Unexpected Moments Archives - Page 2 of 4

Do you know about the REAL London Bridge?

Filed Under: Unexpected Moments February 14, 2023 5 Comments

Walking towards the Real Landmark London Bridge.

What aroused my curiosity about London Bridge? I was not interested in posting a picture with the iconic skyline of the monument. I have been in London for over six months. I reside nearly 15 minutes from Catford Bridge to London Bridge via the south-eastern rail service. I had no plans to visit it until a friend shared a desire to walk on the REAL London Bridge. A few days later, another one suggested writing about the actual London Bridge for the sake of those who post pictures in front of the Tower Bridge on social media and tag it as London Bridge.

The confusion: London Bridge or Tower Bridge

The view of Tower Bridge from London Bridge.

There are many bridges over the river Thames in London. The London Bridge is a key crossing point in London. From ancient times till now, it has ferried people, goods and livestock across the river. It’s considered the first bridge over the Thames River. But it stands silent and straightforward for the explorer to discover. London Bridge has no complaints as tourists click pictures of Tower Bridge, deceiving themselves that it’s London Bridge.

Even Google got it wrong, as people clicked pictures of Tower Bridge and tagged it as London Bridge. The problem with the majority mindset is that if more people say black is white, black will not turn white – just because more people agree it is.

The rhyme, “The London Bridge is falling …” is not about the Tower Bridge completed in 1894. Today, Tower Bridge is across the globe. But the actual London Bridge is where the story begins.

The original London Bridge – the first story of bridges on the River Thames.

Even I got it incorrect. I recalled a London Bridge – with its towers majestically announcing the Victorian era. I did visit the real one, walked on it, and joined the London Bridge Experience – a 45-minute live performance depicting the bridge’s 2000 years of bloody scary history.

A Chapel on the London bridge?

I was surprised to discover that a priest had built a chapel on the bridge. Was it to drive out fear of ghosts – haunting stories of the human head hanging on the bridge entrance? Although it does not exist, the chapel was completed in 1209 near the centre of the “Old” London Bridge. It was deconsecrated for secular use during the Reformation in 1548 and later demolished along with the London Bridge in 1832.

Imagine London Bridge used to be a wooden bridge since the Roman occupation in 50 AD. The last wooden bridge was built under the direction of a priest of the parish church of St. Mary Colechurch, Cheapside, in 1163. The chapel was dedicated to St. Thomas Becket, the English martyr. The building of bridge chapels was typical in the medieval period, depicting religious piety.

Walking on the Tower Bridge

I was far from euphoric walking across the marvellous fleet of engineering. But the structure’s sustainability has endured the test of time as an asset of the state exchequer – sometimes proving as an unreasonable bet.

The majestic Tower Bridge, as it stands now, had been criticized with the worst of words during its construction as “… our ugliest public works.” The Tower bridge exhibition of “Designing a New Bridge” ostentatiously depicts the words of naysays of those times. Today, the authorities boast that at least 40,000 people cross the bridge daily – and if the bridge breaks down, traffic in London will stop.

I agree with the quote: Tower Bridge is not just a piece of architecture. It’s full of life and has a soul.

About the Author

Feroz Fernandes, a Catholic Missionary, identifies himself as an Uncommon Priest. Father Feroz loves adventure in the apostolate. Check out his debut book The Uncommon Priest: Incredible Stories You Never Read on amazon. And also, the YouTube Channel: Feroz Fernandes promotes a better understanding of scripture.

Unexpected at the Epic Centre in the Holy Land

Filed Under: Unexpected Moments January 24, 2023 4 Comments

It was 4:30 am. I was at the gate of Damascus, along with the other pilgrims eager to walk the Stations of the Cross in Jerusalem. It was dark. We navigate through the narrow alleys, stopping at a spot marking a significant moment in the life of Jesus’ walk towards His crucifixion.

I could feel the silence of the early dawn. As we walked forward, vendors opened their shops, and workers cleaned the streets. There were road repair works in progress, forcing us to change routes or skip the usual way. It was a prayerful morning, singing hymns and reciting traditional prayers. We had to wind up our stations of the Cross before we entered the church.

Standing near the Church of Holy Sepulchre.

Praying the last Stations of the Cross in the Courtyard.

It was still not visible, but we gathered in one corner of the plaza in front of the Church of Holy Sepulchre. It was slowly beginning to brighten up. It was a sight one feels a prayer-filled silence simultaneously, a chatty noise – connected to the cacophony. It was the tourists, pilgrims, and locals – regular people who lived around the place or operated a business. It’s a place that offers many things to different sets of people.

The sacred space ownership is shared between ownership between Greek Orthodox, the Franciscan Order (Roman Catholic), the Armenian Church, and Coptic. It’s a sensitive space – rubrics for operation are well laid out. Disregarding it can erupt into tension, often resulting in a scene on the holy ground. Nevertheless, it is the site of Jesus’s crucifixion and burial. It recalls the Cross and the Empty Tomb for a follower of Jesus.

At the foot of the Cross

It was intense. But we were early and got easy access with minimal wait time. I witnessed pilgrims kneeling and moving towards the sacred area. Pilgrims have varied expressions of sanctity. One cannot judge the other – who is touching the forehead on the spot or just a respectful bow. Some genuflect and touch the crucifixion spot, and a few click a selfie. Although photography is restricted, people take their chance – after all, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – they have their rationale.

I stood there watching pilgrims move into a caved space with oil chandeliers. I offered nudges to see the other important things in the area or maybe click a picture of our group members. I was interested in registering the scene as a spiritual experience – what I see, feel, touch, hear and beyond. I decided not to click a picture in the area. Now I don’t have one; as I swiftly scanned phone photos, I confirmed it. I do recall the area vividly with an experience.

What would you do if you found yourself at the foot of the Cross? Or if you were there, what did you do? You know my answer: nothing. That place is perfect! It doesn’t need you to do something or anything, just be there and soak in the sacred ambience. It is better to be inspired than copy (repeat) what others do.

Incredible Mass at the Empty Tomb

A rare occurrence. I don’t know how it happened. Thanks to our tour operators. They booked an early morning mass at 6:30 am at the basilica of Holy Sepulchre. It was the first mass of the day. Although the mass was in Latin, it was exclusively for our group. Some passer-by pilgrims did join, along with a few residents. The Franciscan choir sang during the mass.

The main celebrant, an American priest, was kind enough to allow the liturgy of the word in English. I don’t know Latin, and it was my first mass in the language. The unplanned assignment! I was told to deliver the sermon a few minutes before the mass began. The restriction came pounding, the mass must get over in 20 minutes, and you have two minutes for the sermon. The other rite would come to prepare for their service after the Catholic mass.

Click the link to listen. Thanks to the one who recorded and shared it with me.

I did have a choice to say, “I cannot do it on the spot.” But I learnt for a friend to say: I am born prepared. I did talk it up and zoomed my mind for mental preparation. Inspiration came overflowing. I decided to utter three sentences and a fourth as a summary statement.

I was inside the tomb for the remaining part of the mass—just three of us, the main celebrant and the other celebrant. The mass was in Latin, and the Eucharist prayer was sung; I turned the page before one para. But the priest managed to complete it without getting upset with me.

In conversation with look-alike Jesus

You cannot miss him. He walks at a leisurely pace with a smiling face. He is a known figure to the local guides and residents of the Holy Land. But for the new pilgrims, he is Jesus – walking in Jerusalem. He arrived around the time of the first mass. I saw him joining in for lauds – office of reading in the private chapel. It was a short time. HE appears and disappears. Then he sat in front of the tomb. I went and sat alongside him after mass.

“This is not a costume; it’s a lifestyle,” he says, anticipating my curiosity. I nod in affirmation. But he repeated to make sure I got it correctly. As a journalist, I have questions ready to fire. It’s a feature or a scoop. And so, I started. Later I discovered his name, James. He has lived trusting in the providence of God for the past 14 years – without possessions. What he had on in the haversack, that’s it.

I tried to slip in few British pounds into his prayer book. He refused. He said, “I don’t touch money.” I was in shock. He kindly requested that I take it back from the book. More questions I had in mind. “How do you manage?” I asked. He answered with a smile, “Trust in the providence.”

James lives in the holy land as an itinerant pilgrim. He says, “The whole world comes to this place.” Earlier, he lived in different parts of the world, including India. He was in Chennai for a few months and claimed that he visited the body of St. Francis Xavier in Goa on the Western coast of India.

I asked, “How do you travel without money?” His simple answer was that “it happens. God makes it possible.” In the brief 20 minutes, we could talk about world politics, economics, and religion. He did point out the Cross I wear. “It is the St. Benedict cross,” he said. “Among all the medals, it is regarded as the medal of highest spiritual value.” I did know that it was a cross used for exorcism.

Final words on the unexpected.

The unexpected always happens when you let the God of surprises work in mysterious ways. People plan in detail and allow God little space to operate. Sometimes I feel people make it difficult as they are like horses with blinkers and cannot see beyond the horizon.

About the Author

It’s Christmas time! No Time to Read

Filed Under: Unexpected Moments December 22, 2022 4 Comments

Christmas brings us together, always. Amen!

Seriously, I can’t get a better title. It isn’t easy to finish reading this blog given the time of the year. But if you do, text me a better headline.

Are you a pilgrim? Have you made a pilgrimage? I hope you discover yourself as one. And I pray that you get an opportunity to go to the Holy Land on a pilgrimage – or meet Jesus on your journey wherever you are.

I was part of the Goan Chaplaincy UK pilgrimage group to the Holy Land (November 2022). It meant walking along the footsteps of Jesus and bringing holy scripture and sacred places alive through faith.

Many things happen on a pilgrimage which results in a spiritual experience. Because of the newness, the pilgrim sees things in a different light. I have noted a few such moments. Each pilgrim has their spiritual renewal.

The Nativity Church – Mystery, Mess & Multitudes

Five groups own the present-day Church of Nativity: Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholics, Armenian, Syrian and Coptic. Each has a particular time and a rite while operating in the church. It is a sensitive scenario – a fight can erupt between these leaders if things are done differently than agreed between the five parties. Don’t do it during worship if you are told not to sing. Full stop. The parties maintain the status quo always.

How the search for Jesus’ birthplace began? Queen Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, is regarded as the first archaeologist of the holy land. Queen Helena started to search the sacred places and relics in the fourth Century, building churches on significant sites in Jesus’ life.

Pilgrims renew their baptismal commitment at River Jordon.

It was a miracle that the sixth-century church of nativity remained intact and escaped destruction by the Persian invaders. Some testify that the invaders saw the painting of the Magi with Persian dress and thought the structure was connected to their land. The locals profess that Mary appeared during that time. The soldiers could not see the church and the altar. Another tradition has a different story about why the church escaped destruction. Some flies started to bite the soldiers, who had to flee the place. It’s a place of miraculous intervention – the birth of Jesus.

You need to be prepared to see a different scene other than serenity. We had to wait in line for over two hours to get to touch the spot of Jesus’ birth. It was crowded, people turning impatient and pushing their way through the narrow passage. Some capture the memories on cell phones or cameras, while others are silent amid noise and chaos. It is a place of sacred moments.

Anything can happen. Be ready. One man dressed in traditional attire walked towards our group. He distributed 3×3 inch blank papers. People wrote their prayer intentions on it. After 10 minutes, he came again to collect it, and people offered him money. And we had our Israeli guide instruct us a moment later, “Don’t give money to him. It’s for his community.”

Amidst the chaos and deception, I felt new could still be born.

How to look at the birthplace of Jesus in a cave – a stable

We went to the Shepherds’ field to see an actual cave, as pilgrims would find it difficult to imagine the place of the nativity church as a birth in a cave. It was to give the pilgrims an idea of the ancient stable or the cave where Jesus’ birth took place.

For the shepherds, the most priced possession is the sheep. The sheep are kept in the innermost part of the cave. The middle area for the kitchen area, and the cave entrance is the dining area. The children and family members use the cave as a night resting place. The front area is for the shepherds to keep watch, with a fire lit in front of the cave. When there is an attack from a wild animal, the first risk is for the shepherd on guard, then their children and finally the sheep.

In the summer, the shepherds built a tent on top of the cave or in front of the cave. People were coming to Jerusalem, searching for a place to stay outside the city during the Jewish festivals. As the shepherds got more prosperous, they built small rooms for the travellers (festival pilgrims) around the cave area. It was called an inn. When you hear “there was no place in the inn,” the pilgrims had already occupied the new rooms built around the cave. And Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable or inside the cave – the inner part of the cave.

View of the City of Jerusalem. Spot the Golden dome of the temple.

What’s the risk of childbirth at night in the cave? The sheep are placed in the innermost part of the cave. If the sheep discover the slightest light, it can confuse the animals to think it’s daylight and then run over the sleeping children, killing the little ones. It is also the same difficulty with the man whose neighbour comes to seek bread at night. The man must risk waking the animals if he enters the cave with light searching for bread. The animals would run over his sleeping children. How can it be ‘knocking on the door of a cave?’ Due to cultural differences, we can misinterpret the narrative of Biblical times.

What is the irony of the Shepherds?

The shepherds were considered unclean people in ancient times in Israel. They were in the mountains. There was less access to water for a bath and ritual purity. They found it difficult to practice Judaism as eating halal foods was not easy on the mountain terrain. The shepherds had one role in preparing the best lamb for sacrifice in the temple – the unblemished lamb.

The shepherds rejoice! The simplicity of believing.

The irony! In a way, the unclean people are preparing clean lamps for temple sacrifice. Secondly, if anything significant is to happen in Jerusalem, the rich and powerful will hear about it first, and the ordinary people will discover it much later. But the announcement of the birth of Jesus was revealed first to the shepherds.

Corrected notions about St. Joseph

If not the carpenter, who was Joseph? Linguistic translations mess things up. According to the original word, Joseph was a builder, not a carpenter – more like an architect. But in those days, architects needed to know how to work with wood to fix things for the house. Recall Jesus using the metaphor of the cornerstone. As a professional builder, Jesus knew the quintessential place of a cornerstone.

St. Joseph, the silent worker, is a model during our times of frivolous publicity.

The world knows Joseph as a handsome young man. Contrary to it, Joseph was an older man. According to the cultural practice of the time, old Jewish men were allowed to marry young girls.

According to recent archaeological discoveries, Joseph was a rich man, not a poor worker. A ritual bath was found during the excavations of St Joseph’s home. The rich could afford exclusive baths in their houses for ritual cleansing before going to the temple for worship.

St. Joseph knows how to get the algorithms of your life correct without making much noise. What did you ask St. Joseph?

Anything good can come from Nazareth?

It is a wonder how an insignificant city became the biggest in the area. Nazareth was a tiny village over 2000 years ago. It is not even mentioned in the Old Testament. People used to make fun of the people of Nazareth. But it is mentioned in the New Testament. However, Jesus would be rejected in Nazareth and dragged towards a cliff to be hurled down. It was only after that incident Jesus moved to Capernaum.

“This is the place…?” I said as I moved out of a typical Jewish synagogue in Nazareth. As a young Jewish male, Jesus must have frequented the place to read from the scroll.

Today, Nazareth is the biggest city. But 2000 years ago, it was the smallest village in the area. There is no mention of Nazareth in the Old Testament. People used to make fun of people coming from Nazareth. You recall: What good can come from Nazareth?

Goan Chaplaincy UK Group I at the Church of Transfiguration.

Things you may not know about Cana

Jesus turns water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana. Where is this place today? Is it in Cana in Galilee or the other Cana found in present-day Lebanon? Archaeologists may debate the exact location of the miracle. But the miracle happened.

How is synagogue connected to Jesus’ miracle? In Hebrew, synagogue means a house – a place of teaching children about God’s word and traditions. But in Greek, synagogue implies a gathering place for weddings, funerals, etc. Ancient Synagogues were more a place of gathering for social events, including learning the Jewish sacred scriptures. Synagogues became a place of worship after the temple’s destruction in Jerusalem in 70 AD. During Jesus’ time, a synagogue was not a place of worship. The Jews believed that Jerusalem was the only temple to worship Yahweh. Now you will understand Jesus was a guest at a house for the wedding – it was a common gathering place, not a private home of a rich person.

Couples renew their wedding vows at Cana.

And should I talk about wine at Cana? Cana is not famous for grape wine. Most pilgrims buy grape wine from Cana in Galilee as a memento of remembrance. There is a higher chance that the wine must have been made of pomegranate juice. Cana is famous for pomegranates. It takes 40 kgs of pomegranate to produce one and a half litre of wine. The Israeli guide cautioned pilgrims to buy good wine, as he jokingly added, “Otherwise, you may have the second miracle of wine turning into juice when you get home.”

Only one miracle in Cana?

The Gospel of John records that Jesus’ first miracle is changing water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana in Galilee. But did Jesus perform more miracles in Cana? Yes, they are not recorded is the safest answer. John mentions that Jesus did so many miracles that all books in the world would not be enough to record them.

It was a surprise to know there was another recorded miracle in Cana. It was Jesus healing the Centurion’s servant. Jesus was in Cana when the Centurion asked Jesus to heal his servant by giving the order to heal. In Cana, Jesus pronounced healing of the Centurion’s servant in Capernaum. We were invited to offer prayers for the sick, as the distance is no barrier to healing miracles.

St. Peter’s Fish. Did you have it for lunch at Galilee?

The sea of Galilee has a variety of fish. So why is St. Peter’s fish so important? Because Peter found a coin in the mouth of the fish to pay taxes? The pilgrims can try their luck. According to Jewish tradition, a fish must have bone and scales to be edible. Sea fish varieties like Crabs and catfish are not halal (not clean for consumption). St. Peter’s fish is a particular variety of tilapia found in the sea of Galilee.

St. Peter’s Fish served at the convent for the pilgrims.

A unique phenomenon in the Holy Land is that the sea of Galilee is 212 meters below sea level. Another phenomenon is the valley where Jesus preached the Sermon on the mount. It is a natural amphitheatre with amazing acoustics that you can speak to a crowd without a microphone. You may not find these natural wonders anywhere in the world. River Jordan and the Dead Sea are other rivers below sea level.

Jericho! The oldest city on earth?

The city has a name of a Canaanite god of the moon – as it is often called, the city of the moon. According to the latest archaeological discovery of Jericho’s walls, it is the oldest city on earth. The walls of Jericho, dating 8000 BC, were from when humans shifted from food hunting to food gathering. The walls were not for defence but for agricultural purposes. Joshua will feature only in 1000 BC when the Levites crossed over into the promised land. The Levites crossed, carrying the arch of the covenant on dry land.

Jericho is the lowest city on earth, with an annual rainfall of 2-3 centimetres. Due to its high humidity, there is quick evaporation. The guide mentions a local saying, “if it snows in Jerusalem, you can go out in a bikini in Jericho.” The warm winters of Jericho remain its attraction for the rich and the famous – in ancient times, the mighty pitched their tents on the land of Jericho.

How are old public toilets connected to crucifixion?

Public toilets during the Roman era near the amphitheatre at Caesarea.

There were ancient Roman public toilets near an amphitheatre in Caesarea. Each person sat in a row, with no privacy but running water flowing beneath the stone seats. After the job was done, a slave used a stick with a sponge to clean the patron’s bum. During these times, such sticks were used to humiliate a person. While hanging on the cross, Jesus asked for water. The soldiers, to humiliate Jesus, used one such stick dipped in vinegar. It was a stick – a symbol of humiliation.

Bassam: The Smiling Guide

Our local Israeli guide Bassam says, “Holy Land has many names.” Indeed, the ancient land has witnessed divine intervention and human efforts for peace amidst turmoil and conflict.

Bassam explained the meaning of his name – as the one who is smiling. He compared himself to a shepherd of the group dealing with sheep and goats. While the sheep listens, the goats are challenging to get in line – keep the timing.

Bassam, our Israeli guide, explains the process of extracting olive oil.

Our brother in Christ, Bassam made a counter-intuitive announcement regarding clicking photos: listen, see, touch and then take a picture. “There are more chances that you remember more about the photo than you start clicking photos first, and you forget the place of significance,” Bassam advised the pilgrims.

It was like a sermon on the bus – on the wheels. Bassam had a practical judgement in getting the pilgrims from one place to another. “No Stopping and No Shopping,” he said. “This is the golden rule about visiting the holy sites.”

“The important thing about pilgrimage is to forget about yourself and think about others,” Bassam emphasised.

Fr Patrick D’Souza, Fr Mark Furtado, Fr Lucas Rodrigues, and Fr Feroz Fernandes, the spiritual leaders during the pilgrimage near the Church of Visitation.

Notes I found interesting

An olive branch is a symbol of peace and a sign of life. The olive tree is green throughout the year. The olive tree appears not to die, as the shoot will emerge from the trunk. It is a symbol of continuous life.

The oldest mention of Bethlehem is in Genesis 35. The tomb of Rachel is a holy place for three religions: Jews, Christians and Muslims. Bethlehem in Hebrew means house of bread. And we have the classic text – Jesus is the bread of life.

Pilgrims acknowledge experiencing a sense of calm, peace and awe. Even with questionable historical accuracy, the holy land sites inspire pilgrims on the faith journey. New things continue to be born in life. Holiness is when Christ is among us.

About the Author

Did you really fly that Aeroplane?

Filed Under: Unexpected Moments September 27, 2022 Leave a Comment

“When was the last time you did something for the first time,” a friend asked me. It took me a while to get it correctly. But I had to get it right while flying a plane for the first time.

I took over the plane’s controls for over 30 minutes from Redhill Aerodrome to Headcorn Aerodrome, London. The take-off was closer to Gatwick airport, the other air hub after Heathrow for London. I was in the pilot’s seat with Mark Wagner, the training instructor with 40 years of flying experience.

It was a four-seater private plane (G-BWOH) with wings below the aircraft’s body. Father Patrick D’Souza, SFX, the Goan Chaplain, was in the passenger seat.

Mark started to run the mandatory check before we took off. The aircraft has two fuel tanks on either wing with enough fuel for four hours each. When the fuel tank is full, it is advisable to take less than four people.

“With this amount of fuel, we can fly to Paris and come back,” Mark said. “Yeah, we have a bit of paperwork to do.”

The scary part of flying

First-time flying can be overwhelming. Mark had much experience. “She was flown in the morning, so we know the plane is in working condition,” Mark said to boost our confidence.

I was getting ready to take air control of the plane: a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We had to sign the declaration form to undertake the risk for life and no subsequent claims after that, in case of an eventuality of loss of life while on board.

As we were signing the form, we could hear the office staff talking about a technical issue with one of the aircrafts.

“You are signing your life away,” said Alvaro D’Costa, the Manager of Redhill Aviation Flight Centre. Our friend Alvaro, a lover of aeronautical adventures, is a devout believer in the intervention of God in life.

Was Alvaro joking? The little things always seem big, adding to my fear of flying. A scheduled flight got cancelled, and Mark was free for the evening. Alvaro and Mark agreed on our itinerary while in the air.

Mark requested a PPR (Prior Permission Required) for take-off. The airfield had more traffic than usual. It is a grass airfield for take-off and landing. An alternative runway is used for safety purposes when it is raining or wet.

After a while in the air, my right hand became rigid while holding the plane’s controls. It was a numbness I had not experienced in recent times. But I flipped the wings for a better view of the ground and changed the direction of the plane’s nose to gain height or start a descent. I had the assurance that the co-pilot would take over. Mark was impressive as he spoke about flying technical details.

Roughly, we cruised at 1200 feet above sea level with 80 mph on a bright sunny day. There were bursts of air hitting the aircraft occasionally, tilting it like it was on a road full of potholes.

There is a train track below with lush green trees on either side, forming a straight line. Mark told us that before GPS, pilots in cloudy conditions depended on it, looking down at the track to head out towards the English Channel to fly into Europe or land in London.

The Crazy World of Aviation

Thanks to Redhill Aerodrome, it has air traffic control with PPR to land and take off. But Headcorn Aerodrome, the place we were above to land, is less controlled – it is an open field. Everyone must watch out for who is around. It is like an unmanned open area.

Mark did talk to a guy at Headcorn Aerodrome, informing them about our landing. He sounded half sleepy, like land at your own risk. But we are open for business. We had to pay landing fees.

“It’s a crazy world of aviation,” Mark informed us earlier. “People are doing the weirdest things in the flying world.”

We were blessed! It was like an ordinary day air show at Headcorn Aerodrome. One fellow was tied to the wings on top of an aircraft – Boeing Stearman. It’s called wing walking. They took off after we landed. He wore a pair of glasses to protect his eyes while experiencing the speed, power thrills and spills of ups and downs.

I thought the guy was in his early twenties – out on an adrenaline adventure. But no, he was in his mid-sixties. The restrictions are on age (18-75) and weight ( below 85 kg). The adventure is approved by Civil Aviation Authority (UK).

“It’s cheap, considering the cost of fuel, aircraft and organisers,” Mark said. The trip of 20-plus minutes costs £400 (USD 450), with all sorts of twists and turns in the air.

“It’s awesome! It would be best if you tried it,” he told us while leaving Headcorn Aerodrome. And then the next passenger to wing walk was a lady in her forties. People pay to sit on an aircraft of their choice for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Spitfire! Yes. It was there. Spitfire is a WWII aeroplane with the sound you hear in movies. I saw it fly and make that unique noise. I did not go too close, as the owners do not appreciate civilians getting too close to it. You need to be a customer.

Another surprise was to see a plane made of wood. It has a wooden body and wings. Tiger Moth is a British plane with double wings that Royal Air Force first operated in the 1930s.

There was a microlight weighing around 450 kg. It looked like the body was eaten up with only the head remaining for the two-seater plane. A microlight can take off from a backyard of 200 meters. We saw another one made of fibreglass.

“Things are never boring at Headcorn,” Mark confessed. “Blizzard things happen here.” Imagine the site with no control, having different objects flying in the air: parachuting, air balloons, sky-dying, and the different types of aeroplanes all looking after one another in a wild west to protect oneself.

Fr Patrick took over the controls as we returned via another scenic route hovering over three castles, magnificent house vistas and even Winston Churchill’s house.

Was I scared to fly? A camera fitted for the window captured the visual of those in the pilot’s seat and the aircraft dashboard. It is for post-flying learning lessons, maybe for safety purposes. People can be wired in the air. I do expect a tense face and hands during some moments. I hope to upload it later. Do you want to watch the unedited?

Funny Flashes: Flying, Faith and Food

“Men of God,” Alvaro introduced us to his staff. Alvaro advised having no food before flying. It was around 2:30 pm, we had skipped lunch, and it took us almost 90 minutes to get to the Redhill airfield. We did indulge in a hot beverage and a chocolate biscuit, a bit afraid of throwing it out while in the air.

Alvaro shared a testimony of faith.

He took over Redhill flying school in early 2014. It is a wooden structure with another canteen adjacent to it. One night an emergency helicopter was landing at 2 am. He saw smoke and called the ambulance to put out the fire.

When Alvaro came for work in the morning, except for his area, the other part of the building was burnt down to ashes. It was nothing short of a miracle. The emergency services broke open a glass from his shed to prevent the fire.

The ifs and buts can wait. The wind was blowing right onto us. Looking at the site, it could have blown right into the Redhill Aerodrome building. Miracles continue to happen, even wind can blow in your favour.

I felt goosebumps – a sheer presence of Divine listening to this incident. It took away my fears of flying – I am in the safe hand of God.

We planned Friday as a day to go flying. Patricia, Alvaro’s wife, suggested we go on Thursday due to the weather.

“My wife always gets the weather correct,” Alvaro said. Rightly, the day we were out, it was beautiful – perfect climate to be outdoors and in the air – we kept the pinhole window open of the aeroplane to breathe the superb air above the clouds.

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Under the Church Bells Facing Upwards

Filed Under: Unexpected Moments September 23, 2022 Leave a Comment

Bell Tower of a 200 years old Mitcham Parish Church of Peter and Paul.

Have you ever been to a Church bell tower? Maybe, you have walked the narrow steps leading upward or the spiral stairs giving you a dizzy feeling while enjoying the magnificent views via the bell doors. But the majestic bells always have a story to tell.

I am accustomed to seeing 500-year-old churches with bell towers back home in Goa, India. And being a priest, I have walked up on several of those bell towers. Did I ever ring the huge bells? No. I don’t know how to do that. I am talking about belfries with more than one bell peeled melodiously in a specific sequence.

Now, I am in Greater London. And the 200-year-old Mitcham Parish Church building has eight bells – a full octave. A team is needed to ring the bells – like six to eight volunteers. Mitcham Parish church has been a worship centre for over 800 years.

Recently, I was at this Mitcham Parish Church belonging to the Church of England on Mitcham Heritage Day 2022. But I missed the tour to the bell tower at the scheduled time.

But Father David Pennells, the Parish Vicar, offered to add me to a special tour of the bells in the tower on the very same day. I discovered that the bell ringers gather every Monday for a practice session of over one and a half hour. And they invite interested people to watch or learn the art of ringing bells. So, I signed up to be added to the email list.

When I first heard the bells, they announced the new King of England, Charles III. But while I was in the tower, I could not see the ringers nor try to ring the bells.

I got the invite to join the Monday practice session. Fr Stephen Dias, SFX, the pastor at SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Mitcham, joined the evening of the practice session. It was a 12-minute walk from one church rectory to another.

How does it all happen?

“Treble is going; she is gone,” the lead bell ringer says, and the other seven bells follow in descending order. But there were only six bell ringers, so only six bells were peeled on the day of my visit.

One among the ringers is assigned as a conductor, who leads the change in the sequence. If the initial series is 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, s/he can change it so that four goes before three and so forth.

Seeing the bell ringers doing it quickly and flawlessly is impressive. “It takes practice,” they confess. “It is like learning a musical instrument – some pick up quickly while others take time.”

But the exciting part of that evening practice is that the newcomers are introduced to peal the bells. So, I got a couple of tries to do it. Once, I almost snoozed – failed to pull it down and missed the rhythm – and the experienced trainer took over to complete the sequence.

The bells don’t like a stiff pull; one must be gentle. There is a danger that the bell stopper can break with a rough draw. The wooden bell stopper will give way like a fuse to protect the bell. But in the history of these bell ringers, such an incident has never happened.

I visualized that in most churches, bells hang downward with the tong dangling. It’s the reverse here – the bells are inverted with the cup facing upward, with each swing bringing the bell up again.

“How long are the bells pealed?” asked a curious newbie. Seven minutes on a typical Sunday. It can go on for fifteen minutes for solemn occasions. But someone recalled ringing the bells for 45 minutes.

Another surprise was that the majority of the volunteers were women bell ringers. I did not expect that.

“It helps my back problem after sitting long hours,” said one woman. One has to stand straight to ring the bell, giving a full body stretch while pulling the rope down. “It’s good for the heart, as it exercises the lungs,” she added.

So, what is a bell-ringing activity? Exercise, fun or prayer? “It’s a leisure activity,” was a spontaneous reply. It’s a time to be together, volunteering for the church you love – in praise of God and keeping the heritage alive.

More about bells

Three bells date back to the fifteenth century, and others are over 200 years old. The art of bell ringing is dying. And the culture of massive bells is dying, and bell foundries are dwindling.

I happened to be at a bell foundry in Bicholim, Goa, listening to the young owner about the lack of orders placed for big bells, the combination of metals and alloys to give strength to the bell and the appropriate sound. If the blend is inaccurate, the bells crack and create dissonance in the ear.

A priest told a new sacristan to ring the church bell. He had never rung it before. It was time for mass. The sacristan, who did not speak much English, went into the bell tower and pulled the rope, but nothing happened. The priest, too, was surprised to see the sacristan running out of the bell tower. Upon meeting the priest, the sacristan said: the bell is not shouting.

After watching Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, I joined the bell-ringing session on the same evening. I listened to the amazing sounds of the bells of Westminster Abbey during the Queen’s funeral ceremony. But I did not hear if there was a double troll – a mistake. A mistake may cost the job of the ringer, but only a trained bell ringer will pick a particular type of error in the sounds.

Do you have stories about church bells or bell towers? Kindly share in the comments below.

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