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A Pilgrimage to Our Spiritual Past
A Journey to England and Scotland
St. Joseph’s Youth
July 23 – August 7, 2007
Led by
Brie Hurley & The Rev. Martin Zlatic
DAY 1, Monday, July 23, 2007 – Depart the United States on a wide-body jet for a trans-Atlantic flight.
DAY 2, Tues. – Arrive Glasgow, Scotland, meet our driver and guide and board the private motor coach. We will enjoy a panoramic tour of Glasgow including a visit to Glasgow Cathedral and the St. Mungo Museum of Religious Life. The Cathedral is a rare example of an almost complete original 13th century church. It was here that St. Mungo, a 6th century Bishop of Strathclyde and Glasgow’s patron saint, told the oxen pulling a cart with the remains of Fergus (a holy man) to take the cart to where God wanted him to build his church. This afternoon we will be free to explore on our own. This evening we will enjoy a “welcome to Scotland” dinner. Overnight Glasgow.
DAY 3, Wed. – We depart Glasgow today and travel to Edinburgh. We stop in South Queensferry to where we board the Maid of Forth. As we cruise downriver to lovely Inchcolm Island, the “Iona of the East”, we will enjoy magnificent views of the world famous Forth Bridges. Along the way we will see seals, possibly dolphins and porpoises as well as an interesting variety of seabirds, puffins, cormorants, eider ducks, fulmars, gannets, guillemots, shags, skuas and several species of terns including perhaps the very rare roseate tern. Upon arrival on Inchcolm Island we will have time to explore the Abbey, Visitor Centre and climb the island’s viewpoint. We continue on to Edinburgh where we will attend Evensong at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral. Dinner and overnight in Edinburgh.
DAY 4, Thurs. – Today we explore the capital of Scotland, Edinburgh. We will visit Edinburgh Castle and St. Giles Cathedral. There will be some free time this afternoon for shopping or further exploration and our guide will help us find our way. Our guide will give us a time to meet and we will travel to Rosslyn Chapel, the reported hiding place of the Holy Grail and ancient home of the Knights Templar. Dinner and overnight Edinburgh.
DAY 5, Fri. – We begin our trek to Iona. We drive through the beautiful borders to the highlands of Scotland. We will drive along the shores of one of Scotland’s most scenic and famous Lakes, Loch Lomond. We will be taking the “high road” this day and learn why we don’t want the “low road” to Loch Lomond and Oban. It is in this area of the Trossachs that Rob Roy MacGregor (1671-1734) lived and gained his reputation. Upon arrival in Oban we will be on our own for lunch and a brief time to shop before we board the ferry (about a 45 minute ride) to the Isle of Mull. Our bus will take us from Craignure across the largest of the Inner Hebridean Islands, Mull through the moorlands to Fionnphort where we will board another ferry for a short ride (5 – 10 minutes) to Iona. Overnight Iona.
DAY 6, Sat. – Today we will visit the Abbey and have a service in a special place on the island. The afternoon we will be free to explore on our own. Overnight Iona.
DAY 7, Sun. – After breakfast we will attend services at the Abbey at 10:30 AM. Following service we will walk to the Chapter House where we will participate in the introductory session “What is the Iona Community”. The rest of the day we will be free to spend time on the island reflecting. Overnight Iona.
DAY 8, Mon. – After breakfast we will attend services at the Abbey at 10:30 AM. The rest of the afternoon we will be free to explore the island on our own in small groups. This evening we will go to the Village Hall for a Ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee), a Scottish get-together held at 10 PM. Overnight Iona.
DAY 9, Tues. – This morning we will have some tome to explore on our own. At 12 noon we will meet at St. Martin’s Cross in from of the Abbey where we will participate in the islands pilgrimage. The pilgrimage is a strenuous day’s expedition around the island of Iona visiting places of historic and religious significance. Overnight Iona.
DAY 10, Wed. – After breakfast we will depart for England. We will take the return ferry to the mainland and then continue on to Bamburgh for dinner and overnight.
DAY 11, Thurs. – This morning we will take the 3 mile Pilgrim’s Walk from the mainland to Lindisfarne, Holy Isle when the tide is out. Upon arrival on Holy Isle we will have a special service, walk the ruins, and hear a lecture about St. Adian and St. Cuthbert. We continue traveling south to the cathedral city of Durham, one the capital of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria and now a thriving university town. Dinner and overnight Durham.
DAY 12, Fri. – We will attend the 8:45 AM morning prayer at Durham Cathedral. We will then tour the Cathedral, begun in the 10th century and now admired by historians and architects from all over the world. We will see the Bishop’s Throne, the Sanctuary Knocker, and the tomb of Bishop Hatfield. We continue traveling south today through Yorkshire, to the Medieval city of York. We will visit York Minster along with the museum in the undercroft. We will attend Evensong at York Minster. This evening we will walk the well preserved Medieval walls and get a good overview of this delightful town dominated by the Minster. Overnight in York.
DAY 13, Sat. – After breakfast we continue traveling south to London. We will have some time to get settled in and this evening we will enjoy a show at the Theatre. Overnight London.
DAY 14, Sun. – This morning we will attend services at St. Paul’s Cathedral. St. Paul’s contains dozens of monuments and tombs including commemorations of Lord Nelson and the Duke of Wellington who defeated the French at Waterloo. From the Whispering Gallery, high in the dome, words whispered can be clearly heard 112 feet away. After services we will tour the Cathedral. We Continue on to Westminster Abbey, site of the coronations of Britain’s royalty. The afternoon we will be free to explore on our own in small groups. This evening we will enjoy Evensong at Westminster Abbey. Dinner and overnight London.
DAY 15, Mon. – Today we will visit Canterbury Cathedral where we will learn about the history and spirituality of the Cathedral and the concept and practice of pilgrimage. We will also tour the Cathedral focusing on pilgrimage, including a short meditation on the theme “Journey Inward, Journey Outward”. We will then enjoy a private Eucharist in the Cathedral Undercroft. In the evening we will attend Evensong at the Cathedral prior to our farewell dinner at an authentic English Pub. Overnight London.
DAY 16, Tuesday, August 7, 2007 – After our continental breakfast, we will transfer to the airport for our return flight home. We will be bringing back with us a part of our spiritual past that will last a lifetime.
* Itinerary is subject to change due to leader’s and/or local office discretion or conditions.