Niblo
Well-Known Member
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Nice one. @wil!
My name is Paul; born in the Rhondda Valley (South Wales); and known – by my family – as ‘Niblo’.
This is a Welsh Valley dialect word, gifted to the oldest – or only – male child, and used in place of their given name; as in: 'Look after Niblo while I do pop ‘round to the cwap (Co-Op), willew? I’ll be back inna minute now!’
At work (HR and ISO Quality Systems leader for a manufacturing company) I’m known as ‘Grandad’.
Raised as a Baptist, I first attended Sunday School at the age of six (that’s almost seventy years ago). I became, at the age of fifteen, a Catholic; and remained one for over fifty years.
For ten years I was a professed member of the Carmelite Third Order; and studied biblical and dogmatic theology, as well as other relevant stuff, with the aim of becoming a priest. I spent a year with the Carmelite Friars at Hazelwood Castle in Yorkshire (now a hotel); and over a year with the Cistercians (Trappists) at Mount Saint Bernard Abbey in Leicester, testing a vocation (I first visited the Abbey in my early twenties, and knew the community well. My spiritual adviser throughout these years was the Abbey’s Secretary; Fr Simon Cummings, of happy memory).
It became clear that life in a religious order was not my calling, and so I became a husband and father (as Simon once said: ‘Our novitiate is a seedbed of good Catholic marriages!’). I look back at my time with the Carmelites and Cistercians with great affection. Even though I no longer share their doctrinal beliefs I admire their spirituality, and their honest convictions; and their way of life – especially that of the Cistercians. It has been my privilege to know many excellent Christians: paternal grandfather; priests, religious and laity. Each was an example of the best of their Faith.
About twenty years ago my son became a Muslim. He obtained a degree in Classical Arabic; married a Moroccan lass (who I consider to be my third daughter); and now lives there. He is a translator of Qur’anic and aḥadīth exegesis; and of other scholarly works. One of my daughter-in-law’s ancestors, ʻAbd al-Salām ibn Mashīsh al-ʻAlamī, was the spiritual guide of Abu al-Hasan ash-Shadhili, founder of the Shadhili Tariqa. My son is a Sufi of that Tariqa; and a murīd of Seyyed Hossein Nasr.
Having gained a Muslim family I made it my business to learn all I could about Islam (I’m still learning). It was during this long process that I began to question certain Christian beliefs I once held as true; and which I had defended many times over the years. Moving from Christianity to Islam was a painful journey (emotionally); but it was the right journey……at least for me.
And that’s it. Thank you for asking.
May the Beloved bless you, and all you love; and keep you safe in these difficult times.
My name is Paul; born in the Rhondda Valley (South Wales); and known – by my family – as ‘Niblo’.
This is a Welsh Valley dialect word, gifted to the oldest – or only – male child, and used in place of their given name; as in: 'Look after Niblo while I do pop ‘round to the cwap (Co-Op), willew? I’ll be back inna minute now!’
At work (HR and ISO Quality Systems leader for a manufacturing company) I’m known as ‘Grandad’.
Raised as a Baptist, I first attended Sunday School at the age of six (that’s almost seventy years ago). I became, at the age of fifteen, a Catholic; and remained one for over fifty years.
For ten years I was a professed member of the Carmelite Third Order; and studied biblical and dogmatic theology, as well as other relevant stuff, with the aim of becoming a priest. I spent a year with the Carmelite Friars at Hazelwood Castle in Yorkshire (now a hotel); and over a year with the Cistercians (Trappists) at Mount Saint Bernard Abbey in Leicester, testing a vocation (I first visited the Abbey in my early twenties, and knew the community well. My spiritual adviser throughout these years was the Abbey’s Secretary; Fr Simon Cummings, of happy memory).
It became clear that life in a religious order was not my calling, and so I became a husband and father (as Simon once said: ‘Our novitiate is a seedbed of good Catholic marriages!’). I look back at my time with the Carmelites and Cistercians with great affection. Even though I no longer share their doctrinal beliefs I admire their spirituality, and their honest convictions; and their way of life – especially that of the Cistercians. It has been my privilege to know many excellent Christians: paternal grandfather; priests, religious and laity. Each was an example of the best of their Faith.
About twenty years ago my son became a Muslim. He obtained a degree in Classical Arabic; married a Moroccan lass (who I consider to be my third daughter); and now lives there. He is a translator of Qur’anic and aḥadīth exegesis; and of other scholarly works. One of my daughter-in-law’s ancestors, ʻAbd al-Salām ibn Mashīsh al-ʻAlamī, was the spiritual guide of Abu al-Hasan ash-Shadhili, founder of the Shadhili Tariqa. My son is a Sufi of that Tariqa; and a murīd of Seyyed Hossein Nasr.
Having gained a Muslim family I made it my business to learn all I could about Islam (I’m still learning). It was during this long process that I began to question certain Christian beliefs I once held as true; and which I had defended many times over the years. Moving from Christianity to Islam was a painful journey (emotionally); but it was the right journey……at least for me.
And that’s it. Thank you for asking.
May the Beloved bless you, and all you love; and keep you safe in these difficult times.
.