The Election Dilema

I was taking Holy Communion to an elderly parishioner (aged 99) on Monday. We were talking about today's vote and he said that he had voted in many elections and he could not recall when we had such a poor lot of potential prime ministers. He said that there was not a statesman (or woman) amongst the lot of them. I must admit that I agree with him I cannot say that I want any of them as the head of government. 
As for the would be members of cabinet, they are mostly a pretty poor lot. I know that in the UK we vote for a constituency MP and that the sovereign asks the person most likely to command a majority in the House to form a government. In reality it is becoming more like a presidential campaign - how many of us can name the would be Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary of the major parties (without the use of google)?
If I lived in Stockport I would vote for my daughter Hélèna, but here in Bromley I am really stuck. Neither Johnson or Corbyn are fit to be Prime Minister; this is a great pity as I think that Bob Neil is a good local MP but a vote for him will help enable Johnson to be PM. Jo Swinson strikes me as a pretty ineffectual leader but I guess a vote for the LibDems may help prevent either Labour or the Conservatives from gaining an overall majority. So with a heavy heart...........!

Memories of Canterbury Rugby Club in the Early Seventies

Playing for Canterbury in the Early Seventies

I moved to Canterbury in October 1971, newly married and fresh out of university, to start work in the NHS. Initially my wife Julia was not with me as she was still working in Manchester, but that is another story! Wanting to continue my rugby career, not sure that career is really the operative word, I made enquiries as to how to join Canterbury Rugby Club. Go see Eddy Hardy landlord at the Nag’s Head was the response and so this I duly did.  Over a few beers Eddy told me how to get to the ground and who to contact and that training, not sure if Eddy did that much, was on a Tuesday evening. 

Like Eddy I was a hooker and on the next Saturday I found myself hooking for the Pilgrims hanging between Peter Stevens and Geoff Brown(??). At that time Eddy hooked for the 1^st XV. If I recall correctly the Pilgrims at that time were captained by David Hallwood who graced us at fly-half; although “fly” is not an adjective that I would use to describe him. I was 24 at the time and was the youngest regular member of the Pilgrims, most of the team being at least in their early thirties. My most enduring memory is of the great sense of camaraderie that ran throughout the club. It didn’t matter if you were in the first team or the “bottom” team you were a club member and that was it, you were part of the family.

The game then was very different to the game that is played today. The scrum was strictly refed. The ball was thrown in straight down the middle and penalties were frequently given for “feeding” by the scrum-half. The hookers actually struck for the ball, but if you struck too early you were penalised. Usually there were hand signals between the scrum half and hooker to coordinate the actual put-in with the strike. The scrum-half was not allowed to dummy his put-in, which they sometimes tried to induce the opposition hooker to strike early and give away a penalty. It was in the seventies that hookers were started to be used to throw the ball into the lineout. Prior to that it was usually the winger. On a cold, wet, windy winters afternoon this might well be the only time that the winger actually got to handle the ball. The French international team used their scrum-half Pierre Berbizier

to throw the ball in, he would then run around to collect the pass from the lineout. The lineout was not the well drilled affair that it is today. Lifting/supporting was not legal and the team with the tallest player, anything over 6ft 2inches was very tall, usually would win the ball. I cannot remember exactly when direct kicking into touch was outlawed apart from within your own 25, 22 metres being a modern fad and as such should be ignored.

The try was worth four points, being increased from three in 1971. Substitutes were not allowed in club rugby and so injured players were generally moved to the wing unless bits were actually falling off their bodies. After the tackle you had to immediately release the ball and generally advised to get well clear, if not the opposition would often heel you out along with ball.  

Other memories:

David Hallwood shouting ‘yours’ in a loud stentorian voice as the ball bobbled towards him closely followed by the opposing back row. David would then move with great alacrity to the side leaving our hapless fullback to gather the ball and the opposition. David also had a fantastic boot. Many the time he hooved the ball from close to our in-goal line to deep in the opposition 25. 

Playing for the 1^st XV away at Park House. Fifteen of us met at the Nags Head but only 11 of us arrived in Bromley. One of the cars broke down on the A2. This was before the days of mobile phones and so we took the field with 11 men and true confidently expecting the missing car to arrive. Fortunately, we had our complete front row so it was just the three of that packed down. Park House did not have the wit to just pack down with three, so we ended up winning practically all the scrums. Their pack had to hold back else they were penalised for pushing before the ball came in. In those days the ref was strict about such matters as well as crooked feeds and striking before the ball came in. We were actually winning the game and doing OK until Barry Jackson, our skipper and loose-head prop was sent off for punching his opposite number. We could manage with 11 but being down to ten was a step too far and we duly lost. After the game the missing car arrived just in time for them to buy the beer.

Local derby games were always hard-fought affairs. In the case of playing Snowdown CW (Colliery Workers) and Betteshanger CW fought is operative word. They were still working pits until the mid-eighties. The Pilgrims used to play their 1^st XVs and after the match one’s body usually had bruises in strange places and stud marks on the back. There was one game when our winger was streaking down the touchline and he was tripped by a spectator. Thanet Wanderers was always a tough game particularly in the front row. Their hooker was Brian Bowler who played for the Kent County team. Brian gave no quarter but was always generous in the bar after the game.

I have a very vague recollection of drinking at the Sir Jeffery Amerhurst (near Sevenoaks) on the way back to Canterbury after an away game. As we were playing away at Dover I am totally unsure as to how we arrived at Sevenoaks. We were all very tired and emotional that night! 

I also seem to recall some stag evenings at the clubhouse where we were shown some instructional videos compered by a loud and raucous comedian. All very entertaining and no doubt greatly helped our performance the following night.

I have forgotten the names of most of the people I played with. Those that come to mind: Gus MacConnachie, Tony McIntagert, Mark Jopling, Paul Charlesworth, Neil Mckinnon, Paul Charlesworth, Steve Uglow, Bill Piper, Hugh Boswell, David Hallwood, Peter Stevens, Geoff Brown, Eddy Hardcastle, Tim O’Hare, Mike Nurton, Bernard Henry,– I need to look at the team photos hanging in the clubhouse to jog the old memory cells.

I seem to recollect that for one season I was the team secretary. This involved in sending cards (yes by post) to all the players telling them which team they were selected for they coming Saturday. Thursday and Friday evenings were then spent in listening to pathetic excuses as to why they couldn’t possibly play away in such far flung places such as Bromley but could manage to squeeze in a game at home. Since when has shopping with the wife ever been a valid reason for not playing rugby? As for those who decide to get married on a Saturday during the season; well that marriage is due to fail from the off! I like to think that we managed to field four/five full teams every week but I suspect that I am deluding myself in that respect.

Post-match teas were generally sandwiches and cups of tea usually prepared by some of the wives, it really was a family affair. It was always good to play the bank teams away, usually in Copers Cope Road Beckenham where several had their grounds. They not only provided a splendid cooked meal but the beer was subsidised too.

Even in the seventies the perennial question was “How old is Dickie Ovenden?” He was old then so today (2019) he must be ancient. Dickie typifies the Canterbury ethos. Once a member you never really leave. Even though I left the club at the end of the 76/77 season to move to Bromley (work related) I still consider myself a Canterbury man. It was a great club to play for, above all it was fun.

Barry Mellish 15 October 2014

The Supreme Court's Decision

The government or was it Boris Johnson said that proroguing parliament was nothing to do with Brexit but to give him time to prepare the Queen's Speech. So how is the Supreme Court's Decision affecting the will of the people? It is nothing to do with Brexit and parliaments ability to scrutinise "the deal" we have Boris' word on this.

What Does Boris Really Want?

 I think that BoJo is playing a long very deep game. Do not be deceived by that the comic persona he created on "Have I Hot News for You" and similar programmes fool you. Beneath the genial buffoon lurks a very shrewd ruthless operator. When he was twelve or thereabouts he said that he wanted to be Prime Minister. He has let nothing stand in his way, wife, mistresses unwanted babies all gone. Political views - changed! 
Read some of his earlier writings in 2012-13:- https://eu-rope.ideasoneurope.eu/.../boris-johnson.../ These writings are very perceptive and the trenchant criticisms he made of British industry still hold good today. So does he really want in or out or doesn't he really care? By proroguing Parliament he is forcing the opposition to coalesce around a single view, something it has singuarly failed to do over the past three years. Personally I do not think he really cares as long as he remains in Number 10.

Seeking Pauline Holmes nee Sollitt

I recently posted asking if anybody had contact with Pauline Holmes nee Sollitt who was a bridesmaid at our wedding in July 1971. Following this I have reason to believe that she has a son Stuart Michael Holmes born in Luton, January 1976, Mothers maiden name Sollitt. So if anybody knows Stuart Holmes would they please get in contact with me. Many thanks

Avery Hill College Badge

My mum was at Avery Hill College from about 1923 to 1925. Came across this on eBay.

AVERY HILL TEACHERS COLLEGE  hallmarked  SILVER COLLEGE SHIELD BADGE Hallmarked  on reverse Fattorini Brothers  hallmark  appears to be E maybe F  with clipped  top corners and scroll base which would date it as 1904 or later  vgc   approx.3 0mm by 32mm,  located in south west London. There are three entwined letters ie AHC. very  attractive item   clip working  ….. Avery Hill College was established in 1906 by the London County Council as a residential  female teacher training college. The mansion at Avery Hill, Eltham had been purchased by  London County Council in 1902. It had previously been the home of Colonel John Thomas North  and his family, who had spent up to £200,000 on renovating and adding to the property to  create a large Italianate mansion. On his death in 1896 his widow sold the property, which  was eventually bought by London County Council for £25,000. The College opened in  1906 with 45 resident and 115 day students. Most of the students were between 18 and 21  and came from London, and had already worked as pupil-teachers.  The syllabus included nature study, drawing, music and the theory of education as well as  the more usual academic subjects. Science was not taught until the 1930s as so few of the  girls had been taught the subject at school. Games included tennis, hockey, cricket and netball,  and student societies were established to organise social events and activities.  By 1908 the College had purchased nearby Southwood House and a school building in  Deansfield Road which were converted to hostels. Numbers of applicants to the College  continued to rise, and four new halls of residence were built in the grounds of Southwood House, the last opening in 1916.  During the First World War Roper Hall became a convalescent home for soldiers, but the  College remained open. In 1928 Avery Hill was attached to the University of London to conduct examinations for  Teacher's Certificates, along with all teacher training colleges. In 1935 a range of improvements  were made to the College's facilities, when the halls of residence were updated and mains  electricity introduced. The Principal, Freda Hawtrey, introduced training for nursery school  work as an important feature of Avery Hill courses after 1935. During the Second World War Avery Hill was evacuated to Huddersfield Technical College.  The College returned to Eltham in 1946, although all the buildings had suffered war damage, I ncluding most of the original mansion. Three large houses in Chislehurst were purchased in  1947 and converted into hostels, easing the problem of student accommodation. After the war the College continued to attract rising numbers of students, with up to a third  coming from the north of England by the late 1940s. Students continued to take a two year  course leading to a Teacher's Certificate validated by the University of London. In 1959 Avery  Hill took on male students, but inadequate accommodation meant that they boarded at the  former Methodist training college in Westminster. The College also established an annexe at  Mile End for mature students in 1968. In 1960 a third year was added to the teacher training  course, according to the Ministry of Education's requirements. From the 1960s the future of  Avery Hill as an independent college was under close consideration by the Inner London  Education Authority as well as the college itself. After several years of resisting plans for  mergers and retaining its independence Avery Hill merged with Thames Polytechnic in 1985,  when Avery Hill became the Polytechnic's Faculty of Education and Community Studies.

A Complete Buggers Muddle

Mr "Call me Dave" Cameron seems to be escaping the opprobrium that Mrs May is collecting. Admittedly Mrs May has played a poor hand very badly, but it was Mr Cameron who started the whole farrago off by calling for the referendum in the first place. The irony is of course that it was called to try and unify the Tory Party which at the time was haemorrhaging members to UKIP. The theory was that he would have a referendum that would vote in favour of remaining in the EU and thus the arguments would cease. 

In fact he never thought that there would be referendum as his coalition partners, the LibDems would not allow it. He made the grave mistake of winning the general election with an overall majority and so Nick Clegg was unable to prevent it.

We are now in the current sorry mess and there appears to be no way out. Jeremy Corbyn doesn't really know what to do as he is and always has been a Eurosceptic and his own inclination is to vote to leave. Most of the senior Tory politicians are giving the appearance of not giving a tuppeny damn about the country but simply want to position themselves to be the next prime minister when Mrs May goes.

The Referendum Bill as passed by Parliament was a purely advisory vote, but was given more substantive power as all the major parties said in their Election Manifesto that they would abide by the result. Although I struggle to recall when political parties were that concerned about manifesto promises except when it suited them.

So we are in a complete buggers muddle. My preferred solution of consigning all 650 MPs to a small boat in a major storm in the middle of the Atlantic is perhaps a tad too extreme; but something drastic needs to be done. the current House of Commons does not appear to have a majority to do anything. If we had another general election would anything really change as both of the two major parties are split on this issue.

Should we have a second referendum? This time with one choice being leave on a defined set of terms the other being to stay. If we had three choices:
1. Leave on a defined set of terms
2. Leave with no deal
3. Stay
we would probably find that each garners thirty-three per cent of the vote and we would be no better off than we are today.

My personal preference is to go for a second, two choice, referendum. Is there any other viable solution given where we are today?

Hatred and the Internet

Why has the world become a nastier place than it was when I was young? It now seems almost impossible to agree to disagree and remain friends. 
Is it really all the fault of the internet that enables us to communicate with people that we don't know and say things about them that we would never say to their face? 
I am proudly Catholic, sadly there are factions within the Church that barely tolerate each other. In politics there appears to be rancour and loathing between the political parties and within each party.
Or was the "golden age" of my youth a figment of my imagination and that the real hatreds were always there just hidden below the surface?  
Meanwhile I shall continue to argue the toss with my friends from other countries about the Six Nations and the forthcoming Rugby Word Cup whilst we buy each other a beer.

Brexit and the Parliamentary Vote

Why is the Prime Minister allowed to have multiple votes on her Brexit deal whilst the proletariat are just allowed the one vote? And now I read that the Chancellor is bribing the DUP to support the deal. Talk about one law for them and another law for us.

Safeguarding Policies in the Catholic Church in England & Wales

The Bishops Conference of England & Wales has, since 2001, implemented a policy of referring allegations of abuse to outside agencies. You will find all the procedures clearly laid out on the website of the Catholic Safeguarding Advisory Service, CSAS, https://www.csas.uk.net

For those of you with family links and ties to diocese under the jurisdiction of other Bishops Conferences and wish see a these England & Wales policies applied throughout the whole Church then please write to the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, at 54 Parkside, London, SW19 5NE Email: nuntius@globalnet.co.uk

Homily for Today Sunday 3rd March

It is undoubtly sadly true that abuse takes place in many institutions and within families. Churches of all denominations, football coaches, youth leaders, scouts etc etc. The list is almost endless. However, today’s Gospel reminds us that “How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? We need to get our own in house in order before we start trying to solve the problems of others. 

“The first enemies are within us, among us are bishops and priests and consecrated persons who have not lived up to their vocation, we have to recognise that the enemy is within.” Not my words but the words of Cardinal Rubén Salazar Gómez of Bogota in his address to the synod on the protection of minors held last week in Rome.

Cardinal Tagle from the Phillipines said in his speech, "Our lack of response to the suffering of victims, even to the point of rejecting them and covering up the scandal to protect perpetrators and the institution, has injured our people, leaving a deep wound in our relationship with those we are sent to serve."

While a Nigerian nun, Sister Veronica Openibo, called out the church’s leadership for its hypocrisy in parading themselves as the custodians of moral values, while covering up atrocities that blighted the lives of the most vulnerable members of its community. 

Meanwhile one of the pope’s most trusted advisers, Cardinal Reinhard Marx  the archbishop of Munich and Freising, head of the German bishops' conference, admitted that files documenting abuse had been “either destroyed or never created".

He said the church's administration had left victims' rights "trampled underfoot" and "made it impossible" for the worldwide institution to fulfill its mission. "Instead of the perpetrators, the victims were regulated and silence imposed on them,"  Cardinal Marx continued. "The stipulated procedures and processes for the prosecution of offences were deliberately not complied with, but instead cancelled or overridden."

"These are all events that sharply contradict what the Church should stand for," 

As I prepared this homily the final summary of the synod by the Pope was not published. I know that I am not alone in praying that it was not just a talking shop but that real concrete action will follow. We are still waiting for the Papal Nuncio to hand over files and testify to the independent inquiry that is taking place about abuse at St Benedict’s School, Ealing. Just as the police do not investigate themselves, there is the Independent Police Complaints Commission, so the Church should not investigate itself. We need an independent body to investigate allegations of abuse, taking care to recognise the rights of the accuser and the accused. We have seen all too recently in the UK that malicious accusations ruins innocent lives just as an abuser ruins innocent lives.

I cannot be the only person to ask myself the question; “Do I want to be part of this institution? Would I be better off walking away? Is this really what my vocation is all about?” Then I remembered the words that were said to me at my diaconal ordination as the Book of The Gospels was given to me: “Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you now are. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.”

The living word of God is as true today as it was when it was first written. The wrongful actions of some cannot change that. The real presence of Christ will be truly among us at the consecration of our gifts of bread and wine. We must hold firm to the reality of the resurrection of Christ our living Lord that we will prepare ourselves for, beginning this week as we celebrate the start of Lent with Ash Wednesday.

We must do all we can to prune the rotten branches that are within; I urge you all to write to the hierarchy demanding that real concrete action is taken. No more talking, an independent review board now.

Jesus didn’t often get angry. But once or twice he got absolutely furious, and it was always about the same thing: the religious elite, who in his day were the Pharisees. “Do not imitate their actions, because they don’t practise what they preach,” he warned, telling them they were “like whitewashed tombs, which look fine on the outside but are full of bones and decaying corpses on the inside” (Matthew 23 v3, and v27).

We must stay and we must fight for that which is right, as there is so much that is good. The vast majority of the clergy are good men, we are blessed with them here in Bromley in Fr Tom and Fr Matthew; we must support them so that they can truly serve.

We read in John’s Gospel, Chapter 6: Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you also going to leave?" Simon Peter replied, "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God." This is the reality that we must fight for.

Clergy abuse and the affect on the "person in the pew">

I recently received the following from a parishioner:
" On another matter. I am concerned with the high number of priests ( at all levels) linked to sexual abuse and the fact that there is very little discussion abut the impact this situation has on ordinary people (like me) who look up to priests for guidance. Is this something that you ( or another deacon) can help me to understand? My faith and trust in Jesus remains strong,  nevertheless I have to admit I am struggling with these demons."

Let me be quite clear, one case of abuse and one cover-up is one too many. There must be an absolute zero tolerance policy on this issue. Studies would seem to indicate that around 4% of priests have been credibly accused of abuse around the world. The vast majority of these cases took place in the past and sadly the climate at that time indicates that there were cover-ups to try to protect the image of the Church as an Institution rather than protect the reality of the Church as the people of God.

What has happened has happened and we cannot undo the crimes that took place no matter how much we would like to. What I can say is what steps are being undertaken in Britain to try to ensure that abuse does not take place in the future. All candidates for the priesthood and permanent diaconate have to undergo the highest level of DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checking. Candidates before final acceptance undergo rigorous   psychological testing and evaluation. Each parish and Catholic institution has Child and Vulnerable Adult Protection policies and a lay group to oversee the implementation of these polices and to be a port of call in the case of suspected abuse.

Finally I would urge you all to pray. Firstly pray for the direct victims of abuse and their families. They are hurting and we must do all we can to support them. Secondly please pray for the vast majority of the clergy who are innocent of any wrong doing. They are as hurt and bewildered by what has happened as you. 

Abuse - Follow the money

Theodore McCarrick was charged with the sexual abuse of minors and adults - aggravated by the abuse of power - and solicitation in the confessional. The administrative penal process imposed a penalty of laicisation. However the process should not stop there. He was known to have access to large sums of money and was fond of distributing largesse on his frequent visits to Rome.  
A very interesting article on this can be found at https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/analysis-after-mccarrick-sex-abuse-verdict-money-and-power-questions-remain-85091?fbclid=IwAR2YFuAKR8HVnwDQ9pabkGZVcCUbIrXbG84ozeJjZfLXg6myKCiOYYTGBSo

This is well worth a read and you can then draw your own conclusions.

Clerical Abuse in the Catholic Church

Why is being reduced to the lay state a punishment? Is that really what the Church thinks of the laity that it is a state to be reduced to? 
I for one expected better from Pope Francis. It is clericalism at its worst. I also think that it is a disgrace that the Papal Nuncio to Great Britain has seen fit not to make documents readily available to the government sponsored enquiry looking into the abuse that took place at at Ealing Abbey and St Benedict’s school in west London.

Rise in violent crime

I do not believe my ears & eyes. I have just seen & heard Nick Hurd the minister responsible for policing claim that losing 20,000 police officers has nothing to do with rising levels of violent crime. What planet does this guy come from? Talking about trying to defend the indefensible.

Why all the fuss?

I see that the home secretary has come under fierce criticism for the comments that he made about refugees/economic migrants -click here.

He is only stating what is international law - refugees should seek sanctuary in the first safe country that they reach. So is France not safe?