Wednesday 25th September this year marked the 50th anniversary of Pluscarden’s attainment of Abbatial status. In mediaeval times Pluscarden was always a Priory, ruled by a Prior. He had the right to use a crozier, but not a Mitre. But on this day in 1974 Dom Alfred Spencer, up to then Prior of Pluscarden, was blessed as Abbot by Bishop Michael Foylan of Aberdeen: and so Pluscarden became an Abbey.
Homily for Sunday 25B, 22 September 2024, Mark 9:30-37; James 3:16-4:3
St. Margaret’s Forres Supply
There are two attitudes, or mind-sets, or approaches to life. They areradically different, and opposed to one another. One is worldly, the other Christian. The worldly attitude puts self first, and seeks to gain what it can for whatever seems good for Me. The Christian attitude puts self aside, or even puts self to death (cf. Rm 8:13, Col 3:5 etc.). Instead it looks to Jesus, to God; seeking always and above all to follow Jesus, to belong to him, to be united with him.
Haydn's Creation
Homily for Sunday 33B, 8 September 2024: Isaiah 35:4-7; Mark 7:31-37
Today’s first reading was from the 35th Chapter of Isaiah. Isaiah Chapter 35 is quite brief, but it’s one of the loveliest passages in the Bible. Samuel Sebastian Wesley set nearly the whole Chapter to music in his great Anthem “The Wilderness”: of course according to the sonorous cadences of the Bible authorised by King James in the early 17th century. We have the same text most memorably set by Handel in his Messiah.
New Abbot President
Vespers in Elgin Cathedral: Saturday 31 August 2024
Elgin Cathedral was founded by King Alexander II 800 years ago, in the year 1224.
Historic Scotland, who own and maintain the site, have done their best to mark this significant anniversary. But among all the events and promotions, there seems to have been no Christian religious service included anywhere.
An Urquhart Stone come to Pluscarden
As part of its quite radical reorganisation, in view of declining numbers, the Church of Scotland recently closed its long standing parish at Urquhart. Urquhart is a small village some 5 miles or so East of Elgin. There, some time between 1130 and 1150, King David founded a Benedictine Priory, established as a daughter house of Dunfermline Abbey.