Dear Friends,
In the church grounds of All Saints Tenerife there is a beautiful rose garden which was set apart to remember all those who were killed in the air disaster of Dan Air 1008 from Manchester to Los Rodeos (TFN) on the afternoon of April 25, 1980. Roses are a fitting plant to use for this purpose, as they are a sign of new life and most especially so when they are in full bloom, and remind us of the Resurrection. Although the years pass by every soul belongs to God and his reassuring love will have encompassed them all.
As I think of the roses in Tenerife, it also reminds me of the beautiful English rose which connects so well to the homes of many of those who were so tragically killed. One of my last parishes where I served as Rector and Area Dean of Romsey was Mottisfont where the stunning Mottisfont Abbey on the River Test welcomes many visitors into its manicured grounds. This spectacular building originated in 1201 when William Briwere who was right-hand man to four Plantagenet kings, founded the priory of the Holy Trinity. It held the forefinger of St John the Baptist as a sacred relic, and eager pilgrims came to be blessed by the Augustinian Canons. This Abbey contains stunning walled gardens, which are filled with old English roses. Unlike modern species, old-fashioned roses tend to flower just once a year, so their full summer blooming is an extraordinary sight to see and the perfume is subtle and dream like. This reminds us that our lives blossom like the rose and for all of us life can be both beautiful and painful. But our reassurance is in Christ who covers us with his love both those who have died and us today.
Fr Ron Corne
Chaplain
All Saints Tenerife.