The Year of Faith, inaugurated by Pope Benedict XVI, is rapdily coming to a close, indeed, we are almost there. So the last Y o F celebration was a School Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady at Fernyhalgh. The top two classes (5 & 6) with teachers and others made their way to this ancient Lancashire Shrine. The top class even walked, in proper pilgrim style.
The Pilgrims (in two groups) started at Statue/Well and here they prayed for the gift of faith like Fergus Maguire, the man, who legend has, built the original chapel 900 years ago. And then onto the Chapel overlooking the well, here the Hail Mary was offered for the pilgrim's families. Leaving the chapel, the boys and girls called at the statue of St Margaret Clitheroe – the Housewife Martyr from York who used to harbour priests, here prayer was offered for priestly vocations.
The Martyr’s Chapel proved very interesting as some of the boys and girls recognised their own family names amongst the list of English Martyr's. The Prayer here was for those who suffer for their faith
Onwards to the Padre Pio garden near to the statue of St Francis of Assisi, where we prayed in thanksgiving for creation.
The Chapel in the house was where we spent sometime learning about the history of the Shrine and where we prayed the Our Father for our School & Parish. The little Martyr's Museum is next to the chapel where the girls and boys could see some of the historical artefacts kept there.
The whole event was conculded with a Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the Martyr's Chapel and then back to school for lunch.
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