Dear Friends,
Last week I was in New Zealand, travelling with my cousins Marta, Fernando and Patrícia. When we were planning the trip I insisted to allocate more than a week in the country. I argued that it is so isolated from anywhere else, that the likelihood that I have another opportunity to visit was rather low. Therefore we should try to see as much as possible.
* * * * *
New Zealand is indeed unique. Being close to the International Date Line, it can claim to be the first country in the planet where the sun rises. It is as big as Japan in territory, but has only 4 million inhabitants, compared to 127 in Japan. It is developed, diverse, people are friendly and it is very easy to travel there. The weather can change very fast, from bright, warm sunny days like in the photo beside, when I was tasting my first NZ wine in the isle of Waiheke, north of Auckland, to snow in the middle of summer, like we were told that it happened in Queenstown three weeks ago. Nature is powerful and varies from the North to the South Islands, from West to East Coast.
* * * * *
We first visited Auckland and than flew to the South Island, where we rented a car and travelled around. We drove the scenic route to Lake Tekapo, on the foothills of the Alpes. It was gorgeous! Then we went to Queenstown, considered the international capital of radical sports and adventures. In this region the film "The Lord of the Rings" was shot. In Otago there is a wine region, developed since the 1980's, where they are growing not only grapes for white wines, but also Pinot Noir. It is said to be the southernmost wine region in the world. I made a one-day wine-tasting tour and had the opportunity to taste 25 wines. Their quality is in general average to high and some Pinot Noirs were indeed good, like the 1999 Jackson Barry Pinot Noir produced by Olssens. The photo attached is where we tasted the wines at Olssens. The same day at night we had two bottles of Cloudy Bay for dinner, the Chardonnay 2005 and the Sauvignon Blanc 2007. I recommend both as well.
* * * * *
But surprisingly enough, despite all the fun and great things that we did and saw in NZ, the most touching experience was of a complete different nature and happened in Christchurch, the last city that we visited. The Cathedral in Christchurch organises an evening service on Sundays that they call "NOSUN", that means "No ordinary Sunday Cathedral worship for people who don't go to church much, hardly ever, never, any more." Being my case, I felt curious about it and decided to attend. I suspect that the Cathedral Dean or whoever is responsible for this event went at some point in time to a business or marketing school. "NOSUN" is a very powerful, tailor-made product for people that probably would go to church if it were different from what it is. It was creative, non-intrusive, warm and respectful with the public.
* * * * *
Before the worship those attending are given a piece of paper, a pencil, one candle and one flower. As the service goes, you first are invited to write down "a note of any action you regret or any event in your past you wish to leave behind". Then those that wish so may bring their pieces of paper to a central brazier and burn it, symbolising that you are leaving behind what you wrote on the paper. This is done in deep silence.
* * * * *
The service continues and a bit later attendants are invited to think of people that they care about, or events or issues in their lives that need to be named and commended to God. They are then invited to light their candles, as a way of remembrance and making a prayer.
* * * *
The final part of the worship is about future facing. It is time "to make a resolution to oneself about the days ahead". Those in the church are invited to take their flower and float it in a pond of water, as an expression of hope. Emotion is all around and some people come to tears as they float their flowers; others do it very, very carefully, denoting that there were deep feelings behind that symbolic act. These three parts of the service are linked together by a welcome by Dean Peter Beck, readings, choral songs, moments of silence, pray and thinking and a very careful mise-en-scène.
* * * * *
This experience in Christchurch was the most meaningful and most touching religious service that I have ever attended in my life. I left the Cathedral with elevated thoughts and a very positive energy. I thought that nothing could be more different and more distant to the catholic mass in Spain than that. If you go to church in Spain you will most likely hear about what is wrong and shouldn't be done - all in the negative perspective. There is also a big chance that the priest will meddle into politics and criticise the present government (the Church in Spain is openly right wing leaning and opposed to the socialist government). No surprise that people care less and less about the Church: their bosses live far apart from society.
* * * * *
Thanks God that there are initiatives like this one in Christchurch. In our modern world, where we are taught to compete, accumulate wealth and become increasingly materialists, it is important to have some time and space to dedicate to spiritual things. Maybe one day the Spanish Catholic Church will not only run successful business schools, but also learn something from them and become more "consumer oriented" and reconnect with society. That would be great news, though it looks very unlikely to happen.
Meanwhile, I wish you all a nice week and my apologies for the delay in posting this note. One of my purposes for what is ahead is to do better, including in writing this blog!
Maurício
Last week I was in New Zealand, travelling with my cousins Marta, Fernando and Patrícia. When we were planning the trip I insisted to allocate more than a week in the country. I argued that it is so isolated from anywhere else, that the likelihood that I have another opportunity to visit was rather low. Therefore we should try to see as much as possible.
* * * * *
* * * * *
* * * * *
But surprisingly enough, despite all the fun and great things that we did and saw in NZ, the most touching experience was of a complete different nature and happened in Christchurch, the last city that we visited. The Cathedral in Christchurch organises an evening service on Sundays that they call "NOSUN", that means "No ordinary Sunday Cathedral worship for people who don't go to church much, hardly ever, never, any more." Being my case, I felt curious about it and decided to attend. I suspect that the Cathedral Dean or whoever is responsible for this event went at some point in time to a business or marketing school. "NOSUN" is a very powerful, tailor-made product for people that probably would go to church if it were different from what it is. It was creative, non-intrusive, warm and respectful with the public.
* * * * *
Before the worship those attending are given a piece of paper, a pencil, one candle and one flower. As the service goes, you first are invited to write down "a note of any action you regret or any event in your past you wish to leave behind". Then those that wish so may bring their pieces of paper to a central brazier and burn it, symbolising that you are leaving behind what you wrote on the paper. This is done in deep silence.
* * * * *
The service continues and a bit later attendants are invited to think of people that they care about, or events or issues in their lives that need to be named and commended to God. They are then invited to light their candles, as a way of remembrance and making a prayer.
* * * *
The final part of the worship is about future facing. It is time "to make a resolution to oneself about the days ahead". Those in the church are invited to take their flower and float it in a pond of water, as an expression of hope. Emotion is all around and some people come to tears as they float their flowers; others do it very, very carefully, denoting that there were deep feelings behind that symbolic act. These three parts of the service are linked together by a welcome by Dean Peter Beck, readings, choral songs, moments of silence, pray and thinking and a very careful mise-en-scène.
* * * * *
This experience in Christchurch was the most meaningful and most touching religious service that I have ever attended in my life. I left the Cathedral with elevated thoughts and a very positive energy. I thought that nothing could be more different and more distant to the catholic mass in Spain than that. If you go to church in Spain you will most likely hear about what is wrong and shouldn't be done - all in the negative perspective. There is also a big chance that the priest will meddle into politics and criticise the present government (the Church in Spain is openly right wing leaning and opposed to the socialist government). No surprise that people care less and less about the Church: their bosses live far apart from society.
* * * * *
Thanks God that there are initiatives like this one in Christchurch. In our modern world, where we are taught to compete, accumulate wealth and become increasingly materialists, it is important to have some time and space to dedicate to spiritual things. Maybe one day the Spanish Catholic Church will not only run successful business schools, but also learn something from them and become more "consumer oriented" and reconnect with society. That would be great news, though it looks very unlikely to happen.
Meanwhile, I wish you all a nice week and my apologies for the delay in posting this note. One of my purposes for what is ahead is to do better, including in writing this blog!
Maurício
2 comments:
Hombre Mauricio,
me alegro de que te lo estes pasando tan bien. Disfruta....
Creo que voy a hacer un viaje a Nueva Zelanda!!!
Recuerdos
David Hernández
Oi Maurício,
Confesso que só hoje espreitei o seu blog e fiquei agradavelmente surpreendida!
É formidável a ideia de partilhar as suas impressões de viagem "in loco" com os seus amigos! Para além disso é uma forma de nos mantermos em contacto!
Obrigada por me "levar" até ao outro lado do globo!...
Um grande abraço
Letícia
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