THE massacre of dozens of worshippers during mass at Pentecost in a Roman Catholic church in south-west Nigeria was an “act of pure evil and a profound offence to God”, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.At least 50 people, including many children, are believed to have died in the attack at St Francis’s, Owo, in Ondo State.Armed men arrived on motorcycles and entered the church, setting off explosives. They spent 30 minutes inside, shooting worshippers. Some had already entered the church before the service, posing as worshippers, a police spokesman said.Witnesses saw blood on the altar and the floor, and bodies strewn on pews. The church, which was full when the attack began, can hold up to 1200 people.A chorister, John Nwovu, told the BBC: “I saw entire families being wiped away: friends, relatives, those I knew.”Archbishop Welby, who worked in Nigeria before his ordination, said: “The massacre of worshippers — men, women, and children — during a mass in south-west Nigeria was an act of pure evil and a profound offence to God.“The tragedy is deepened because such vulnerable people found no mercy from their attackers. May God receive their souls in peace.“My prayers are with all affected by this barbaric attack. I continue to pray for the nation of Nigeria.”Pope Francis sent assurance of his prayers for the victims and for the country. “His Holiness Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the horrific attack at St Francis Church in Owo, and he assures you and all those affected by this act of unspeakable violence of his spiritual closeness,” a telegram from the Vatican Secretary of State to Bishop Jude Ayodeji Arogundade of Ondo.“In commending the souls of the dead to the loving mercy of Almighty God and imploring divine healing and consolation upon the injured and those who are grieving, His Holiness prays for the conversion of those blinded by hatred and violence so that they will choose instead the path of peace and righteousness.”
The once neglected scrap of land surrounding St Peter's Church, has been turned into a multipurpose green space – simultaneously a community garden, an exercise site, a place to grow food, an outdoor classroom, and a tranquil spot in the centre of the estate.In partnership with local organisations, St Peter’s regularly takes referrals from the local GP surgery, known as ‘social prescribing.’It also welcomes schools, the local Adult Education Centre, and the Youth Offenders Probation Service – where young adults learn new skills in landscaping and horticulture to help get them back into employment.Even the fresh fruit and vegetables grown on the garden are distributed at the local foodbank, and many raised beds have QR codes for people to watch videos on how to use the produce.“You would be surprised how small a patch of land you can start a community garden on,” the vicar, Revd Pete Wheeler explained.“The garden helps us tackle some of the markers of deprivation we find here – health and wellbeing, loneliness and isolation, education and skills, and poverty affecting both seniors and children – all exacerbated by the pandemic.“Best of all, the garden causes local people to come into contact with a church family who welcome and love them.“Throughout the week, relationships are built, and seeds are sown. Faith is nurtured and grown here.“It is an amazing tool for mission in our wonderful estate community.”
One of the truly lovely things about being Archbishop of York is that I am, for a short period of time, custodian of Bishopthorpe Palace. This is a place Her Majesty the Queen visited as a young Princess and where she stayed during the Royal Ascot meeting in 2005. And in the garden today, there is an avenue of trees planted to mark this Platinum Jubilee year.A slightly curious thing about living in such a place, is that as I walk the rooms and corridors, I am followed by the gaze of my predecessors staring out of their portraits that adorn the walls. I’m fortunate to stand on their shoulders. One of the most captivating portraits I think is of Archbishop William Temple who was Archbishop of York between 1929 and 1942. During that period, whilst not only trying to do all of the things that Archbishops are supposed to do, he found time to write extensively not least the 1942 work entitled "Christianity and Social Order". In that period, at the start of the second world war and through the darkest days of the blitz, with the sort of mind-set that only true visionaries have, Temple was asking the big question " when this is all over, what sort of nation do we want to be?" Although he did not live to see it, much of his thought is foundational to so many things we take for granted today, not least the welfare state, the NHS, and our universal education system. At the core of what Temple was striving for, as with so many other social reformers in this great City of York, was to improve the lives of people and see those lives transformed. This reminds me of how far, as a country, we have come from those days – yes there is still much to do and Temple’s question is one for us now, but it is worth reflecting that throughout all of this change we have lived with one Monarch, whose Jubilee we marked last weekend. As we gathered in the grounds of the Palace last week with pupils, staff and governors from the Archbishop of York Junior school, we reflected on what celebrating this Jubilee means and of how our Queen has been a wonderful beacon of hope, integrity, stability, and unity for our country and beyond. There are few that remember a monarch before her. This stability has been a reassuring and encouraging presence in the midst of so much change, and of course the Monarchy itself has changed. Continuity and change have been hallmarks of this Elizabethan age.The profound commitment Her Majesty the Queen made in 1947 at just age 21 when she said, "I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service", has been faithfully realised. And at the heart of that commitment has been the Queen’s own deep faith, that in continuity and change she has relied on God and on a model of service which we see in Jesus Christ. So as we mark the Platinum Jubilee, it is my prayer that we remember that all of us are called by God to serve others in our homes, schools, communities and we are also invited to build our foundations on Jesus Christ. For when we serve others, we have the best opportunity of achieving the fairer and more just society which I hope we all wish to see.
Hello again. What did you do over the Platinum Jubilee weekend? Did you attend events or watch services? I want to hear all about it – drop me a line! It all makes excellent sermon material! (Naturally, you will not be quoted in person, or held up to public ridicule during any church service or sermon. And all replies will be treated with the utmost village confidentiality and respect, which means, I’ll give it to about lunchtime before EVERYONE knows!) Naturally, I jest. You can trust me. I am a man of the cloth. And an accountant. And I’m also quite good with puppets. Talking of which, did you see the Hascombe Village Fete Punch and Judy show? My three-year-old was transfixed by the Victorian colour, melodrama and violence of it all! Doesn’t do them any harm at all, in my humble opinion… far too protective, parents these days. There were no safety assessments when I was rolling around in the dirt and the woods at the age of seven. As one of our church wardens tee shirts boldly declares: ‘It’s not MY fault if they left me unsupervised!’ I hope many of us will have some good memories of the long weekend, as I do. From Her Majesty’s wonderfully engaging sketch with Paddington Bear, to Prince Louis holding his ears during the flypast (never do a live show with children or animals?) to England actually winning a test match (I am unsure which causes more anxiety or stress – winning or losing? Discuss!) I missed all the rocky horror show rock concerts and trooping of the colour parades (too busy with church stuff) but I bet they were spectacular also. Did we all need cheering up? Yes, absolutely. From years of Covid and lockdowns, to environmental disaster messages (not minimising those – but it’s hard work sometimes!) to bitter disputes in national and European politics, to crazy rising prices, and then the ghastly Ukraine war and its global implications. Did we need something to cheer about? Well, judging from the millions who tuned in and turned out for the celebrations and events, dead right we did. So, what happens when the parades are over? Back to work, back to difficulties, back to nothing to cheer about? Well, I suppose that’s rather up to us. The Christian message is one of hope in despair, light in darkness, and life out of death. We are a resurrection people, and Easter is our song. The message of the Bible is that there is new life in Christ precisely to carry us forwards into Monday mornings, when God can be a living reality of light and hope in the everyday. Christians, of all people, believe in transcendence – that is, being changed from one degree of glory into another. Through faith in Christ, Monday can be even better than Sunday! Let’s pray, and give it a try. Feedback please. Of course, it can work the other way. For example, how do you turn an ordinary bed into a sofa bed? Simple. Just forget your wife’s birthday. And if that doesn’t get me into trouble, nothing will. Have a lovely week, everyone. Rutton@stnicolascranleigh.org.uk
