In the Footsteps of St. Louis Marie de Montfort
"Footsteps Online"
Winter 2001 (Volume 6, Issue 1)
The Presence of Gentle and Compassionate Wisdom in Cowie, Scotland
Four years ago two Daughters of Wisdom, Srs. May and Vincent, were sent to live and work in Cowie, Scotland, to be Pastoral Assistants in the parish and in the neighbouring parish of Bannockburn. We were full of ideas and enthusiasm!
Cowie is a former mining village into which new housing estates are being built, changing its character completely. This had been a close-knit, fairly affluent community, with near to full employment; hard working people with a simple lifestyle and with a high proportion of Catholic families, whose lives revolved around the coal mines and the church. And then the coal mines closed. Like other communities, and with the advent of new housing estates the area now has major problems with unemployment and drug and alcohol abuse. This once proud community is now listed as one of the most deprived areas in the country.
Another blow was that due to the fewer numbers of priests in the Archdiocese, it became necessary to have one priest for several parishes in some areas, resulting in our parish having no resident priest. A band of faithful, committed people struggled to re-establish parish life as they knew and loved it - but found themselves close to burn-out.
Now a small team of people, together with the Parish Priest and myself, are striving to establish a collaborative model of church in the area, with little or no evidence of change. It is not surprising, therefore, that my impression of this parish was that of a grieving community exhibiting all the classic signs of grief - and with an anger focused on the State and Institutional Church. Both these powerful bodies being seen as having betrayed the people. Truly, a Good Friday people who may well ask,
Where do I find the Risen Christ?
Where is Christ Wisdom in all this?
Where is Hope? Where is Peace?
Where is there creative New Life?
Our churches are far from full and when visiting families, I find little or no desire in people to return except for the sacraments (or Rites of Passage) of Baptism, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Requiem Mass and less frequently now, Marriage, - which they want and sometimes demand. Yet I know that these people are Christian in spirit and live the Beatitudes.
Where is the Gentle and Compassionate face of Christ Wisdom in all this?
Unwittingly, a great nephew of mine gave me a clue. For his school newsletter he reported that during the holiday he had visited his Great-aunt who lived, 'in a Mansion on a Mountain with God'!!! This was a cause of great mirth among my family and some friends who are Catholics. However, it posed many questions,
Where is Christ Wisdom to he found? In the Mansion on the Mountain? Why are people reluctant to come to Church? Where do they find their celebrating, accepting and supporting community? Where do they share their stories and break their bread?
The answer is clear!!!! In the Miners Welfare Club, Bowling Club, Bingo Halls....
That is where Compassionate Wisdom is to be found!!!!!!
The answer to me is evident. If I want to meet Compassionate Wisdom in this community, I must mentally and physically come down from the Mansion on the Mountain, and acknowledging my own broken and redeemed state, ask of these, God's beloved poor, permission to share something of their world and life where Compassionate Wisdom moves freely. So, rather tentatively, I started to frequent some of these places and was welcomed with open arms. The riches I discovered were immeasurable. People as equals gave and received, accepted the brokenness of each other and were mutually supportive.
One particular example overwhelmed me and it happened with little or no fuss and started spontaneously It was the reaction to the birth of Kira, who is profoundly mentally and physically handicapped. She is now six months old and in that short time she has drawn the whole community together. From the hard drinking men to the smallest child there was a spark of New Life.
And this is how it happened. Whilst enjoying a drink in the Welfare Club, it was mentioned that Kira was responding favourably to Snoozalem Therapy in the local hospital, but for various reasons she had to discontinue the treatment there. In passing her Mother mentioned how she dreamed of having Kira's room fitted with the necessary equipment…. no sooner said than someone arranged a spot collection. Ideas for fund raising flew around - a dance, bingo, raffle etc. Suddenly the community came to life and the money was raised as a result of the whole community working together, and the equipment was bought. I was asked to give a blessing and I used the occasion to suggest a Thanksgiving Service in the church, gently inviting people to claim the riches that were theirs in the Mansion on the Mountain - in the hope that one day we will together come with songs of rejoicing up this Mountain. In knowing something of God's unconditional love they may be able to forgive the powerful people who have placed heavy burdens on their shoulders and stood in judgement of them. I know the journey will not be easy, for all of us stumble and fall at times ... but we will make it together.
All I know is that a gentle and compassionate Wisdom is moving through this village of Cowie particularly where people gather to tell their stories and share their experience, and that Wisdom will guide this people up the Mountain of the Lord,
Where the Lion lies with the Lamb and a little Child leads them Alleluia!!!!
Alleluia!!!!
