All Saints, Hérault: Priest-in-Charge's Report for 2014

All Saints, Hérault: Priest-in-Charge's Report for 2014

2014, our second year as a chaplaincy, was a year of steady growth and progress in our corporate life. The Chaplaincy Council's report details the many ways that we continue to grow and flourish as a church family. Unity in diversity has been one of our guiding principles and I hope we never forget that. I know that I keep on about it, but it's particularly important in our situation here, where we serve such a diverse community. God made us as we are, wonderfully, gloriously different from each other. Let's rejoice in those differences and learn from each other.

Another strong principle, that came from the original congregation before we were a full chaplaincy, was a high level of congregational participation in making decisions. We have tried in 2014 to bend the normal Church of England way of doing things into a more participative model. There is now an opportunity for meetings of the congregation every three months, instead of just at the AGM; the choice of charities we support was made after receiving suggestions at one of those meetings. It is, of course, also important that the Chaplaincy Council continues to be the body that runs the chaplaincy: after all that's what they are elected for and I thank all the members for their excellent work.

My thanks go to Richard for all his support during 2014. His accident in December was a shock to us all and our hearts go out to him, Carol and the family. I was very proud of the way that you all rallied round to support Richard and Carol both practically and emotionally.

As always I thank very much the team that has served us so well over the last year. Patricia and Nigel are truly excellent churchwardens, who take so much of the administrative load and deal tactfully with many a difficulty before it becomes
a problem. Thank you again Barbara for being a conscientious treasurer. Thank you Julie for your stint with the website and Andy for your excellent work there so far. Thank you Sally for your help with the website and publicity. Thank you Jenny for continuing to look after our safeguarding. Thank you Alison and Ros for your work on our events. Thank you music team for your thoughtful and time-consuming work on choosing our music. Thank you again, Julie, for representing us at Synod.

My final thanks are to Delia for making sure that I do those many things that I otherwise would have left undone; also for coming to Synod and for taking the Chaplaincy Council minutes so efficiently.

Congratulations to Julie Johnson on being approved by the Diocese in Europe for training as a Reader.

There is much to look forward to in 2015, a lot more of the same and some innovations too, such as the planned Maundy Thursday service with washing of feet and the contemporary worship service at Pentecost.


Roger Smith
Priest-in-Charge

February 2015

My SATNAV by Pam Ayres

Comment on Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of Lent for Western Christian churches. It's a day of penitence to clean the soul before the Lent fast. At some services in the Anglican, Roman Catholic (and some other churches), worshippers are marked with ashes as a symbol of death and sorrow for sin. The use of ashes, made by burning palm crosses from the previous Palm Sunday, is symbolic and reminds each churchgoer that:

Death comes to everyone

They should be sad for their sins

They must change themselves for the better

God made the first human being by breathing life into dust, and without God, human beings are nothing more than dust and ashes

The Ash Wednesday service draws on the ancient Biblical traditions of covering one's head with ashes, wearing sackcloth, and fasting. Ashes are an ancient sign of penitence. From the middle ages it became the custom to begin Lent by being marked in ash with the sign of the cross. 

The real reason the French don’t get fat by TIMOTHY BOND.

Last month, I ate a strawberry. The taste exploded in my mouth as my throat was bathed in rich juices. The meat of the berry was soft and succulent. I was in France.

Last week, I ate another strawberry. There was a slight reddish flavour, which combatted the petroleum essence of the packaging. The meat of the berry was corky, dry and flavourless. I was in Canada. 

Much has been written about why French women aren’t obese (not always true any more, sadly, due to the influx of fast food) or why French men don’t have as many strokes. The theory is that it’s the red wine, which we regard as something mildly sinful. 

I say nonsense. It’s the food.

A famous French chef once said that we eat too much in North America because our food has so little taste – we eat more and more, he said, hoping to achieve satisfaction. This explains the huge platefuls I sometimes scarf down in Canadian restaurants. 

It also explains the much smaller portions in France, where the food totally satisfies your taste buds, and the longer time we spend eating each meal in France, as time passes happily between each small course. Is that why I always come home after a few months in France a couple of kilos lighter, despite the near-daily servings of dessert? 

Ice cream actually made of cream. Chocolate that is not just brown, but bursting with musky, dark flavour. French desserts – handmade tiny flavour bombs of delightful mixed textures – are so good. Not huge lumps of doughy pulp coated in sugar and grease like our cupcakes, which are all the rage these days. 

Why is so much of our “fresh” food so tasteless? Is it the week-long trek in a truck all the way from California? Is it the countless days sitting on loading docks at food terminals, warehouses and supermarkets? That’s part of it. 

But the big difference between our produce and the fresh food I buy in France is simple: Our varieties are selected and grown for shipping durability and visual marketing, whereas French fruits and vegetables are selected and grown for taste, taste, flavour and taste. 

Take tomatoes. Ours are bright red, perfect orbs of cellulose, holding as much water as possible to increase their weight. They look perfect. And now there’s a new marketing trick: They are strung together on their vines, which are also sold at $2.99 a pound. We take home our perfect-lookingtomatoes and slice off a bite: cellulose, water and seeds. No discernible taste. There’s a whole generation in our society that actually thinks these things are tomatoes! 

To be fair, we line up in late summer to buy field tomatoes that explode with flavour like my French strawberry. We get a couple of weeks of real taste, when we eat them every day. 

French tomatoes taste like our August tomatoes, but they’re available year-round. Their heirloom varieties taste even better. 

A few years ago, the French supermarkets tried marketing those bright red tennis balls on the vines, those things we know and try to love. They looked nice. People tried them – once – and never bought them again. You don’t see them much any more. 

In a desperate effort to satisfy us, the North American food industry strives to give us flavour, but in the cheapest way possible. So they give us salt, grease and sugar. And we gorge and gorge, hoping for something better, something real. 

There is one food that we do better in Canada: beef. French beef comes from the same strain of cattle that were used as draft animals, and it is tough. The meat is not marbled and it tends to be sinewy. They have invented good ways of cooking it; with a great sauce, it can be delicious. But it’s one mighty chew. 

There’s another reason why eating in France is better for you. Unlike us, the French eat their largest meal at midday. It is very important to them. They get two hours off work to eat properly. 

Parking is free for these two hours, because everyone must eat. French employers are obliged to provide their workers with a real meal each workday. So, they sit down and converse while they enjoy the meal. With co-workers, like with family. Maybe with a glass of wine, which doesn’t make them drunk or even tipsy, and costs less than a glass of Coke. 

In the evening, after finishing work at 7 p.m., they sit down en famille for a light supper – soup perhaps, or bread and cheese, a little ham, some great baguette, which is crispy and freshly baked just down the street a few minutes before the meal. 

Taste, flavour and enjoyment of food is central to the French way of life. It is not refuelling; it is the most important thing in the day. 

How I wish we could pull off a sea change in our food “industry.” We look so terrible waddling down the Champs-Élysées in April.

Contributed to The Globe and Mail, Canada Timothy Bond is a television director. He divides his time between Toronto and his 1,000-year-old house in the Loire Valley.

Link to original article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/the-real-reason-the-french-dont-get-fat/article18924862/

Positive thoughts from Pope Francis and Mahatma Gandhi

In a world filled with trouble and strife, it is a good thing to reflect on sayings from people of peace. Here are 10 thoughts provided by Pope Francis and Mahatma Gandhi to contemplate upon.

In an interview with the Argentine publication Viva, The Pope issued a list of 10 tips to be a happier person, based on his own life experiences.

1. "LIVE AND LET LIVE."

Believing that everyone should be guided by this principle, The Pope refers to not judging others and letting them continue with their lives in a way that best suits them.

2. "GIVE YOURSELF TO OTHERS."

"If you withdraw into yourself, you run the risk of becoming egocentric. And stagnant water becomes putrid,” The Pope elaborates, highlighting the importance of devoting time to those in need.

3. "PROCEED CALMLY IN LIFE."

Pope Francis refers to a quote from the novel Don Segundo Sombra by an early 20th-century Argentine writer, Ricardo Guiraldes, in which the title character looks back on how he lived his life. The novelist writes that in one's youth, a person is "a rocky stream that runs over everything," but as one gets older, one becomes "a running river, quietly peaceful."

4. "WORK FOR PEACE."

“We are living in a time of many wars,” he says, and “the call for peace must be shouted. Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive and dynamic."

5. "ENJOY LEISURE."

Highlighting that “consumerism has brought us anxiety”, he advises parents to set aside time to play with their children and make the most of their time together without distractions such as television.

6. "FIND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO CREATE DIGNIFIED JOBS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE."

Speaking on the vulnerability of young people, Pope Francis recommends being creative with them and providing ample opportunities to ensure they stay on the right path.

7. "RESPECT AND TAKE CARE OF NATURE."

The Pope admits that environmental degradation “is one of the biggest challenges we have,” and encourages humanity to treat nature with the respect it deserves.

8. "LETTING GO OF NEGATIVE THINGS QUICKLY IS HEALTHY."

Pope Francis focuses on the need to stay positive when talking about other people.  

9. "DON’T PROSELYTIZE; RESPECT OTHERS’ BELIEFS."

Using our beliefs to inspire others and help them grow is something that The Pope strongly encourages in order to live and a happier and healthier life.  

10. "SUNDAYS SHOULD BE HOLIDAYS." The Pope stresses the importance of rest as a tool for reinvigoration and spending quality time with the family.

Here’s are 10 of Mahatma Gandhi thought-provoking quotes, that if enacted, would perhaps make for a better  world.

1. ON LIFE

"My life is my message."

 2. ON BEING A SOLDIER

“I regard myself as a soldier, though a soldier of peace.“

 3. ON FAITH IN HUMANITY

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."

 4. ON NONVIOLENCE

“Nonviolence is the first article of my faith. It is also the last article of my creed.”

 5. ON THE SEVEN SINS

“Seven social sins: politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice."

 6. ON TRUTH

“An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it. Truth stands, even if there be no public support. It is self sustained.”

7. ON THE "STILL SMALL VOICE"

“The only tyrant I accept in this world is the 'still small voice' within me. And even though I have to face the prospect of being a minority of one, I humbly believe I have the courage to be in such a hopeless minority.”

8. ON LIBERTY

“I’m a lover of my own liberty, and so I would do nothing to restrict yours.”

9. ON FORGIVENESS

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

10. ON THE NATURE OF MAN

“A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes."

Church of England cannot carry on as it is unless decline ‘urgently’ reversed – Welby and Sentamu

Church of England cannot carry on as it is unless decline ‘urgently’ reversed – Welby and Sentamu

Church of England should put faith in Facebook and Twitter to help reverse dwindling congregations, say Archbishops Justin Welby and John Sentamu.

The Church of England will no longer be able to carry on its current form unless the downward spiral its membership is reversed “as a matter of urgency”, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have warned.

It could face a dramatic shortage of priests within a decade as almost half of the current clergy retire, according to the Most Rev Justin Welby and Dr John Sentamu.

Meanwhile dwindling numbers in the pews will inevitably plunge the Church into a financial crisis as it grapples with the “burden” of maintaining thousands of historic buildings, they insisted.

But the two archbishops also called for the Church to invest more in building up its presence on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to get its message across online as part of a “major programme of renewal and reform”.

Their blunt assessment of the Church’s prospects came in a paper for members of its ruling General Synod, which meets in London next month, setting out the case for an overhaul of finances and organisation to turn its fortunes around.

Typical Sunday attendances have halved to just 800,000 in the last 40 years – although the Church has previously claimed the decline has been levelling off in recent years.

Income from donations in the offering plate has risen slightly in the last few years as declining congregations dig deeper.

The two archbishops gave their backing to a series of reports calling for administrative changes in the Church to be debated by the Synod next month but added: “Renewing and reforming aspects of our institutional life is a necessary but far from sufficient response to the challenges facing the Church of England.”

They went on: “The urgency of the challenge facing us is not in doubt.

“Attendance at Church of England services has declined at an average of one per cent per annum over recent decades and, in addition, the age profile of our membership has become significantly older than that of the population.

“Finances have been relatively stable, thanks to increased individual giving.

“This situation cannot, however, be expected to continue unless the decline in membership is reversed.

“The age profile of our clergy has also been increasing. Around 40 per cent of parish clergy are due to retire over the next decade or so.

“And while ordination rates have held up well over recent years they continue to be well below what would be needed to maintain current clergy numbers and meet diocesan ambitions.

“The burden of church buildings weighs heavily and reorganisation at parish level is complicated by current procedures.”

They said the Church’s current arrangements for deciding each diocese’s allotment of clergy and cash are increasingly viewed as out of date and widely ignored, adding: “There is no central investment in reaching out into the digital and social media world.

“If the Church of England is to return to growth, there is a compelling need to realign resources and work carefully to ensure that scarce funds are used to best effect.”

Last year The Rt Rev Christopher Goldsmith, the Bishop of St Germans, in the areas was facing a “death spiral” unless parishioners put more money in the offering plate.

Credits: Daily Telegraph article by By John Bingham, Religious Affairs Editor.

Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/11340590/Church-of-England-cannot-carry-on-as-it-is-unless-decline-urgently-reversed-Welby-and-Sentamu.html

`Photograph: New Statesman

Cornwall, warned that the church in the areas was facing a “death spiral” unless parishioners put more money in the offering plate.

Lent - Shrove Tuesday

Shrove Tuesday is the day before Lent starts: the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. It's a day of penitence, to clean the soul, and a day of celebration as the last chance to feast before Lent begins. Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession and were "shriven" (absolved from their sins). In shriving, a person confesses their sins and receives absolution for them. When a person receives absolution for their sins, they are forgiven for them and released from the guilt and pain that they have caused them.

In the Catholic or Orthodox context, a priest pronounces the absolution. This tradition dates back over 1000 years. An Anglo-Saxon monk wrote, “In the week immediately before Lent everyone shall go to his confessor and confess his deeds and the confessor shall so shrive him.”

A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the “Pancake Bell” and is still rung today.

Shrove Tuesday is commonly known as Pancake Day after the fried batter recipe traditionally eaten on this day. It is a day of celebration as well as penitence, as it's the last day before Lent, and as Lent is a time of abstinence, of giving things up, so Shrove Tuesday is the last chance to indulge by using up the foods that aren't allowed in Lent.

Historically, during Lent there were many foods that Christians would not eat. These included meat, fish, fats, eggs, and milky foods.So that no food was wasted, families would have a feast on the shriving Tuesday to use up the foods that wouldn't survive the forty days of Lent.

The need to eat up the fats gave rise to the French name Mardi Gras ('fat Tuesday'). Pancakes became associated with Shrove Tuesday, as they were a dish that could use up all the eggs, fats and milk in the house with just the addition of flour.

Pancake races are thought to have begun in 1445. It is remembered in the most famous of pancake races, which takes place at Olney in Buckinghamshire. According to tradition, in 1445 a woman of Olney heard the shriving bell while she was making pancakes and ran to the church in her apron, still clutching her frying pan. The Olney pancake race is now world famous. Competitors have to be local housewives and they must wear an apron and a hat or scarf. Each contestant has a frying pan containing a hot pancake. She must toss it three times during the race.  The first woman to complete the course and arrive at the church, serve her pancake to the bell ringer and be kissed by him is the winner.

Other events in the UK include one at Westminster School in London, where the annual Pancake Grease is held. A verger from Westminster Abbey leads a procession of boys into the playground where the school cook tosses a huge pancake over a five-metre high bar. The boys then race to grab a portion of the pancake and the one who ends up with the largest piece receives a cash bonus from the Dean.

In Scarborough,Yorkshire, on Shrove Tuesday, everyone assembles on the promenade to skip. Long ropes are stretched across the road and there maybe be ten or more people skipping on one rope. The origins of this custom is not known but skipping was once a magical game, associated with the sowing and spouting of seeds which may have been played on barrows (burial mounds) during the Middle Ages.

Many towns throughout England used to hold traditional Shrove Tuesday football ('Mob Football" ) games dating back as far back as the 12th century. The practice mostly died out with the passing of the 1835 Highways Act which banned the playing of football on public highways, but a number of towns have managed to maintain the tradition to the present day including Alnwick inNorthumberland, Ashbourne inDerbyshire (called the Royal Shrovetide Football Match), Atherstone in Warwickshire, Sedgefield (called the Ball Game) inCounty Durham and St Columb Major (called Hurling the Silver Ball) in Cornwall.

Lent - Introduction to the Season

Lent may originally have followed Epiphany, just as Jesus’ sojourn in the wilderness followed immediately on his baptism, but it soon became firmly attached to Easter, as the principal occasion for baptism and for the reconciliation of those who had been excluded from the Church’s fellowship for apostasy or serious faults. This history explains the characteristic notes of Lent – self-examination, penitence, self-denial, study, and preparation for Easter, to which almsgiving has traditionally been added.

Now is the healing time decreed for sins of heart and word and deed, when we in humble fear record the wrong that we have done the Lord.   (Latin, before 12th century) 

 As the candidates for baptism were instructed in Christian faith, and as penitents prepared themselves, through fasting and penance, to be readmitted to communion, the whole Christian community was invited to join them in the process of study and repentance, the extension of which over forty days would remind them of the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, being tested by Satan.

Lent - A period of 40 days before Easter in the Christian calendar. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, Lent is a season of reflection and preparation before the celebrations of Easter. By observing the 40 days of Lent, Christians replicate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and withdrawal into the desert for 40 days. Lent is marked by fasting and abstaining from food and festivities.

Whereas Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus after his death on the cross, Lent recalls the events leading up to and including Jesus' crucifixion.

Why 40 days? 40 is a significant number in Jewish-Christian scripture:

In Genesis, the flood that destroyed the earth was brought about by 40 days and nights of rain.

The Hebrews spent 40 years in the wilderness before reaching the land promised to them by God.

Moses fasted for 40 days before receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai.

Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the wilderness in preparation for his ministry.  The generally accepted view of most Christians and indeed, the Church of England.

The calculation of the forty days has varied considerably in Christian history. It is now usual in the West to count them continuously to the end of Holy Week (not including Sundays), so beginning Lent on the sixth Wednesday before Easter, Ash Wednesday.

Liturgical dress is the simplest possible. Churches are kept bare of flowers and decoration. Gloria in excelsis is not used. The Fourth Sunday of Lent (Laetare or Refreshment Sunday) was allowed as a day of relief from the rigour of Lent, and the Feast of the Annunciation almost always falls in Lent; these breaks from austerity are the background to the modern observance of Mothering Sunday on the Fourth Sunday of Lent.

Why is it called Lent?

Lent is an old English word meaning 'lengthen'. Lent is observed in spring, when the days begin to get longer.

East and West

Both the eastern and western churches observe Lent but they count the 40 days differently. The western church excludes Sundays (which is celebrated as the day of Christ's resurrection) whereas the eastern church includes them. The churches also start Lent on different days. Western churches start Lent on the 7th Wednesday before Easter Day, i.e. Ash Wednesday. Eastern churches start Lent on the Monday of the 7th week before Easter and end it on the Friday 9 days before Easter. Eastern churches call this period the 'Great Lent'.

The Origin of St. Valentine

The origin of St. Valentine, and just how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius II. It is said that he was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith ineffectual, commanded him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14, about the year 270. Hence 14th February as Valentine’s day.

Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honour of his martyrdom.

The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in a The Nuremberg Chronicle, a great-illustrated book printed in 1493. Alongside a woodcut portrait of him, text states that Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome, at a time when helping them was considered a crime, Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned.

Claudius took a liking to this prisoner until Valentinus made a strategic error. He tried to convert the Emperor, whereupon he was condemned to death.

Saints are not supposed to rest in peace; they're expected to keep busy: to perform miracles, to intercede. Being in jail or dead is no excuse for non-performance of the supernatural. One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine." 

St. Valentine was buried on the Flaminian Way. He is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, beekeepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers and young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.

Legends vary on how the martyr's name became connected with romance. The date of his death may have become mingled with the Feast of Lupercalia, a pagan festival of love. On these occasions, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.

In 496 AD, Pope Gelasius decided to put an end to the Feast of Lupercalia, and he declared that February 14 be celebrated as St Valentine's day.

Gradually, February 14 became a date for exchanging love messages, poems and simple gifts such as flowers.

11 things you never knew about Liverpool Cathedral:

Liverpool Cathedral: 11 things you never knew about historic landmark 

By Sean Purvis of Liverpool Echo

Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral is among the city’s most popular attractions, revealing something new on each visit.  

The building, which dominates Liverpool’s skyline, is a treasure trove of fascinating features, many of which have a story of their own to tell. Next time you visit keep an eye out for the following 11 points of interest which offer an insight into the rich history of the cathedral and the city itself.  

1. The UK’s largest organ

The cathedral’s Grand Organ is made up of 10,267 pipes, making it the biggest in the United Kingdom and one of the largest in the world. It took three years to build, between 1923 and 1926, and sits in two chambers on opposite sides of the choir.  

2. The world’s heaviest bells. 

The Bartlett Bells - named after the local man who bequeathed them to the cathedral - are the heaviest and highest in the world, weighing in at 31.5 tonnes (31,500kg) and hanging 219 foot (67 metres) above the ground in the cathedral tower. The largest bell, Great George, is bigger than Big Ben.

photograph is of a close up view of the massive steel work which carries the peel of bells, taken on July 29, 1936.

3. The Elizabeth Hoare Gallery

High above the Cathedral floor there is an unique collection of Victorian and Edwardian ecclesiastical embroidery. The third floor gallery also offers fantastic views of the interior of the building.

4. The “Kneeling Madonna”

A statue in wood of the Kneeling Madonna by Giovanni Della Robbia which dates back to the 15th century. The sculpture was probably part of a set of nativity figures and can be found in the Lady chapel in the cathedral.

 5. The Great West window

The cathedral has approximately 1700 m² of stained glass. The most splendid is the Great West Window standing at 52 feet, it was designed by Carl Edwards in 1979.

6. A poignant memorial to Hillsborough victims

The cathedral was the venue for the September 2012 launch of the Hillsborough Independent Panel’s report, and is now the temporary home of the “eternal flame”, which has been moved from Anfield as the ground undergoes redevelopment work. It is currently housed in the Memorial Chapel.

7. “The Welcoming Christ”

Renowned sculptor Elisabeth Frink, who died in 1993, created this striking statue high above the West Door. A scale model, known as a maquette, of the striking work is on show at the east end of the cathedral.

8. “The Good Samaritan”

Adrian Wiszniewski’s painting has been on display since 1995 in the South choir aisle, with critics saying it has a poetic quality. Wiszniewski’s work is also in the permanent collections of MOMA, New York, the Tate Gallery, London and Setegaya, Tokyo.

 9. The Tower

The prominent focal point for visitors of the cathedral stands 154m above the River Mersey. It is open to the public most days and is accessible by two consecutive lifts followed by 108 stairs.

10. The Holy Spirit Chapel

The intimate chapel did not form part of the original design but has fulfilled the desire for visitors to have a place of quiet solitude for prayer and meditation. It was designed by Sir Giles Scott and sculpted by William Gough.

11. The “All Together Now” Christmas Truce sculpture

Temporarily placed in the memorial chapel and designed by sculptor Andy Edwards, the sculpture depicts the handshake between an English and German soldier ahead of their famous World War I football match. 

Link to original article: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/arts-culture-news/liverpool-cathedral-11-things-you-8469079

Gardening in Hérault - February 2015

In the garden – February 2015

The beginning of February often still seems like a quiet time of the year in the garden but as the weather starts to warm up and the days lengthen there are lots of gardening jobs to be getting on with to prepare for the coming season:

• General weeding, digging and mulching of flower beds
• Check that stakes are holding firm with the winter winds
• Turn some organic material (compost, rotted manure etc) into your flower beds and perhaps add some general organic fertiliser
• Towards the end of the month start to cut back ornamental grasses, other perennials and sub shrubs such as Gaura, Salvia microphylla and it’s cultivars, Perovskia, etc  If possible shred these prunings to  use as mulch for your garden.
• Deadhead winter flowering pansies to encourage repeat flowering.
• Check on the watering requirements of container grown plants, even at this time of the year they can dry out.
• During February or March prune summer flowering shrubs (eg Lavatera, Buddleia) that flower on the current year’s growth, prune winter flowering shrubs such as winter jasmine and Mahonia after flowering. Start to prune roses.
• Planting and moving plants
• If you haven’t yet done so, prune woody climbers such as Wisteria, Kiwis and Campsis back to two or three buds on sideshoots.  Late flowering clematis should also be pruned now, as can Virginia creeper and ivy
• Make sure that you have finished pruning hedges before the bird nesting season begins, hedges are ideal nesting areas for many garden birds.  Nesting boxes can also still be put up in February.
• Keep an eye on the weather forecast and protect tender plants if severe cold is forecast again
• Start to sow seeds

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At the nursery we are often asked about growing culinary herbs and constructing herb gardens so it seems useful to make some comments about herbs to try and clarify things.  The term "herb" has more than one definition. Botanists describe an herb as a small, seed bearing plant with fleshy, rather than woody, parts (from which we get the term "herbaceous"). For the gardener the term “herb” refers to a far wider range of plants. In addition to herbaceous perennials, herbs may include annuals, trees & shrubs, which are valued for their flavour and fragrance as well medicinal qualities, economic and industrial uses, pesticidal properties, and colouring materials (dyes).  Most people are interested in the flavour aspect and wanting to grow culinary herbs in their gardens.  The most popular culinary herbs are probably rosemary, sage, oregano, basil, parsley, coriander, chives, mint, thyme and bay.  Far from combining all these plants in one herb garden it is better to think about their individual cultivation requirements and how to meet them.

Rosemary in flower in February.

Many of these plants are Mediterranean native plants and will grow easily in this region, they simply need sunshine and a well drained soil, this would include rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, bay and savory.  Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is well known and can be found in various forms including some lovely dark blue flower forms and a prostrate form, all are equally useful for cooking.  The sage most frequently used is Salvia officinalis which has a number of cultivars including crinkly leaved versions and coloured forms such as Salvia officinalis var Icterina (yellow variegated) and var purpurascens (purply foliage); a group of different foliage sages can make a very effective display in the garden.  

Origanum syriacum or zatar is an attractive garden plant which flowers in the summer.

Some people swear that the sage flavour is even better in the Spanish sage, Salvia lavandulifolia.  Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) needs no introduction, you can find it growing all over the garrigue but there are also some good lemon scented forms of thyme that are great with fish or chicken!  Oregano can also be found growing wild but forms vary considerably as to how much flavour they have so it is best to buy a good form.  Origano itself is from Origanum vulgare ssp hirtum while Origanum majorana is sweet marjoram and for fans of Middle Eastern cookery Origanum syriacum is zatar.  Bay trees (Laurus nobilis) are widely grown but do make a large tree so need careful siting in the garden.  Winter savory (Satureja montana) is another Med native herb that is less well known but goes well in soups and stews.

I’ll comment next month on how to grow some of the other herbs mentioned above.

At La Petite Pépinière we continue to receive positive feedback about our programme of gardening courses and this is our programme for the spring of 2015.  Our courses are aimed at gardeners in the Languedoc and our intention is to provide information and promote discussion in a relaxed and informal atmosphere which will help those interested in creating interesting, easy to maintain and colourful ornamental gardens.  The courses detailed below will be held at La Petite Pépinière in Caunes-Minervois (11160) and will be tutored by Gill Pound, nursery proprietor.  All courses are designed for a group of seven to eleven participants.  Course fees quoted include coffees, teas etc and you are asked to bring a packed lunch.

An Introduction to Pruning – Wednesday 18^th March, 10am to 4pm
This will be an introduction to the principles and practice of pruning, why, when and how.  Practical work in the garden here will be included and we will focus on pruning practices relating to plants frequently found in gardens in the region.
Course fee:  45€

Propagation:  Thursday 19th March, 10am to 4pm

An introduction to the principles of propagation - how to increase your own plants by layering, division, seeds and cuttings.  Plenty of practical work

 Course fee:  45€
If you are interested in either of the above and the dates are inconvenient do get in touch anyway, it may be possible to change dates or to run an additional course.

Tailor made courses: 
For groups of six/seven people it may be possible to tailor make a course to meet your needs; if this is of interest to a club/society/group of friends that you belong to then do get in touch indicating your area(s) of interest.  Guided visits of the garden at La Petite Pépinière are also available.

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For further information contact Gill Pound at La Petite Pépinière de Caunes (shrubs and perennials, unusual plants and plants for dry climates), 21, Avenue de la Montagne Noire, 11160, Caunes-Minervois.

Tel: 04 68 78 43 81 or 06 85 966 572, email Gill@lapetitepepiniere.com  www.lapetitepepiniere.com