A Word of Condolence
on the Death of Abbot Parker
- Given
by Brother Alcuin Weeden
- of
Sayn Abbey, Rhineland, Germany
-
- There
are many who say the Age of Miracles is passed
- That
the Great and Good of this world are far away
- That
we must make do, get along and compromise
- with
all sorts of unsavoury thoughts, acts and deeds.
-
- We
know that this is not so.
- We
have proof.
- Look
around.
-
- Here
is a miracle, a thriving house of the Lord
- Founded
and lead by a man ridiculed by Nazis,
- Persecuted
by Russians, Rejected in his own land,
- And
who led a band of seven across a third of the
- world
to make this modern Miracle: this thriving Abbey.
-
- Here
is a great and good man, if people could only
- recognise
these qualities in those next to them.
- He
inspired many with his words and deeds,
- who
stood next to us and supported us through fat years and lean
- who
always had a smile for us and our hopes and dreams.
-
- He
had a vision: that we see a great light out of
- the
darkness in this world we live in. That
great
- light
was the procession of white habits flowing
- from
this House to enlighten this dark world,
- a
bright reflection of the old house of Csorna – eventually
- to
refound it and give it a shining new dawn of its own.
-
- We
will miss him. But we should
always remember
- that
he will ever be with us, right next to us
- encouraging,
supporting and available to us through
- our
prayers and memories. He
remains our friend,
- and
we will see him again. He
will be there to greet
- each
of us as we complete this same journey.
-
+ + +
- From
Alcuin, one who was inspired in 1961