St Mary's

These are possibilities regarding membership as discussed at the Community Meeting – Sunday 31 October 2010

A couple of hunters chartered a plane to fly them into forest territory. Two weeks later the pilot came to take them back. He took a look at the animals they had shot and said, “This plane won’t take more than one wild buffalo. You’ll have to leave the other behind.”

“But last year the pilot let us take two in a plane this size,” the humans protested.

The pilot was doubtful, but finally he said, “Well, if you did it last year I guess we can do it again.”



“This is not a snap of Robert Perrier.

It is a photograph of Robert’s favourite creature friend, Atticus. The only thing Atticus and Robert share in common is the naturally occurring curly hair. Generally, Atticus’s disposition and serenity is something to which Robert and his ilk can only aspire.”



A Place I Have Always Known

Recently I looked after the home of some friends who were overseas. Whilst they were away, the council removed their old road and replaced it with a new one. I emailed them:

By the time you return there will be a new road outside your house. The new road will be in the same spot as the old road, but, without any doubt whatsoever, it will be a new road. Why there will be a new road is a little beyond me since the old road seemed to me to be a perfectly good road. It was neither an unused road nor a well-worn road. And although it was a long and winding road, it was also a humble and useful road. I liked the old road, partly, because the old road did not seem so old and, partly, because it oozed character and hidden knowledge. Now all the old road’s familiar lines and markings which told a thousand stories of a community becoming, the dips, the plateauings, the arrivings, the goings, the first kisses, the secret flings, the disasters averted and the million other things: gone, all gone, but for this little ode left by the old road:

Vietnam and Cambodia

Journey to the ancient temples of to Angkor Wat and Ankgor Tom

Just as we are all on a journey which is unfolding here at St Mary’s in Exile, this homily is also about a journey  …  a journey I made recently with my family thru Vietnam and Cambodia to the ancient temples of Angkor Wat and Angkor Tom.

I would like to begin with a poem by Rumi, the 12^th century Sufi poet and mystic:

By Richard Rohr, OFM

Although Eckhart Tolle is arousing great interest today, many think he is a novelty, New Age, or even non-religious. The process—and that is what it is—that he is teaching, can be traced through the Greek and Latin traditions of contemplation, the apophatic tradition in particular, and the long history of what was sometimes called “The Sacrament of the Present Moment” (Brother Lawrence, OCD, Francisco de Osuna, OFM, Jean Pierre de Caussade, S.J.).

The mystical tradition inside of Orthodoxy and Catholicism often divided contemplation into two types: infused or natural contemplation, and acquired contemplation. Evelyn Underhill, the brilliant historian of mysticism sees three forms of contemplation: 1) Mystical Contemplation of the Natural World, 2) Metaphysical Contemplation of the World of Being and Consciousness, 3) Theological Contemplation of the World of God.

I’ve been following the St Mary’s in Exile website and coming whenever I’m able to for the past year.  I sent Peter and Terry copies of an autobiographical book of poetry that I had printed 6 years ago, ‘Stranger In The Moving Chair,’ to tell them my story and introduce myself.  They very kindly asked me to share my story with the community in a homily, so here I am

This year I turned 30.  I expected by age 30 I’d have a stimulating career, most likely be married and have kids, preferably 2.  Instead I’ve led quite a different life and have missed out on these things so far.  I have never had a regular paying job and I may never be strong enough to have children.

October 20, 2010 NEWS FEATURE http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/tenminutes/10_minutes_with_john_dominic_crossan1/

10 minutes with … John Dominic Crossan by Ron Csillag

A former Roman Catholic priest and professor emeritus of religious studies at DePaul University, Crossan newest book—his 26th—looks at the Lord’s Prayer, or the Our Father. In “The Greatest Prayer,” Crossan argues that Christianity’s best-known invocation is misunderstood and undervalued in today’s society.Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.