Wonder Voyage 2008 Summer Blog

After a gradual morning of waking up and preparing for the day the pilgrims of Holy Trinity ventured into Galway City to spend some time shopping and transitioning back into city life as a result of their time on pilgrimage. Before venturing off too far however the pilgrims took some time to explore the Galway Cathedral and eventually make their way down to St Nicholas Church. This is the site traditionally accredited as the place Christopher Columbus prayed before his final voyage across the Atlantic.

It was a scary and dangerous act for Christopher Columbus to sail across the ocean into unknown lands, similar to the fear the three renegade priests must have felt as they resisted the Penal Laws and continued to carryout their faith. There are not many fearless explorers like these men anymore and as the pilgrims from Holy Trinity were bringing this dimension of their journey to a close they were challenged to take the heart of an explorer with their new life in God, and to journey home with a new perspective on life that will lead them on an adventure with God throughout eternity.

The pilgrims from Holy Trinity arrived back from Inish Oirr early in the morning with a new joy in their hearts from their time on the Aran Islands and after have some traditional fish and chips for lunch they were invited to listen to the tales of a local storyteller. He told them of the pig-maiden and swan-maidens, he told them about cities under Galway Bay and mythical lands known long ago. It was an afternoon of adventure and discovery in Celtic mythology.

Once the pilgrim arrived back at Esker Monastery for the evening we took another small journey up Dominicks Hill. This site, being the highest point for 20 miles, once served as the lookout point for the three Dominican priests who hid in the area during the Penal Laws under the English. It was once the place where these faithful priests would continue to offer mass for the community and preform marriages for their flock. It is a sacred place.

It was raining and windy when the pilgrims arrived at the top of Dominicks Hill nevertheless each took the time to reflect on their own lives and the sacrifices God was calling them to make. This is a place of revelation from God and many of the pilgrims found God speaking to them through the very elements surrounding them.

After an early morning rise the pilgrims from Holy Trinity traveled across Galway Bay to the Aran Islands for a day of adventure and discovery. The rain that had dominated the weather for the past several days broke as the ferry pulled to port on Inish Oirr and the pilgrims became excited at their upcoming journey around the island.

As the hike began the pilgrims took some time to visit St. Chaomham’s church which was once buried to its roof with sand blow up from the shore. The pilgrims enjoyed an old Irish tradition here of fitting through the rear window of the small church and jumping over the altar before we headed off on our journey around the island. There was also a small time of reflection on how Christianity originally arrived on these remote islands off the coast of the west of Ireland. St. Enda is credited with bringing the message of Christianity here in the 5th or 6th century soon after the time of St. Patrick. Enda’s arrival on the island is recorded in Celtic tradition as a conflict between him and the ruling pagan king of the islands who, after Enda’s curse, submitted to the power of Christ’s message.

Once the pilgrims arrived to the far side of the island we once again took up the discussion of this conflict between the pagan kings of Ireland and the arrival of Christianity to the islands. Clearly there was immense conflict and cultural clashing that took place during this time period, similar to that of the 10 ft waves that were breaking upon the rocky shores of this exposed side of Inish Oirr. When God breaks into our lives sometimes there is great conflict and collision and as these waves were breaking upon the rocks the pilgrims were reminded to break themselves before the message and power of Christ.

Day three and the pilgrims from Holy Trinity journeyed to historic Clonmacnoise. This ancient site was first founded by St. Keiran in the 6th century and flourished for almost 1000 years as the center of Ireland. Boats bringing materials north and south along the Shannon River and merchants traveling east and west across the island would traverse this site for hundreds of years until the English established Athlone, a town only a few miles north, and eventual destroyed the site. After arriving at Clonmacnoise the pilgrims from Holy Trinity were introduced to the story of St Patrick and the establishment Christianity in Ireland.

This patron saint of Ireland, originally born in Briton, was taken captive by the Irish when he was only a child and forced to serve as a slave for years until he eventually escaped and returned to his native land. Nevertheless young Patrick could not escape the call of God on his life to return to the isle of his captors with the message he had received of Jesus Christ, and upon his arrival to Ireland with this message Patrick revolutionized the country.

Later in the evening the pilgrims took another small pilgrimage, although this time spiritual, through a reflection on the sufferings and sacrifices of Jesus during his own crucifixion and death. Similar to that of St Patrick the pilgrims were reminded of the sacrifices that servants of Christ, and firstly Christ himself, have made throughout the centuries. These pilgrims were reminded again that Christ has suffered along with them and that he is calling them to a life of sacrifice in his service.

The pilgrims from Holy Trinity began their second day in Ireland with a small pilgrimage around the monastery lead by  Fr. Dermont, a Redemptist monk who spent 27 years of his life serving in Brasil. During our voyage Fr. Dermont stopped by the monastery cemetery and talked with the group about death. He discussed how he viewed his own death and how his faith affected his perspective. The youth listened intently and after lunch we headed into historic Athenry for a day of cultural adventure.

After a fun trip to the Athenry Heritage Center the pilgrims were challenged to participate in Stone Soup. This activity involves the pilgrims having to purchase the materials and prepare dinner for the whole team on a very limited budget of $3 per person. With no Wal-Mart close by the Holy Trinity pilgrims were forced to traverse the 12th century town of Athenry in hopes of finding the butcher, bread, and vegetable stores.

Once the dinner materials had been purchased the pilgrims took some time to discover the local Dominican Abbey that was destroyed during the Penal Laws in Ireland. Surrounding this site are numerous graves and many stones with no markings. Many of these stones mark the graves of the Irish who died during the Potato Famine in the 19th century and after one of the pilgrims asked about the significance of these stones they took some time to reflect on the significance of their own lives and how they will be remembered after their death.

After dinner the pilgrims took some time to discuss the overwhelming topic of death that had arisen throughout the day. Some had never really considered the importance of their own death, others admitted that after reflecting on the thoughts for the day that they would view their lives differently in light of their own mortality. Fr. Dermont and the Famine Graves reminded these pilgrims that we only have one life to live and that God has plans for each of them in it.