Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection. Our leader today is Sila Collins-Walden, Quaker.
Hello, everyone.
Part of Quaker life is to work gladly with other religious groups in the pursuit of common goals. As a young Catholic girl in Northern Ireland, I did not know any children of a different faith from mine. When I moved to England, I met children of different faiths and backgrounds. A friend invited me to her church鈥檚 harvest festival. I had never heard of that festival. I accepted, but was nervous. I wondered, 鈥淲hat would my mother say?鈥, so I did not tell her. The harvest festival was a lovely experience. I made new friends and was given a box of fruit and vegetables by the minister to take home for my mother. How would I explain this box of delights? She was actually pleased鈥攕he really did not care where it came from.
Later, in the 1970s and 1980s, I worked as a rehabilitations officer in a large psychiatric hospital. One of my remits was to liaise with the various ministers of religion, one of whom was a rabbi. I came to know him quite well, because the hospital was near a large Jewish community.
The rabbi was planning for Passover. I had to find a room in the hospital for the service and a list of Jewish patients for him. On the day, far more patients turned up than were on the list. Oops! What would I say to the rabbi? However, he laughed and said, 鈥淒o you think it鈥檚 something to do with the Jewish women volunteers, who bring those delicious little cakes and biscuits and sweet raisin wine鈥攏on-alcoholic, of course! Word must have gone around about the cakes. It doesn鈥檛 matter if they are not Jewish; they are still welcome. After all, you are not Jewish, and I鈥檝e been working with you for the past three years.鈥
The rabbi even invited me to the synagogue and to his son鈥檚 bar mitzvah. I learned much in my role working with him and various ministers of religion.
Later, I became a Quaker. I joined an interfaith group and met people from different faiths. We organise events such as shared meals, outings and forest walks.
I reflect on that journey, from being a young girl with limited knowledge and understanding of those with different beliefs to mine, to now. I have forged many friendships and bonds, and mutual understanding, through working alongside those of other faiths. It is also a joy to have a grandson who is a Muslim. The key is sharing hopes and working together.
Thank you, Presiding Officer. Thank you, Scottish Parliament.