Hobukooli Near the village of Mäo in Estonia, there’s a  wonderful rehabilitation centre called Hobukooli Park. There horses and donkeys heal traumatised children and young people in ways that we can only partly understand. There’s even a Jerusalem donkey with a cross of dark hair on her back. I’ve watched a six-year old child ride […]

  Christ the King This last Sunday in our year has now been designated as the festival of Christ the King.  We celebrate the kingship of our Lord.  We contemplate the all-embracing authority of Christ that shall lead us to seek the peace of Christ in the Kingdom of Christ.  In the icons of the […]

  Poppies Fr Robert Dennis was ordained by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town.  Latterly Fr Robert was a parish priest in France (Anglican Diocese of Europe).  Fr Robert and his wife now live in retirement on Sydenham Hill.  Inspired by last Sunday’s service Fr Robert sent in these lines that he wrote down after […]

By Wilfred Owen Anthem for Doomed Youth What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? Can patter out their hasty orisons. No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells;           Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, — The shrill, demented choirs of wailing shells;           And bugles calling for them from sad […]

In Buddhism, there are certain beings called bodhisattvas. They are men and women who have achieved enlightenment, which means that by deep meditation and uncountable acts of love towards other beings, they have become perfectly wise and infinitely compassionate. They could enter the perfect state of Nirvana and stay there forever. But instead they take […]