Photos: 1 – Bob and +Paritosh, 2 – Bob and +Paritosh at Bangladesh Border, 3 – St Bartholomew’s Cathedral, 4 – Street in the diocese of Barrackpore,
In February 2019 at the gracious invitation of the Right Reverend Paritosh Canning, Bishop of Barrackpore, Canon Bob Harley of the Diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane, spent six days in the Diocese of Barrackpore.
Barrackpore is an army city, having been the first cantonment of the British East India Company. On the way to the Bishop’s residence a multicoloured Diocese of camouflaged tank stands as a gate guardian for a military establishment. The railway station has a splendid façade. +Paritosh’s residence is within a walled compound, which includes the beautiful St Bartholomew’s Cathedral, offices, a delightful garden and the single storey residence. Canon Bob received the warmest of welcomes from +Paritosh, who met him at Kolkata Airport, and from his House Staff and his drivers.
A comprehensive programme was provided for the visit: preaching in St Stephens, Dum Dum, four school visits, a house blessing, the inauguration of a skills centre, the conduct of seminars with the Diocesan Clergy and with the School Principals.
It was a pleasure for Canon Bob to make new friends and to renew acquaintance with old friends, e.g. Charles Ringrow and Raghab and Monica Naik. It was the latter’s house, which was blessed . +Paritosh invited Canon Bob to say an introductory prayer in English before conducting the service in Bengali. This is typical of +Paritosh’s generosity in allowing Canon Bob to participate in events. Another example of this was at the inauguration of St Stephen’s Skill Development Centre, Baruipur. Canon Bob said a few words, cut the ribbon and unveiled the plaque, which contained the names of the Bishop and the Canon. In a previous career in the Royal Navy Canon Bob had arranged vocational training courses for sailors to prepare then for new careers in civilian life and so appreciated the value of such training. The aim of the most worthwhile Baruipur project is to provide local young people with skills to enable them as self-employed businessmen and businesswomen to earn a living and to make a contribution to society.
Canon Bob was given the opportunity to conduct seminars on his own initiative with all the clergy and the next day with all the school principals. These were stimulating sessions exchanging information about method and practice, and acknowledging shared and diverse experience. It was good later in the week to cross paths again with some of the participants.
One difference between CNI and SEC noted by Canon Bob was the administration of the Communion. In St Stephen’s, Dum Dum, the universal practice was Intincture. In Scotland communicants choose whether to dip or to receive the chalice.
Geographically the Diocese is very widespread and predominantly rural. There were long drives to destinations. +Paritosh has reliable cars and dependable drivers. Great fellowship was enjoyed on the way. Comfort breaks were gratefully received (particularly at a café with fantastic fish fingers). A special moment was to have a Scottish breakfast provided by a School Principal’s wife, who had visited Scotland: porridge followed by scrambled eggs on toast, tasting just like it would in Kirriemuir. The furthest destination is a five and a half hour drive. A great initiative of +Paritosh is to have accommodation built for the Bishop and his staff at this far away school. A highlight of school visits was to be entertained in the beautiful school chapel by a young girl accompanying herself on keyboard while singing ‘As the deer pants for the water.’ The welcome was universally warm and spectacular in the case of St Stephen’s School as children lined our route and showered us with petals while their older colleagues sang us a song of welcome while we were felicitated with floral garlands; and practical: at the prayer meeting on the island in the mad river. During a thunderstorm, which rendered the muddy ground impassable, Canon Bob was gripped on either side by the elbows and steered to firmer ground by considerate hosts who on their own initiative saw a need and provided a service.
A profoundly moving experience was the visit to St Stephen’s School, Malia Pota, where 125 years earlier a manifestation of God, the Holy Spirit, in the manner of Pentecost had occurred. Every anniversary there is a two day event attended by 6,000 pilgrims who sleep on the school lawn. Canon Bob viewed the ovens where food to feed them was cooked.
There were moments for entertainment and leisure: relaxing dinner parties, a tour of a tiger reserve, a visit to the Kolkata Wax Museum, a ‘Toy Train’ ride in a beautiful park (which included an Eiffel Tower) and a photo opportunity at the Bangladesh border.
Canon Bob had an informative and fascinating visit. He considers that there is huge scope for a successful link between the Dioceses of Barrackpore and St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane.
