A pilgrimage of grace

Last week I led a group of young people, most of them from Leeds, on a pilgrimage to CraigLodge in Scotland (my first visit there). Our intention was to spend three days together in prayer and friendship, and we chose The Family House of Prayer as our place of pilgrimage (as so many young people before us have done). It was a superb three days of grace.

We were welcomed at Craiglodge by the Community and given extensive freedom in taking part in the life of the Community and preparing our our framework of prayer and adventure. Fr Stefan joined us from his Augustinian community in Edinburgh and we were indebted to him for his lack of local knowledge during the first day's adventure - wading across a Highland river was, in fact, a source of grace for our company.

On the second full day after a morning of adoration and reflection we climbed into the Lost Valley in Glen Coe, arriving in Oban in the evening sunlight for a meal by the harbour.

I gather that during the three days we spent there, Scotland had its best weather so far this year. This pilgrimage, made together by young people and priests, was a great blessing for us this summertime. We were able to pray together in a way which would not have been possible otherwise, and we were able to share together so much of our life in Christ. We were another company of builders for the Civilisation of Love.