Monastic life may seem remote to many.  But beloved films such as the Sound of Music, documentaries, and television dramas like Call the Midwife mean that some will share an idea of what nuns are and what they do, and may even inspire a fascination and curiosity in the mysteries of a contemplative life.  Today’s guest, however, has first-hand experience.  

Much liked the beloved Maria von Trapp, Caroline Leighton is an avid musician.  A pianist, a teacher of music and a composer, with two works to be published this month by the Royal School of Church Music, her sacred output ranges from canticles to a requiem mass, along with a collection of anthems, carols, and art songs.  She grew up in a busy musical household where faith was very much on the periphery.  But her musical gifts led her to discover an attraction to contemplative monastic life, and through this, a deep and profound faith.  After some months as a postulant in a Carmelite monastic community in Quidenham, Norfolk, she re-entered the noisy world, re-evaluating her sense of vocation, and calling.  

Azim Ahmed chats to Caroline about her experience, her faith, and her music.

Caroline Leighton

Religious affairs programme, tackling the thornier issues of the day in a thought-provoking manner

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“Run the straight race”   The line from a well-know hymn gives a clue to this week’s edition presented by Rosa Hunt. Throughout May the BBC is holding its annual Mental Health and Wellbeing Season which coincides with a week of awareness run by the Mental Health Foundation. This year the foundation is focussing on "moving more for our mental health”. During the programme we include an exploration of physical activity as far as faith is concerned.  In some faiths, worship is very much a sedentary activity and perhaps the only physical element is standing to sing hymns and songs and even then,  that’s for those able to do so. Many find wellbeing in anything from private prayer and meditation to physical workouts and walks. We visit Glenwood Community Church and Wellbeing Space in Cardiff, where wellbeing and mental health are taken very seriously with a range of activities on offer to the locality including physical ones. It’s also a place where counselling is offered by professional counsellors.   We also speak to Jamilla Hekmoun, Chair of the Muslim Mental Health Alliance and a Research Fellow on the Faith and Mental Health Project run by the Woolfe Institute. On Friday 10th May the Institute is holding a workshop at Cardiff University “focussed on improving mental health provision for Muslim communities”.  As part of the BBC’s Mental Health and Wellbeing season, BBC Radio Wales will be sharing stories and tips this month on how to support your mental health and wellbeing.  LINKS
bbc.co.uk/mentalwellbeing
mentalhealth.org.uk
www.glenwoodchurch.org
https://www.woolf.cam.ac.uk/research/projects/mental-health-project

Run the straight race.

Roy Jenkins talks to former nun Catherine Coldstream, who has recently published a fascinating, challenging and highly praised memoir of her former life in a Carmelite monastery.  Following the death of her father, Catherine Coldstream abandoned her musician's life in Paris and sought spiritual solace in a monastery, and found what she thought was a vocation for life as a Carmelite nun. She was only in her mid-20s  Yet on a rainy night 12 years later she would try to escape from the community which had once seemed idyllic.   By that time it was riven between two factions, one for maintaining the old traditions at all costs, and the other for embracing the Catholic church’s modernising concern for individual welfare.  In recent years Catherine has been a teacher of religion and ethics, and in this conversation she reflects on both the good and the bad parts of her experience in the monastery to which she gives the fictional name of 'Akenside'.

Cloistered

Jonathan Thomas joins the audience in the Swansea Arena to watch the musical 'Jesus Christ Superstar' on its 50th anniversary tour. He speaks to three expert guests; Swansea born singer and song writer Steve Balsamo whose award winning performance of Jesus in the 1990s launched his career. Cameron Smith who writes a blog 'Middle Brow Musicals' and also for Premier Christianity Magazine. Lastly Revered Emma Ackland, Bishop’s Chaplain in the Diocese of Llandaff.   The show first launched in the UK at the Palace Theatre in London in 1972, one of the most popular shows of all time, the rock opera depicts the last few days leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Some Christians have called it blasphemous, others see it as an evocative retelling of Jesus’ final days. With church congregations declining, Jonathan Thomas explores these issues and what still draws audiences today to a story about Jesus’ life and death.

Jesus Christ Superstar

Minister and biker Sean Stillman gives a searingly honest  insight into a life that's been turned upside down since his diagnosis some three years ago, after experiencing a number of strange symptoms.  Sean is a Christian minister at Zak’s Place , which is both a church and outreach to the homeless in Swansea. He's also international president of a Christian motor-cycle club called ‘God’s Squad’. But, like many people living with a serious illness,  he has had to cut back on some of his commitments. At the same time he  has also taken on new challenges such as boxing and ballet in order to maintain strength and balance. In this special programme for Parkinson's Awareness Week, recorded over several years, Sean tells his story in his own words through interviews and audio diaries.   Details of organisations offering information and support with Parkinson’s are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5TzWfx4YgJVMS3N49BsyTcR/information-and-support-parkinsons-disease

Parkinson's and Me

While attention is understandably focussed on the latest horrors of the Gaza-Israel conflict, it’s easy to forget that in Ukraine and dozens of other countries, people are also being forced from their homes, seeing communities destroyed, and living in daily fear.    In other places, the memories of much earlier atrocities continue to shape lives. It’s the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda which killed 800,000 people in 100 days in 1994. The UK parliament faces yet another round of votes on the government’s plans to send asylum seekers there, proposals hailed as a means of protecting borders, deterring people without legitimate claims, and fighting the traffickers. And widely condemned as inflicting unnecessary suffering, breaching international agreements, and incurring huge expense. while working with a country with a far from perfect record on human rights.  On the day two years ago when the plans were first announced, Roy Jenkins was interviewing a survivor of that genocide in 1994.   He was in Wales, visiting a couple who’d kept in touch with him since he was in an orphanage.   Today we’re repeating that conversation with Jean-Pierre Sibomana, who was maimed in an explosion which killed his mother. He’s faced many struggles, but that devastating event was eventually to help set a vision for his life – he’s now a disability rights champion.

Caroline Leighton

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