ALL SAINTS

Sunday 1st November, 2020

All Saints....a day which brings back so many memories. Memories of friends and family as well as good deeds and happy occasions. I recall also my faith journey and today my especial memory was of the nuns in Bomonti, Istanbul. I have written of them before because they had such faith that mountains were moved. Never did they ask St Joseph, their patron, for a necessity and were not given it. The miracles varied from the free gift of oil for their heating system to drugs for their elderly residents to the work of a vet on the problems of their small flock of sheep. Every request was for some one else, never for themselves. Their humour and their joy was infectious and they spoke of heaven as if it was simply a fact. They would see their old friends and fellow nuns plus their families...indeed they were looking forward to it while still rejoicing in their incredibly hard work on earth. There were 14 nuns when I knew them, a Scottish lass from Glasgow with a very strong accent. A Belgium one, a French, Italian, Indian, Armenian, American and others. They jelled as one with the mission to care for and love the unwanted, the homeless, the sick, the poor, the aged, infirm and demented. Their belief was infectious, catching as was their generosity of spirit.

I streamed a Mass from Ontario. Thomas Cardinal Collins presided and his sermon spoke of St Henry Cardinal Newman and Carlo Acutis. The former 89 when he died, the latter 15. The former a great theologian and writer ( with a quill pen ), the latter a boy and computer expert. He quoted the latter as saying 'Getting to know Christ is my programme in life ' and how the 'Eucharist was his gateway to God'. I feel no embarrassment asking the Saints for favours. The Little Sisters at the end of a novena for help would turn the statue of St Joseph ( rather a gaudy one in their parlour, if I recall correctly )to face the corner if he had not supplied their needs. Sister Barbina would berate many a Saint in her muttered prayers, exclamations and conversations with the heavenly host..it was rumoured she ticked them off severely when truly irritated by their non response to requests.

As I walked this afternoon I muttered myself wondering how to pray In the way the nuns did. My guru simply says ' just talk to Jesus or sit with him'. For saints it seems easier!

As I came back through the high street of the village I decided on a present for my landlady who puts up with me and my irritating ways. I had seen only three people on my hour walk. It was cold and blustery and wetting. As I passed the superb bakery in Newport on Tay, attached to a starred Newport restaurant, I espied some very special chocolate brownies with a very fancy cream and chocolate decorative flourish. The flourish looked sort of like a halo! So in memory  and gratitude to all the saints I bought it. Superb but requests can be expensive. You pay for what you get ( and St Antony is known to demand huge financial gifts to worthy causes before he finds your lost property, keys, essentials or whatever you have misplaced! ). £3.50 for death by chocolate brownie with halo flourish. Thank goodness All Saints feast day is but once a year, even if they are always with us.