QUOTES OF THE WEEK

The friends and foes of the royal house of Stuart fought each other for a hundred years first as Cavaliers and Roundheads, then as Jacobites and Whigs. Their wars were, as Coleridge put it, "a contest between the two great moving principles of social humanity". On one hand is the view that there is a basic order of things which we disregard at our peril. On the other is a claim that we can construct any order we choose. These positions have been called those of "the party of Memory" and "the party of Hope"..... The final defeat of the Stuart cause on Culloden moor in 1746 left the party of Hope - that is, the social engineers and the "Whig inter-pretation of history" - more of less unchallenged down to the present. This is why we assume that novelty is better than constancy, grievance is better than gratitude, and the glass is forever half empty rather than half full."

Peter Kocan

TOP MARKS

Two nudist professors are sitting on a verandah naked talking about life, death, God and general theories of existence. One turns to the other and says, "By the way, have you read Marx?" To which the other replies, "Yes, aren't these cane chairs murder!"

THIS AND THAT

BUT MOSTLY ABOUT HEAVEN

Fr Andrew

Margaret and I had a couple of days away in Canberra at the beginning of last week. We took Rachel back to university on Sunday afternoon and returned on Wednesday. We are beginning to get to know Canberra a little, now that the girls live there, and we grow to like it. It is a lovely city, for all that it is in the grip of drought.

Cynical Jonathan Swift

One of the delights in getting away is the chance it offers me for guiltless reading. I was able to finish a biography of one of my favourite authors, Jonathan Swift, the most profoundly cynical and cruelly witty of priests and writers who, for all his talents, was thwarted in ambition....... "There is no talent so useful towards rising in the world ....than that quality possessed by the dullest of people... called ‘discretion'; a species of lower prudence, by the assistance of which, people of the meanest intellect, without any other qualification, pass through the world in great tranquillity....This sort of discretion is usually attended with a strong desire of money, and few scruples about the way of obtaining it. In Swift's own view of his career, it was for want of discretion that he had been denied promotion. His original sin was the sin of wit, a neglect of that sanctimonious appearance of solemnity without which no clergyman could be considered truly devout. He draws contrasting portraits of two clergymen. Corusodes is sober obsequious, hypocritical, and censorious. His favourite pastime is darning his socks and he never visits a tavern or play house. Ingratiating to the rich and insincere with the poor, his career meets with constant success. By contrast Eugenio writes verses, frequents coffee-houses, and is denied a fellowship on account of a rumour that he had ‘been found dancing'. As Corusodes ascends to a bishop's throne, Eugenio is forced to accept a vicarage worth £60 ‘in the most desert part of Lincolnshire', where, his spirit quite sunk....he married a farmer's widow, and is still alive, utterly undistinguished and forgotten".

Heaven

I discovered a very interesting bookshop in the centre of Canberra which contains a lot of "remaindered" books, for the most part very reasonably priced and I bought a fascinating one on the subject of heaven called : "The Book of Heaven", subtitled "An Anthology of Writings from Ancient to Modern Times". .....

"Heaven is everywhere: in the writings of poets, the prayers of the dying, the lyrics of popular song. In every culture, in every epoch, human beings have dreamed of heaven, thirsted for heaven, even killed for heaven. Heaven is safety, goodness, beauty, truth; it is the kingdom of God, abode of the elect, crown of the martyrs, comfort of the bereaved, fount of enlightenment, mirror of fantasy and hope. Heaven is also the sky—home of the four winds, storehouse of rain and snow, concourse of the moving planets, vault of the fixed stars.

"Heaven is a timeless realm but it has a history, or perhaps it is truer to say that it has multiple histories, running concurrently, all in the present tense. Maps change but no picture of heaven has ever become completely obsolete. In every flourishing culture the image of heaven is perpetually renewed.

"The Book of Heaven is a literary tour of heaven, moving thematically through its many mansions, and highlighting both the diversity and the universality of reflection on heaven. Sacred chants from the Tibetan Book of the Dead reverberate alongside John Donne's holy sonnets. Shaker gift songs alongside Gnostic hymns, in what must be an unprecedented combination. Selections span the millennia as well, for we wish, in G. K. Chesterton's words, to "have the dead at our councils." At the same time, in order to trace a particular lineage in depth, we emphasize the heaven literature of the West, where visions of the heavenly city reflect the cultural patterns, ideals, and longings of the earthly cities of Athens, Jerusalem, and Rome.

"The history of heaven in the West begins with the Bible. The heavens of the ancient Hebrews, created out of primordial chaos, form a vast watery sky-dome, supported by massive pillars and covering the earth. Rain falls down from the open windows of the firmament; stars shine through it; God dwells enthroned within it, or perhaps beyond it (for how can God be contained by a visible scaffolding of his own creation?). The prophets of Israel visit heaven in visions, dreams, even bodily ascents. But the dead are nowhere to be seen—they have descended into a shadowy realm beneath the earth. Yet after the Babylonian exile, a new hope gradually emerges: that the righteous will be raised up from death and enter into a state of blessedness in the world to come. Heaven now belongs to astronomers and mystics. A hierarchy of seven or ten celestial spheres, it reveals its secrets to visionaries who, in the tradition of Ezekiel, contemplate the divine throne and the chariot on which it rests. Although God remains utterly transcendent, a few may be privileged to behold the radiance of his glory.

"St. Paul, after being lowered from the window of a Damascus prison in a basket, finds himself caught up in the paradise of the third heaven, where he hears "unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter" (2 Corinthians 12:4). Notwithstanding this reticence, the New Testament is saturated with words about heaven. In the Gospels, angels announce the nativity, a voice from heaven is heard at the baptism of Jesus, Jesus teaches in parables about the kingdom of heaven, heaven descends at the transfiguration, and the final words of Jesus to the thief on the cross are "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). Above all, the resurrection and ascension of Christ open up the heavens just as the crucifixion breaks down the gates of hell. Mary and the saints dwell in heaven, further humanizing this transcendent realm, and the holy souls in purgatory—heaven's antechamber—forge a link between the living and the dead.

"Just as heaven is both a place (sky) and a state of being (union with God), so paradise, whose history intertwines with heaven's, is both a place — in the east, west, or centre of the earth; atop a mountain; or translated to the sky — and a time — the golden age, the time of creation, and the future age, the time of resurrection. Beyond biblical Eden, paradise comprises the Elysian Fields, the Isles of the Blest, Arcadia, and all the other happy realms of Greek and Roman mythology It is a land of saints and also a place of natural marvels (as in The Voyage of Bran), a lovers' bower (as in The Romance of the Rose), and a poor man's banquet (as in the legends of Cockaigne)........

"........Some readers may wonder why we have not allotted more space to the devil's — or the skeptic's — point of view. After all, there is a long and venerable tradition of skepticism about heaven, from the ancient Egyptian "Song of the Harper" to Stephen Hawking. There are anti-heaven poems (like Wallace Stevens's "Sunday Morning") and anti- heaven tracts (like Corliss Lament's The Illusion of Immortality). Henry Fielding, Lord Byron, Rupert Brooke, Mark Twain, and Julian Barnes present their doubts in satiric fashion; we think that these are among the most elegant expressions of the case against heaven. But when it comes down to it, the literature of heaven is richer than the literature against it. In any case, the best satires of heaven have a purifying rather than a corrosive effect: they burn off the cliches and permit a fresh approach.

"Is heaven, strictly speaking, inconceivable? Is perfect happiness a contradiction in terms? Perhaps so, but try this: Imagine the happiest moments of your childhood, the most genuinely gratifying experiences of your adult life. Add to these every glimpse of beauty, every act of creation, every awakening of insight. Subtract the anxiety that eats away at the core of even our best experiences, cancel the contradictions, and translate to eternity Is this so difficult?

"Without heaven, is earth bearable? Most societies have found it necessary to envision a future time of recompense in heaven or in the world to come. When the newspapers remind us daily that this world is one in which children are tortured, is it unreasonable to hope for another world, where tears will be dried and, as the English mystic Julian of Norwich puts it, ‘All well be well, and all will be well, and all manner of things will be well'?

"Must you believe in heaven in order to enjoy this book? Hardly. You need only be curious about how human beings have responded to death, imagined the cosmos, and looked for ways to transcend their limits. You will surely be able to savour the comic elements in heaven, for indeed it is essentially comic to picture human beings divested of their mortal bodies, just as it is essentially tragic to picture the body's decline.

"If you do believe in heaven, will it be discomfiting to encounter so many different views? We trust not. Not all versions of heaven are equally compelling, yet all have something to teach us. Whatever may finally be true about heaven is a secret that only heaven can disclose.

From the Introduction to "The Book of Heaven" edited by Carol and Philip Zaleski and published by the Oxford University Press.

ST SUPERCILIA

St. Supercilia, born in Paris about the year 1400, was a maiden of remarkable erudition, who steadfastly refused to marry anyone who could not defeat her in open disputation. When the best scolars of all the universities in Europe had tried and failed, her unworthy father brutally commanded her to accept the hand of a man who, though virtuous, sensible, and of a good estate, knew only six languages and was weak in mathematics. At this, the outraged saint raised her eyebrows so high that they lifted her right off her feet and out through a top-storey window, whence she was last seen floating away in a northerly direction. St Supercilia is the patron of pedants. Her feast, Eyebrow Sunday, falls in Cacophony, between Lowbrow Sunday and Derogation Day.Dorothy Sayers

TRANSLATION

A German student attempting to translate part of the New Testament into English, rendered a very famous text as; "the Ghost is agreeable but the meat is soft" (Matt 26:41)

A PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

O God, who in your love kept me vigorously and joyfully at work in days gone by, and now send me joyful and contented into silence and inactivity; grant me to find happiness in you in all my solitary and quiet hours. In your strength, O God, I bid farewell to all. The past you know: I leave it at your feet. Grant me grace to respond to your divine call; to leave all that is dear on earth, and go alone to you. Behold, I come quickly, says the Lord. Come, Lord Jesus.

Prayer of an Indian priest in old age

PRAYER LIST

This week we have started a new list for those for whom prayers are desired. Please add any names requiring prayer to the list in the narthex, only of course with their permission.

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to Harry & Heather Nichols for their wedding anniversary on Tuesday the 4th of May and to Debbie Last and Tiffany Chandler for their birthday on Wednesday the 5th, and to Merle Maskell for hers on Saturday the 8th.

NEWS FROM SHEPPARTON INTERCHURCH COUNCIL

Office Bearers

President: Monsignor Peter Jeffery

Secretary: Joan McRae-Benson

Treasurer: Gloria Threlfall

Ecumenical Service

Pentecost, May 30, 7.30 pm

St Mel¹s Church

Preacher Canon Andrew Neaum

No ecumenical studies this year! The Inter Church Council has decided instead to invite Church members to workshops and addresses by key speakers, such as the studies led by Fr Brendan Byrne in February. The next is: Hugh Mackay on May 14, 7.00pm at Baringa

also

BUS TOUR OF ABORIGINAL SITES

AND ORGANISATIONS

Tuesday, May 25, 10.30  3.00pm.

$15 includes bus fare, commentary, indigenous morning and afternoon teas and Iraqi lunch.

Enquiries Linley 5820 0018; 5855 2422AH

Joan 5821 4 459

There is a list in the Narthex for those who would like to participate

Sponsored by Shepparton Interchurch Council and Shepparton Region Reconciliation Group

to recognise Reconciliation Week, 2004

PASTORAL CARERS

There will be a meeting of those who visit the hospital and those who take Communion to folk in their homes after the 10.00am Eucharist this Wednesday 5th May, in the Library.

 EVENING GUILD GARAGE SALE

Do not forget the Garage Sale, June 18th and 19th. We require all those unwanted bits and pieces.

THE HALL KITCHEN

On May the 6th the Wardens, Rector and a representative of each Guild and the Catering Committee will hold a meeting to begin the process of getting the hall kitchen renovated. If anyone has any good ideas please let one of the above know and would the Guilds please ensure that they have a representative in attendance.

FOR SALE

40 metres of Axminster carpet

Lounge Suite (3 seater and 2 chairs)

plus 7 sets of curtains.

8 dining chairs wood with velvet seats

all matching gold velvet

all in excellent condition

price negotiable

contact Pat Radevski 58 216606

PARISH COUNCIL - DOOKIE

The Parish council Meeting on Wednesday takes place at Dookie, starting at 6.00pm with Dinner at the Pub. Anyone requiring a lift have a word with Fr Andrew.

             IMPORTANT DATES

May 4th                      Baptism Preparation 7.30pm

May 5th                      Pastoral Carers Meeting 11 a.m

May 5th                      Parish Council at Dookie 7.30

May 6th                      Hall Kitchen Committee Meeting

May 7th                      Dookie Guild

May 8th                      Wedding 1.30pm

May 9th                      Children's Church

May 10th                    Ladies Guild Coffee Morning

May 18th                    Afternoon Guild 2pm

May 20th                    Evening Guild 2pm

May 18^th - 21^st           Annual Priests' Retreat

May 22nd                   Wedding 2.30pm

May 25th                    Reconciliation Activity

May 26th                    St Augustine's Patronal Festival

May 30th                    Ecumenical Service St. Mel's 7.30pm

Jun 5th                        Ugandan Martyrs - Breakfast

Jun 6th                        Mass for Africa

Jun 12th                      Wedding 2.00pm

Jun 18-19th                 Evening Guild Garage Sale

July 18th                     Confirmation

June 30th                    Ecumenical Service for Unity 7.00pm

Sept 17-18                  Synod

Oct 3rd                        St Francistide Pet Blessing

Oct 16th                      Wedding 3.00pm

Oct 23rd                      Wedding 3.00pm

Nov 6th                       Wedding 3.30pm

Nov 13th                     Wedding 2.30pm

Nov 13th                     Parish Fair

Nov 21st.                    Bishop's Visit

Nov 27th                     Wedding 1.30pm

Dec 18th                     Wedding 1.30pm

DUTIES FOR 2nd May 2004

Readers 8.30               Frank Harder, Heather Pearson

Readers 10.30             Jenny Pleming, Charlotte Brewer

Servers 8,30                Beth, Rachel, Emma

Servers 10.30              Jenny Waite, Joan McCann, Carole

Euch. Assists 8.30      Bev Condon, Carole Henderson

Euch. Assists 10.30    Bev Condon, Maureen Cormican

Intercessors                 Pat Griffin, Maureen Cormican

Welcoming 8.30         Joy Campbell,Eileen Quaife

Welcomers 10.30        Judy Longley, Adrian Evans

Sidespeople 8.30        Norm Mitchelmore, Joy Campbell

Sidespeople 10.30      John Pleming, Jennifer Pleming

Tea 8.30                      Gwyn Cowland

Mowing                      Lionel Waterson, Adrian Evans

DUTIES FOR 9th May 2004

Readers 8.30               Jeanette Smith, Norm Weaver

Readers 10.30             Christine Jones, Nancy Noonan

Servers 8,30                Michelle, Stephen, Debbie

Servers 10.30              Jennifer Pleming, Zebedee, Tiana

Euch. Assists 8.30      John Griffin, Heather Fitzgerald

Euch. Assists 10.30    Christine Edwards,Carole Henderson

Intercessors                 Carole Henderson, Children

Welcoming 8.30         Joyce Cavill, Gwen Betson

Welcomers 10.30        Sandra Simonis, Charlotte Brewer

Sidespeople 8.30        Trevor Batey,Victoria Heenan

Sidespeople 10.30      Alan Akers, Adrian Evans

Tea 8.30                      Cecily McDonald,Pat Griffin

Mowing                      Frank Steen, Michael Egan

FOR PRAYER

Liam Bognar, Richard Goodfellow, Iris Grant, Ron Hall, Jean Hastie, Thelma Irwin, Fr Wayne Ireland, Marie Law, Joyce Maloney, Ann Mills, Richard Pearson, Anthony Pease, Ray Prosser, Mary Rider, Margaret Robinson, Peter and Eva Swindells, Rev.Glenis Traill, Brian Ward, Malcolm Waterson, Glenda, Darryl, Elizabeth, Faith, Michael, Nea,

Anniversary of Death

Mildred Cochran 2nd, Frances Hobart, Bill Auldrige 3rd, Keith Oxley, Stan Dainton, Gus Kelly 5th, Jim Reither 8th.

THIS WEEK

            Monday May 3rd     

                        Fr Andrew's Day off

7.45am            Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel

5.30pm            Evening Prayer

            Tuesday May 4th

7.45am            Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel

2.00pm            Children's Church Preparation

5.30pm            Evening Prayer

7.30pm            Baptism Preparation

            Wednesday May 5th

7.45am            Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel

10.00am          Eucharist - St Augustine's

11.00am          Pastoral Carers Meeting

11.00am          Banksia Lodge

1.30pm            Hakea Lodge

6.00pm            Parish Council at Dookie

            Thursday May 6th

7.45am            Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel

11.00am          Hall Kitchen meeting - Hall if free or Library

4.30pm            Patronage Board Meeting - Wangaratta

5.30pm            Evening Prayer

7.30pm            Choir Practice

            Friday May 7th

7.45am            Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel

5.30pm            Evening Prayer

            Saturday May 8th .

7.45am            Mattins & Eucharist - Lady Chapel

1.30pm            Orthodox Wedding

5.30pm            Evening Prayer

            Sunday May fifth Sunday of Easter and Children's Church

 8.00am            Mattins - Lady Chapel

 8.30am            Sung Eucharist - St Augustine's

 9.00am            Eucharist - St Luke's Dookie

10.30am          Eucharist - St Augustine's

10.45am          Eucharist - St Mary's Katandra

12.00noon       Orthodox Baptism

5.30pm            Evening Prayer

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