Chaplaincy thoughts for the week: 21 June

Earlier this week we took all of Year 8 for their annual retreat day to the oldest Catholic pilgrimage to our Blessed Lady in the UK, Glastonbury. For almost 1600 years it is purported that pilgrims have journeyed to Glastonbury since St Patrick visited. Our retreat day focused on pilgrimage and the journeys people choose or are forced to take that have a profound effect on them. By basing our retreat in Glastonbury we follow in the footsteps of millions of pilgrims, St Patrick, St David, St Dunstan (first Abbott of Glastonbury and an Archbishop of Canterbury prereformation), St Joseph of Arimathea and legend even suggests Jesus himself. The ever knowledgeable Kim, from the shrine, gave us a detailed history of Glastonbury from Saxon times to the present day, showing us why it is such a special place for Christians.

Students were able to enjoy a walk in the glorious sunshine from the shrine of Our Lady of Glastonbury up the Tor. We gathered at the top, marvelling at the incredible view of the Somerset levels and even Glastonbury Festival being set up, whilst remembering that this was the final place of execution of the final Abbott of Glastonbury – for refusing to renounce his faith. The second half of our day involved a workshop that role played the journeys that refugees are forced to take and helped our young people to consider the bigger picture and context of each person’s story. Our day ended by gathering around a Lampedusa cross and being sent out with the same message of hope that the carpenter Francesco Tuccio gave to so many stranded refugees with his crosses made from shattered boats.

Mr Robinson

Lay Chaplain