Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm

Fr. Piet as Chaplain to the National Shrine of Saint Jude

It is with sadness, but trusting in the loving mercy of God, that the British Province of Carmelites announces the death this morning of our brother Fr. Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

The following text comes from the announcement on the British province site:

"Piet was born in The Netherlands in 1939. Growing up there during the Nazi occupation of World War II, Piet was greatly impressed with the witness to the Gospel of Carmelite martyrs such as Blessed Titus Brandsma.

Working hard was a hallmark of Piet's personality, and his final appointment was as Parish Priest of Faversham, where he had also served as Chaplain to the National Shrine of Saint Jude. He celebrated Mass in the parish church on Tuesday of this week.

The Carmelites express our condolences to Piet's family and friends, and thank everyone who has cared for him. We thank God for the great example Piet gave us, of living a Carmelite vocation to the full. We ask you to join with us in praying for Piet, who remains tied to us in Christ by baptism and the bonds of Carmel."

Fr Piet's full obituary on the website can be seen, here.

As Chaplain (and later on too), Fr. Piet wrote a number of updates for our blog (you can view them all here). When Fr. Piet was diagnosed with his illness back in 2014, he wrote an update called: Why not me?, which is reproduced below.

“…the bad news is that I have a malignant tumour on my right lung. The whole situation makes me think of a lady at home in Holland.

Her name is Truus. She was happily married, was a real bubbly young woman with five sons. One Saturday afternoon her husband, Henk, was watching a couple of their boys playing soccer. It was a very exciting match and he died there and then of a massive heart attack. A long time later Truus told me that she had been pretty miserable and had been going around for a couple of years with only one question in her head “Why me?” until one morning she woke up and found herself asking “Why not me?”. It changed her life in an instant and she became once again the cheerful mum she had been before.

Now I can really share her sentiments. Millions of people have cancer and after all two of my own sisters died of it and therefore “Why not me?”. Many thanks for your great support and many prayers…”     

Fr. Piet always said that Saint Jude was the Patron Saint of Hope. How right he was - and Piet was a man full of hope and love.

We will miss him a lot at the Shrine and Shrine Office, and we are very grateful for his presence and service to everyone at the Shrine. May Piet, and all the souls of the faithful departed, rest in peace.

Matt Betts

Thanks to the British Province of Carmelite website and Johan Bergstrom-Allen.

Our Protector!

Fr Piet Wijngaard, OCarm is former chaplain of the Shrine, and now Parish Priest here. In our blog, Fr Piet writes about Saint Theodore and his connection to the Parish in Faversham. The Parish church is connected to the Shrine of Saint Jude:

"Several of you might have wonder why we priests quite often mention Saint Theodore in the Eucharistic Prayers at Mass in the church in Faversham. Well let me explain.

On Christmas Day 1899 the Parish of Canterbury celebrated not one but three Masses at 82 Abbey Street in Faversham, and thereafter once a month on the first Sunday. In this way the Faversham Mission was established.

Southwark Archdiocese then obtained Plantation House in Faversham, and in October 1900 the Bishop of Southwark arranged that a member of the Oblates of St Francis de Sales from the Walmer community would take the position of resident priest. One of the rooms in Plantation House was made in a chapel and dedicated to Saint Theodore of Tarsus.

Saint Theodore was was born in 602, died on 19th September 690 and was buried at Canterbury. He was archbishop of Canterbury from 668 to 690 and was best known for his reform of the English Church by holding several synods and establishing a school in Canterbury. Apart from the Roman Catholic Church, he is venerated by the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Anglican Communion. He studied at Antioch and Constantinople and studied medicine, Roman civil law, Greek rhetoric and philosophy and the use of horoscope. He also became learned in Latin literature, both sacred and secular. No wonder he was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury!

Let us remember him, especially on his feast day 19th September. After all he was our patron and protector of our Catholic community here at Faversham almost right from its establishment. Let us be inspired by his enthusiastic dedication to the job given him by the Lord!

Saint Theodore, pray for us.

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm

Thoughts from our Chaplain - Go for the goal!

When I was the Parish Priest in Aberystwyth I came across a book with the title “Faith for the Future – a new illustrated catechism.”  It was based on the New Catechism of the Catholic Church, but much more readable. In order to get a greater understanding of the faith I recommended it to young couple getting married and young couples coming to have their first baby baptised. It had of course the old creed etc. and therefore became out of date once the new liturgy of the Mass was introduced. Unfortunately it has never been updated.

Recently the Redemptorist Publication sent round a leaflet on “Your Faith – a popular presentation of Catholic belief”. The leaflet states, “Your Faith presents the fundamental truths of the Catholic faith in a simple and popular way. It has been completely revised and updated with beautiful images and illustrations to link faith with daily life”.

On 31 July, we commemorated St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), the founder of the Jesuits. After a deep conversion from military service he dedicated himself competed to Jesus. He could be quite radical. We read in Magnificat. “Thus as far as we are concerned, we should not want health more than illness, wealth more than poverty, fame more than disgrace, a long life more than a short one…, but we should desire and choose only what helps us more towards the end for which we were created”.

I’m sure “Your faith” can assist us with that.  

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

Thoughts from our Chaplain - “Pray for us sinners!”

If the 27^th July hadn’t fallen this year on a Sunday, we would have celebrated the feast of the Dutch Carmelite Blessed Titus Brandsma.

I have written about him before, but as many of my brethren have recourse to pray to him on my behalf, I like to recall his life, especially his latter days.

He was born in Bolsward (Holland) in 1881 on a Frisian farm, he entered the Carmelite Order and was ordained 1905. He obtained a doctorate in philosophy, lectured (including mysticism) at the Nijmegen University, stood up for the freedom of the press and opposed the Nazis for their treatment of the Jews. He was arrested in 1942 and was killed in Dachau.

Whilst at Dachau he reached out to fellow prisoners, was always friendly to and prayed for his brutal guards and made a deep impression on the nurse, Titia, who gave him the fatal injection in the infirmary block. In her testimony she said that she wanted to speak about him, because he had helped her so much. “Titus asked me how I came to work in this place. Once he took my hand and said ‘What a poor girl you are, I pray much for you.’ He also gave me his rosary, but I said that I couldn’t pray. He replied, ‘Pray then at least the last words: pray for us sinners’. I laughed.

Instead of laughing, let us say then, because we are sinners – at least I am!

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

Thoughts from our Chaplain - With you and for you!

If the 20 July hadn’t fallen on a Sunday this year, we would have been celebrating the Solemnity of the prophet Elijah. All the same I like to write a few words about him.

He is one of the two main pillars of Carmelite Spirituality, the other one being Our Lady. It is interesting that at the moment in the Office of Reading we have the stories about his life, especially his struggles with King Ahab and his foreign wife, Jezebel. He introduced her religion, the worship of Baal. Elijah told him that because of this there would be a drought in the land. He reprimanded them very severely about killing their neighbour Naboth in order to take over his vineyard. And then of course there was the famous contest on Mount Carmel between himself and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah. Elijah won but had to flee for his life because Jezebel was determined to kill him. It is then that God reveals himself to him in the gentle breeze or the still small voice.

The Dutch Carmelite spiritual writer Kees Waaijman describes God and also Elijah as “wezer”, i.e. someone who is with the people and for the people.

This Sunday we are celebrating Fr Wilfrid’s Golden Jubilee of Priestly Ordination. We wish him many more happy years. In his case as with everyone of us might it especially be a case of being with and for God’s people.      

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

Thoughts from our Chaplain - Not in vain!

I have just been reading (in Dutch) sections of a letter between Teresa of Avila and her friend Luisa de la Cerda. It is in the present issue of “Karmelimpuls”. What especially struck me was the way she wrote about suffering. 

She tells her friend that relationships in this world are so different: “Those, who could help you, won’t do it and I, who wants to assist you, can’t do it”. She adds that “we mortals have to endure those and even worse situations” Try not to worry. Think of how much depends on your health. These days mine has been very bad. It would have been even worse, if I, on your insistence, had not received the good care in your home.” She acknowledges that she needed this insistence, because the scorching heat of the sun had made her pain so much worse. By her arrival in Toledo, Teresa immediately had to undergo two blood-lettings, and was not able to move or turn in bed because of the pain in her shoulders and neck.

This weekend, the parish is celebrating our annual Parish Day to commemorate Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We know that there was much suffering in Our Lady's life too. She offered them up, together with her Son, to the Father, and for the salvation of all.

Like Our Lady and Teresa, our sufferings don’t have to be in vain. That thought helps us to bear them more easily.

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

Thoughts from our Chaplain - Ora et Labora!

It is Wednesday 2^nd July and I’m in the William Harvey hospital for my last chemo session – at least for the moment!

I am reading in Living Faith (April - June edition) excerpts from a book by Fr Ronald Rolheiser entitled “Prayer. Our Deepest Longing”. Coming from him you know that there will be some pearls in it.

He writes that spirituality is as real as science. However, we live in a world where the real has been reduced to what is physical: to what we can see, taste, touch etc. But that won’t still our deepest desire. He quotes St Augustine, who wrote “You have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you”. All of us will struggle with prayer, but if we want to get anywhere we have to embrace the fundamental or non-negotiable rule, “You have to show up for prayer and you have to show up regularly.”

It reminds me of this morning’s reading from Amos,“Seek good not evil so that you may live and that the Lord may really be with you as you claim he is.” Somewhat later he writes, “Let justice flow like water, and integrity like an unfailing stream.” That tells us that prayer should lead to worthwhile action. As St James wrote, “Prayer without good works is quite dead.” Or to use the ancient motto, “Ora et Labora: Bid and work.” Let us do just that!

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

Thoughts from our Chaplain - Making doubly sure!

This weekend we are celebrating the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul. 

It always reminds me of my confirmation. One day our primary school teacher told us, “When you get home today ask your parents what saint’s name you are going to take for your confirmation”. I asked my mum and without more ado she said “Saint Paul”. Next morning the teacher asked us what our choices were. When she came to me she asked “And Piet what is yours?” and I replied with great pride “Paul”. She hesitated for a moment, but then she said “I see. You are making doubly sure”! 

I feel really happy about having been named after these two great saints. However, it always struck me that on this feast day Peter seems to receive much more attention than Paul. Our First Reading is all about Peter’s arrest and his miraculous escape from prison, whilst in the Gospel Reading he speaks up for the others and for each one of us (!) by saying to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” In the Second Reading Paul tells Timothy that his life is being poured away like a libation and that he has fought the good fight. 

Within the year we celebrate their own feast: the Chair of Peter and the Conversion of St Paul. This weekend we remember their heroic martyrdom. It that way they made doubly sure of gaining eternal life. Let us be inspired by their self-giving.  

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

Thoughts from our Chaplain - The Mass is not ended!

This weekend we celebrate the great feast of Corpus Christi. My thoughts go back to a week ago, when we had the lovely celebration of the First Communions and how well the children had been prepared for it.

Over the centuries different aspects of the Eucharist have been emphasized: personal thanksgiving, adoration, the sacrifice of Jesus, sharing a meal, etc.

I like the way St Paul writes about it to the Corinthians. He told them off for eating their own food in a hurry and as a consequence some went hungry, whilst others got drunk! He tells them what he taught them, i.e. “that on the same night that Jesus was betrayed he took some bread and thanked God for it and broke it  and he said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me’.” (1 Cor. 11: 23-25). Paul tells them: Jesus didn’t eat his own meal. Instead he took bread, broke it and gave it away.

Actually he gave himself away, because he said, “This is my body for you”. The message is: Let us break the bread in order to give it to others. To me that means that at the end of the Eucharistic celebration the Mass is not ended, but that we bring what we have received, i.e. Jesus and his values, to others. That would be a very worthy celebration of Corpus Christi.             

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

Thoughts from our Chaplain - Love & Fidelity!

For one reason or another Holy Trinity has always been special to me and most likely also to a good number of you. At a wedding at the exchanging of rings I always like to mention to the congregation that this exchange of rings will be done in the name of the Holy Trinity. I tell them that the Holy Trinity is the supreme example of love: The Father and Son loving one another so much that from all eternity another entity is there: The Holy Spirit or Love Itself. The bridegroom holds the bride’s hand and says after me, “Mary, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”  Whilst this is being said or rather prayed the ring is pushed against the thumb etc. until it is put on the ring finger on the Amen. 

Whilst the couple express their love and fidelity for each other, it is a great reminder of the Trinity’s supreme love for and fidelity to each one of us.

As St John tells us, God’s love for us came first and not vice versa. 

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

Thoughts from our Chaplain - Not to us, Lord, but to you…!

When Manchester City had won the Premier League I sent congratulations to my girl friend in Aberystwyth. Don’t worry she is in her eighties! She is a fan but not a fanatical one. When I saw the scenes of the euphoria and adulation, I was beginning to wonder what it was all about. For some fans their players become not just heroes but idols.

Football becomes their religion and their players become their gods. Just imagine all the money that is spent on going to watch game after game. Could some of it not be spent on some more useful causes?               

I was reminded of all this when I read the loving reflection by Sr Melannie Svoboda, S.N.D. in Living Faith for May 19^th. She is reflecting on Paul’s and Barnabas’ visit to Lystra. They have cured a man who had been lame from birth. Immediately the people who saw it treated them as gods coming down from heaven in human form. The missionaries tried desperately to convince them that it was not them but Jesus who procured the miracle, saying that they themselves were mere mortals as they were.

The football fans have their idols. Have we them too? We shouldn’t. And we should have only one and he is not an idol, he is our God or our Creator, Saviour and Redeemer.  So with the psalmist let us say and pray “Not to us, Lord, but to you be the glory now and for ever. Amen.                                                                          

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.

Thoughts from the Chaplain: Transforming suffering!

On Tuesday of this week I had the privilege of presiding at the Mass of our Provincial Chapter. The night before Fr Wilfrid had handed over the office of Provincial to Fr Antony Lester. Tony had thanked Wilfrid very much for his gentle leadership over the past six years, which could not have been an easy time for him. Let us keep both of our brothers in our prayers.

What struck me in the readings of the day was St Stephen’s courage by which he addressed the people, the leaders and the scribes. Quite clearly a man filled with the Holy Spirit. He said “You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit” and I thought “Food for thought here”. We might not be pagans, but how many idols are there in our life? And that surely is a way of resisting the Holy Spirit.

This made me think of Fr James McKarns’ reflection in Living Faith for this Sunday, the fourth Sunday of Easter. He reflects on how suffering can transform us. He writes “Whether physical, mental or emotional hurts, the better we endure the cross, the more Christ-like we become. Accepting suffering means not running toward it, but through it…Our Saviour has said we will save our souls through patient endurance.”

Let us remember our sufferings don’t have to be in vain. We can offer them up with Jesus, not just for our own good, but for the good of all.                                                                  

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm. 

Thoughts from our Chaplain: Where is God in this?

It was Tuesday 29^th April and I was reading The Guardian. What stunned me were the contrasting stories of two teenagers.

On the front page and continuing on page 3 the heading is “Boy, 15, held after teacher is killed in classroom”.  On page 6 there is a short article with the heading “Teenager’s cancer fund passes £3m mark”. In order to give our youngsters the rewards they deserve you would have thought the articles should be in reverse order and we should have been told much more about the brave initiative of Stephen Sutton.

Three years ago he was diagnosed with terminally ill bowel cancer. He set up the Teenage Cancer Trust and hoped to raise £10,000. From his hospital bed he told the paper “To celebrate still being here after this crazy week, to celebrate this wonderful journey called life, and to celebrate being part of raising over £3m for the charity, here is a huge thumbs-up from me!”

By now we all know of the tragedy that happened in a Catholic school in Leeds: a beloved teacher of Spanish with forty years of dedication to her job, Anne Maguire, who was due to retire this September, was stabbed in front of the class and died shortly afterwards.

We can all see the Holy Spirit at work in Stephen’s endeavour. Several classmates of the murderer might well have wondered “Where is God in this?” By now we don’t know what made the youngster flip. However, let us hope and pray that something enormously good will come from this event too.

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm. 

Thoughts from our Chaplain: Newness!

I was rather curious to see whom Magnificat had chosen for its Easter Sunday meditation. Well, its editors didn’t disappoint me, because it is none other that Pope Francis himself.

He talks about the newness the women experienced after the death of Jesus and how newness can make us fearful and thus, like the apostles, we would prefer to hold on to our own security. However, the Pope writes, “Let us not be closed to the newness that God wants to bring into our lives.”  

This made me think of Emma Taggart (a parishioner here) who was received into the Church during the Easter Vigil. She received the sacraments of adult Christian initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist. What a privilege, but also what a responsibility! It is a great privilege of what God does to us: in baptism giving us a share in his divine life, in confirmation bestowing on us the Holy Spirit and in the Holy Eucharist giving us the Body and Blood of Jesus. The challenge is of course to respond as fully as we can to those gifts. This doesn’t count just for Emma, but for each one of us.

I was pleased to see so many at the Easter Vigil, who came to support Emma and, more importantly, to have a newness in their own faith journey to say a very fervent “I do” to our baptismal promises. It made for a very happy Easter indeed.

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm. 

Thoughts from our Chaplain: Mission Possible

This weekend we are celebrating two events. Firstly Palm Sunday, commemorating the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem and, secondly, the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The official title for these two celebrations is Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. Personally I have always found it a great pity that in the liturgical reforms these two were lumped together. It has always given me the feeling that justice isn’t being done to either event and that the whole thing becomes rushed. I much preferred the way it was, i.e. Palm Sunday on the 2^nd Sunday before Easter and Passion Sunday the Sunday before Easter. Anyway we have to deal with what we have got. 

Magnificat has a special issue for Holy Week and in his reflection on Palm-Passion Sunday the Cistercian monk Fr Simeon writes, “….why exactly is it that suffering should bring about redemption”. He suggests to expand the meaning of suffering from simply “undergoing pain” to include “the willing activation of all the passions of the soul”, intended to put love in the place of the beloved’s refusal to love. Christ redeems us because he passionately embraces our rejection of him with a love unto death, and he will not let go of us”. 

Let our intention be not to let go of him who on Palm Sunday of the Passion fulfilled the will of his Father and thereby fulfilled his mission. With his grace our mission is possible too. Have a fruitful celebration of Holy Week.                                            

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm. 

Thoughts from our Chaplain: Smile and smile again!

Yesterday we were celebrating Laetare Sunday (4^th Sunday of Lent). It is so called because that is the first word of the Latin entrance antiphon and means “Rejoice”. It reads “Rejoice, Jerusalem, and all who love her. Be joyful, all were in mourning; exult and be satisfied at her consoling breasts.” Jerusalem, the place where God dwelled was seen as a mother. And the sentiments of joy are expressed in the readings: The youngest son, David, being anointed king; we becoming children of light (Eph.) and the blind man being cured. And joy will be a common theme is the subsequent daily readings. However, traditionally we rejoice on this Sunday, because the Easter celebrations are coming nearer.

It all reminded me of a poem, entitled Smiling that an elderly lady called Colette sent me from a nursing home. I would like to share it with you: 

Smiling is infectious

You catch it like the flu

When someone smiled at me today

I started smiling too.

I passed around the corner and

Someone saw me grin

When he smiled I realised

I’d passed it on to him.

I thought about the smile

Then I realised what its worth

A single smile just like mine

Could travel around the earth.

So if you feel a smile begin

Don’t leave it undetected

Let’s start an epidemic quick

And get  the world infected! 

A very good and uplifting exercise for Lent! Moreover, if you are prepared to share your chocolate bar, you most likely will make the other person smile too!                                        

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm. 

Thoughts from our Chaplain: Do ordinary things greatly!

I came across an interesting little piece by Blessed Titus Brandsma. He wrote in Dutch, so I hope I’m faithful to what he has to say. “We are not called to proclaim in public big, conspicuous and hotly disputed things. That would be against the simplicity we intent to practise. But it is our duty to do the ordinary things in a grand manner, i.e. with a pure heart and with the strength of our whole being. We don’t desire to stand at the front and be acclaimed on account of our achievements to which the people of the world look up. We just want to be noticed for our simplicity and sincerity.” I think we can all say “Amen” to that!

Titus was born in Bolsward (Holland) in 1881, joined the Carmelites and was ordained in 1905. He earned a doctorate in philosophy in Rome and then taught in various schools in Holland. After that he taught philosophy and mysticism in the Catholic University in Nijmegen, where he also served as Rector Magnificus. Under the Nazi occupation he spoke up for the freedom of the press and the Jews and against the Nazi ideology. He was arrested and eventually killed in the Dachau. John Paul II beatified him on 3 November 1985.

I’m very grateful to my colleagues at Aylesford Priory and their wider community for invoking the intercession of Titus for my wellbeing. At the moment I’m feeling fine, ready for my second chemo session on 28^th March. Once again my thanks for your prayers too.                                 

Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.   

Thoughts from our Chaplain: practical prayer!

I was rather pleased that one of the recent reflections in Magnificat (on 14^th March) was by the Metropolitan Anthony Bloom.

Anthony belonged to the Russian Orthodox Church and died in 2003. I met him in about 1977 when he was living in London, was known as Archbishop Anthony Bloom and came to Aylesford Priory to give our students and novices a coupe of talks. What remains with me especially, apart from his gentleness and humility, was his holiness. Sanctity seemed to be oozing out of him and it was an absolute privilege to be in his presence.

This reminds me of the colleagues of St Francis saying of him, “Seeing Francis is seeing oratio: prayer in action”. In one of the talks Anthony told us, “Make your prayer practical. I mean, if you are a rather hot tempered individual, don’t get up in the morning and tell God ‘Dear Lord, I will never be angry again’. No instead pray, ‘Dear Lord, I will try not be angry for the next half hour! Say that several times a day and be aware of the Lord’s presence. You will soon notice the enormous difference it makes in your life”.

So here is a great Lenten exercise for you: Attack your predominant fault! What is it: Pride?, Arrogance?, Intolerance?, or one of the key idols: Sex, Power and Wealth? Such an exercise sounds to me much better than giving up a bar of chocolate! Of course doing both is better still!  Have a fruitful Lent.

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.  

Thoughts from our Chaplain: Just do it!

In Mission Today (Spring 2014) Fr John Hemer narrates how Queen Victoria was giving a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. Whatever was served, it was followed by the use of finger bowls. One visiting dignitary, taking it to be one of the many drinks on offer, picked up his finger bowl and drank it! The people around him were horrified. The Queen saw what was going on and rescued him by picking up her own finger bowl and drinking it. This meant that all present had to follow suit! Fr John brings out how Jesus took our place of shame and how through his passion and cross he made us privileged children of the kingdom of God.

Over the centuries several people have followed Jesus’ example. Fr Maximilian Kolbe, who volunteered to offer up his own life in place of a family man. It also reminds me of my uncle Pé (Piet) and his wife Rika. At the risk of their own lives they saved a good number of young Jews, on the run from the Nazis, by hiding them in their cellar and bunkers in the heather field. After the war they refused to get on e.g. the Queen’s Honours list. Pé’s reaction was, “What we did should be done quite naturally by any Christian”. Being the down to earth man he was he would have said, “Just get on with it”! A good thought for Lent!                                   

Fr Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.  

Thoughts from our Chaplain: The kingdom belongs to them!

In Missio (Spring 2014) its National Director, Mgr James Cronin, asks, “And what is your reaction when a baby cries in church?” This happened to me recently. Coming towards the end of the short reflection after my homily, a baby must have thought “this pause is long enough!” and opened up widely his/her lungs. I observed, “To the young mum, who is carrying out her crying baby, I say don’t worry, because Jesus said, “Let the little ones come to me, the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

To me the more babies in church the better! Mgr Cronin opposed his Parish Council’s wish to build a crying room. He reminded us of a PP who advised his congregation on the very first Sunday of the year, “Children are like a New Year’s resolution: they have to be carried out!”

In Africa, when a baby starts crying, mother’s milk comes quite naturally to the rescue! Cultures differ and that has to be taken into account. James asks, “And now what about adults who talk in church?”

Fr Chris writes in the same issue of Missio about a woman who sued her husband for mental cruelty because he had not spoken to her for a year. When the judge questioned him about such reprehensible behaviour he simply replied, “Your Honour, I didn’t like to interrupt her!” Hopefully plenty of food for thought here for Lent.  

Piet Wijngaard, O.Carm.