Sunday 4th December 2011 - St. Paul's, Hurlford
An unusual church of yellow brick dating from 1883, with a light and bright interior.
My thirty-sixth pilgrimage Mass to St Paul’s, Hurlford had to be on a Sunday and Jamie kindly offered to take me because I could not get there by bus in time for Mass.
It’s over thirty years since I had been in St Paul’s and Hugh was with me then. In fact St Paul’s was our parish for a year and a half before we moved to Galston so there I was with happy memories of the young couple with three children who would walk from Crookedholm to the Galston Road in Hurlford, where we were always greeted by Father John Donnelly at the church door.
I recognised some faces. In fact it’s quite something to see how people grow older and realise that I am ageing too, but at the same time there is a beauty in a face that has lived through ups and downs. Yes Lord, you have been with us through thick and thin and I thank you for it. At this moment in time please lay your healing hands over the many friends and family on my list who are living with cancer.
I saw an old friend from many years ago and spoke to her for just a minute after Mass but decided later to write to her, as I remembered how she had prayed for a cousin’s son at Lourdes. She never met my cousin’s son but she touched his life through prayer over thirty years ago and that young man is now sixty.
All in all it was a lovely Mass at St Paul’s followed by a belated Birthday lunch for me, from my cousin Agnes and her husband Stan who live near the church.
Where to next Lord? The forecast is dreadful, storms are coming but it may be better by Friday.
St Paul; Feast Day January 25th; Born c AD 5 in Tarsus
St Paul the indefatigable apostle of the gentiles was converted from Judaism on the road to Damascus. This turned his life inside out. He spent the next ten years meditating on the unexpected fulfilment of Judaism in Christ. These years prepared him for the amazing career that was to follow. Within a dozen years he had covered nearly 8000 miles setting up thriving centres of Christianity in Cyprus, Asia Minor, Macedonia and Greece. His copious correspondence fills over a third of the New Testament. Paul’s true greatness lies in the vital part he played in the formation of the infant church.
Friday 9th December 2011 - Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Beith
A former United Free Church of 1910 known as Mitchell Street Church, became a Catholic Church in 1921.
Thankfully the weather did improve and I headed to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Beith, for the thirty-seventh Mass. I had phoned Father Gerry Donnelly the previous evening to make sure that Mass would be on and when the answer was yes, I booked an alarm call for 5.00 am. Needless to say, I was awake before the call and cancelled it.
By 6.00am I was heading for the bus stance to catch the quarter past six
X76 to Kilmarnock, then the number 11 bus as far as Irvine Cross. As usual I was early but there’s something good about walking among strangers filling in time. Now for the X34 Glasgow bus to Beith.
Beith? I am not familiar with this town and when I arrived I tried to follow Father Gerry’s directions but got a bit lost. However, it’s not a huge place so I was soon wandering along the pedestrian area and asked a lady where the Catholic Church was, and there it was to my right just as Father had said. So as I was early I headed back along to the other shops in the area where I had got off the bus, where there was a good baker’s shop with a little tearoom, which opened at 9.00am. By this time it was snowing and I sheltered in the doorway from 8.55 till it opened at 9.00.
A smiling face welcomed me as I ordered coffee and a Chelsea Bun. I can tell you it was the best Chelsea Bun I have ever tasted. I don’t even know if in Beith they are called by this name but they have icing on the top and are spicy. I left this friendly little coffee shop and headed for the church where I found Mair [Welsh for Mary] preparing the church for Mass. Father Gerry appeared resplendent in a new ‘bunnet’. After a lovely Mass he kindly drove me back as far as Kilwinning to catch the no.11 bus.
I was meeting a friend in Irvine and had an hour to spare so I wandered around for a while. By the time Josephine arrived I must have looked a sorry sight because the first thing we did was go for a bowl of hot soup and bread, it was heaven. Thank you Josephine and thank you for introducing me to two lovely ladies called Mary.
I have met some real nice people Lord on my simple pilgrimage. It’s only two weeks till Christmas, so I may wait till 2012 before continuing, who knows? Watch this space.
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Feast Day - June 27th
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Pope Pius 1X, associated with a celebrated Byzantine icon of the same name dating back to the 15th Century.
A former United Free Church of 1910 known as Mitchell Street Church, became a Catholic Church in 1921.
Thankfully the weather did improve and I headed to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Beith, for the thirty-seventh Mass. I had phoned Father Gerry Donnelly the previous evening to make sure that Mass would be on and when the answer was yes, I booked an alarm call for 5.00 am. Needless to say, I was awake before the call and cancelled it.
By 6.00am I was heading for the bus stance to catch the quarter past six
X76 to Kilmarnock, then the number 11 bus as far as Irvine Cross. As usual I was early but there’s something good about walking among strangers filling in time. Now for the X34 Glasgow bus to Beith.
Beith? I am not familiar with this town and when I arrived I tried to follow Father Gerry’s directions but got a bit lost. However, it’s not a huge place so I was soon wandering along the pedestrian area and asked a lady where the Catholic Church was, and there it was to my right just as Father had said. So as I was early I headed back along to the other shops in the area where I had got off the bus, where there was a good baker’s shop with a little tearoom, which opened at 9.00am. By this time it was snowing and I sheltered in the doorway from 8.55 till it opened at 9.00.
A smiling face welcomed me as I ordered coffee and a Chelsea Bun. I can tell you it was the best Chelsea Bun I have ever tasted. I don’t even know if in Beith they are called by this name but they have icing on the top and are spicy. I left this friendly little coffee shop and headed for the church where I found Mair [Welsh for Mary] preparing the church for Mass. Father Gerry appeared resplendent in a new ‘bunnet’. After a lovely Mass he kindly drove me back as far as Kilwinning to catch the no.11 bus.
I was meeting a friend in Irvine and had an hour to spare so I wandered around for a while. By the time Josephine arrived I must have looked a sorry sight because the first thing we did was go for a bowl of hot soup and bread, it was heaven. Thank you Josephine and thank you for introducing me to two lovely ladies called Mary.
I have met some real nice people Lord on my simple pilgrimage. It’s only two weeks till Christmas, so I may wait till 2012 before continuing, who knows? Watch this space.
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Feast Day - June 27th
Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, also known as Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary by Pope Pius 1X, associated with a celebrated Byzantine icon of the same name dating back to the 15th Century.
Tuesday 17th January 2012 - St Ninian’s Episcopal Church, Castle Douglas
(Serving the Parish of St John’s)
This will be my thirty-eighth Mass and I feel in good spirit as I head for the 6.45am 246 to Dumfries. I travelled with David, who teaches maths in Thornhill Academy, and as I shared my pilgrimage with him I discovered that when he had taken his mother to Lourdes a few years ago they travelled further south and walked ten kilometres of the Camino. This was wonderful! We were fellow pilgrims. I just knew this was going to be a special day.
The bus was warm, and it was quite a shock to feel the cold air as I walked up The Vennel at 8.20. The 501 to Castle Douglas was leaving at 9.08 so I thought I would window shop however I was so cold that I soon decided to head back to Café Piccolo for a welcome cup of coffee.
I arrived in Castle Douglas around 10.00 am and enjoyed the nostalgia as I remembered past visits to one of my favourite towns but I soon left the shops behind and went in search of St Ninian’s Episcopal Church, where Mass has been held since St John’s Church building was condemned.
I knew I was early but not as early as Brian, who was already in church preparing for Mass. What a beautiful church, it reminded me of the Episcopal Church in Grantown on Spey which is also available to the local Catholic Church for Mass. The individual kneelers were works of art, lovingly sewn in cross-stitch. As I knelt in prayer, I felt a warm glow Lord. Yes, I was on hallowed ground.
A crochet blanket caught my eye, it was tied with a blue ribbon and was on a table near the altar and there was a little message above it. Barbara and Mary arrived and I asked them if I could take a note of what was written about the blanket. I told them that we in St John’s were making Friendship Blankets but here I was in Castle Douglas reading about their blankets, which are Healing Blankets. It’s amazing how we can share ideas when we reach out to others.
Father William McFadden arrived as did a few more parishioners and Father George Thomson was there too, to celebrate Mass.
Thank you Fathers for a beautiful Mass and thank you to all the people I met - Brian, Dennis, Mary, Barbara, Agatha, Nan, Kathleen, Dorothy and Christine. And thank you for the coffee and chat at the hotel after Mass. I’m looking forward to seeing you again soon at the church hall in Kirkcudbright. God bless you all.
(Serving the Parish of St John’s)
This will be my thirty-eighth Mass and I feel in good spirit as I head for the 6.45am 246 to Dumfries. I travelled with David, who teaches maths in Thornhill Academy, and as I shared my pilgrimage with him I discovered that when he had taken his mother to Lourdes a few years ago they travelled further south and walked ten kilometres of the Camino. This was wonderful! We were fellow pilgrims. I just knew this was going to be a special day.
The bus was warm, and it was quite a shock to feel the cold air as I walked up The Vennel at 8.20. The 501 to Castle Douglas was leaving at 9.08 so I thought I would window shop however I was so cold that I soon decided to head back to Café Piccolo for a welcome cup of coffee.
I arrived in Castle Douglas around 10.00 am and enjoyed the nostalgia as I remembered past visits to one of my favourite towns but I soon left the shops behind and went in search of St Ninian’s Episcopal Church, where Mass has been held since St John’s Church building was condemned.
I knew I was early but not as early as Brian, who was already in church preparing for Mass. What a beautiful church, it reminded me of the Episcopal Church in Grantown on Spey which is also available to the local Catholic Church for Mass. The individual kneelers were works of art, lovingly sewn in cross-stitch. As I knelt in prayer, I felt a warm glow Lord. Yes, I was on hallowed ground.
A crochet blanket caught my eye, it was tied with a blue ribbon and was on a table near the altar and there was a little message above it. Barbara and Mary arrived and I asked them if I could take a note of what was written about the blanket. I told them that we in St John’s were making Friendship Blankets but here I was in Castle Douglas reading about their blankets, which are Healing Blankets. It’s amazing how we can share ideas when we reach out to others.
Father William McFadden arrived as did a few more parishioners and Father George Thomson was there too, to celebrate Mass.
Thank you Fathers for a beautiful Mass and thank you to all the people I met - Brian, Dennis, Mary, Barbara, Agatha, Nan, Kathleen, Dorothy and Christine. And thank you for the coffee and chat at the hotel after Mass. I’m looking forward to seeing you again soon at the church hall in Kirkcudbright. God bless you all.
Sunday 22nd January 2012 - St Clare's, Drongan
Opened in 1967. A simple building from outside. The interior is given drama by the roof light above the altar.
No bus pass needed today Lord. There are no buses at this time on a Sunday morning to reach St Clare’s, Drongan in time for Mass, so Maria from my parish has kindly offered to take me.
The countryside was looking good, as the sun shone over the green fields, and we felt good. We had never been to St Clare’s before. For myself, I always feel a sense of excitement and adventure when I’m treading on new territory and although I’m only about ten miles from home, there are new faces to see and new people to meet. Yes Lord, being a pilgrim broadens the mind and lets me see that there is a big world out there because sometimes in our own little parishes we put ourselves in little boxes and our world can revolve around a building rather than being part of “One World”.
“Welcome to St Clare’s”. These were the words I heard as a friendly gentleman handed me a bulletin. Two young male altar servers were already in the Sacristy, and the Sacristan had the altar prepared, and the candles lit for Mass. We were among strangers and yet as part of a bigger church we were family.
Monsignor Boyd was looking well and in good spirits. Thank you Monsignor for a lovely Mass and I hope you enjoy the sunshine in Tenerife. Thank you also to the parishioners of St Clare’s. Maria and I had hoped that there would be a cup of tea after Mass to give us a chance to talk to the parishioners. Sadly no coffee, but the friendly passkeeper invited us to come back some time, and we may do this during summer.
St Clare, Feast Day - August 12th
Clare was born in 1194 in Assisi, Italy. At the age of eighteen she heard a sermon by St Francis and was deeply influenced by his love for poverty. She was consecrated by St Francis in the little church of Portiucula, to a life of poverty and penance for the love of God. Francis and Clare were made in the same gallant, high minded mould. They had seen the vision and went straight to their goal. Clare was soon joined by her sister. and other companions and a little group was settled by Francis at San Damiano. Fasting was severe and other austerities were practiced with great fervour. In 1215 Clare was made abbess by St Francis, and the Poor Ladies, now known as Poor Clares and a Second Order of Franciscans came into being. During the last years of St Francis life, relations with San Damiano were interrupted. But in his last illness he was sheltered by Clare in a hut in the garden of San Damiano. He went away to die at Portiuncula, but not before he had given her his blessing. He ordered that his body should be brought for burial to Assisi by way of San Damiano. There Clare and her sisters received it lovingly and could look upon the wounds of his hands and feet.
Clare and Francis were wholly at one in their love of God and of poverty. She obtained from Pope Innocent 111, the privilege of guaranteed poverty for the Poor Clares, a thing so unheard of for nuns. St Clare died on August 11th 1252 and was canonised two years later.
Opened in 1967. A simple building from outside. The interior is given drama by the roof light above the altar.
No bus pass needed today Lord. There are no buses at this time on a Sunday morning to reach St Clare’s, Drongan in time for Mass, so Maria from my parish has kindly offered to take me.
The countryside was looking good, as the sun shone over the green fields, and we felt good. We had never been to St Clare’s before. For myself, I always feel a sense of excitement and adventure when I’m treading on new territory and although I’m only about ten miles from home, there are new faces to see and new people to meet. Yes Lord, being a pilgrim broadens the mind and lets me see that there is a big world out there because sometimes in our own little parishes we put ourselves in little boxes and our world can revolve around a building rather than being part of “One World”.
“Welcome to St Clare’s”. These were the words I heard as a friendly gentleman handed me a bulletin. Two young male altar servers were already in the Sacristy, and the Sacristan had the altar prepared, and the candles lit for Mass. We were among strangers and yet as part of a bigger church we were family.
Monsignor Boyd was looking well and in good spirits. Thank you Monsignor for a lovely Mass and I hope you enjoy the sunshine in Tenerife. Thank you also to the parishioners of St Clare’s. Maria and I had hoped that there would be a cup of tea after Mass to give us a chance to talk to the parishioners. Sadly no coffee, but the friendly passkeeper invited us to come back some time, and we may do this during summer.
St Clare, Feast Day - August 12th
Clare was born in 1194 in Assisi, Italy. At the age of eighteen she heard a sermon by St Francis and was deeply influenced by his love for poverty. She was consecrated by St Francis in the little church of Portiucula, to a life of poverty and penance for the love of God. Francis and Clare were made in the same gallant, high minded mould. They had seen the vision and went straight to their goal. Clare was soon joined by her sister. and other companions and a little group was settled by Francis at San Damiano. Fasting was severe and other austerities were practiced with great fervour. In 1215 Clare was made abbess by St Francis, and the Poor Ladies, now known as Poor Clares and a Second Order of Franciscans came into being. During the last years of St Francis life, relations with San Damiano were interrupted. But in his last illness he was sheltered by Clare in a hut in the garden of San Damiano. He went away to die at Portiuncula, but not before he had given her his blessing. He ordered that his body should be brought for burial to Assisi by way of San Damiano. There Clare and her sisters received it lovingly and could look upon the wounds of his hands and feet.
Clare and Francis were wholly at one in their love of God and of poverty. She obtained from Pope Innocent 111, the privilege of guaranteed poverty for the Poor Clares, a thing so unheard of for nuns. St Clare died on August 11th 1252 and was canonised two years later.
Monday 30th January 2012 - St Michael's, Kilmarnock
Built in 1953 to serve the post-war expanded areas of housing south of Kilmarnock and situated, as churches dedicated to this patron saint normally are, at the top of a hill.
I’m a bit closer to home this morning as I step on the X76 8.15 bus to Kilmarnock, then make the short journey on the number 6 to St Michael’s for this my fortieth Mass of the pilgrimage.
Father Edward McGhee hails from my hometown of Cumnock. Actually I think he was born in Muirkirk. He made me very welcome, as did the parishioners. I was just a visitor as far as they were concerned till Father Eddie in his own witty way told them I was going around the diocese and that he thought there was a touch of insanity about me.
I laughed to myself as I had sometimes questioned myself as I stepped into the cold morning air to head for some of the far off churches in our diocese.
Yes, with Father Eddie you get straight talk, but if you meet him for the first time don’t let him kid you, because he knows his Bible does Father Eddie. He is a candid, yet, gentle priest. Thank you Father Eddie. Thanks also to Mr and Mrs George McCluskie, Eileen, originally Catrine, and to Nancy and Ruby for our chats at the bus stop and on the bus journey back to Kilmarnock bus station.
All in all a lovely morning in Bellfield, which stirred happy memories of Father Eugene Matthews and his housekeeper Jane Currie. May they Rest In Peace. Father Joseph Boland was curate back then. Thank you Father Joseph for the times you have been there for my family.
St Michael, Feast Day - September 29th
Michael, the name given in the book of Daniel to the angel who the author assures his Machabean readers, will lead to victory against their satanic persecuters and inaugurate a heaven on earth. This hope was only partly fulfilled in the death of the Greek emperor who had tried to pervert Israel. Its full realisation, says the last book of the New Testament, came a century and a half later, when the new Israel gave birth to a Messiah who, at the very moment of apparent defeat, broke through the chains which had imprisoned him and joined earth to heaven. Michael therefore stands for those other worldly forces by which God directs the history on mankind.
Built in 1953 to serve the post-war expanded areas of housing south of Kilmarnock and situated, as churches dedicated to this patron saint normally are, at the top of a hill.
I’m a bit closer to home this morning as I step on the X76 8.15 bus to Kilmarnock, then make the short journey on the number 6 to St Michael’s for this my fortieth Mass of the pilgrimage.
Father Edward McGhee hails from my hometown of Cumnock. Actually I think he was born in Muirkirk. He made me very welcome, as did the parishioners. I was just a visitor as far as they were concerned till Father Eddie in his own witty way told them I was going around the diocese and that he thought there was a touch of insanity about me.
I laughed to myself as I had sometimes questioned myself as I stepped into the cold morning air to head for some of the far off churches in our diocese.
Yes, with Father Eddie you get straight talk, but if you meet him for the first time don’t let him kid you, because he knows his Bible does Father Eddie. He is a candid, yet, gentle priest. Thank you Father Eddie. Thanks also to Mr and Mrs George McCluskie, Eileen, originally Catrine, and to Nancy and Ruby for our chats at the bus stop and on the bus journey back to Kilmarnock bus station.
All in all a lovely morning in Bellfield, which stirred happy memories of Father Eugene Matthews and his housekeeper Jane Currie. May they Rest In Peace. Father Joseph Boland was curate back then. Thank you Father Joseph for the times you have been there for my family.
St Michael, Feast Day - September 29th
Michael, the name given in the book of Daniel to the angel who the author assures his Machabean readers, will lead to victory against their satanic persecuters and inaugurate a heaven on earth. This hope was only partly fulfilled in the death of the Greek emperor who had tried to pervert Israel. Its full realisation, says the last book of the New Testament, came a century and a half later, when the new Israel gave birth to a Messiah who, at the very moment of apparent defeat, broke through the chains which had imprisoned him and joined earth to heaven. Michael therefore stands for those other worldly forces by which God directs the history on mankind.