St Paul's Athens and the Special Olympics


The Special Olympics were hosted in Athens from 26 June to 6 July. This global event is is modeled on the Olympic Games but dedicated to those who live with restricted learning abilities. 157 nations participated with Britain sending a team 150 strong along with the trainers and support members. Each participant and helper had to raise £2,000 to fund their part in the games.

St Paul's Church in Athens was on hand to assist with the welcome and support for this event. Christine Saccali, Reader, signed up as a volunteer to assist with translation. In the photograph above Christine is seen with the Nigerian team much involved in making bread. Below, she is pictured with a medalist from El Salvador, a power lifter. On Sunday 26 June participants in the Special Olympics joined St Paul's congregation for worship. The following Monday the Senior Chaplain, the Revd Canon Malcolm Bradshaw, met with the British team at a reception given by H.M.Ambassador.

The Special Olympics are an extraordinary event which reveals what those who have limited learning ability can actually achieve when the appropriate care, organization and dedication is extended to them. Sadly, this year's Special Olympics, complete with beautiful opening and closing events, received very little publicity. Instead the Greek economic crisis and its accompanying demonstrations caught the world's headlines.

The next Special Olympics will be four years, just outside the diocese, in South Korea. Fr Bradshaw says if we should spot anyone who uses, in both formal and non-formal situations, red plastic shoe laces, it is a sign that the wearer is associated with the Special Olympics, and a custom started by the British Team.

Reader Christine Saccali and Salvadorean medalist

The Revd Canon Malcolm Bradshaw

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Farewell to the Diocese in Europe

Image
Deacon Frances and I packed up our office yesterday and turned over our official files, emails and equipment. Thus a close working together for 22 years comes to an end. So it is hard to believe that today, St David's day, a new chapter begins, after 44 years of stipendiary ministry, 22 years as deacon then priest and 22 as a bishop.  Here are just a few memories from the last couple of months...   But now it is time to begin a new chapter.  O God, by whose command the order of time runs its course: forgive our impatience, perfect our faith and, while we await the fulfilment of your promise, grant us to have a good hope because of your Word,  even Jesus Christ our Lord. (St Gregory Nazianzus, 330 - 390)
Read more

Archbishop of Canterbury's Pentecost Letter: A European Consequence

Image
In his Pentecost letter, the Archbishop of Canterbury warned of certain consequences for provinces of the Anglican Communion which have failed to stand by the three moratoria . (No authorisation of blessings services for same-sex unions; no consecrations of bishops living in same-sex relationships; and no bishop authorising any ministry within the diocese of another bishop without explicit permission). One consequence would be that representatives from such provinces w ould not be able to participate in the formal international interchurch dialogues of the Communion. One of those dialogues is the Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council ( AOCICC ), the official instrument set up to deepen the relationship of communion established in 1931 between the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht . As the member Churches of the Union of Utrecht are all European, the AOCICC is effectively a European body. (I am one of the members, appointe
Read more

Advent in Helsinki: Mary, the Church's calling, and the One who brings us out of darkness to light

Image
Outside the Cathedral in Helsinki Yesterday, 8 December, was a very full Advent day, with activities redolent of the themes of the season. It was, of course, the Feast of the [Immaculate] Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary when we contemplate the mystery of the one who was prepared, through grace, to become the Mother of the Redeemer.  At the Vallila Help Centre (above, with Coordinator Eeva and Fr Tuomas) St Ambrose of Milan (whose feast we also celebrated this past week) was the first to refer to the Blessed Virgin as the Mother of the Church,  Mater Ecclesiae,  a title which helps us consider not only her role in giving birth to the Redeemer from whom the Church itself was born, but also how in her own life she responded to God's call in faith and love, as the Church today is also called to respond to the needs of the world.  It was with this in mind that I was so moved by a visit to the Ukraine Vallila Help Centre, a project supported by USPG and this diocese, which provides
Read more