Colourful Dreamer

I went to a funeral on Monday. Alan was 80 when he died. He wasn't the easiest man to get on with, but he was a man of deep faith who was passionate about God, the church and the community he lived in. He lived that out everyday. He retired early when the government department he was working for got folded into another one. He then moved up to Papamoa and got stuck into the local community. He established the Papamoa Soccer club, helped establish the Papamoa Sports Club, was invovled in several community groups, was really active in the mission to seamen (or whatever it is called now) and his local church. As I sat in his funeral I thought of all those people, bishops included, who just seem to hang on in. My daughter tells stories of accountants who can't let go and retire. And I thought how cool it would be to be able to retire early, like Alan, and to then use all that energy, time and skills to change the community we live in.  It really did make me think. I hop...

Last sunday I went to church at St Francis in Ohauiti. It was a Tikanga Maori service. I didn't even know it was there until recently, which shows how little we have to do with each other. It was not a eucharist as their preiest died earlier in the year, and they are now training two new Kai Karakia, who did a great job leading a service they were not overly familiar with. I really enjoyed the welcome, the invitation to kai afterwards (lunch not just a biscuit) I would go again. As I drove home I wondered why it is that we know so littel of each other, well, we in Tikanga Pakeah know so little of our Maori brothers and sisters. I was embarrassed at some of the stories they told about the pakeha parishioners at the other church they go to on the sundays there is no church at St. Francis who had no idea that we have a three Tikanga strucutre. My fellow priests are just so rubbish at this. But I had a very good time. I wish I had gone years ago. How can we encourage this kind...

I just read this very interesting blog by Tony Jones , who blogs way more often than I do. I am presenting a seminar at an upcoming event to prepare resources to help people become more liturgically literate. And this really makes me think. Thanks Tony