Tomorrow, September 25, there is a special session of the United Nations to discuss the Millennium Development Goals. Many people of faith will spend tomorrow in prayer and fasting and witness (See, for example, Lambeth 2008 reflections document).
The Millennium Development Goals were agreed to by all member states of the United Nations in 2000. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are to:
• Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Achieve universal primary education
• Promote gender equality and empower women
• Reduce child mortality
• Improve maternal health
• Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global partnership for development
Suggestions are:
• pray with special intention for the extreme poor throughout the world.
• skip at least one meal in solidarity with the nearly 1 billion people who go to bed hungry each night. (As possible depending on health … consult your doctor if in doubt)
• participate in an (online) advocacy action promoting your government’s fulfilling its promises to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
The CD Chant: Music For The Soul by the Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz (Holy Cross Abbey) is a surprising hit. It made the top of the charts in Europe. In Austria it reached double platinum, and in Germany gold. It appeared amongst the Top 10 hits from the USA to New Zealand.
The primary motivation of the 80 monks living in this monastery has been for “God’s words to reach the ears of ordinary people.” The abbey, founded in 1133 by St. Leopold III Margrave of Austria, is located about 15km from Vienna. The story of their entering a CD competition began with someone spotting one of the monk’s youtube video on their chanting and emailing the monastery about the competition. They entered the competition on the last day possible.
Experts in Gregorian chant may compare the style here with Solemes or even dislike Teutonic pronunciation of Latin. I have a reasonable collection of CDs with Gregorian chant – I found this particular CD a mellow, gentle introduction to this tradition. If you are looking for an introduction to this meditative musical prayer tradition I would look no further than this CD.
This website is mentioned in an article in our newspaper, the Christchurch Press, this morning. You can read the article here.
ps. I’ve received an email that the above link is not working. I cannot understand why. If it is not, please copy and paste the following URL: http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4695009a6530.html
I have been asked for (liturgical) resources for Back to Church Sunday.
Back to Church Sunday is a British initiative for Sunday 28 September aiming to encourage people to give church another go. The quality of the worship and the welcome this Sunday, as in my opinion every Sunday, will be central.
I have not produced anything solely for this focus, but everything on this site is intended to be visitor-friendly so can be used or adapted. The British website provides worship resources specifically targeted to this day.
Thanks to Liz, a reader of this site, for recommending the above video of Taizé in France and the death of it’s founder and prior, Frère Roger. I have spent two wonderful times at Taizé and have been working to have Brother Roger added to our church calendar. That looks like it will happen.
The four English options for a Liturgy of the Hours badge was supplemented by request for an equivalent in Spanish. I have had feedback by someone who likes the idea but he is looking for something less “I” focused. He is concerned that it may be interpreted perhaps by some as “Look how holy I am”. I guess as I bumble my way through life I had not thought of that and respect his point. One of the great things about the Liturgy of the Hours is that this is the prayer of Christ into which we insert ourselves. Others in the body of Christ are praying the Liturgy of the Hours all around the world. When we pray them we enter into this ongoing praying – but even when we miss praying them, we are conscious that this prayer life of the body of Christ of which we are part, continues.
Suggestions were: “Praying the Hours brings God’s powers” or “Praying the Hours blesses your day”. A badge needs few words to be bold – maybe just “Praying the Liturgy of the Hours” is another alternative. I am working on a different concept badge but if you have another suggestion for a less “I” focused Liturgy of the Hours badge – please contact me with the suggestion.
September 14 is Holy Cross Day, the Triumph of the Cross, the Exaltation of the Cross.
St Helena, having discovered the true cross of Jesus 14 September 326 (the “Invention of the Cross” sic. – 3 May) had a basilica in Jerusalem built over the spot. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was dedicated on 14 September 335.
The Rule of St Benedict 41:6 changes the eating habits of the monks – who should from now until Lent eat at None. This date, hence, has been taken as starting “monastic Lent”. We too might change our pace. In the Southern Hemisphere we can take on some of the Spring practices of our Northern Hemisphere siblings attached to Lent.
We can also reflect on the cross – how it marks us at baptism; how it is spiritual “brain gym” as we cross the centre line, beginning prayer by involving both hemispheres of our brain, to the final point of our journey when we are signed with the cross in death – fully joining Christ’s death.
We can reflect on how we make the sign of the cross sloppily; domesticate it in pretty jewellery; devalue it by cluttering every last liturgical object with yet another cross or crosses,…
Any of the latest generation computers and software can discern the denomination of its user and adjust the warning message seen when quitting before saving work. Examples:
Non-sectarian:
Do you wish to Save your work?
Roman Catholic:
Registry indicates user is Female; only Males are able to Save.
Anglican:
Your work may or may not be Saved.
Lutheran:
If you don’t follow the instruction manual, don’t expect your work to be Saved.
Mennonite:
Document contains the word “dancing”; it cannot be Saved.
JWs:
You are user #144,001; your work cannot be Saved.
Mormon:
Could we interest you in Saving your work?
Millenarian:
It is almost too late to Save your work.
S. Baptist:
If your work was not Saved, it is because you are evil.
TV Preacher:
This program has made mistakes in the past, but it will try to Save *this* file.
Born-again:
Before Saving your work, this program will erase all existing data; Proceed?
Faith healers:
If you believe your work will be Saved, it will be Saved.
Unashamedly researched with gratitute from Michael Zastre.
NZ Catholic, the fortnightly New Zealand national Catholic newspaper, has a positive front-page article about the installation of a female bishop Victoria Matthews in Christchurch, New Zealand. Although unable to attend the installation because of a prior commitment, the Roman Catholic bishop of Christchurch, Bishop Barry Jones, says he would have had no issue attending, extended his greetings and will be present at the diocesan synod eucharist this evening. The article continues:
Almost 20 years ago, then Dunedin Bishop Len Boyle had an even trickier situation to manage in terms of Anglican episcopacy. Penny Jamieson had been selected to head the Anglican diocese of Dunedin, but Bishop Boyle turned down an invitation to her ordination in 1989.
“My rationale was that I couldn’t go because I didn’t think she was being made a bishop,” Bishop Boyle, now retired, told NZ Catholic.
Does this mean if a male had been ordained bishop by the Anglicans back in 1989 Bishop Boyle would have gone to the ordination? And would have thought that the Anglican male “was being made a bishop”?
Focus on the rotating dot, you will see the dots, pink in colour. Focus on the black ‘+’ sign in the middle, and you will see the pink dot change to green. Remember: there is no green colour in the picture.
I was delighted to receive an email from Theo of the wonderful Vivificat! site requesting a badge for the Spanish version of his site Vivificat en Español. He also suggested the wording.
If you have not read it, you can find the background to this here, and four different English options for your blog or website here. I am hoping parish sites and religious communities’ websites will also take up displaying this badge encouraging this praying biblically together. Another person is encouraging me to make an interesting roll-over version. I will get to that
If you want to use this Spanish badge, copy the following HTML code and put it on your page:
Images from Saturday’s Installation of the 8th Bishop of Christchurch, Bishop Victoria Matthews, speak for themselves. A thousand people packed the cathedral for a warm welcome which included Ngai Tahu and the Hui Amorangi O Te Waipounamu and Tikanga Pasefika. Bishop Mark MacDonald, National Indigenous Bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada, preached.
Tomorrow, September 25, there is a special session of the United Nations to discuss the Millennium Development Goals. Many people of faith will spend tomorrow in prayer and fasting and witness (See, for example, Lambeth 2008 reflections document). 
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