Basil In Blunderland

Arising out of a game of "hide-and-seek" that Cardinal Hume played many years ago with two young children, Basil in Blunderland is a book to enchant and inspire. On the day the children invited him to play with them, he had not meditated, and as a monk he was required to do half an hour of mental prayer each day. How, he wondered, could he play hide-and-seek and, at the same time, meditate? As the book unfolds we see how each hiding place in fact became a place to pray and how each suggested thoughts about the spiritual life.

A full, rounded, yet critical study of Cardinal Basil Hume. Cardinal Hume was a much loved man. Those who met him know why they found him lovable. This very personal book seeks to show and to explain to those who did not meet him why he was so much loved. Those who met him may also learn and understand more about their old friend. Chapters are by a variety of different people almost all of whom knew him very well indeed and have never until now written about the Cardinal. They show the warmth and humanity, the charm and humour and, above all, the deep spirituality of the man. There are delightful, entertaining stories never previously told, and pieces of material never previously published, including his own notes at the back of his prayerbook, and the last words he said to his fellow monks as he left his monastery to become Archbishop of Westminster. The Cardinal's life was not always an easy one. The book does not hide the personal challenges and difficulties he faced at different periods in his life, but shows that at the end, despite sometimes experiencing depression as he faced the problems of old age and failing health, he found peace and grace. A monk at Ampleforth who was his contemporary and knew him very well said of this book: 'it is like meeting him again'.

Following Cardinal Basil Hume's death on 17 June 1999, The Times concluded his obituary with a remarkable accolade: 'Few churchman in this century, inside or outside the Catholic Church, have died more deeply loved.' Basil Hume served as Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster for twenty-three years and his holiness and wisdom made him an extraordinary leader. In this enthralling biography, Anthony Howard, who has had unique access to Cardinal Hume's private papers and the people who knew him best, traces his life, from his Newcastle upbringing through to his schooling at Ampleforth and his reign at Westminster, including his long and ultimately successful fight on behalf of the Maguire Seven and the Guildford Four.

In the first Bloomsbury Lent book, former Conservative MP and Strictly star Ann Widdecombe explores the place of penance in a 'me, me, me' world. What is our modern concept of penance? Is it giving up chocolates for Lent or is it a lasting state of the awareness of sin? Is it public or private? Is it punishment or greater closeness to God? Is it always a response to personal sin or can an individual do penance for others' sins, or for the world? Ann Widdecombe looks at voluntary penance and its relation to repentance, at prescribed but not enforced penance as part of the sacrament of Absolution and, as an ex-Prisons Minister, at the role of penance as enforced by the State. Penance in art, penance in literature, penance in history, penance in the Bible are all examined in an important and thoughtful meditation on the concept of penance in the 21st Century.

Uniquely authoritative and wide-ranging in its scope, The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church is the indispensable reference work on all aspects of the Christian Church. It contains over 6,500 cross-referenced A-Z entries, and offers unrivalled coverage of all aspects of this vast and often complex subject, from theology; churches and denominations; patristic scholarship; and the bible; to the church calendar and its organization; popes; archbishops; other church leaders; saints; and mystics. In this new edition, great efforts have been made to increase and strengthen coverage of non-Anglican denominations (for example non-Western European Christianity), as well as broadening the focus on Christianity and the history of churches in areas beyond Western Europe. In particular, there have been extensive additions with regards to the Christian Church in Asia, Africa, Latin America, North America, and Australasia. Significant updates have also been included on topics such as liturgy, Canon Law, recent international developments, non-Anglican missionary activity, and the increasingly important area of moral and pastoral theology, among many others. Since its first appearance in 1957, the ODCC has established itself as an essential resource for ordinands, clergy, and members of religious orders, and an invaluable tool for academics, teachers, and students of church history and theology, as well as for the general reader.

Cardinal Basil Hume has spent 50 years as a Benedictine monk and, to celebrate, this text looks at the man, his achievements and his vocation. Written by some of the Cardinal's closest friends and associates, it offers an insight into the life and work of the highly respected leader of Britain's 5 million Catholics.

John Hunt is a kind and gregarious man. His eyes twinkle and his face beams. He is a retired businessman and still retains that drive. I met John the summer of 2000. He came for the graduation ceremony of the crew of students that Jason had led, and we talked. Jason had a difficult course which is common for new instructors. The next summer Jason emerged as a solid leader and had a wonderful course. Several months later while on a climbing vacation in British Columbia Jason took a tragic fall. His family's reaction was to create a foundation in Jason's name that supported his love of the outdoors. The Jason William Hunt Foundation had had tremendous impact on many people especially young people in transition who want to expand their horizons. This happens in an outdoor setting lead by instructors like Jason. It happens every summer at the Wilderness School. John's only son, Jason, will forever be twenty-four years old. My son John is twenty-five. Our sons like many young men seek adventure. Parents care deeply about their children and the fear of losing a child dwells in all of us. How does a parent cope with the tragic loss of their beloved child? Walking with Jason is a quest to trace Jason's brief life as a young man. John becomes the youthful adventurer and visits Jason's world. John seemingly falls through the looking glass and discovers a mysterious and wonderful world inhabited by troubled adolescents, craggy Thru-hikers, idealistic outdoor leaders and others who visit nature's realm. Ultimately John's odyssey is a very personal journey of self-discovery and gives us a compass bearing on how to deal with the sudden loss of a child. I will forever be connected to Jason, Danielle, Amy, Rosemarie and John. Thank you for generous hearts and concern for youth. Tom Dyer, L.C.S.W. Instructor 1980 - 1983 Director Youth Wilderness School 1983-2009 Founding Director Wilderness School, East Hartland, CT 1990