PassionistsGlasgow
  • Welcome To Saint Mungo's
  • Parish Newsletter
  • Parish Office / Visiting Saint Mungo's
  • Passionists Young Team
  • Universalis Mass Readings for Today
  • Website Links
  • St.Paul of the Cross
  • St. Paul of the Cross for Children
  • St.Charles of Mount Argus
  • St Mungo Patron Saint of Glasgow
  • St. Mungo's Parish
  • Safeguarding (Updated Oct 24)
  • Photo Album
  • Archdiocese Privacy Notice
  • Father Franks Log
  • Fr Justinian CP (RIP)
  • Synodal Path
  • Pope Francis
  • Welcome To Saint Mungo's
  • Parish Newsletter
  • Parish Office / Visiting Saint Mungo's
  • Passionists Young Team
  • Universalis Mass Readings for Today
  • Website Links
  • St.Paul of the Cross
  • St. Paul of the Cross for Children
  • St.Charles of Mount Argus
  • St Mungo Patron Saint of Glasgow
  • St. Mungo's Parish
  • Safeguarding (Updated Oct 24)
  • Photo Album
  • Archdiocese Privacy Notice
  • Father Franks Log
  • Fr Justinian CP (RIP)
  • Synodal Path
  • Pope Francis
  PassionistsGlasgow

father frank's log...

28/1/2021

3 Comments

 
FATHER FRANK’S LOG: 24th – 31st JANUARY 2021
​

During a lockdown, any excuse for a celebration will do, and so, last Monday, we decided to have a Burns’ night in Bishopbriggs. This simply meant that the four of us; Father Justinian; Father Gareth; Father Antony and myself, would all sit down to haggis, neeps and tatties. The last time we did this was on St. Andrew’s Day last year. On that occasion Father Gareth and Father Antony went to one of the local chippies and asked for four haggis suppers. They were looked upon in amazement until they explained that it was to celebrate St. Andrew, at which the proprietor decided he must be more aware of such occasions in the future. In anyways, four fresh haggis were put into the deep fat firer and they were delicious. Father Gareth enjoyed his so much that now, on a regular Friday night, when the rest of us are having fish and chips, he opts for a haggis supper. On this occasion, however, we decided to get haggis from the local supermarket and cook it ourselves. This proved easier said than done as the shelves of the nearest supermarket were empty of haggis and we had to search further afield. Thankfully we found some and, later that night, enjoyed our celebratory meal. In preparation I had put on Dougie McLean’s tribute album to Burns which has some beautiful interpretations of his songs, and later I listened to part of a concert that included the amazing Eddi Reader, and the wonderful Karen Mathieson, also singing beautiful versions of Burns songs.
 
On Radio Scotland that morning I had listened to a discussion on the merits, or demerits, of tinned haggis which, I must confess, I have never tasted. Of the four of us, Father Antony was the only one who had tasted it, during his younger days in the Connelly household, and quite often at that. He said it was very good. In the first log of this new year, I sparked of a bit of a debate on whether or not sausages should be included in a steak pie. The responses that came back to me were about two to one against sausages. So now I am inviting a debate on haggis – boiled, deep fried, tinned, or whatever? What is the best haggis you have tasted, and what do you wash it down with? Tradition seems to suggest it must be washed down with a nice single malt, which suits me, thanks to one or two very kind Christmas gifts. For the non- drinkers, a nice glass of Irn Bru may be the best tipple. What do you think?
 
My most memorable Burns night celebration, as I have mentioned before, was when I was studying in Rome, and on January 25th, 1983, while the new code of Canon Law was being promulgated at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, the date chosen because it is also the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle; I was taking up an invitation to attend a traditional Burns night celebration at the Scots’ College, where I had come to know a lot of the students through attending the Gregorian University, where they were very distinct because of their purple cassocks. It was a great night of poetry and song that I will long remember.
 
However, I would have to say that the best haggis I ever tasted was when I was parish priest in Prestonpans, and I was invited to be the keynote speaker at a very prestigious St. Andrew’s night dinner at the Royal Musselburgh Golf Club. It was one of those engagements which, at the time I was asked, seemed like a good idea, and I imagined I could speak about St. Andrew as well as anyone. The nearer it got, however, I was hitting my head against the wall, and wondering how I could have been so foolish, and perhaps so egotistic, to take this on. I spent many an hour with my forehead bleeding, staring at a blank page, before I eventually came up with a talk that would just have to be good enough. In the end, it seemed to go down quite well, and the agony was worth it because the whole meal, and especially the haggis, was absolutely beautiful. No doubt Father Gareth will be tucking into the deep-fried variety again this Friday night. As for me, I’ve a notion to try the tinned variety to see what it’s like.
As ever, protect yourselves, your loved ones, and others, and protect Christ in your lives.

3 Comments
Paul B
28/1/2021 03:54:41 pm

Fr , opted this year for a Steak and Haggis pie from a local supermarket along with a large helping neeps and tatties. I would rate as good as any haggis I have had in the past.....a little sceptical at first of introducing haggis in to a steak pie however very tasty. I like the sound of the chippie haggis so may well try that with perhaps irn bru and a deep fried mars bar.

Reply
Donna W
1/2/2021 02:10:38 pm

These days I need to find a gluten free variety which can make the search for haggis harder and sometimes means going for a vegetarian version rather than the meat version even though the meat isn't the problem - it's the barley.
For the same reason, gluten rules out deep fried haggis as it probably has flour in the batter if not the haggis itself. I have never heard of tinned haggis.
If any one knows of a gluten free black pudding I'd love to know where to source it. I found a dish in a restaurant once that included black pudding and was available as "GF". I duly ordered the GF version, only to be presented with the rest of the dish minus the black pudding. The search continues.

Reply
Liam Dunn
4/2/2021 11:51:29 am

Dear Father Frank.

Ref the haggis if you get the chance Drambuie is a great accompaniment to haggis a generous splash over the haggis works wonders. Costco sells a great version from McSweens.

Wishing you all a safe and peaceful February roll on the unlock.

God Bless Liam

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    FATHER FRANK KEEVINS C.P.

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.