Holy Apostles Catholic Church

Lourdes - July 2005

October 2004

Holy Land Pilgrimage,
by Jo Siedlecka

Dear Friends,

Thirty three pilgrims lead by Father Pat set out for the Holy Land on 23 October.

Thirty three friends returned last Sunday night having enjoyed a wonderful week together.

Our journey in the footsteps of Jesus took us took us to the top of the cloud-swept Mountain of the Transfiguration,  through the Judean desert, and the lowest place on earth:  the Dead Sea.

There were many unforgettable moments: visiting the shepherds' caves in Bethlehem before Mass at the Church of the Nativity; spectacular views across Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and the place where Jesus wept over the city; churches with wonderful acoustics for singing. We saw ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemene;

prayed with Jewish groups at the Wailing Wall and followed the route of the Stations of the Cross through bustling ancient streets selling aromatic spices, coffee and scented oils.

After dinner one balmy evening in Jerusalem, some of us took a stroll and found a fantastic bakery and a shop selling freshly squeezed juices: orange, pomegranate and mango.

One morning we travelled into the wilderness,  having left the main road from Jerusalem to Jericho we sat on a hill-top overlooking a desert valley and celebrated Mass there with not a living thing or human dwelling in sight.  Yet within 15  minutes three little barefoot Bedouin children came and sat quietly with us.

At Caesarea, the port where St Peter and St Paul preached to the first Christian communities, we visited a huge  Roman amphitheatre. I didn't see Russell Crowe, but Fr Pat and his brother and sister Aiden and Ann treated  us to a great impromptu concert.
 

At the church in Cana, where the cobblestones were scattered with crimson and white bouganvilla petals,  the married couples in our group renewed their wedding vows.
 

One highlight was a visit to Fr Elias Shakour, who, against all odds,  has set up the first university for Moslem, Christian and Jewish students. Being a Christian, he told us, meant more than just praying. People like Martin Luther King and Mother Teresa got their hands dirty as well.

Our second hotel was a lovely kibbutz on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. We took a boat trip over to Capurnaum, and  one of the best moments for me was when the engine was switched off and we sat quietly for a few minutes drifting,  gently rocked by the water as we reflected on the Gospel passage of Jesus calming the storm on that same sea..

Later, we had Mass by the lakeside at the place where Jesus gave St Peter the duty of leading the Church. There were more quiet moments on the  Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus preached.

We renewed our baptismal vows by the Jordan River.  A stork flew by as some people went for total emersion.
 

Our last Mass was celebrated on the shores of the Sea of Galilee at the place where Jesus invited the disciples to eat breakfast.

Before we set out, some of our families and friends were concerned about our safety on this trip. But from the moment we landed we all couldn't have felt safer or been made more welcome.

A big thank you to all who made this trip possible and to all of you who kept us and our safety in your prayers.   We remembered all of you each day while we were there.

Jo Siedlecka

Striking light at the Holy Land

Parishioners at mass

A possible site of the tomb of Jesus

A view of Jerusalem

Jewish groups at the Wailing Wall

July 2003 - Lourdes

Impressions of Lourdes

Julia Forsythe

I was one of those lucky pilgrims who took part in the Westminster Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes this year. It was a wonderful week of spiritual renewal in the company of a very friendly group of people.

This morning two days after returning, so many good memories flood my mind. I thought of that town little nestled in the foothills of the Pyrenees and wished I was back at the Grotto where, in February 1858, Our Lady, appeared to Bernadette. To me this is the nearest I will get to heaven on earth. There is such a sense of peace and happiness there, especially at night where so much silent prayer, meditation and reflection is taking place.

But it was a very busy week for us pilgrims. I went with Pimlico Parish lead by Fr Pat Browne. We travelled overland, first by Eurostar, then across Paris by coach and finally by train to Lourdes, arriving late Sunday night at our hotel The Myosotis (forget me not) just a short walk from the shrine.

On Monday morning after breakfast we walked up the hill amid glorious scenery to the Cathedral of The Trees, where we had Mass in the open air. This was the first gathering of the 2003 Westminster Diocesan Pilgrimage – about 900 people. The sun shone. There was Cardinal Cormac in his red hat, the bishops in their purple ones and all the clergy in their vestments. To the right of the altar were the choir and musicians. The congregation sat in a natural amphitheatre among the trees on seats cut from the stones. The sick were at the front in their wheelchairs.

Cardinal Cormac welcomed us, encouraged us to pray, to care for each other and the sick pilgrims. He also asked us to pray for the success of our diocesan renewal programme 'At Your Word Lord', asking that, Our Lady of Lourdes would help us to be generous and faithful witnesses to her Son, Jesus Christ in the world we live in.

After Mass we trouped down the hill for lunch, happy to be back in Lourdes getting to know each other and settling in for the week . The hotel became our home for the next six days and the foyer was our meeting place. On Thursday evening we had a great singsong in the basement bar lead by Fr Pat with the musicians and singers.

When Our Lady appeared to Bernadette she asked people to come in procession and so we did. It was a spectacular sight. There were thousands of us, each one carrying a lighted candle, singing and praying the Rosary. Each Diocese has its own banner, and special colours, badges and scarves. We saw banners from Nottingham, Lancaster, Aberdeen, Galway, Spain, France, Italy and other places. Westminster's colour is red - very easily seen and helped us stay together.

Among the walkers were a group of miners wearing helmets and their story was an interesting one. Apparently they come to Lourdes each year to give thanks to Our Lady who rescued them from a mining accident. One miner had a vision of Our Lady who led them to safety through a tunnel.

The Torchlight procession ended in front of the Rosary Basilica. We also went on the Blessed Sacrament procession and the international Mass in the underground Basilica of St. Pius X.

On Tuesday we attended a Mass on the other side of the river opposite the Grotto. During the Mass it was mentioned that a couple was celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. The crowd applauded as they came up to the altar. Then their son was asked to join them.  He was a priest of Brentwood diocese.

On the Wednesday morning we went to Sant Savin - an 11th Century church up in the mountains. The scenery was breathtaking and we took some photos and had a look in the shops, before going into the church for the stations of the cross for the sick. Fr  Dermot Power lead the stations and we had some beautiful music.

That afternoon we went to the baths. The queues were long and the water was cold but it was a refreshing experience.

There were many other little trips throughout the week. One afternoon we went to the lake, and another day we took a funicular railway to see a stunning panoramic view of the mountains. Suddenly a huge eagle came soaring over us. It must have had a wingspan of at least six feet. Then two smaller eagles swooped by. They were so close we could see their feathers. I had never seen such a sight in my life before and the scene remained in my mind for several hours.

On another afternoon we walked around Lourdes and visited the Boly Mill where Bernadette was born, and 'The Cachot' the old jail where she and her family lived when they were at their poorest.

During a spat of thunder and lightening, we attended a Mass for the sick at the hospital. The Redcaps, mostly very young, and the medics were an example of the caring dedication seen at Lourdes. Children were part of the services too. At the penitential service they danced and sang.

I cannot pick out my favourite moment of the trip. There were times when we prayed together in our thousands, times when we prayed together in smaller groups, and times when we offered our private prayers. In this holy place we could do all three. We have all returned home now, refreshed in spirit, mind and body.
 

June 2003 - Malta

July 2002 - Lourdes

Father Pat and the holy apostles parishioners in Lourdes

May 2002 - Rome & Assisi

By:

"If we can't live together in peace and harmony for a week, what hope is there for Northern Ireland and the Holy Land?"  These were Father Pat Browne's words at the beginning of our pilgrimage to Rome and Assisi.  Well, thank God, there is hope, because not only was our trip full of peace and harmony, but love and friendship too.

From birds eye views of the city from the dome of St Peters, to the underground catacombs of the early Christians, our visit to Rome included the privilege of receiving a Papal Blessing in St Peter's Square during the Angelus, attending a General Audience with the Pope, the experience of seeing priceless art treasures (including Michaelangelo's Pieta and the Sistine Chapel) and many monuments of ancient Rome - the Forum and the Coliseum (complete with gladiators).

We were lucky to be based in a hotel five minutes from the Vatican, and to have Deacon Mark Vickers organising our itinerary.  He's fluent in Italian and knows Rome well, having studied at the English College.  On the Sunday we attended a special Mass in the English College Chapel with a group of local children making their first Holy Communion.  Later in the week we were also privileged to spend an afternoon at Pallazola - the beautiful summer residence owned by the English College, in an idyllic setting overlooking Lake Alba and the Pope's summer palace Castelgandolfo, on the other side.

Besides St Peters we explored several basilicas, including the Pope's church of St John Lateran, San Clemente with beautiful mosaics, built over an older church and an ancient Roman house, and Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, the lovely gothic church that is the Titular church of Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor.

There were many surprises. One night we visited L'Eau Vive, a restaurant run by the Donum Dei order.  After serving delicious food, the sisters entertained us with singing and dancing.

Most days after evening prayer and dinner we went exploring, shopping, visiting cafes and trying fabulous varieties of ice cream (kiwi, melon - there are too many to list!).
It was spiritually energising to celebrate Mass every day in some wonderful places that have special importance to our faith.  A highlight has to be the catacombs, a maze of underground tunnels excavated by hand, where thousands of early Christians came for Mass.  We owe a lot to the strength of their faith, since they faced being put to death if they were caught.  Many were martyred, and their bodies laid to rest in the catacombs.
 

After four days in Rome, we set off for the mediaeval town of Assisi, nestled high in the Umbrian Hills, built from pale pink and golden limestone, where we stayed for the second part of our pilgrimage.

We explored on foot, walking through the same warm cobblestone streets St. Francis and St. Clare would have known.  We saw the crucifix before which Francis heard the call "Rebuild my church", the tombs of Francis and Clare, and the basilicas with stunning frescoes, built over his original church.

An earthquake damaged some of Assisi five years ago, but it has been largely restored.  They are taking such care of the buildings that even the scaffolding holding some of them up is made from beautiful wood and blends in well with the architecture.
 

On our last day Father Pat led evening prayer in the Hermitage high in the woods above Assisi on Monte Subiasio, where Francis and his followers used to go on retreat.
 

Aside from all the wonderful sights of Rome and the scenery of Assisi, our pilgrimage was a time for prayer, reflection and communion with each other.  After the splendour of Rome, our first Mass in Assisi was held in a modestly decorated chapel attached to the Basilica of St. Francis.  As we stood to receive the Blessed Sacrament, you could catch a glimpse of the beautiful Umbrian countryside through a small window on the right that prompted us to contemplate the message of St. Francis - God can be found in all of nature, His creation.