator in all creation, we achieve a better understanding of our true and profound human identity. ... If, in fact, human activity forgets to collaborate with God, it can do violence to the creation and cause damage which always has negative consequences, also for mankind. ... Respect for the human being and respect for nature are the same thing, they grow and find their just measure if we respect the Creator and His creation, both in the human creature and in nature".

If 1 billion Catholics REALLY took this to heart, the world would be a different place.

St Francis's forest and birds - and fields

2011-11-24T10:19:00.001Z

Here are 2 photos which I think sum up exactly what happens to our wild and beautiful places.

St Francis is famous for preaching to the birds - here is the well known painting depicting it in the basilica in Assisi.

Here is the spot where he actually did that. The forest and birds long gone - fields and mono culture everywhere. But we are a huge and growing world population, so there is no alternative but to turn the world's suitable land into fields? Thanks to my lovely friend Fabrizio Frascaroli for the photo.

Fabrizio and I are in dispute about the species of tree but I think I won out (!!!) in that we now think it is quercus pubescens (downy oak), not quercus ilex (holm oak). But to give Fabrizio his due, the original location was thought to be in a mountain forest where holm oaks are dominant. OK Fabrizio - let's call it a draw. xx

We'll be discussing the natural world and population in the Saving Species recording on Monday night (sorry, think tickets have now all gone but do check). Makes you think.

Santa Mushrooms and Trees For Life

2011-11-22T17:34:00.001Z

These are SO beautiful - fly agaric mushrooms, loads about at the moment, young ones are round and they go flat as they get older. These are the traditional toad stools that fairies and gnomes sit on - but the original German means seat of death, not seat for a fairy! They are poisonous and hallucinogenic and pieces were floated in milk to attract flies (they smell a bit like chicken apparently), then the flies died of wild dreams I suppose.

I took this photo in a campsite in Cornwall at the weekend, it is gorgeous and added an amazing splash of colour to a dull day. The red and white is supposed to have inspired the colours for santa's costume. This story tesll why - it is from a website on the folklore of plants etc

Fly agaric has been a popular icon for the Midwinter and Christmas festivities in central Europe for a long time and is found on Christmas cards and as replica decorations for tree and wreath. Our current concept of Santa Claus can be traced back as an amalgamation of several characters of popular European folklore, such as a more pagan Scandinavian house goblin who offered protection from malevolent spirits in return for a feast at midwinter, and the fourth century Byzantine archbishop who became St Nicolas and was renowned for his kindness to children. More recently it has been suggested that the Siberian use of fly agaric may have played a part in the development of the legend of Santa Claus too. At midwinter festivals the shaman would enter the yurt through the smoke hole and down the central supporting birch pole, bringing with him a bag of dried fly agaric. After conducting his ceremonies he would leave the same way he had come. Ordinary people would have believed the shaman could fly himself, or with the aid of reindeer which they also knew to have a taste for fly agaric. Santa is now dressed in the same colours as the fly agaric, carries a sack with special gifts, comes and goes via the chimney, can fly with reindeer and lives in the 'Far North'.

I love coming across these - gorgeous.

Saturday is the start of National Tree Week. We did an interview with them for Saving Species today and the point was raised that we probably plant too many trees - especially in the wrong place. There is no point in manically planting trees everywhere, just where they are needed and form part of a coherent landscape. Anyway - happy Tree Week - I hope you find some of these growing under your local tress (but don't eat them!)

People and Wildlife - A Shared Earth - BBC Recording

2011-11-16T16:56:00.001Z

If anyone can come to a recording of a BBC Radio 4 programme on Monday 28th Nov in Bristol, 6-9 pm that would be great. It is free and everyone welcome.

The programme will be broadcast on Radio 4 on Dec 23rd in the "Any Questions" slot at 20.00 and repeated on Dec 24th. The theme of the debate is how an increasing human population is or will affect the natural world - can billions of people really coexist with wildlife and wilderness? As the world population grows is it inevitable that we will see more degradation of nature and a reduction in species? Does this really matter?

The team of experts discussing how to share the planet are:
Vandana Shiva an independent environmentalist from India
Professor Aubrey Manning, professor emeritus from Edinburgh University and an animal behaviourist. He is also a patron on Population Matters
Professor Jacqui McGlade, Head of the European Environment Agency and advisor to the Gaia Foundation
Professor Paul Bates from the geography Dept of Bristol University, a water specialist

The evening will have film clips as well as a panel discussion - and 2 guest performers, a poet, Miles Chambers and a writer AL Kennedy.

We hear a lot about how environmental issues like lack of water, depletion of resources, climate change etc will effect US - but what about the effects on the others we share this planet with, the plants, insects, mammals, fish. reptiles etc?

All these are great speakers and I am sure will contribute to an otherwise very human centred debate.

If you want a ticket please go to this link to order one.

Brett Westwood is chairing, described by the Guardian as Radio 4's chirpiest presenter and a tonic on a dreary day!

I'm producing, so come up and say hello.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b010x8sq

Seals and Spoons

2011-11-15T18:17:00.001Z

Grey seal

Spoonbill sandpiper

I have come across 2 inspiring things in the last few days - one is the attempt to save the spoonbill sandpiper from extinction, the other is a lovely lady in Cornwall who is doing her utmost for grey seals. What beautiful and iconic creatures these are (I meant the seals here but Sue is a lovely creature too!)

The spoonbill sandpiper is on the verge of extinction and there are less than 100 breeding pairs left. They fly between eastern Russia (where they breed) and Burma/Bangladesh (where they over-winter) and stop over at wetlands throughout Asia on the way. As so much wetland has now been turned into industry and reclaimed for agriculture these vital refueling grounds are disappearing. And if they do make it to their wintering grounds they are slaughtered by hunters - not necessarily deliberately, often as by-catch. To hear more go to the Radio 4 website for Saving Species where this story was featured this week.

The situation is so critical that an expedition set out earlier this year to collect eggs from the breeding grounds, incubate them, then bring the 13 chicks to Slimbridge in Gloucestershire where they will hopefully breed a protected population that can one day be returned to the wild.

What I love about this project is the fact we still care enough to go to so much trouble to save them. Thank God we do. A world without this beautiful bird would be an impoverished world indeed.

Grey seals are reasonably common along the coast of Cornwall but amazingly very rare worldwide. They are our largest mammal and always a major attraction, but it is surprising how little we know about them - or how little protection they get. Sue Sayer is an inspirational lady who gave up her job to find out more about seals and to spread the word about understanding and protecting them. I interviewed her recently for a Radio 4 series I am making on naturalists (A Life With...) to be broadcast over a week between March 19th and 23rd 2012. I met 4 other wonderful people making this series and I'll do a special blog about it nearer the time.

Sue has just written a book about her findings, Seal Secrets, which will be published in March. Look at the seal group website for more details about the work Sue and the other members of the group are doing - they are great.

Keep up the good work WWT and Sue and all the others - the natural world needs you.

Vatican Radio Interview

2011-11-10T17:12:00.001Z

Here is an interview I did with Vatican Radio in Assisi on the relationship between faith and the environment.

This picture is of the spectacular celebration that took place in the magnificent medieval hall in the centre of Assisi - I was narrating, Martin Palmer was hosting. Throughout the hour many different faith traditions came to the platform to perform sacred rituals - very lovely.

This is Assisi at night.

Nigel Baker, Vatican Ambassador, on Assisi

2011-11-05T21:55:00.000Z

Nigel Baker: Assisi II

Nigel Baker came to the Green Pilgrim Network launch in Assisi and here is his blog ...

Green Pilgrimage Network

2011-11-05T19:13:00.001Z

Awards ceremony

St Francis Basilica, Assisi

I have just returned from the launch of the Green Pilgrimage Network in Assisi (October 29th - November 3rd 2011). 10 founding faith organisations pledged to make their sacred site green and sustainable for pilgrims - and not just the site - to encourage pilgrims to make their journeys to and from home as environmentally sustainable as possible, in line with their beliefs that all the faiths preach care for the earth.

The pictures above show both Fr Peter Massengill from the Franciscans and the Mayor of Assisi receiving their certificates to congratulate them on being founder members. They were presented by Princess Michael of Kent and The Hon Mrs Sara Morrison, former International President of WWF. To see more pictures please visit the ARC Flickr site.

Both Tony Juniper and Prof Chris Baines gave keynote speeches, both of which were excellent. it is good to see real, heartland environmentalists at a religious event - at long last.

It was a wonderful few days, Assisi is gorgeous, the weather superb and the hearts sincere - what more can you ask?

I think this has huge potential and I hope the founder members carry out their pledges and inspire others to follow. More on this to follow soon....

Weathering the Cardinal's Storm.

2011-11-05T18:50:00.002Z

I seem to have been snowed under recently which is no excuse, so sorry for neglecting this blog.

I'm determined to catch up with what's been going on however so to begin with:

Cardinal George Pell

In this week's The Tablet (4th November 2011) is a response to Cardinal George Pell's lecture at Westimnster Cathedral Hall on October 26th challenging climate change science. The worst case of clericalism I have seen. Being a Cardinal does not give you the right to promulgate private opinions on science. All he is doing is causing confusion and concern and mixing messages about something he can know very little about. The line of the Vatican is that climate change is real and of great concern for all of humanity, so why take an entirely different stance? On what possible grounds does the Cardinal have authority on this subject?

I wonder why he is fighting this battle? Even if privately he is a sceptic, why bother to argue the science when he is no scientist? Why not concentrate on promoting right living and the correct relationship with nature, which will take care of all environmental problems? That can only be a good thing, and something that a Cardinal can do well and with authority. Pronouncing on climate change science is not. But I fear Pell is too human centred, too right wing and too proud to think this way, his focus is on economic progress no matter what to bring about relief of poverty. A mistaken and dangerous belief.

Put down your sword Cardinal, whatever way yo look at it all you are doing is causing division. The confusion and anger from the people in the audience working with those suffering from environmental change was obvious. But I am not surprised no media picked this talk up, it isn't news, just a case of clericalism run wild.

What do Windsurfing and St Francis have in Common?

2011-08-16T06:51:00.005+01:00

Not much really other than I have made 2 short films recently about them. The first is Peter France reading The Canticle of the Creatures and I put some of my shots to it. I made it for the ARC event which is happening in October - the launch of the Green Pilgrim City Network.

The other is a short, fun film about the T15 windsurfing competition which was held on Axbridge Reservoir in Somerset earlier this month - my son is a windsurfer. It is going into a competition about loving sailing so fingers crossed I win a mac book - I very desperately need one, my sturdy old faithful is collapsing.

Balloon Morning

2011-07-09T07:18:00.007+01:00

Last Sunday was glorious and I took my film camera and the dog out for a walk early in the morning. We came across balloons taking off from Ashton Court just outside Bristol. 4 balloons were leaving as I arrived but one was just beginning to be laid out and prepared. So here is a short film...

Jerusalem Awards Shortlist

2011-06-10T18:02:00.003+01:00

The Boxing Vicar has been shortlisted for the Jerusalem Awards, series category. Awards ceremony on October 20th so fingers crossed...
CTVC helped fund this project so thanks to them.

Support from Tony Juniper for GCSE

2011-06-10T17:49:00.004+01:00

Tony Juniper has blogged my idea about a GCSE in natural history in The Guardian after we chatted about it recently, which is great. Not sure how to move it forwards so any ideas...

The Boxing Vicar Double Gold

2011-05-25T06:44:00.007+01:00

Brian Branche - Boxing Vicar

The Boxing Vicar - my series of 3 short podcasts, has won Gold at both the Christian Broadcasting Awards and the New York Radio Festival Awards. Thanks to CTVC for helping fund this.

Brian's story is fascinating and ties together two very different strands. Boxing gave him self respect, courage and the ability to suss out people's motives - all were needed in his challenging parishes in London where he often faced very difficult situations. In these programmes Brian talks about how the skills he needed in the boxing ring helped him in his spiritual life.

Eddie Copeland - Boxing Trainer

Eddie Copeland is a boxing coach who talks about the psychology of boxing and he coaches Chris Healy pictured below - a NW amateur boxing champion.

Chris Healey - NW Amateur boxing champion

When I went to record the programme at the Bradbury Stockport Boxing Gym near Stockport I was very touched by the people there, every single person was so warm, welcoming, thoughtful and kind. Here is a video of Chris winning a recent competition, Eddie is the coach.

GCSE in Natural History - Concept Document.

2011-05-22T13:55:00.004+01:00

I've now written a simple outline of a GCSE in Natural History to show what I have in mind and am sending it out to gauge interest and get endorsements.

Natural History GCSE

2011-05-21T13:50:00.007+01:00

Every time I have mentioned this idea I get an overwhelmingly positive response. It seems to me that one answer to our increasingly worrying disconnect from nature is to introduce a GCSE in natural history.

In the past Britain’s reputation for recording its natural history was unsurpassed anywhere in the world, as a result we know a lot about our animals and plants, woodlands and wetlands. That knowledge is invaluable in helping us decide the best way to manage our natural environment, and in the years to come we will be faced with huge challenges. If we educate the next generation about natureand equip them with the skills to observe, record, make field notes, take pictures, understand local ecology etc then we will be in a much better state to tackle what's ahead.

The GCSE could also broaden to include the history of natural history recording (Gilbert White et al), its influence on art and culture and modern natural history in the media (natural history programming), the growth of NGOs and their work etc. There is a welath of aspects to explore.

A formal qualification will be a good step in helping increase interest in our natural environment and what it needs to maintain vibrancy and integrity.

I spoke to Tony Juniper yesterday - ex head of Friends of the Earth and green party candidate - who was very enthusiastic.

I've asked the Institute of Biology what they think and they have put on their website an online survey - do post what you think, its just a click yes or no.

I'm preparing a document to send round to NGOs and others who might be interested to see if I can get a body of people to support it and get in on the education agenda.

I would have loved to have done a natural history qualification, I hope it flies and young people get a chance to understand and work with nature.

First Swallow

2011-04-07T16:52:00.007+01:00

Swallow

The first swallow of the summer today soaring over the Downs in Bristol, a welcome black streak with forked tail against a brilliant blue sky. It is wonderful to see them. I always love the return of these birds, and perhaps especially the swifts, which I haven't seen yet. they scream and zoom across the roof tops with such vigor.

Swift

Richard Mabey writes about swifts in his book Nature Cure - at his joy in seeing them each year:

“As a relationship my thing with swifts is so one sided as to be hardly worthy of the name. The birds don’t give a fig about me or any of us. Yet they are connected with us indirectly, even when we are not aware of them, through the environments and senses that we share. We respond to spring, to the lift of fine weather, to the basic biological urge to play… On Ascension Day I was sent this short poem out of the blue:

May, Just into

Double figures.

Everything green

And brilliant-

The first warm day.

Soft shoes, no socks,

Then you call out

The swifts are back!

Listen. Look up!

Listen. Look up! Did birds like swifts arriving mysteriously in the spring, reappearing from nowhere at dawn, play their part in the generation of resurrection stories? Do they still register at the corners of our vision and reason, something immanent? Despite our science and our humanism, our whole culture is infused with myths and symbols of landscape and nature, emblems of the seasons, of decay and rebirth, of the boundaries between the wild and tame, myths of migration and transmigration of invisible monsters and lands of lost content.”

I hope you see them soon, I will be scouring the skies until they arrive.

Scary TV

2011-04-05T10:15:00.004+01:00

I watched 3 documentaries this week - one was the return visit by Louis Theroux to the American family (America's Most Hated Family) who are the Westboro Baptist Church - the strangely beguiling, utterly offensive extreme right wing "Christian" group who picket the funerals of the soldiers who have died in Afghanistan and elsewhere, saying it is God's punishment for the US army tolerating homosexuality. They walk around with banners decrying gays and thanking God for cancer. Weird and offensive yes, but dangerous? To some degree - especially their views on Islam and wanting to burn Korans. They are bright eyed, dogmatic, convinced they are right and totally strange.

I also watched My Brother the Islamist last night on BBC 3. That was much more scary. Similar in their dogmatic adherence to the God of hate rather than love, they were deeply disturbing in that they have the desire to kill all those who disagree with them and would gladly die for their beliefs. The similarities between the American family - extreme right wing Christians - and the extreme Islamists is obvious when viewed side by side. They make your blood run cold and I am more convinced than ever that evil is real, finds a home and settles in.

The 3rd documentary - 3 part series - was The Big Silence. I caught up with it at last, it was first broadcast in December last year. It was a lovely, thought provoking series following 5 people who chose to go on an 8 day silent retreat to St Beunos in N Wales. For all 5 the days of total silence (apart form the rebellious chats outside!) had a profound effect on them. God speaking through the silence to people who normally never sit quietly and listen.

I was moved the The Big Silence, disgusted by the bizarre views and offensive antics of the Phelpes family in America and scared by the evil of the extreme Islamists. I don't know where the Islamist cause will end but I hope it does and that somehow the hate will be turned to a positive energy because the thought of more and more young men - and it seems to be all men - finding purpose in hatred is a tradgedy and a terrifying prospect.

Japan

2011-03-12T07:13:00.001Z

All my prayers and thoughts are with Japan.

Different approaches

2011-03-11T08:14:00.005Z

I've recently been treating myself to a culture fest (my friend Hannah is so impressed by my even listening to Front Row podcasts). I saw Brian Friel's new play Faith Healer, eventually got round to The King's Speech and last night a rather bizarre short play called Muscle by Tom Wainwright. I have also read, at friends' recommendations Death Comes For The Archbishop (Willa Cather) and Brooklyn (Colm Toibin) - all in some way about unconditional love but in very different guises. They also seek to explain redemption, which along with love are the topics most plays/books/art and films explore - and although redemption isn't a word in common usage maybe it will have its day once more. What are the modern terms that anyone will understand that have that meaning? Religious terminology seems outdated and off putting - but it is still in everyone's thoughts. And unconditional love, not rosy romantic love - is gripping in whatever language, faith or culture it is espoused.

Hope for the Future

2011-01-28T06:34:00.003Z

Yesterday I gave a talk to the First Holy Communion children at Clifton Cathedral about loving and caring for the earth, part of their long programme of preparation. I was amazed and heartened by their incredible understanding about treating the earth with respect and what practical things we can all do. Wonderful. It will be this generation, the ones who are 8 or 9 now, that will provide the hero the natural world needs.

Guilford Faith and Environment Course

2011-01-11T07:26:00.012Z

From Reflections of a Curlew

Tonight (12th January) I am giving the opening talk at a series on Christianity and the environment organised by St Joseph's Catholic Church in Guilford. The essence of my talk is here. This blog can be used by anyone who would like to comment on what is said tonight (and for anyone else).

The earth is held in the love of God, it reflects God’s presence into our lives everyday. Cherishing and caring for this most wondrous of planets, and celebrating this great gift is at the heart of Catholic Christianity. And never has the time been more right to bring that belief once more into the centre of our lives. Now is the time to act for our future, the future of all our children and the future of creation itself.

“We are now to the point where we have lost ½ the world’s forests, ½ of the world’s wetlands and ½ the world’s grasslands. We are systematically eradicating habitats that make up the world’s ecosystems.”

James Leape, Head of WWF International

“If the religious people of the world, who of course make up the vast majority of people, were to become interested in saving biodiversity, which is after all the creation, and make it part of religious faith then they might be able to join scientists in an alliance and actually save what is left of life on earth”

Professor E.O. Wilson, Harvard

"The fate of the creatures which share our planet lies entirely at the hand of mankind - it is within our power to protect them or watch them become extinct. Let us choose the first route."

Sir David Attenborough

"The sun, the moon and the stars would have disappeared long ago, had they happened to be within reach of predatory human hands"

Havelock Ellis

Sound of Many Waters, a year long series of events held at Clifton Cathedral, was the result of a lecture I gave there in 2005 called The Pope and the Iceberg. That first talk challenged the Catholic Church to take seriously its role in protecting the earth from greed and exploitation. As a documentary Producer at the BBC’s Natural History Unit for 20 years, and a Catholic, it had become a burning issue. I want to see the Church act to protect what is an astonishing planet, but I want it to act not just because we are increasingly discovering the extent of the ecological crisis, but because it is the right thing to do – it is the honour and the duty of the Church to promote sustainable living that respects all the natural world.

To Catholics the earth is sacramental; God is revealed in creation. Catholicism is an incarnational religion that believes the creator of the universe became human and lived on earth. Catholicism is intricately bound to matter and life and therefore protection and care for the earth should be central to Catholic teaching and practice. Sound of Many Waters was therefore an attempt to show how our many and varied relationships with nature can be expressed in our faith tradition.

Yet there seems to be uncertainty about our relationship with nature. The reason I have this impression about the Church is because over the last few years I have been asking a particular question based on a personal experience. About fifteen years ago I went to the high Arctic to film a rare species of duck called a Spectacled Eider. This rather bizarre bird lives out its whole life above the Arctic Circle and even over-winters sitting in the middle of the frozen Baring Sea. It is a quite extraordinary and awe-inspiring little duck.

I stayed on a remote island and filmed a female brood her clutch of eggs and then watched the ducklings waddle off into the Arctic Ocean to begin their mysterious lives out of the way of human influence. Very few people see Spectacled Eiders and so this was a great privilege. A few years later I telephoned the man who owned the island to ask how the ducks were doing and his news was deeply shocking. The year after I left he went back again to check on the four females that regularly nest on his island. All four had been shot sitting on the nest. No one had taken the bodies for food, they hadn’t used the feathers or the eggs; they had been shot simply for being ducks in America. I put the phone down and wept, not just for the wickedness of the people who had carried out this callous act of violence but for the senseless loss of magnificent creatures.

My question to lay Catholics, religious and the Church hierarchy alike is this – If Christ had been walking over that island and found those dead ducks, would he have wept? Not just for the people who had killed animals, but for the loss of the ducks themselves? Overwhelmingly the answer to that question from the lay community is yes, but the hierarchy is split, with many saying no – the reason given is Christ wouldn’t weep over that which is not human.

This story illustrates my point that there is confusion about our relationship with nature, and as long as this remains there will be little incentive to act as a Church. Therefore it is time to decide for ourselves what the natural world really means to us, how we can put that belief into practice and how we can be visionaries for others.

How can we be agents for change in this world of consumerism? How can the Christian well spring of joy and hope be brought to the environmental table, along with the gifts of the Holy Spirit - courage, wisdom, temperateness? How can the Option for the Poor and the Common Good be what dirves the decisions we make about the future of the planet?

“Not in the midst of life’s tumult, nor in the world of pleasures round, does God show himself, but in the inspiration of nature, grace, light as a breath of fresh air, in a still small voice”

St Jerome

Death By Chocolate - a short story

2011-01-03T14:42:00.008Z

From Reflections of a Curlew
image by ed g2s

Ok - it is a gross story but it is based on a true incident that happened when I worked as an auxiliary nurse in a geriatric ward in Stoke-on-Trent, many years ago now. I wrote it for a competition so it had to have this title.

For audio version see my Short Shorts page on my website. It is read by Alison Sterling.

Yum - enjoy

Death By Chocolate

Susan stared despondently at her half grapefruit, slice of whole-wheat toast and black coffee, day two of her diet and it was unrelentingly awful. Not that she was very large, not really, but she decided to try yet again to lose weight after Maggie, 93 and long term resident of the geriatric ward she worked on, had said jovially “You’ll have no trouble getting a man nurse, nothing wrong with you a pair of corsets wouldn’t put right.”

It wasn’t that she craved lots of food, just sweet things now and then like a nibble of a biscuit with coffee, a thin slice of cake with afternoon tea and a small scoop of ice cream with chocolate sauce while watching TV in the evening. How could such tiny quantities pile on the pounds? She remembered last night’s Weight Watchers meeting and the golden rule: “Always be honest about what you eat!” She sighed for the 5^th time that morning - and it was only quarter past six: “well perhaps not always such small nibbles” Susan loved life and loved food - oh why couldn’t the two go together? Can you really be happy and thin?

Matron of the geriatric ward was a good soul but strict about cleanliness; what with all the deadly viruses in hospitals these days, she was right to insist on it. Ignoring her gurgling stomach Susan listened to the morning briefing. The usual bed-baths, toileting and tidying the ward had to be done well, along with organising the arrival of new patients and the departures of those going home. Mr O’Nions was off today “it may sound amusing nurse but we have a coat of arms you know”. And Mr Blake was leaving after a stay of 4 weeks. Mr Blake intrigued Susan.

Mr Blake - he objected to being called by his Christian name Sidney - was 85 and very thin. He had cold, watery eyes and there were no laughter lines to hint at any joy in earlier life. “Morning Mr Blake, off today I see,” chirped Susan. But as usual she was met with a stare that would stop a clock. “Now, I’m going to give your son a sheet of paper with instructions on food. You make sure you eat lots of fruit and vegetables. We need to sort out your constipation.” “That’s right Sidney” said the ever-homely Ethel, an auxiliary nurse who had worked on this ward for years. “If you keep pooing like a sheep it means you are not eating the right food and drinking enough water! You don’t want to see those little balls. You want soft ones deary.” Lovely way with words had Ethel.

A wave of compassion came over Susan, even though she couldn’t find much to like about Mr Blake. Why no sense of humour or conversation? What had happened in his life to make him so rigid and blocked? Presumably once he’d been a happy toddler, a hormone filled teenager and a young man with a passion for life? After all he had a son. But it was hard to imagine him holding hands, let alone making love. She perched on the side of his bed and gently touched his thin forearm. “Look after yourself now Mr Blake, I hope you’re feeling better.” He jerked away with unnecessary force and shot her a look so full of disdain she almost cried.

At 11.00 am Derek Blake arrived to take his father home. He bought the ward a large box of Maltesers as a thank you. “Damn! My favourite” thought Susan and almost resented him for his kindness.

Susan watched the thin, bent-over figure of Mr Blake leave without a word or a glance at anyone. Matron opened the box of Maltesers. “Now this really is torture,” thought Susan, but remembered Clarisse from Weight Watchers – “a minute on the lips a lifetime on the hips ladies!” “Distract yourself Susan, distract yourself.”

She went over to Mr Blake’s empty bed and started to strip the sheets and clear out his locker. “My goodness, a small box of Maltesers! Perhaps he does have a wild side after all,” called Susan to Ethel, waving the red box. Ethel was crunching on yet another sweet, honeycomb jewel smothered in milk chocolate. The balls of delight rattled in the box, demanding her attention. “Bless him - hard soul that one," said Ethel "something turned him. But I did see him eating maltesers the other day. He dropped the box and they went all over the floor, you wouldn’t believe how far a ball of chocolate can roll. Derek bought him some more.” Susan held the unopened box and her fingers lingered over the cellophane wrapper just a little too long, but eventually she gave it to Ethel; it could be added to the gift, no point in sending it back.

This diet was getting harder and harder. How she craved just one chocolate covered crunchy sweet – just one – she felt her resolve waning.

Susan continued to clean around and under the bed. To her surprise she found a few maltesers on the floor, right at the back by the wall, left over from when he dropped the box no doubt. Her hands, protected by disposable gloves reached for one. It was small, round and sat prettily in the palm of her hand and looked delicious in the dim light under the bed. The chocolate cover seemed a little dry, but chocolate can go dull. She’d eaten plenty in her time and it tasted just as good. A fierce battle commenced. The floor under the bed was clean, thanks to Matron, the malteser was only dropped recently so perhaps a little dusty but it would still be fine, so what harm would one do?

Mantras from Weight Watchers flooded back as she stared at temptation “Food Does Not Control Me” “Fat is Not Funny” and so on. But her hand moved ever closer to her mouth. “Stop before it is too late Susan!” she screamed to herself. But she was out of control. The urge for sugar was overwhelming and as she put the small, brown piece of sin up to her mouth Ethel called out – “Oh – and look out for some of Mr Blake’s sheep droppings, I tipped his bed pan over yesterday.”

Dunlin

2010-12-28T18:20:00.004Z

From Reflections of a Curlew

An atmospheric walk along the sea wall at Clevedon was rewarded with oyster catchers, redshank and dunlin in flight - a true winter spectacle.

From Reflections of a Curlew

It was a grey day, the earth breathing again after the freeze.

From Reflections of a Curlew

I think it was G K Chesterton who said something like - to be English is to appreciate the colour grey - how true.

Happy Christmas

2010-12-23T12:28:00.005Z

Happy Christmas to everyone, I hope 2010 was all it was hoped to be. We end the year with snow, ice, political goings on and a sense we are all more vulnerable than we thought. It has been ash clouds and ice that have halted the UK, not the Conservatives or Labour.

The snow and ice have been misery I know for many but they have provided many pretty photo opportunities too.

From Reflections of a Curlew

We have one more year of primary school nativity plays to go to, I love this picture - harsh message but young and hopeful face.

From Reflections of a Curlew

Happy Christmas and New Year
Mary

The Picture Straightener

2010-12-10T16:50:00.008Z

Art Gallery Assistant - Banksy

Another short story. They keep on coming at the moment, but I fear Christmas will now put an end to all fancy. I have had the image of a "picture straightener" for ages but only just got down to writing a story about him.

The Picture Straightener

Harold was a good soul with a warm centre to his world and oak solid posts that supported his life, compassion, integrity and good manners. He was one of those people you just know is decent and kind; a perfect neighbour and a perfect stranger.

Harold worked at the town’s art gallery, one of those people who sit in the corner by the fire extinguisher and just keep an eye on things. It was a good job for him because people liked him and for as long as he could remember he had a real eye for the horizontal. Even if most people thought a picture was hanging straight he knew it was slightly off, and every time he was right if it was checked with a spirit level. He wasn’t paid to do it but each day he walked around the gallery just to check all was hanging as it should be. A slight adjustment here, a tiny tilt there, then the doors could open with pride.

The week of his retirement Harold felt a little sad. He would miss his colleagues for sure but he would also miss the connection he had made with the paintings; some had been there for years. Battle scenes, lovers, vast landscapes, heroes, magnificent red deer - none of them was particularly famous; they were all by lesser-known artists but in his opinion none the worse for that. There was no pressure to admire or analyse them or to stand looking at them with an air of great appreciation. These were just somebody’s attempt at a glimpse of the truth. Harold had never really liked photographs, in his opinion they were snapshots of an instant in time that was fleeting and didn’t represent anything real. Photographs don’t tell the back-story or give us a hint of the lives behind the smiling faces. He much preferred art; it was full of detail that led you to ponder rather than remember. For that reason he had never owned a camera.

On Monday morning of the last week Harold was pleased to see a new painting arrive and placed in one of the smaller rooms set aside for visiting works of art. The small information sign said it was called The Seamstress. What a lovely picture! A young and beautiful woman, with dark hair swept back in a bun, sat in the woods embroidering a piece of white cloth. She was wearing the most beautiful grey dress that flowed down to the ground and the artist had captured the filtered sun softly glistening on the silken folds. Her seat was a log in a glade and she was glancing up from her work as though she had just been disturbed. There was no alarm on her face, just an inquiring look that went past the observer to an unknown figure behind. Harold turned round to see if someone was really there! What a captivating scene, human and natural beauty in gentle light. He called the young woman Florence for no other reason than it seemed to suit. What was she looking at? A lover? A friend? And why sit in a woodland clearing to sew? He stepped back to get a wider view; yes the picture was hung just right. Welcome Florence, I hope you will be very happy here Harold thought to himself. You silly old duffer! She is a painting! But he still felt a sense of pride and joy that she was gracing this B-rated gallery. What a treasure awaited those who wandered in now and then.

Tuesday was rainy, probably not much traffic through the gallery today, why was it that bright sunshine and dreary rain put people off galleries? But Harold still began with his daily straightening round, every visitor mattered and every painting mattered; numbers didn’t concern him. The Muses needed a tiny adjustment, as did The Death of Socrates but otherwise all was well. He found himself hurrying uncharacteristically to Florence, how about that he thought, his last week and still something to look forward to. There she was, still glancing at the unknown, still beautiful – but tilted! “Now how did that happen Flo?” He chuckled to himself, “only known you one day my dear and I’m being familiar already.” The picture had offset to the right, not by much, but obvious to him. He moved it back to the horizontal, gave Florence a smile and carried on with his day.

On Wednesday Harold was well aware that there was not much time left at the gallery. He had plans for his retirement, including going on a safari which had been a long held ambition, but what with family expenses and a wife who had been ill for many years the time was never right. He closed his eyes as he remembered June who had been taken from him 5 years ago. Even now the pain of grief sometimes swept him onto a foreign shore. He had learned to keep still and let the force of the flow roll him over the razor sharp stones, but then slowly the pain ebbed away, back to the darkness of the ocean. God rest you June.

The morning round was uneventful; everything seemed to be behaving on the horizontal front, although Virgin on the Shore was maybe a little out. But in the far room for visiting works of art there was one exception; The Seamstress had once again slipped to the right. He frowned as he looked at the frame. It was definitely offset and, it might just be his imagination, but he thought Florence had moved very slightly too, along the log to the right. It would be indiscernible to most people but Harold’s eye for detail hadn’t let him down yet. Her gaze was steadfast as ever but as Harold moved the painting back to the horizontal he fancied, for a fleeting second, a look of irritation flashed across her face. Now Harold he thought, it is about time you hung up the peaked cap, you are definitely going soft in the head. As he turned to go he turned to look at her – she was straight in her frame and still beautiful but maybe not quite so content?

On Thursday Harold had many things to do. A new recruit was visiting him to learn the ropes, his locker needed clearing out and he had to collect his mug and plate from the staff room. He would take them home tonight and bring a flask tomorrow. His straightening round was a little later than usual but when he did get around to it, yet again Florence was wonky. He was sure now that she had shifted her weight ever so slightly to the right on the log, making the picture tilt to one side. No doubt the public would walk past and not give it a moment’s thought – but Harold couldn’t let it be. Once again he moved the frame back and once again he fancied he saw wave of annoyance sweep across her smooth face. “What is it love? Why do you keep moving? What can I do to make you happy here? My last week and I’ve failed to make it just right.” Tears pricked his eyes, but all he saw in Florence was a questioning look in to the distance.

Friday was his goodbye party. He felt an air of apprehension and for the first time a feeling of emptiness. His house seemed cavernous and he had put away the pictures of June, he couldn’t stand seeing them for hours each day; happy smiles, deep sadness. The months ahead looked worryingly lonely, despite all his plans, family and friends. “So this is it” he thought. “This has been your working life and now it is coming to an end. He hadn’t saved anyone’s life or made the world a better place for the poor, but too late now to have those thoughts old chap.”

He took time over his straightening round; each picture got a slight touch, more for old time’s sake than necessity. But once again Florence had defiantly shifted to the right. He stared at her implacable face, the softness of her hair and her delicate hands. Who are you? As he went to put the frame back he stopped. Her face had changed from questioning to pleading. He moved away to look at her for a long while. Memories of picnics in woods with June and the children flooded back. Logs were great fun to run along and sit on to chat, but he did remember they were never as comfortable as they looked. Annoying bumps and lumps made sitting in one place for too long a chore. “I think I understand Flo” he thought at last. “Well that is ok, I won’t bother you anymore.” As he walked away from her he turned to look for the last time and yes, he wasn’t imagining it, a slight curve at the side of her mouth said thank you.

The White Tissue

2010-12-06T16:35:00.008Z

A while ago I was walking along a coast path in Cornwall and saw a woman in the distance on an isolated beach - she looked out of place and I couldn't work out where she was heading. Next time I looked for her she had gone. That memory has stayed with me and has turned into another short story -

The White Tissue

This was normally a favourite walk, a couple of hours through varied scenery which took in woodland, coast path, a beach and some fields, but today it was somehow tedious. The walk starts with a long stroll through beech woodland, which is where he was now. Even on overcast days these beautiful and airy woods evoked a sense of well being which is hard to experience anywhere else. He remembered reading somewhere in a magazine that the Japanese have a phrase for the sense of peace and harmony found in woodlands, shinrin-yoku or “wood-air bathing,” strange the things you remember. The article described the sensation of wallowing in the chemicals given out by ancient trees, allowing them to wash over and through your body bringing forth peaceful thoughts and a calm disposition. This was exactly how he felt about this place, but today those chemicals, if they were exuding at all, hardly dampened the growing feelings of irritation and disquiet.

A dull, heavy sky and a clammy heat combined to make him feel uncomfortable. Sweat pricked through his skin and his clothes cloyed. He thought about turning back but decided to press on, no doubt it would get better.

No dancing, dappled light lit the path, no shadows teased his eyes; not even a bird trilled in delight somewhere far away; this was not a day for play. A sudden scurrying in the undergrowth momentarily distracted him, but whatever it was fled into the shadows and was gone, leaving him alone. He knew the path ended at a fence where a wooden stile led onto a stretch of coast. He yearned to get there and to a vista across the sea; to feel the fresh breeze on his face.

The trees had become menacingly oppressive with each step. He could barely bring himself to admit it but a growing sense of panic was beginning to take hold as he imagined the branches reaching down, their hard twigs scratching his face and the saw-toothed leaves covering his mouth. Stupid, childish thoughts! He hurried on, occasionally glancing rapidly behind him, and anger at his inability to lift himself from this deepening mood grew stronger.

The woodland ended abruptly at the fence and for a few seconds he rested at the wooden stile before climbing over, his hands held onto the upright posts as though their man made nature was vital to restoring his balance. The rounded ends were polished through years of use. He gently stroked the smooth surface, reassured by their message of solidity and the continuity of human endeavour. Calmer, he climbed over and the menace of the woodland began to fade, even so he was left with a slight feeling of nausea and his heart was beating a little too strongly. But as he looked up to the path ahead he realised he would not see the sea for another half a mile. How could he have forgotten the high, dense hedges that hemmed in the narrow path, blocking the view of the sea? On other days he loved this short stretch of the track. The tangled vegetation would have been an endless source of treasures waiting to be found. A darting butterfly here, a focussed bumblebee there and a tantalising song of an unidentified bird that was difficult to glimpse. Often this section could take two hours of watching, searching, listening, sketching. But today it was a resolute and impenetrable wall. No life stirred in its depths, or at least nothing that he was capable of finding. He pressed on.

The coast path gradually led down to the beach and, mercifully, the hedge lowered and petered out. At last he could see the sea. It was calm and because of the heaviness of the weather the sea bled into the sky on the horizon. The lack of refreshing breeze was frustrating, but at least he could see into the distance and for a long while he stared at the vastness of the dark grey-green water that swayed gently to and fro, but lacking its normal energy. Occasionally, white gulls soared silently in the distance on their way to unknown places; otherwise it was an empty scene. He turned back to the path to look at the short stretch of beach ahead, only 200 metres in length at most and dissected by a small stream that trickled onto the sand and stones from the fields behind. The stream marked the point where the path left the beach again and headed inland towards the meadows and farm buildings perhaps a mile away. It was then he saw her for the first time.

A woman was carefully walking parallel to the sea, picking her way across the flattened pebbles. Two things struck him immediately as odd, the way she was dressed and the direction in which she was heading. Her clothes seemed to him to be more suited to the deck of a classy yacht, not a rather lonely beach far from any moorings, and certainly a long way from what he thought would be the right kind of setting. She was dressed in tight white jeans with a gold belt and a tight white t-shirt that clung to her slim but ageing body. Her gold pumps were not designed for serious walking, they were meant to be seen on clean wooden decks or polished stone floors. What was she doing here? To be honest this beach wasn’t attractive, it was smelly because of the rotting seaweed that fringed the shoreline; a wonderful habitat for sand hoppers, but a surprising choice for an expensively dressed, middle-aged woman. Her dyed blonde hair fell around her shoulders, but it was brittle and thin. He felt over-critical but couldn’t help thinking she had the look of someone who couldn’t accept that the glossiness of youth had passed. All this was summarised in a few seconds and without seeing her face because she was walking away from him beyond the stream and the coast path towards the far end of the beach where no one ever seemed to go.

The sight of another person on this surprisingly gloomy walk immediately cheered his spirits. He wanted to walk up to her, chat about the oppressive weather and the lack of activity all around, which was highly unusual. Where was she from? Did she know this area well? If she didn’t mind him asking, was she lost? Perhaps he could help show her the way? His pace quickened and his mood began to lift. He watched her walking slowly away from him, in a short time she would reach the cliffs at the far end of the beach and then she would realise she had missed the footpath onto the fields. He knew the cliffs were sandy and unstable, certainly too dangerous to climb, and so she would have to walk back this way to the stream and perhaps they could share the journey for while?

The track he was on led to a stile to climb over and onto the beach. He often stood on the raised platform to look around. Many times he had seen cormorants fishing just off shore and loved their primeval snake like necks and dagger beaks and always marvelled at their dark bodies held low in the water and how they dived from view in an instant; mini monsters fishing the deep. For a few seconds he glanced out to sea, perhaps he could point them out to the woman in white and tell her how throwing stones into the water could draw them closer, but today they were hunting elsewhere.

He climbed over the stile and headed out across the beach, but suddenly he stopped in total confusion. The woman had disappeared. How ridiculous! He couldn’t have imagined her, she was right there in front of him only a short while ago. She couldn’t have run back to the path, he would certainly have noticed, and he knew the distant cliffs were un-scalable. So where was she? There was absolutely no sign. He walked quickly along the waters edge to where she had been only moments before. Wet impressions of the soles of her shoes were still on some of the flatter stones, but they stopped after a while and were rapidly evaporating. He looked around for any sign but she had gone, simply disappeared into thin air. In the distance something small and white stood out against the grey stones, a fragment of hope. He ran to the spot where the snowy paper handkerchief grew heavy and formless on the wet, dark slabs of rock. It was quickly losing its structure and submitting to the destructive power of water. The clawing hands of the waves repeatedly tried to grasp it and take it out to sea, in a few moments they would succeed and all traces of her would be gone.

Despair swept over him and he felt unbearably tired. As the sea claimed the tissue and dragged it away he sank to the ground. All he could do was wait for her to return, as she must. Nothing so real could go forever, that wasn’t the way of things. Yes, she would certainly come back, he knew she would, it was just a matter of time.

As the grasping waves came closer he sank lower onto the beach. Time is all it would take, and just like the sea and sky, time and anticipation merged, heavy and damp as the air.

The Boxing Vicar

2010-11-26T17:23:00.005Z

Here are 3 short films/podcasts I made with Brian Branche - a C of E vicar who was also a champion boxer in his youth. He found the skills he learned in the ring helped him cope with situations he came across in some of the most challenging parishes in England. Brian is warm, thoughtful and this is a real insight into the connection between spirituality and sport.
Annette Dunn composed the music.

Jerusalem Awards Win

2010-11-03T08:06:00.004Z

Just Around the Corner won Best Internet Programme at this year's Jerusalem Awards - I'm delighted. In the picture are Miles Chambers, the poet, Mandy and T'Shan Ambrose who took part in the programme. In the top picture is Lord Sainsbury - the Sainsbury Trust run the Awards.

The horror of child abuse continues in the news, what can we do to help?

Pope at Westminster Video Blog

2010-09-23T10:59:00.002+01:00

All the photos are from papalvisit.org. A short reflection on the Pope's lecture at Westminster Hall on Sept 17th.

Tolerance and Demoncracy and Freedom

2010-09-18T10:14:00.005+01:00

I took the images above on my mobile phone. These were the crowds lining the streets waiting for the Pope to arrive at Westminster for his speech to the nation - which I was privileged to attend. The content of the speech echoed the reality outside. Democracy and freedom of speech are the foundations of the British nation, we pride ourselves on the right to hold differing views without recourse to violence. The mingling of the extreme anti Pope demonstrators next to banners saying "We love you Papa more than beans on toast!" demonstrate this juxtaposition of attitude.

The speech centered around the role of religion and reason in founding right judgment for government. There are absolute values which moderate and inform reason, they need each other. Without a duel approach extremism and inhuman regimes can arise. He urged people of faith to engage in the issues of our time - the financial sector, development, the environment, and add our voice to others but always listening and respecting. Religion isn't a problem to be solved but a fundamental part of national dialogue about how we view our society and the decisions we make. It was a profound and intelligent speech from a surprisingly gentle and frail man who has a sharp brain. These are not the words of a hard line dogmatist.

I hope this visit is seen as a success that allows a more measured approach to Catholicism, especially a deeper understanding of Catholic Social Teaching, which is truly a gift to the world. The dignity and rights of every human being, made in the image and likeness of God, are the foundation of a just and compassionate society.

Peter France reads Viper Lies Coiled

2010-09-12T18:49:00.003+01:00

Peter France

Viper Lies Coiled is an allegorical tale based on extremism. Extremists fail to see goodness and beauty in life, fail to see the joy of inquisitiveness and exploration and only desire to see the world as a reflection of themselves. It is read by veteran broadcaster, writer, friend and mentor - Peter France.

Viper Lies Coiled

2010-09-01T13:05:00.008+01:00

Photo by Per Regnel

A short story - an allegorical tale on extremism:

Viper lies coiled, taught and sleek. Black skin glistens in the rising sun. Beady eyes are ever watchful – waiting. Viper’s eyes never blink, never fade, they are always scanning the horizon and will only see victims. Viper never questions, never wonders, simply obeys.

The wind dances around the leaves, tiny flowers bob with joy in the warming air as the sun blesses the earth. An impish breeze spins round the whirling planets high above and they twinkle and shine. But viper does not see. Viper has a duty to perform and will wait for the correct time. Fangs full of venom, jaws aching to feel a stretch, a stab, a victory. Black coils on dark earth.

Mouse patters, feet light and pink, fleshy soft and warm. Mouse has bright, searching eyes, quivering whiskers and a playful soul. Mouse, feather light, looks and wonders and finds good things amongst the gentle green grass. Fur softly shines in the warming rays.

Viper tightens, eyes narrow. Mouse gaily explores the grassy plain - unaware, naïve and trusting. Viper is ready; venom is dripping from needle fangs. Pitter-patter, clench, lunge and streak of black against green grass. Furry skin is pierced and infused with death. Bright, questioning eyes fade with fear and confusion. Mouse’s alert body twitches in final gasps for life. Viper is satisfied. You are not like me and must die.

Viper lies coiled; sleek back body on dark earth – and waits.

The sun rises higher. A sailor blue forms a colourful gateway to the heavens. The green grass rustles and then parts in obedience. Fleeing figures escape a sinuous, gliding body. Colours flutter away in panic, tiny feet scramble for darkness. Leaves whisper urgently to one another – Black Snake is moving - beware! Viper watches as Black Snake comes near but does not tense in expectation. Viper yearns to strike, but knows the rules. Black Snake is of my tribe and must be allowed to pass unharmed. And dripping venom stays in viper’s mouth, the taste as bitter as gall.

The sun climbs higher; the planets dance their endless waltz, warmed by a wind so gentle and so vital it buffets and teases their rocky hearts. The soul of the earth sighs a longing sigh and life goes on. Mouse’s body is cool against the warming dark earth.

A burst of song suddenly brightens the air. It is beautiful, lyrical, ascending to heights and plummeting to depths. The song stirs the weary in their dark recesses and brings a tingle of joy to every sense. If the song were a painting it would explode with colour and pure delight. Nymph forms would flutter across blue pools and rest their fairy heads against cools shells and smooth pebbles while rainbows twinkle above. This is a song for the earth, for the planets, for all that has life. Who is singing such a wonderful song?

Viper only hears an approach of a victim.

Bird strides through the plain, head thrown back to expose a pulsating throat. Out of bird’s strong beak bursts forth its heavenly song. Bird is brightly coloured, with a stately tail and long, powerful legs. Bird struts proudly and sings with tremendous energy. The air shivers and brims to overflowing with magical notes.

Viper is stirred to a fury and strikes, leaping from coils to an arrow-like form. Viper shoots through the air and sinks needle fangs into bird’s exposed throat. Venom fires through feathery skin. The song stops in mid flow. Bird’s legs begin to crumple and falter and the colourful body slowly collapses. Bird’s heart gradually stops beating as pain gives way to death. Silence falls over the plain. The breeze ceases playing with the planets, the trees no longer chatter and the sun burns with a dead heat. Viper settles down again, coiling with precision. You are not like me and must die.

Mouse and bird lie side by side, the result of duty well done.

The sun marches on, but with a sombre heart and is glad to sink lower in the sky.

In the cool of the evening Great Creature walks the plain. Great Creature’s hair streams amongst the heavens and wraps around the frozen planets. They begin to slowly whirl again, awoken from their reverie by gentleness. Great Creature is full of contentment and talks to the leaves, who begin to gently flutter.

Great Creature sees the lifeless bodies of bird and mouse and bends down to lift them to moist lips. Oh woe! Who did this to such bright and lovely things? Great Creature’s eyes fill with tears and wash down over feather and fur. Contentment transforms to fathomless sorrow. Great Creature’s heart is breaking.

Viper watches and tenses. You are certainly not like me, your death must occur at my command.

Great Creature slowly lays the bodies down to the dark earth as the boughs of the trees bend in respect. Viper is more than ready; fangs are bursting with rich poison. With one leap viper sinks death needles into Great Creature’s hand, pumping venom deeper and deeper into soft flesh. Again and again viper jabs, all that are not like me must die!

Great Creature wraps strong fingers around vipers writhing body. Viper’s head jerks in attack and tail whips in fury. Great Creature lifts viper high towards the setting sun and viper feels the heat on dark skin. They look each other in the eyes. Great Creature sees in Viper hate, duty and precision. Viper sees in Great Creature’s eyes the vastness of mystery ever unfolding. A strange feeling seeps through viper’s body as energy drains away. Viper draws spent fangs back into fleshy sheaths. The wriggling, lashing body hangs limp. Great Creature softly lays viper down onto dark earth, exposing the pale underbelly to the warmth of the last rays of sun and the soft caress of the playful wind. Viper’s head rests on a pillow of green grass. Viper’s eyes see the world from a new place, the upside down towering trees and the bobbing flowers. Viper sees whirling planets and whispering leaves. Viper is distracted from duty and for the first time ever, viper wonders.

Crock of gold?

2010-08-28T18:10:00.002+01:00

And I'll race you to these flats - whoever wins gets the gold....Go!!!

Start of the Bank Holiday

2010-08-28T09:33:00.003+01:00

A beautiful rainbow appeared over Bristol last evening, it looks like the people living in the block of flats on the left might be in for some gold.

Why Go to Church?

2010-08-25T06:52:00.004+01:00

Apologies for the technical problems when I last posted this. They are all fixed now so if you missed listening to Gavin D'Costa's warm and thought-provoking piece on going to Mass then here it is.

WHY GO TO MASS?

Nature Boy

2010-08-18T16:37:00.005+01:00

Michael McKee is a psychology teacher at Xavier College in Manchester. Here are his reflections on the powerful role nature has played in his life. 5' 22" long.

NATURE BOY

RUBBISH!

2010-07-26T14:58:00.016+01:00

Above and below - rubbish strewn over the ground outside the Marriot Hotel next to College Green, Bristol

Broken bottle on street

So what do we do about this? Early on Sunday morning (25th July 2010) outside a hotel in the centre of Bristol - the whole place was littered with broken bottles, cans, take-away packaging and papers. This is a lovely part of the city right by the cathedral and College Green at the Bottom of Park Street. Everywhere was covered in rubbish - all over the streets, the green, the pavements, evidence of a throw away society that pays no regard to the place where we live.

3 men from the council were picking it up and putting it in large bins - to go to landfill I expect. I asked one of them if it was always like this. Yes - but the centre is worse he said, especially on that day when he told me it was the worst he had seen it, in some parts difficult to walk down the street.

Who does this and why? And how do we stop it? It is a sign of a dysfunctional society and lack of community. Why do we put up with it?

College Green

I know alcohol plays a part, but it is also a mindset of "this is me and stuff the rest of the world"

But rubbish is horrible for everyone to look at, dangerous for children and animals and a symptom of our diseased mentality - everything is ours to take, use, chuck.

This is a photo of an albatross that died because it ate plastic bottle tops that litter the oceans - brought there by rivers and ocean currents from city streets all over the world. Would a large screen on College Green and in the city centre that showed the effect of rubbish on rivers, oceans, wildlife and people help rubbish throwers to realise exactly what they are doing? Do you think they would look at these images and think twice? Part of me would like to think so, part of me - the cynical side I try to fight - thinks they wouldn't care a toss as long as the beefburgers and beer kept coming.

rubbish at sea

So what do we do? Get the message into schools for sure. Get fines working. Get people to understand through TV/radio/paper ads the effect of throwing things into the streets.

So many services are under threat from the cuts to local councils announced by the government; real services that will affect the lives of vulnerable people such as care for the elderly, children's services, schools and so on. Just think if Bristol could spend half or a quarter of the cost of cleaning streets and put that to protecting meals on wheels or health services. But instead hard to come by money is spent on paying people to turn out early on Saturday and Sunday mornings to collect rubbish that could be put in bins. We have to be able to tackle this one - surely. This has to be an easy one to get hold of and save money?

Bristol has a Clean and Green campaign part of which is aimed at fast food littering.
Some staggering stats from the web page:

Fast food litter is the most rapidly increasing type of litter on streets across Britain, increasing from 5% to a staggering 22% in four years. Bristol's city centre greets an estimated 30 thousand people each weekend night who have come to enjoy a drink. A number of the visitors will stop for a night time snack.

Up to one and a half tonnes of fast food litter ends up littered on the streets of Bristol each weekend night, and Bristol City Council has 24 hour cleaning to deal with the problem.

And here is a news report on it from BBC Bristol.

What is that telling us about the last 4 years? They also say the fast food litter teams clear it away early before residents see it. Maybe they shouldn't, maybe if people saw the horror they would demand it be stopped and we would come up with a solution. I was shocked when I saw it and it prompted me to write this blog.

In these times of cuts which are threatening so many this has to be one we tackle as a city together - all over Britain.

Perhaps in a few years throwing rubbish won't be possible anyway because packaging will become too expensive - and maybe we'll begin to get a glimmer of the real cost of the goods that we take so much for granted. When oil can't be used for take-away containers, when beef becomes too expensive to produce anyway, when plastic bottles become a thing of the past, when glass becomes something we are obliged to take back to the shop/supermarket to be recycled, maybe we'll get the message that the last few decades has been a terrible time of taking the planet for granted.

Compassion in Society

2010-07-23T08:39:00.003+01:00

This last week I went to 2 different meetings and both wanted to see a fairer, more just world. the first was the excellent National Justice and Peace conference: Our Daily Bread - Food Security, People and Planet where the main speakers were Vandana Shiva and Alastair McIntosh. Click here for a short write-up and for a more comprehensive one see The Tablet, although the article can only be downloaded if you are a subscriber.

The second meeting was the Labour Party meeting in Bristol, the first since the election. I went along to see how Lour will re-adjust its position and lay out its vision for the future.

Both meetings were full of people who were not obviously well-off or influential, but shared a desire to see a fairer society that took the poor and vulnerable along with the rich and powerful. What I want to know is what drives people to do good? What motivates ordinary people to act for others? How do we generate a society where people are compassionate and caring as the norm?

For Labour maybe the desire to help others comes from deeply held values rooted in democratic socialism - creating a culture that brings a sense of community and purpose - a desire to see a fair wage and justice in society. For the Catholic conference I believe it is a desire to do what is at the heart of true Christianity - work for the Common Good, the poor, the disadvantaged and to do the work of Christ on earth today.

But there were big differences. The Labour party meeting was all about stopping cuts and being against the unfairness of the "Con-Dems" approach to the economy - but I was desperate for a vision of what the fairer society would look like and how it would work. I was clear what Labour were against, but not sure what they were for.

The NJP Conference was far less accusatory (apart from against Monsanto!) but ran the danger of dissipating so much positive energy that was created over the weekend because back home people simply feel powerless in the face of huge problems. "What to do on Monday morning" was not totally clear - but there were ideas.

I have so many sympathies with those who feel disheartened about the state of humanity and the state of the environment - I hope we are not too late to change things. But the sight of so many good people wanting a better world helps keep the track open and passable.

Whisperers in the Wind

2010-07-22T21:47:00.006+01:00

The aspen is a common tree throughout Britain, there are some fine examples by Cheddar Reservoir near Bristol. Here is a little film about them I made on a tiny Flip camera - hence the quality is poor, but ok. It is about the folklore attached to them and is called Aspen - Whisperers in the Wind.

I need to get a better camera!

Music by William Jackson - Sir Sydney Smith's March from The Ancient Harp of Scotland. Beautiful album.

Peaceful Scene - Morecombe Bay

2010-07-21T13:11:00.010+01:00

A short, peaceful film shot on a small stills camera on Morecombe Bay. Just imagine being there. (Sorry about wonky horizon!)
Nothing much happens, no drama or big close-ups, but it was very peaceful and meditative. Lovely natural sound. Enjoy Being There.

Broken Spirit

2010-07-11T17:55:00.006+01:00

No one can feel satisfaction at the suicide of Raoul Moat, it strikes me as a tragedy from beginning to end - with a Shakespearean tragic ending. Moat stands as a symbol of what can happen when the human spirit, which is destined for greatness, becomes desperate, broken and distorted by who knows what. All any of us can do is pray for his victims, their families, his family and for Moat himself.

A lovely religious sister I know cried in her car when she heard the news, weeping for him, the people he killed and injured and for society as a whole. This type of thing happens all over the world, many times, but concentrating on just one incidence focuses us on what can be for some a desperate world where goodness has simply disappeared.

Like Derek Bird and others who seem to go crazy and see no way out, it is easy to despise and to say thank god they are gone. But I just feel deep sadness for everyone involved - it must have been - and still is for those left to recover - a living hell.

The Purring Dove

2010-05-16T09:32:00.010+01:00

picture from Eco Tourism Blog

Turtle Doves have a habit of getting under people's skin. Perhaps it is the insistent, soft purring call that soothes, like feathered kittens. Their gentle call heralds warmer months - if swifts and swallows are the visual clue, then the turtle dove is the sound of summer. Or was.

This site, Macaulay Library, has a recording of their call - in Kenya.

Solomon refers to them: Song of Solomon 2:12:
The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

And Jeremiah 8:7
Even the stork in the sky knows her seasons; and the turtledove and the swift and the thrush observe the time of their migration; but my people do not know the ordinance of the Lord.

They are a dove of woodland edge, open forest and scrubland, arriving in the spring and leaving again in July, back to south of the Sahara. But in the last 25 years their population has catastrophically declined by 90%.

It is a great sadness that a beautiful dove, once so common flocks of them could be seen sitting on telephone lines, is now mainly restricted to a few parts of the SE.

Changes in Africa? Changes here? Is the flight now too perilous? We share a common humanity with our brothers and sisters in Africa - and we share many of our birds. I hope we can all find a way to reverse this trend. Everyone should hear Solomon's dove.

Frog Calls

2010-05-15T07:52:00.009+01:00

I was trawling through some folders and found this recording I made over a year ago - frogs chorusing in a ditch near my lodgings in Belem in Brazil. I was attending the World Social Forum last January, and a Jesuit meeting on the environment (see earlier posts - and ignore the horrible comments from spammers which I can't get rid of!).

The frogs remind me of hot nights, hummingbirds in the garden, the smell of charcoal cooking, bright lights glittering beyond the dark ditch where the frogs carried on chorusing, despite the motorbikes, cars and lorries on the main road at the end of the lane.

They are still there, despite the urban sprawl, singing reminders of how Belem used to be - the edge of a rainforest on the shores of a mighty river.

This is a picture that captures where I was exactly - the frogs were in a side alley off the main road.

The picture is from Nowtopian blog by Chris Carlsson from the US - he was also at the WSF and heard the frogs while waiting for a bus. He wrote:

Another Traffic Jam is Possible!

Did you hear the frogs along the roads in Belem as you were waiting for traffic to clear (so you could reach UFPA or UFRA)? Could you turn around and talk to the people behind you? It’s a shame that a gathering of 100,000 people seeking to create another world continues to depend on the same transit technology that is destroying the planet. Some of us have experienced a different kind of “traffic jam” and we want you to know it is a great improvement! We hear the frogs and talk to strangers, and experience the city and traffic in an entirely new way.

Thanks Chris - great blog by the way.

Wood warbler

2010-04-28T02:15:00.003+01:00

Wood warblers have arrived back in the UK after their migration from Africa. What a beautiful little bird, its song sounds like someone dropping a coin on a table.

Catastrophic decline in numbers, along with other African migrants like nightingales. The problem could be here or there, or both. Whatever the cause - climate change in sub Sahara Africa, population pressure in Africa clearing wintering grounds, change in habitats here etc - what a pity to lose this magnificent songster.

Reflection at Scottish Parliament

2010-04-25T16:04:00.006+01:00

My good friend and Jesuit priest Fr Chris Boles SJ (Lauriston Jesuit Centre, Edinburgh) gave a reflection to the Scottish Parliament last week (see link to view it at end of blog). It is lovely and his message so important. He quotes from a poem called Inversnaid by Gerard Manley Hopkins, also a Jesuit priest:

What would the world be, once bereft
Of wet and of wildness? Let them be left,
O let them be left, wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet. Photo by James Broscombe

He also quotes from John Muir , the Scottish born naturalist and conservationsist who brought together spirituality and nature in such an inspiring way. John Muir is responsible for the setting uo of the US National Parks. He is acclaimed in the US but not so well known here, but the John Muir Trust does great work in his name.

210410_time_for_reflection.wmv

Mystical Matter

2010-04-21T06:01:00.009+01:00

From Reflections of a Curlew

Teilhard de Chardin was a Jesuit priest and philosopher who had interests similar to my own - geology, paleontology and earth sciences. According to Wiki he took part in the discovery of Peking Man. He had a huge vision for the creation and evolution of the Cosmos which got him into trouble with the Vatican but has recently been bought to the fore again. He is now greatly acclaimed as a visionary and as having profound things to say about God and our role in the natural world.

I need to get to know his work a lot better. Thanks to my Jesuit friend Chris Boles who runs the Lauriston Jesuit Centre, for reminding me of this:

HYMN TO MATTER

‘Blessed be you, harsh matter, barren soil, stubborn rock: you who yield only to violence, you who force us to work if we would eat.

‘Blessed be you, perilous matter, violent sea, untameable passion: you who unless we fetter you will devour us.

‘Blessed be you, mighty matter, irresistible march of evolution, reality ever newborn; you who, by constantly shattering our mental categories, force us to go ever further and further in our pursuit of the truth.

‘Blessed be you, universal matter, immeasurable time, boundless ether, triple abyss of stars and atoms and generations: you who by overflowing and dissolving our narrow standards or measurement reveal to us the dimensions of God.

‘Blessed be you, impenetrable matter: you who, interposed between our minds and the world of essences, cause us to languish with the desire to pierce through the seamless veil of phenomena.

‘Blessed be you, mortal matter: you who one day will undergo the process of dissolution within us and will thereby take us forcibly into the very heart of that which exists.

‘Without you, without your onslaughts, without your uprootings of us, we should remain all our lives inert, stagnant, puerile, ignorant both of ourselves and of God. You who batter us and then dress our wounds, you who resist us and yield to us, you who wreck and build, you who shackle and liberate, the sap of our souls, the hand of God, the flesh of Christ: it is you, matter, that I bless.

‘I bless you, matter, and you I acclaim: not as the pontiffs of science or the moralizing preachers depict you, debased, disfigured — a mass of brute forces and base appetites — but as you reveal yourself to me today, in your totality and your true nature.

‘You I acclaim as the inexhaustible potentiality for existence and transformation wherein the predestined substance germinates and grows.

‘I acclaim you as the universal power which brings together and unites, through which the multitudinous monads are bound together and in which they all converge on the way of the spirit.

‘I acclaim you as the melodious fountain of water whence spring the souls of men and as the limpid crystal whereof is fashioned the new Jerusalem.

‘I acclaim you as the divine milieu, charged with creative power, as the ocean stirred by the Spirit, as the clay moulded and infused with life by the incarnate Word.

‘Sometimes, thinking they are responding to your irresistible appeal, men will hurl themselves for love of you into the exterior abyss of selfish pleasure-seeking: they are deceived by a reflection or by an echo.

‘This I now understand.

‘If we are ever to reach you, matter, we must, having first established contact with the totality of all that lives and moves here below, come little by little to feel that the individual shapes of all we have laid hold on are melting away in our hands, until finally we are at grips with the single essence of all subsistencies and all unions.

‘If we are ever to possess you, having taken you rapturously in our arms, we must then go on to sublimate you through sorrow.

‘Your realm comprises those serene heights where saints think to avoid you — but where your flesh is so transparent and so agile as to be no longer distinguishable from spirit.

‘Raise me up then, matter, to those heights, through struggle and separation and death; raise me up until, at long last, it becomes possible for me in perfect chastity to embrace the universe.’

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin SJ
Jersey, 8th August 1919

Planes, Ash and Politics

2010-04-20T10:31:00.008+01:00

It makes all of us feel small and a little nervous, it has suddenly made the world seem a much larger place than it was last week, it has frustrated travellers and businesses in their hundreds of thousands - and there is NOTHING that can be done, it has caused whooper swans to sit it out in small huts and sheds instead of migrating and it is delighting those who live under runways or who love birdsong or who marvel at the sight of a blue sky with no white streaks.

For just a short while we are getting a glimpse of what a low carbon world will look, sound and feel like. We can't travel where we want when we want at any time. We can't assume fruits, flowers and vegetables will be flown in to stock the supermarket shelves and we will notice, just a little more, other life around us. Perhaps the recent surge in interest in grow-your-own will be very welcome if food stuffs really do have to be locally transported.

I feel truly sorry for those stuck in airports, or paying thousands just to get a taxi. It must be horrible. But once everyone is back where they want to be maybe we should all take time to think about this. Going to Barcelona for a weekend was so simple 2 weeks ago, very doable from Bristol. Now Barcelona, Teneriffe and Paris seem much further away and maybe we should think about short trips for pleasure and if they are really necessary. It takes SO many resources to get people around the world and it is so easy to take it for granted. But fuel for the planes, taxis, cars, buses etc to get people to places is not insignificant and it is very damaging.

The thought of fresh food being thrown away in Africa because the planes are grounded makes me weep - what kind of crazy world have we manufactured? Flowers flying from Kenya???!

Surely Kenyans can be better employed growing food for Africa - but every time I say that I feel it is so obvious there must be huge reasons I don't know about to make it not work. But if we had to pay for the sunshine, the warmth, the nutrients in the soil, the water and a true cost for fuel then they wouldn't be so cheap and it wouldn't be cost effective to fly them around the world. The earth provides resources for free - it is time we started counting the true cost of the way we organise our economies and our daily lives.

Here is a poem by the Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy:

SILVER LINING

Five miles up the hush and shush of ash,

Yet the sky is as clean as a white slate —

I could write my childhood there.

Selfish to sit in this garden, listening to the past

(A gentleman bee wooing its flower, a lawnmower)

When the grounded planes mean ruined plans,

Holidays on hold, sore absences at weddings, funerals ... wingless commerce.

But Britain’s birds sing in this spring

From Inverness to Liverpool, from Crieff to Cardiff,

Oxford, Londontown, Land’s End to John O’Groats.

The music’s silent summons,

That Shakespeare heard and Edward Thomas and, briefly, us.

Labour is the only party to commit to building a third runway at Heathrow.

2010-04-16T08:46:00.004+01:00

Tina Beattie has just published a thought provoking and challenging article called "The Catholic Church's Scandal: Modern Crisis, Ancient Roots."
It is well worth reading if you are interested in a historical look at the mindset that could have produced such terrible abuse. It is a courageous article and I agree totally with Tina.

The Tablet is, and has been for weeks, full of articles/letters/analysis of the crisis and how it is being handled - for those of us who are lay believers it is all very distrubing. I personally feel this could be a time of great renewal and grace for the Catholic Church. A time to reassess what is important, who should be considered fit to lead and a time to leave behind an obsession with clericalism. My only hope at the moment is for justice and peace for the thousands who were affected by the abuse. A letter in this week's The Tablet explains beautifully why this man is still a priest and still holds dear to his beliefs. Fr Joseph O'Hanlon from Canterbury writes:

"I shall remain a Catholic priest. But it will be priesthood lived in sorrow and in repentance that such sins have been committed in the name of all that is holy. I shall live with the bewildered people of God who cannot comprehend what has been done by those raised to the altar, with a people scandalised by those who have covered up crimes which call out to God for vengeance. I shall continue to believe that Chris is risen. But I remain convinced we are not."

New Andy Murray

2010-04-07T16:28:00.001+01:00

Ok - I know I'm a proud parent - but indulge me.

Open Air Swimming and Diabolo tricks!

2010-04-06T09:45:00.007+01:00

Two short films we made recently. The first is my husband Julian doing a 1 mile open water swim for Hospice Care last September. It was all filmed by my son on his mobile - amazing what a phone can do these days!

This is same son doing diabolo tricks. He disappeared into the garden for a while and suddenly could do this.

Just Passing Through

2010-04-02T12:25:00.005+01:00

I love the writing of Roger Deakin, who sadly died in August 2006 at the age of only 63. In his last book Wildwood - A Journey Through Trees he describes a shepherd's hut tucked away in a field, slowly being overgrown and returning back to nature. He often spent nights sleeping there - camping out and listening to the branches of an ash tree "which strokes the roof and plays tunes on the stove-pipe chimney." He says something very moving about camping out:

"There's more truth about a camp than a house. Planning laws need not worry the improvising builder because temporary structures are more beautiful anyway and you don't need planning for them. There's more truth about a camp because that is the position we are in. The house represents what we ourselves would like to be on earth, permanent, rooted, here for eternity. But a camp represents the true reality of things: we're just passing through."

I wonder if he knew he had a brain tumor.

Last weekend I went to Pembrokeshire in our camper-van and saw this lovely old boat, doing exactly what Roger's hut was doing - returning the wood back to nature.

From Reflections of a Curlew

I thought about Roger as I looked at it and wished I had his profound and deep sense of connection to nature. It grounds you in life and death like nothing else.

This is holy week and life and death are very much in mind. I thought again about Roger Deakin and his statement "the true reality of things, we are just passing through" and thought about Pilate's famous question (or statement) at Jesus's trial - "What is truth?"

Happy Easter.

Happy City

2010-03-26T18:55:00.009Z

From New Album 06/05/2009 08:13

Bristol in the summer

I went to an new initiative in Bristol this week called Happy City, which seemed like a good idea. It is basically a networking idea that puts people who are trying to do good things in their community in touch with others doing the same thing or those who would like to have a go. It is also trying to change our perceptions of what is happy, I'm not a great one for leadership games, I get embarrassed and try to hide, but there were some interesting ideas. One thing we had to do was go up to a stranger in the room and ask them about something that had made them thoughtful that week - I asked a man in his 40s I guess. He said he was walking with a friend in the Mendips and she had said she thought cities needed more uneven surfaces to walk on - nothing in nature is dead flat, walking on uneven ground is natural and makes us feel more connected to the surface of the earth. I can see what she means - stand by Bristol City Council for some humongous accident claims though.

He also said he was about to become a father for the first time - quite late in life - and he is terrified about the effect it will have on his life - so he prayed and he said something definitely "shifted". Amazing the conversations you can have with strangers.

I gave a talk last night at a musical evening for Catholic primary schools focusing on caring for the earth. it was lovely - really uplifting. I showed a couple of clips - including this one - some pictures set to Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong. David Ogden is conducting. The children sang some lovely songs - What a Wonderful World, Make Me a Channel of Your Peace, Let All Creation Sing, Sent By the Lord Am I, Consider Yourself At Home and others - great.

St Bedes 4.mp4

Good for schools, they are really taking this on board.

Just Around the Corner

2010-03-22T09:14:00.016Z

JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Peter Connolley was 17 months old when he died after months of sustained abuse at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend and their lodger. I was deeply distressed by this case. If I was so disturbed what must it be like to live just around the corner? Here is my programme on the experience of living right next to terrible crimes like this.

Mandy is a single mother, her daughter T'shan is 16 and her son Junior is 12 - they live down the road. Helen lives near Bristol and next door to people who are often investigated for the treatment of their children. Miles Chambers is a poet who's brother lives near the house where Peter died and who wrote a beautiful and moving poem called I had A Dream the Other Night. Fr Luke Miller is the Anglican parish priest of Tottenham. The programme is 27 mins long.

The Months of January and February

2010-03-05T19:48:00.011Z

Its been a strange and busy couple of months - including one of my sons getting appendicitis! - hence no posts for a while. But here are some of the things worth noting.

I went with my sister to see an amazing ballet - I still don't quite know what I make of it, but it was certainly beautiful, entertaining and powerful. Matthew Bourne's Swan lake. It is famous for its all male troupe of swans and the captivating relationship between the main male lead swan and the prince. Really beautiful piece of theatre.

As a ballet to see if you think you might not like ballet - it is amazing. Even the ballet experts must agree it has a power and beauty that is often missing from the traditional tutus - love that as I do.

I've also started working on a major series for BBC Radio 4 on biodiversity. It is fascinating and I hope you'll catch some of the series which starts in the first week of April. Its called Saving Species.

My husband went to N Japan, to the island of Hokkaido, to record whooper swans, sea eagles and red-crowned cranes and bought back some beautiful pictures. The squirrel is delightful.

Last week I won Gold and Silver at the Christian Broadcasting Council Awards for Best Internet programmes - which was great. prisoner and the Budgerigar got Gold and A Christmas Robin got Silver. Judges comments:

Gold: ‘The Budgerigar and the Prisoner’

I loved the way this feature took people who are usually marginalised by society (a prison inmate), and humanised him by simply letting him speak for himself: Simple but effective, and very moving.

Silver: A Christmas Robin

A pleasant, easy listen, with great use of sound effects and outdoor recording that made you feel as if you were out in a field bird-watching. The way in which it combined a natural history lesson with the Christmas message and spiritual reflection is also commendable. Nice music too.

Barnoness Caroline Cox giving awards

I have an article in this edition of Justice Magazine - Haiti and the Earthquake.

This coming week I'm finishing the long over-due podcast on Baby P, I'll post it when I can. harrowing to make but I'm glad I did it.

Arctic Wonders

2010-02-06T06:34:00.009Z

Location of Colville River

Colville River Delta

Jim and Teena's house on Colville Island

One of the blogs I follow is Jim Helmericks - Arctic Smoke Signals. Jim and his wife live in one of the most remote places on earth - an island in the middle of the Colville Delta on the North Slopes of Alaska. The Colville river drains a wild part of Alaska, empties into the Arctic Ocean and is entirely above the Arctic Circle, it is frozen for 6 months of the year.

I stayed with Jim and Teena when I filmed the Spectacled Eider, a trip which has informed and influenced so much of my thinking. Jim and Teena are kind, solid people who have lived a life most of us can barely imagine, bringing up their 4 sons in a wild place that is totally isolated from the rest of the world. Their house is only accessible in the winter by a 2 day trek on a snow mobile, in the summer by plane.

Jim's father was one of the earliest bush pilots in Alaska and wrote a fascinating book about delivering mail across the North Slopes; he passed away in January.

Have a look at Jim's website, his extraordinary photos of astronomy and wildlife and marvel at people who really do live life at the edge.

Here are some recent photos from his blog:

Musk ox by the house

King Eider on the island

Jim fishing

Arctic fox pinching a fish Jim has just caught!

Common cuckoo - first sighting on Colville Island

Frozen boat with Aurora

purple finch

weasel

Psalms with a Difference

2010-02-04T14:35:00.008Z

Steven Faux is an impressive composer. He writes music for TV documentaries and for Radio 4 programmes. He is also an ordained priest in the Church of England. He has recently produced a truly beautiful and moving CD called the Psalms Project, setting the first 40 Psalms to powerful music and voices. Have a listen to the short clips below taken from Psalms 1, 10, 16, 29, 40 - the CD is are available through Steven on his website.

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

Some of the pieces have been put to images on YouTube

Hard Gardens

2010-02-02T05:50:00.006Z

I've just learned that a housing association in Stoke-on-Trent are beginning a programme of ripping out the hedges and lawns of 3 houses a week, every week, for the next 5 years. The residents say they want low maintenance gardens and so privet hedges over 50 years old are going to be destroyed at the start of the breeding season.

Why is this legal? A team of youth on work experience are ready to start the destruction, being seen as "training", why can't they be trained to trim hedges and do basic gardens if that is what people are afraid of doing themselves?

We seem to have learned nothing from the destruction of hedgerows across farmland. As urban sites expand we have to fold the needs of wildlife into our own needs, even if that means the inconvenience of pruning and mowing just occasionally.

Birds use them to nest in, insects to shelter and breed in, hedgehogs can go through them (they find it hard to scale fences) and all kinds of small mammals can use them as shelter and for corridors.

Hedges are great for all kinds of wildlife. Come on Housing Association - do your bit and help make Stoke a better place, not more concrete wasteland.

Privet Hawk Moth:

Climate Change Science

2010-01-29T12:23:00.011Z

Deforestation in Brazil

The inevitable backlash against climate change is gathering pace. First we had the revelations about exaggeration and bias in research on climate science from the University of East Anglia, then the disappointment of Copenhagen and now even more pressure on UEA about withholding emails and contravening the freedom of information act. Suddenly a cloud of suspicion is cast over all the science that so many have taken to be the incontrovertible evidence that the earth is warming and we are heading for disaster. The widely perceived failure of Copenhagen showed that the governments of the world could not agree on something they all say is of vital importance - so maybe it isn't? Perhaps the whole thing is hyped up?

Ever since I began to think about environmental issues I have worried about the intense concentration on a single issue, big as it is. Concern for global warming has taken such a precedence that it has dominated environmental news and the concerns of government and civil society alike. It is as if climate change=the environment.

Obviously a change in behaviour such as recycling and so on is excellent in many ways because our profligate western lifestyle has to change - but there is a huge negative side to seeing care for the earth as a single issue based on how much CO2 we emit.

A total consensus on any single concern is rare, but when that issue involves changing the economy, the balance between north and south and a huge shift in industrial and domestic energy use, then it is bound to create division. Vested interests become a driving force, camps for and against vie for column inches and attention and every aspect of the issue comes under scrutiny. And when the outcome of a warming earth is portrayed as utter catastrophe then those of us in the middle will, not surprisingly, find comfort in any doubts raised.

The main problem now is that because climate change is "the environment" it will become very much more difficult to raise concerns for other environmental issues if it is dismissed as mass fraud.

This was all so inevitable and all very depressing.

I don't know about the University of East Anglia and what it did and didn't do, but hopefully the legal process will sort that out. If it acted improperly then I hope those culprits are punished. But what I dread is that the dust thrown into the air about climate change will turn people away from the wider picture - that we misuse the earth on many levels, not just the amount of CO2 we produce - and that we have to change to put right what is going wrong.

Over fishing isn't to do with climate change, destroying habitats, degrading soils, pulling down forests to replace them with monoculture isn't to do with climate change. Putting pollutants in the fresh water systems and the oceans isn't climate change and building dams across most of the rivers of the world isn't climate change. Building on greenbelt, pulling down hedgerows, using large amounts of pesticides, concreting over wetlands isn't climate change. All of these do immense harm, wipe out species and degrade our earth. The effect of continuing to ravage the earth will be lack of fresh water for all, difficulty in producing food, a depleted ocean (and therefore fish to eat) and unknown problems with access to new medicines. We will not be able to pollinate plants or cleanse water - or carry out the many other "eco-system services" that we take for granted and that are provided free of charge by the earth.

E.O Wilson, the great Harvard biologist, talks about the evolution of the earth seeing the end of the age of the fish, then the end of the age of the reptiles and now we are now coming to the end of the age of mammals and entering the age of loneliness. We will live in an impoverished world where only humans relying on science and technology and a few scavengers will survive.

There is so much to care about and so much we have to do to change our perception of what the earth is for. Even if the climate change scientists have exaggerated, even if glaciers take a hundred years to melt not fifty and so on, we still have to change our lifestyles, reduce our consumption and undergo a dramatic change of heart, because all environmental issues depend on us reducing our assault on the ecosystems and resources of the earth.

And as for unscrupulous science - there have always been unscrupulous scientists, as we have seen with the MMR fiasco, but simply because some are charlatans doesn't make all medical research suspect and wrong. It is the same for climate change science.

I hope we won't be put off course by this worry over East Anglia and I hope we keep our eye firmly on the ball. Concern for the earth is not just acting on climate change, it is much, much more than that.

Mercury levels of whale-eating town

2010-01-22T14:29:00.004Z

Good reason not to eat whales I'd say (if you need any more good reasons)

Mercury levels of whale-eating town's residents 10 times average › Japan Today: Japan News and Discussion

Also - This whale (or what is left of it) survived being harpooned 100 years ago by whalers - but they got him/her in the end!

Posted using ShareThis

Apple Pies and Crickets

2010-01-14T02:58:00.004Z

The Independent revealed another reason to keep biodiversity rich and thriving - crickets pollinate plants. No one knew they did so until a researcher filmed a raspy cricket pollinating an orchid in Reunion recently. It would be so easy to allow critters like crickets to slip away, then too late, we lose an orchid and then what else in the chain? Everything is connected to everything else and we don't understand those connections yet. It will of course ultimately affect us. "If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, first of all create the universe".

The Sealed Box

2010-01-13T09:07:00.009Z

A beautiful poem written by my 12 year old (13 next month, how did that happen) about the death of granny's dog. Dougal was bitten by a tick and got Lyme's disease poor thing, only 5.

THE SEALED BOX

The sealed box, never to be opened,
Made and carved with pristine wood,
Even dust won’t abolish its beauty,
Sitting there, in peace,

Trotting, running, sprinting,
Diving, curving, round trees into ponds,
For nothing more than what you hurl,
The naive mind, all of us,

But the day, time, place, bite,
Led to jab, flame,
After loss of legs,
Into black marking, painful dust,

Meaning…

The sealed box, never to be let out,
Made and carved with pristine wood,
Even dust won’t abolish his beauty,
Sitting there at peace.

Snowboarding Madness

2010-01-13T09:05:00.001Z

Nutty madness in the snow in the last few days...

Curlew picture

2010-01-07T10:18:00.015Z

My friend Chris Sperring sent me this picture he took of a curlew in flight.

Here is a recording of a curlew calling - one of the most beautiful sounds in nature, especially the bubbling call about 17 s in.

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

My friend and blogger Tina Beattie is also photographing and thinking about curlew in Scotland at the moment - thanks for the pictures Tina.

Yeats wrote a rather sad and haunting poem about the cry of the curlew, you can imagine him listening to it over the moors and coastline of Ireland:

He Reproves the Curlew

O curlew, cry no more in the air,

Or only to the water in the West;
Because your crying brings to my mind
passion-dimmed eyes and long heavy hair
That was shaken out over my breast:
There is enough evil in the crying of wind.

I wrote an article in The Tablet on curlew - Call of the Wild - see Why a Curlew in my information column on the right.

Snowy Buddha

2010-01-06T21:39:00.008Z

One of the good things about a Buddha in the garden is seeing how a point of stillness helps reveal the changing seasons. He looked very serene today covered in a snowy blanket, and just as happy in the warmth of a summer afternoon.

The city was absolutely silent this morning, especially before it was light. I love snow in street lights, silent but intense, like Narnia; revealing a different aspect to a normally noisy city.

Robin Pictures

2010-01-04T12:39:00.005Z

I have added pictures to the robin podcast...

Shifting Plates and "Where was God?"

2010-01-03T10:27:00.008Z

Over the Christmas break I watched again Mark Dowd's "Tsunami - Where Was God?" on Channel 4, a sensitive and wide ranging documentary on differing religious responses to the Tsunami in 2004.

In trying to come to terms with a belief in a God that could let such disasters happen Mark tried to question a Muslim geologist about the geological need for massive earthquakes that can cause tidal waves that then create so much suffering. He repeatedly asked the same question in different forms - is there an alternative design for the earth that God could have come up with that didn't require such violent outbursts that kill thousands? Is it possible, as a geologist, to think of an earth that is designed in such a way that negates earthquakes and volcanoes? If God created the earth and all that goes with it, why build into the system earthquakes that can wipe out thousands at one stroke? But no matter how he asked this question the same answer came back - the earth is designed so that catastrophes like this happen to force us to see our sin and teach us about our wrong ways - teach us a lesson.

Many, including myself, find this attitude hard to understand, but Mark's question is deep and profound because it goes right to the heart of what we are.

In short, the answer to Mark's question is no, there doesn't seem to be an alternative design - as far as we can tell one of the major reasons why there is life on this planet is because of the movement of the earth's tectonic plates.

(For those who need a geology brush up on what plate tectonics means there are many youtube videos and wiki type sites - but basically the earth's surface is made up of rigid plates that "float" on a hot fluid like mantle causing the plates the grind, crunch, slide over and under each other creating earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain chains, deep ocean ridges, island chains etc).

If we didn't have plate tectonics to recycle the earth's crust, bring new material to the surface, release gases into the atmosphere, build mountain chains and form deep basins that could be filled with water then the great diversity of life would not be present and could not have evolved. Everything about our shifting, changing planet creates niches and opportunities for life to take hold. It also forces change, driving species evolution and adaptation. Stability does not create burgeoning life - change, and often violent change, does.

Fascinating isn't it that pure energy on a scale we can barely imagine, is constantly at work in this astonishing universe, and on this particular planet in this little solar system, that phenomenal energy heaves around slabs of crust and creates the right conditions for life. But life doesn't come cheap and easy, it comes as a result of great forces and instability - life is a resilience born out of fragility that we see all around us in the natural world.

Rare Earth by Peter Ward and Donald Brownlee describes the role of plate tectonics and the maintenance of life, it is a wonderful and insightful book that lays out the scientific reasons why life is so uncommon, "maybe we really are alone" says the strap line. And perhaps so because no other planet in this solar system has tectonic movement - and no life that we know of.

It is a pointer to the fact that God didn't design the universe for our comfort and prosperity; deeply embedded into its very fabric is energy that produces creativity and destruction, violence and quiescence, burgeoning and collapsing. For me this has nothing to do with teaching anybody any lessons and has everything to do with a God that defies our imagination and leaves us gasping with incomprehension at the audacity of a creator who has set in motion something so spectacular.

And we humans have to fit in where we can and recognise with humility what we are - beadlets of life born out of resilience and evolutionary drive - and with a capacity for greatness. We have to accept that a cooling earth will crack and shake, that volcanoes will erupt, that meteorites will bombard, that continents will shift, and we humbly acknowledge that is what it is to be a human on planet earth, with all its tragedy and horror as well as beauty and magnificence.

For nearly all our evolutionary history humans have been fighters for survival against changing climates, natural disasters, ferocious predators that want to eat us and against other creatures that vie for our resources. For all our hunter/gatherer existence (99% of the time we have been fully modern humans) we would have been only too aware of the fragility of life and the forces for good or ill that were a natural part of life on earth. Today most in the comfortable West are fed, warm and housed with little understanding of the earth we live on - but we still have the instincts to fight for survival - the adrenalin to fight or flee, the fear of the dark and of spiders and snakes, and the desire to understand forces beyond our control. And this legacy leaves us with a body that is ready for action but too often with too little to do - we find ourselves being warriors without a war. And therein lies many of our problems I suspect.

So Mark - thanks for a fascinating programme but the horror of the tsunami is not retribution for sin, it is a painful demonstration of the real place we humans have on this cooling, dynamic earth - and a reminder that not everything is arranged for us. The alternative scenario is a very boring creationist model where God waves a wand and ping! all is as it appears now - and then we run into real trouble when we try to understand disaster, because only a God of retribution could make a beautiful earth turn round and bite.

And thank you for a question that brings to the surface so much we rarely discuss about the very nature of humans and life on earth.

2009-12-26T07:00:00.014Z

Just before Christmas we went on our annual pilgrimage to see the starling roost on the Somerset Levels. It was a freezing cold night with a bitter wind and sub zero temperatures - but that gave the Levels their famous winter hue with the stark outline of leafless trees looking primeaval against the washed out sky. These 3 swans flew in against the sunset.

And then the starlings arrived.

How can such tiny birds as starlings withstand the freezing night? I had so many layers on I could barely move! A starling feels so light and bony in the hand, yet can make it through hours of freezing darkness.

There is always that sense of excitement when the first small flocks begin to appear. Tiny dots that seem to be created out of the sky - where do they come from? One minute all you can see is a vast flat landscape and empty sky - the next the starlings are swooping overhead.

Because it was so cold they seem to hug the tops of the trees and fly straight into the reeds.

This winter ritual is as important to me as decorating the tree, it defines the season and always makes me wonder - about the resilience of life, its vulnerability, its ability to make you feel grateful, humble and in awe all at once.

The Levels are the result of peat workings when the natural wetlands were drained. I wonder what they will be like in 100 years time when the sea has encroached and the flat lands around Britain flooded and the wetlands return to provide that vital buffer between land and sea. Something like 80% of our wetlands have been destroyed or badly damaged by development and draining, and worldwide we have lost half of the wetlands that existed 100 years ago.

If we take away the land that provides a natural interface between the energy of the sea and the dry land we can expect even more severe flooding. Maybe as the climate changes and we can no longer hold back the inevitable we will allow them to return - as we are doing already in many places - its called managed re-alignment.

Perhaps once again the Somerset Levels will be the domain of plovers, curlew, waders, bitterns and cranes - and starlings in the reed beds on a much greater scale than at present.

And if it is, I hope many others in the future will enjoy the marvel that is our wetlands and wonder how we ever let them disappear for so long.

Happy Christmas from Nature

2009-12-17T09:46:00.002Z

Christmas Podcast

2009-12-16T14:34:00.011Z

Happy Christmas 2009. This is a reflection on robins at Christmas. The naturalist is Chris Sperring and the music is played by Annette Dunn on a baby grand that once accompanied Ella Fitzgerald in Hong Kong.

Get your own playlist at snapdrive.net!

I wanted to make the point about how we need to view the ordinary - like robins - as extraordinary, because unless we see them as special or sacred (whatever that means to you) then I don't think we will do enough to protect the natural world. It is the ordinary that we live with, that colours everyday, let's treasure it.

5 Degrees of Difference

2009-12-02T06:08:00.017Z

At the weekend I went to a wonderful "service" at a small church in Clevedon. My brother-in-law, Noel Hector, is the priest. He organised an afternoon's celebration of the 150th anniversary of the On the Origin of Species which included readings, hymns, the first performance of an original piece of words and music about Darwin and a discussion panel afterwards.

The afternoon was a lovely and fascinating reminder of the extraordinary contribution Darwin has made not just to our understanding of evolution of species, but to our concept of God. The Jesuit priest and philosopher Teilhard de Chardin viewed mankind and human consciousness as evolving alongside all of evolution - eventually reaching pure consciousness where humanity and God become one, which is the end of time. An extraordinary idea that I will have to take serious time out to think about! His views were suppressed by the Vatican.

The afternoon in Clevedon began with reading Genesis 1, the one that always causes the trouble because of multiplying, filling the earth and subduing it. I hadn't realised it was based on an older poem written in Mesopotamia. It begs the question how it can be viewed as fact if its foundations are poetic - but it is not surprising that a powerful way to view the origin of the universe is through poetry. The science is mind-blowing enough but doesn't begin to question why.

There is another theory behind Genesis, and all the other creation myths that exist. That they are folk memories expressing the trauma and wonder that was the end of the last ice age. Ice ages come and go as temperatures get colder, then warmer again. But temperature doesn't vary uniformly, rather more like a saw-tooth pattern than an even, oscillating wave. There is a slow build up to a cold phase over many thousands of years as temperatures slowly fall and species slowly move away. The snow and ice build up takes a long time and stays in place for a long time.

But the end of ice ages, caused by all kinds of oscillations of the earth, is dramatic and fast. Sun and warmth melt the snow, less snow means less light reflected back, more warming, more loss of ice cover - and suddenly you have an ice free landscape. In some places it can happen in a human lifetime. What was once barren and freezing becomes warm and lush. Where once there were frozen glaciers now rivers flow. Dramatic events like the breaching of vast ice age lakes caused catastrophic flooding, especially in N America and parts of Europe. Noah's floods for real. The N Sea became sea instead of a vast tundra - it must have been astonishing for our ancestors who witnessed the world change before their eyes.

The Garden of Eden, paradise garden, the sudden flowing of the sacred rivers of India etc could all be poetic ways of expressing the greening of the land post the ice age.

And what strikes me as fascinating is that the fast warming of the earth produced a flowering of spirituality and creativity as people tried to cope with a dramatically changing planet. Art, weaponry, husbandry, social groupings etc all changed.

It is also worthy of note that the average temperature difference between the depths of the last ice age, where thick ice sheets covered most of the N hemisphere, and now is only 5 degrees. 5 degrees is all it took for the world to change beyond recognition. 5 degrees of warming over this century is what we are looking at if we don't succeed in holding down CO2 emissions.

I wonder if, as the earth changes, we will see a turing back to religion as we all grapple with what is happening. And if so, I wonder if it will be the extreme religions that will seem attractive, offering certainty in an uncertain world.

Who knows, but we will react, we will have to deal with what will inevitably be a difficult and perhaps dramatic time ahead over the next century. Are the world's religions ready to respond? Some I suspect are more ready than others.

Empathy, ducks and the key to the future

2009-11-28T10:53:00.016Z

I have this long held conviction that the re-discovery and re-finding of the seemingly unique ability of people to empathise, individually and as a society, will hold the key to the future. Empathy seems to be unique to humans, whereas sympathy might be experienced by other animals - such as primates. The ability to understand and share the feelings of others is at the heart of all spirituality - it is the key to action and can unlock great forces within individuals as well as societies. To truly empathise is difficult and requires great imagination - as the psychoanalyst Heinz Kohut said -

"Empathy is the capacity to think and feel oneself into the inner life of another person".

And that is what allows us to write great poetry and fiction, compose music, help those in need and to understand the forces of history.

There is no way we can understand the meaning and message behind the lives of the Buddha, Christ, The Prophet or any other great spiritual leader unless our ability to empathise is honed. Empathy is thought to be innate to some degree, but can be learned and refined - or completely stamped out.

Is it just confined to humans? When a dolphin or an ape helps a human in trouble, and there are certainly examples of that, are they empathising? I believe that is sympathy - wanting to help a creature in trouble. And animal behaviourists would say it is adaptive to help - because then others might help you in the future. But empathy involves another layer of concern and understanding that goes beyond good works and enters into the realm of imaginative living.

Sympathy will motivate us to practical action to help those in need - empathy will drive those feelings to a deeper level of sustained action that will solve problems and work for change. And we need that in every situation. We will change the world for the better is empathy is on the curriculum, in the papers and out on the streets.

I found this quite old blog on the web. It makes some good points about the effects on society when empathy is stifled - leading to slavery, apartheid, gross differences in wealth, cruelty and abuse. But if empathy permeated society we couldn't allow any of those to happen.

But what about empathy and the environment? Can we feel ourselves in the position of a habitat? A tuna? Perhaps not - in the same way anyway - but we can reflect on the duck story. Those who know me will have heard this story many times, but it is worth repeating because it raises questions that need to be answered.

When I made natural history films I filmed a rare duck in the High Arctic - a spectacled eider. They never leave the Arctic Circle and amazingly even spend the winter months sitting in huge flocks in the sea ice.

Male Spectacled Eider

Photo by Hugbunny

I filmed them on a remote island in the middle of the Colville River delta - a wild, flat, muddy, desolate yet hauntingly beautiful place. 4 females regularly nested on this particular island and we saw them raise their young and the ducklings swim off into the vast Arctic ocean. it was magical.

A couple of years later I phoned the man who owned the island and asked how the birds were doing - it is very sad he said, he went to check on them the year after I left and found all 4 had been shot sitting on their nests. No one had taken the bodies for food or feathers, the eggs were cold - they were shot for being ducks on N America.

My question is this: if Christ had been walking over that island and had found those shot ducks - would he have wept? Not just for the wickedness of the people who killed them, but the ducks themselves?

For me, unequivocally yes, for some I have asked (and they are almost all higher levels in the clergy) say no - God would not weep over that which is not human.

To me that is simply wrong-headed and makes God so small minded (but then much of "traditional" religion is so full of boxes God isn't allowed to be big).

Empathy is being able to creatively imagine the right life for those creatures, their sense of well-being in the place they are meant to be and living a life that is flourishing. I don't know whether a duck can feel happiness but it can certainly desire to be in a state that allows it a healthy and fruitful life, and they certainly feel fear and pain. To be shot while nesting for no other reason than a distorted sense of self importance is worth shedding tears for. The potential for those ducks to be fully alive and to contribute to the health, wealth and diversity of the planet was taken away.

The best example of one who lived an empathetic life that we could all emulate is John Muir, whose sense of otherness in nature was unsurpassed. He has to be the greatest environmentalist, nature poet and environmental spiritual leader.

"A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease."

And he captures exactly a life with no empathy - for nature or much else.

"Most people are on the world, not in it—have no conscious sympathy or relationship to anything about them—undiffused, separate, and rigidly alone like marbles of polished stone, touching but separate."

And therein lies the source of so many of this earth's woes.

Equality and Ecology

2009-11-27T15:16:00.005Z

Tina Beattie has restarted her blog - and I'm delighted. I too - like so many - am horrified by the recent Dublin Diocese findings, and the many other terrible crimes that have lain undiscovered and unchallenged for decades under heavy, immovable clerical respectability. The light of truth and penitence needs to shine on these findings and nothing short of a Truth and Reconciliation process will begin to heal the wounds.

Tina and I have been talking about all things Catholic for a while, and as she has made the case for a review of sexuality and the Church so much more clear and human, I have - hopefully - tried to show that care for the planet we walk upon and the creatures who share our space is not to be reduced to campaigns to change lightbulbs or hand wringing over extinction rates. Our relationship with the natural world embraces all that it is to be fully human, to live dignified, compassionate and empathetic lives, and to view oursleves as humble creatures of God, alongside all others.

We are changed by our actions and we can become more or less human by even small acts of disregard and disrespect. We are diminished when we fail to see the deeper meanings and teachings behind the everyday, and that can apply to how we view a robin in the garden or how much we recycle. Archbishop Rowan Williams puts it beautifully:

"If I ask what’s the point of my undertaking a modest amount of recycling my
rubbish or scaling down my air travel, the answer is not that this will
unquestionably save the world within six months, but in the first place
that it’s a step towards liberation from a cycle of addiction that is keeping
me, indeed most of us, in a dangerous state – dangerous, that is, to our
human dignity and self-respect".

And if we cannot respect ourselves because we are distorted by acts which leave us with a dissonance that sets up conflict and uneasiness about what we are, then we cannot wholly respect others.

By adopting a more mindful approach, a more humble view of who and what we are - without ever compromising our sense of self-respect - then it will be impossible to dismiss the right to equality and full dignity of millions of people in the Catholic Church who feel dis-empowered, under-valued and marginalised. When we gain a true understanding of ecology, behaviour, interconnectedness and whole-functioning of life then we begin to touch on what it means to be fully human, and that doesn't mean fitting an idealised model.

Talking Cat on Climate Change

2009-11-26T15:54:00.002Z

Lots of fun...

Cats Against Climate Change from Londonlime on Vimeo.

lots of 1 minute videos to change the world here.

Sunday Service from Windsor

2009-11-17T12:32:00.005Z

Vedic Dancer

Last Sunday Service on Radio 4 was from our Many Heavens, One Earth - Faith and the Environment event. The music you can hear at first is from Shesh Besh, an Israeli/Jewish/Christian ensemble and their music is wonderful. Hope you enjoy it, it was a truly inspirational celebration that took place in the Waterloo Chamber in Windsor Castle.

For all the pictures - which are great - go to the ARC Windsor Event website.

The celebration was the central part of the 2 day event whcih invited faiths around the world to commit to long term plans to help change our relationship with nature. The celebration section was designed as pure art and spectacle, allowing people time to think and marvel, not just worry and make plans. It looked at the whole span of time from the beginning of time itself through to the burgeoning of life to the crisis we are now experiencing right through to the restoration of harmony.

Prince Philip and Ban Ki Moon were present

At each stage a different faith either danced, sang, chanted or ritualised their beliefs about our relationship with nature. Shinto priests clapped and bowed to the spirits of nature around us, a Vedic dancer danced the beginning of time itself, a Persian group sang from The Conference of the Birds and a full-throated, bigger than life gospel choir sang about the crucifixion from the point of view of the tree of the cross (The Dream of the Rood) and the Canticle of the Creatures.

Conference of the Birds

Audience in Waterloo Chamber

March to the Castle

Imam

Gospel Choir from Baltimore

Daoist Monks

Sikh Prayer

Shinto Ritual

Sally Magnussen was the Narrator

A Buddhist Monk and an American Baptist

Plastic Albatrosses

2009-11-17T06:03:00.003Z

Look at this haunting and very sad video on YouTube. This is why we must all keep caring and trying to change the way we live.

Stormy November

2009-11-16T08:36:00.008Z

From New Album 06/05/2009 08:13

The storms at the weekend left the welsh beaches pounded by huge waves. Kite surfers were out in force near Aberystwyth.

Tablet Article

2009-11-09T18:16:00.010Z

Not written up the Windsor experience yet, still recovering. But here is an article in this week's Tablet about green things and the life of a parish: Preach the Green Word. It worked well for Clifton Cathedral where we ran a year of events about the environment - see Sound of Many Waters.

Windsor Castle

2009-11-06T14:14:00.003Z

I'm going to write this up properly but this is what I've been doing for the last week or so. I helped organise the Windsor Castle faiths and the environment event that ran between Monday and Wednesday this week. i had meant to do a blog each day, but of course it was so busy there was never a moment. But I will put photos and highlights up, but in the mean time here is the official Palace video.

Moon Music

2009-10-21T21:08:00.003+01:00

This poem was sent to me by a friend who saw it set to music and performed to raise money for Amnesty International.

First they came with wonder in their eyes
Falling about like children taking their first steps.
Then they came with greed in their hearts
And blasted that pale inviolate face
Made visible through borrowed light.
They have gouged out the old man’s eyes;
Tears glisten in his empty sockets.

Weep lover weep
They have robbed you of your solace.
Weep poet weep
They have killed your Muse.
Weep mankind weep
They have taken away your dreams.

In the name of a partial truth
They have turned you into a tool
A second earth
Another desolation, another desecration
A new way to wealth
A new path to power.

Leela Hort

In the Shadow of the Moon

2009-10-17T07:00:00.004+01:00

Photo by Chris Sperring

I've just had a letter published in The Tablet about the moon. I've been very interested about the search for water, what an amazing concept that frozen oceans might lie underneath the rocky surface; but I am disturbed by the methods being used.

I wonder if I am the only one to be concerned about the unchallenged assumption that it is fine to slam a 2 ton rocket into a crater to produce an explosion large enough to send a 10 km cloud of dust and debris into space? Why is it OK to bomb the moon?

I know it happened in a dark area inside a crater, but it is the principle that matters. It lays bear our basic assumption that we have a right to do anything to the natural world. It is sad the moon now no longer just has our footprints, it has a bomb crater and debris. I'm not sure looking at it will be quite the same again and I wonder if this is just the start of the path of destruction we see so much on this planet.

Jerusalem Awards

2009-10-17T02:35:00.004+01:00

I was thrilled to win Best Internet Programme at the Jerusalem Awards last night (Thursday 15th) for Budgerigar and Prisoner. Thanks to Les, Fr Robert King and Gareth Davies Jones.

Learning to Love our Competitors

2009-10-14T18:15:00.008+01:00

Last night I went to the Operation Noah annual lecture on faith and the environment (specifically climate change), and this year it was given by Rowan Williams. Here is the lecture.

His points were based on our broken relationship with nature, which needs to be healed to allow us to be fully human and fully alive (we seem to think along the same lines!) Here is The Guardian review. He spelled out his arguments well and with intellect and clarity. He was direct, sometimes a little too simplistic, but the overall impression was a lecture that had moved the public debate on from being worried about light bulbs to being aware of the bigger picture which puts us in a spiritual crisis as well as a physical one.

I have just written to him to ask him to move one step further - stage 3 of this road of many steps we have to travel.

Stage 1 - realising there is a problem that needs our action

Stage 2 - understanding the problem is caused by a broken relationship with the natural world, and that is a spiritual crisis which affects us as well as the earth.

Stage 3 - understanding what a true and grounded relationship with nature actually is.

I've asked Rowan Williams to reflect theologically on the fact that our relationship with nature is based on competition. Nature is not just a warm fuzzy thing we need to reconnect with and all will be well - a benign and lovely thing just waiting for us to love it again. Many species and habitats are in direct competition with us for resources and living space. The earth is terrifying, awesome, dangerous and full of ruthless competition. So what does that say about us and our healed relationship?

A Jesuit missionary told me he would happily cut down the rainforest where he worked in the Congo to get rid of the mosquitoes. "If you carried as many children to their graves in the back of your car as I do in mine, you might not love nature so much."

Stage 3 is a grounded and realistic theology of competition, it is developing an understanding of what it is to form a meaningful and sustainable relationship with a competitor. It means to love that which often frightens and devours us; as well as inspires us to poetry and music and to see the face of God. Over 1 million people die each year of malaria - carried by mosquitoes.

See an earlier post on my old blog on this.

A restored relationship with nature will challenge us to be "more fully human" than we might like - or are ready to accept. But we have no choice.

Missing Vision

2009-10-13T09:08:00.013+01:00

Reform Club

Last night I went to a dinner debate at the Reform Club in Pall Mall (I think that's where Phileas Fogg made a bet with his pals about going round the world in 80 days). the main speaker was Bishop James Jones of Liverpool and the other guests were a mixture of water engineers, environmental scientists and a few religious leaders/representatives.

James Jones is a thoughtful and sensitive man who has a lot to say about our spiritual relationship with nature, which he has been thinking about seriously since 2000. He said his turning point came when he visited many schools in his deanery and realised that the vast majority of children were really worried about the future of the earth and felt we ought to be doing something about it - and that was 9 years ago. It was a wake up call to find out how a Christian leader could respond - and a book called Jesus and the Earth was the result.

The following discussion was not so much a debate as a chance for a varied group of people to have their say - and it struck me very clearly that everyone does have something to say about the environmental situation, but we are all told too much and not listened to enough.

One of the main points was - where is the vision we need to strive for to encourage us to have a change of heart? Who is helping us to see the future? Who is the inspirational leader pointing to another way? As I wrote in the Guardian article last month - we are truly lacking a vision of something good that is worth making sacrifices for - doom and gloom won't do it. People also wanted to know how scientists and environmentalists can help. Bishop James's answer rang true for me - he urged them to use better language, more accessible, inspirational, poetic even. Again it echoed the saying that my colleagues and I at ARC (Alliance of Religions and Conservation) often talk about - if the word you want to use isn't in a poem - don't use it, because no one loves it enough!

Others asked how we will get those of us who live in plenty to accept less? What role does the religious understanding of love play? Is this deep down a matter of justice, not climate change or biodiversity? Are religious leaders just too timid?

James Jones urged all religious leaders to act together, to stand up and proclaim what they believe.

I put my oar in and said I thought much of the time religious leaders were acting at the wrong level. I firmly believe that most people who are trained in theology are not necessarily good at telling people about science. But all of them without exception are experts about what it is to be human. The environmental crisis like any other breakdown is the result of a broken relationship that we have allowed to disintegrate under our noses. It is not deliberate very often, but it is all -pervasive. Religious leaders need to get us back to the basis - what is a human being? How do we fit into the web of life that we know so much about now? What is science telling us about what we are? We are physically the same as the rest of the known universe, the same matter, chemicals, elements. We don't float about as semi-angels, we are mammals and have an ecology. So what is it to be human? How should we behave towards others, including the natural world?

Anyone who has been to one of my talks knows I define a human being by 4 relationships - our relationship to God, ourselves, each other and the earth. So far religious leaders have been very good at the first 3 and only recently starting to talk about the 4th. But all have to be in balance to be a flourishing person. This is the level at which religion enters the environmental arena, it sets the ground rules.

I'm looking forward to the big Windsor Conference coming up in November, it is a great pity we won't have James Jones there - he would add a great deal.

He finished the evening with an extract form a poem, God's Grandeur, by Gerard Manley-Hopkins:

Photo by Chris Sperring


The world is charged with the grandeur of God. 
  It will flame out, like shining from shook foil; 
  It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil 
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod? 
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod; 
  And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil; 
  And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil 
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod. 


And for all this, nature is never spent; 
  There lives the dearest freshness deep down things; 
And though the last lights off the black West went 
  Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs— 
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent 
  World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.

Christina Rossetti

2009-10-05T10:46:00.004+01:00

Christina Rosseti has fascinated me ever since I discivered she wrote the words to In the Deep Mid Winter. My dad bought me her autobiography and I was amazed at what an ordinary, quiet life she led. No great adventures, no great moments of drama, just a simple life that was at times unbearably lonely. Yet her words are utterly beautiful and tender. She has a depth of understanding of faith that leaves many complicated theological statements looking irrelevant.

In this week's The Tablet they quote some lines of her poetry:

Lord, purge our eyes to see
Within the seed a tree,
Within the glowing egg a bird,
Within the shroud a butterfly.
Till, taught by such we see
Beyond all creatures thee
And hearken to they tender word
And hear its "Fear not; it is I".

If only we could do that we would rediscover something immense behind the ordinary.

Cross Crabs

2009-09-23T15:23:00.007+01:00

You know what a crab looks like when you disturb it on a beach, it raises up and starts snapping at you and looks all cross - woe betide you if you get too close. Well writing a public article on religion is like disturbing loads of cross crabs. All of them would happily inflict a sharp stab of pain if only they could get a good grip. Honestly! You can understand it if I was writing about hell fire and brimstone, or telling people they were wicked and doomed to hell or how they were utterly wrong and only the god-fearing saw the true way - but I'm not.

But it says something about how people perceive religion as a perpetrator of something bad, not good, and who's fault is that? Probably a legacy of how badly religion has been taught for so many decades, but it is now much better. Partly because people feel threatened by faith, (but not sure why), and partly because most religions (Catholic included) are bad at portraying a face to the public that allows them to understand the very heart of what this about - which is love. All people see is the regalia, the pomp and ceremony and the conflict - which is such a pity.

If only they saw the people like Pat Clarke, or Fr Leo Dolan, who I am meeting tonight and who works with the poor and landless in a violent and lawless part of N Brazil, or Sr Dorothy Stang, who was murdered fighting for the rainforest and the poor, or the countless other men and women who are driven by love to do great things for others.

Dorothy Stang

Yes there are religious wars - but decrying all religion because of extremists who have no understanding of the heart of faith is like saying everyone who enjoys a sherry at Christmas is an abusive alcoholic.

Yes some faiths have teachings that are out of step with modern ways of thinking, and the Catholic objection to birth control is right up there with that one. But the way to tackle these is to discuss openly and with respect - not throw insults. I have a lot to say on this, but not here, but I understand that population is a massive issue and we have to all take this very seriously. By far the best way to do it is to reduce poverty, educate women and ensure a society cares for its citizens. In every instance when these things happen birth rate declines, irrespective of the religion of that country.

Come on cross crabs, put your claws down, read what I'm really saying and then tell me that urging billions of people to care for the earth, and each other is bad, but don't just see "religion" in the title and fire off without trying to understand.

The Guardian

2009-09-23T08:34:00.005+01:00

I've got an article in The Guardian today about religion and the environmental movement. It's already got some choice comments!

Vegans, Veggies, Crickets, the Planet

2009-09-23T06:33:00.011+01:00

Have a listen to this:

Cricket Chanting!

Crickets are supposed to live about 1/6th the length of time of humans so someone decided to slow down their sound by 1/6th, put real-time crickets over the top and have created an eerie, spooky, ethereal cricket choir. It was used as a back-drop to Buddhist chanting at a weekend course I did recently with my son. Not at all sure what I made of the combination of ommms and crickets, but the weekend itself was wonderful.

It ticked SO many right-on boxes. We drove in our mini camper van (1 tick) to Glastonbury (at least 2 ticks) to do a weekend of Buddhist meditation (again at least 2 ticks) and vegan cooking (4 ticks). The weather was glorious, the views stunning, the people lovely and the food so delicious.

Buddhist meditation is very calming and focused and I love the addition of bells and drums and rattly things or whatever else anyone can pick up. I'm surprised at the adoration of a statue of a goddess though - I thought Buddhism was all about no gods? Being a Christian I used the time to pray and soaked in the lovely atmosphere of reverence and goodness.

We had a really fun time learning how to cook with Jane Easton who is a great lady, passionate about food, veganism and Buddhism. Her personality spreads energy and can-do.

Here is the website of Compassion in the Kitchen. Join up and get cooking.

Nature, Radio 4 - today 9.00 pm

2009-09-16T07:51:00.011+01:00

Have a listen to my Nature programme on Radio 4 tonight at 9.00 pm
Mud, Birds and Tides. Any feedback very welcome.
It's presented by Chris Sperring.

You can also read an article I wrote for Justice Magazine -
Birds, Tides and Us on how we could avoid having to build it.

Pioneering Woman and Talented Girls

2009-09-15T12:58:00.003+01:00

Last week I had the honour of giving the keynote speech at the Loreto Grammar School for Girls centenary event. Here is a copy of the speech.

Mary Ward was the founder and inspiration of the Loreto schools which are now all round the world. She lived in the 17th Century but was light years ahead of her time. She was passionate about the education and development of women - horror. She was imprisoned by the Inquisition for her heretical views and Pope Urban V111 forced her to abandon her plans and order. She died when all she had worked for had been disbanded - but still hoped her vision would come to be. Her followers carried on her dream of "no half measures, no half women" - and that was evident from the night in Manchester.

We had a wonderful concert, singing, dancing and soloist performances. The girls were truly inspirational. Well done Loreto, what you are doing is very important.

September Sunshine and Kites

2009-09-14T17:12:00.004+01:00

This weekend was the Bristol Kite Festival - wonderful weather. Enjoy the colour.

City of Angels

2009-09-08T05:33:00.010+01:00

Pat Clarke is inspirational, he has worked with the street children of Sao Paulo for over 33 years, built an arts centre, a pastoral centre and a countryside retreat. He works with them, not imposing, not coming in with solutions, but walks alongside the families who live in conditions we find it hard to imagine. A woman who visited the arts centre, where the children learn to draw, paint, make ceramics etc, described the visit as bieng in a state of grace.

What will happen when these extraordinary men of God die out? No one is coming up behind to take their place. Pat is a Holy Ghost Father, the rag pickers of the Church he told me - we go where no one else wants to go - and said with not a trace of arrogance. He is true to his calling - not many of us would chose to spend our lives surrounded by open sewers, rats and gangs with guns.

The children are allowed to see the inspirational side of life, paint, draw, listen to music - and he also takes them out to a countryside retreat place he managed to buy called The City of Angels.
Here children can be children, experience peace, space, nature and learn about the natural
world. What Pat is doing is wonderful. If you can help keep this going by sending a donation please do.
clarkepat2000@hotmail.com

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings.