11/28/2010

Leprosy. By Uncle Monty.




Against Leprosy.
By Uncle Monty at Cadogan Hall.
Photos By Alex Albion.
...
Although deeply Anglican, The Chivalric
Order of St. Larazus is also nondenominational
in its ecumenical fight against the scourge of
leprosy. For most folkz, leprosy is something
from a far gone age and died its own death.
But not so for those who are still afflicted with
leprosy in this electronic modern age of
digital this and digital that.
...
The World Heath Organization (WHO) estimates
that some 15 million people suffer from leprosy
today. Of that number, only about 3½ million
lepers are receiving any form of treatment
against such a persistent scourge that brings
"chronic infectious bacterial disease affecting
skin and nerves, resulting in mutilations and
deformities. It is also highly contagious,"
states the medical reference I used.
...
Some Memebrs of The Orion Symphony Orchestra.
...
The concert itself against leprosy was a classic
and rare programme of some British composers
who have all too often been forgotten over their
more famous fellow composers like Ralph Vaughan
Williams and Sir Edward Elgar. Thus we were
treated to the classical compositions of Dorothy
Howell (1898-1982); Josef Holbrooke (1978-1958);
and Lillian Elkington (1901-1969).
...
Howell’s Concerto in D Minor for Piano & Orchestra
was superbly presented bythe Orion Symphony
Orchestra under the skillful baton of its talented
conductor Toby Purser, who I met again during the
programme interval. Then we heard Holbrooke’s
Orchestral Variations on ‘The Girl I Left Behind
Me,’ Op. 37B. I was riveted by it. And Elkington’s
“Out of the Mist” was the first time I had heard
the piece played. I was glad to have heard it at
long last at the Order of St. Lazarus concert that
was designed to raise worthy funds for its fight
against the scourge of leprosy. Both The concert
and the fund raiser were an outstanding success
by any measure. I hope next to also attend the
upcoming traditional carol service of
The Order of St. Lazarus at Pimlico.
...
The 13th Lord Ferrers.
...
Although I missed personally meeting the noted
St. Lazarus patrons Sir Anthony and Lady Reardon
Smith, having themsleves gone home immediately
at the end of the concert, I was to enjoy instead my
encounter for the first time with 13th Lord Ferrers,
(shown above), who is The Grand Prior of The Order
of St. Lazarus. We had a heart-to-heart chat and he
unflinchingly answered all of my questions about the
order. He was approachable and disarming that I
found him to be toward me. I had seen his name
widely printed for years in the national British news
media as a well known Tory politician and later as
a noted member of the House of Lords. With his
grand daughter standing at his side, Lord Ferrers
stood out among the other distinquished St. Lazarus
Order patrons gathered for the evening at London’s
Cadogan Hall for the Order’s Remembrance &
Revival Concert that was sold-out without a doubt.
...
“The Rt. Hon. Robert Washington Shirley, 13th Earl
Ferrers, PC (born 8 June 1929), is British Conservative
politician and member of the House of Lords as one of the
remaining hereditary peers. He is one of the few people to
...
Bulgaria's Leading Concert
Pianist Valentina Seferinova.
...
Few concert pianists have I seen before play-
ing with such passion and love like I saw with
Valentina Saferinova. I could see why she was
called a 'child prodigy' at her native Bulgaria at
where today she is its leading concert pianist.
"Valya," as she is known to her family and friends,
played as soloist the Piano Concerto (in D minor)
by the Brum-born English composer Dorothy
Howell. Wonderful! I was so pleased to meet
and photograph Valya at Cadogan Hall and at
where we had a brief chat during the
concert interval.
...
Bailiff of the Order: The Rev'd Canon Jeremy
Haselock of England's Norwich Cathedral.
...
Notes From St. Lazarus Charitable Trust:
“The Order of St. Lazarus was originally created
by the militarisation of an order of monks, who,
as followers of St. Basil, had chosen to work
amongst those suffering from leprosy. During
the time of the crusades all knights of the great
military orders found to be suffering from the
dreaded disease of leprosy were forced by their
own rules to leave their order. As most warrior
monks, and still quite able to fight, they usually
joined their confreres under the banner of Saint
Lazarus. The early Grand Masters of the Order
were themselves amongst those so afflicted. These
knights, who classed themselves as “living dead,”
while never large in number, were ferocious in
battle, always choosing to die rather
then face surrender."
...
Chaplain-General of the Order:
The Rev'd Canon David Skeoch.
...
(L-R) Uncle Monty, Orion Orchestra Conductor Toby
Purser, and Lady Patron, Together at Cadogan Hall.
...
The Sign Speaks For Itself!
...
In closing for now, I just wish I could attend
such concerts every week of the kind presented
by The Order of St. Lazarus. Alas, only once
in awhile do I find such. But when I do, I jump
for joy. I really do ... And the fight against
leprosy should never be forgotten, too.
I shall not forget the fight for sure ...
...
Bittersweet, Uncle Monty.
+The 1st Sunday in Advent, 2010.
.
.
:: Feedback & Comments ::
thebiggerissue@k.st
.
Defrock Pete Broadbent.
By Alex Albion.
...
hello bishop richard:
frankly, i think pete broadbent, as the suffragan
bishop of willesden, should be defrocked forthwith,
if he doesn’t step down of his own free will. like
you, i feel his comments about our dear prince
william and his lovely catherine was not only
appalling but also cheapened them and the
church by his uncalled for and gutter comments.
.
at the gafcon conference a few years ago, i first en-
countered pete broadbent and i politely asked him
if i could photograph him like i had of the various
other anglican bishops there. he was rude and con-
descending to me upon his loud disapproval of my
humble request! i was taken aback by his impersonal
attitude for no reason at all. when on the other hand
i bumped into you at around the same time on the
steps of st. paul’s cathedral, you kindly consented to
my request to photograph you as the lord bishop
of london without any ado. thank you
kindly, bishop richard!!
.
while i believe pete broadbent as a right to his
own opinions on whatever subject that takes
his wildest leftist fancy, i believe he is obligated
to recognize his role as bishop first and above all
else. that he has failed to do. the words he used
on the internet were not only rather infantile
but lacking grace and respect for the royal
couple and for his fellow anglicans like you and
me ... if i’d had been at clarence house when
the willesden fellow called to apologize, i
would have simply slammed the phone
down in his face ... that’s how i feel!
.
as for you bishop richard, i totally agree with
the steps you have thus far taken against pete
broadbent, who should not be confused in any
way with retiring bishop peter broadhurst of
fulham. so the quicker pete broadbent
is removed, much the better i say!
.
truly, alex albion.
+eve of advent, 2010.
.
Dutch lesbian and Nigerian man arrested at altar
moments before sham marriage. Such sham marriages
are a widespread problem, but Father Codling had
become wise to such antics at his Church of England
How Peter & John Bird Stole My Xmas Tree!
.
.
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{ Click on any image to Enlarge }
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2 comments:

T Radley said...

Uncle Monty,
With interest I have read
your blog feature
concerning the St. Lazarus Order.
You may find it worth while to
know that St. Vincent de Paul began something similar in 1608
by forming associations
to help the sick. In 1619
he was appointed
almoner-general of the galleys.
In the meanwhile, he also formed the Congregation of Priests of
the Missions. The were called
Lararists from their priory
of St. Lazare in Paris.
Urban VIII approved the order
in 1632. St. Vincent de Paul later established the
noble Sisterhood of Charity.
It should be stated that what
he did was strictly Catholic
and not Anglican like the
St. Lazarus Order you have approvingly written about.
Major Thomas Radley
(Retired).

Mike Bradley. said...

Hi Uncle Monty
Mike Bradley here - Brit Husband of pianist Valentina Seferinova(-Bradley)

Just caught your worthy blog about the above event.

On behalf of Valentina ('Valya' for short) - many thanks for your kind words.

Whilst the detail of her is largely correct and true - just to add the clarification that she is now UK based (since 1998) - and is of dual Bulgarian/British nationality.

She also asks is it possible to have a copy (by e-mail) of the photo you took (she like it!!)

Many thanks in advance
and regards from the both of us
Mike Bradley of Valentina ......