From The Ferry To Ireland

Welcome to my first blog from a ferry to Ireland.

Northern Cross pilgrims walked over 100 miles in atrocious weather to arrive at Holy Island on Good Friday, the sun at last smiling upon them. Fr. Gerard Hughes led a meditation at The Open Gate each morning of that week. He urged us to pay attention to a feeling more than to an 'ought'. On Good Friday my 'ought' was to sit in a pew for three hours during the 'Three Hours at the Cross'. My feeling was 'Walk to the shore to greet the pilgrims, give them cards of welcome, and invite some to use my bath'. I followed the feeling. Four women asked to use my bath. I had never used it. I discovered two things: that the hot water came through the cold tap. and that it takes a woman to make a bath last one hour.

Now I journey to the 39th Pan Celtic International Festival at Dingle. A friend named Mairt asked the organisers if the programme could include some Christian spirituality. So I will help lead a pilgrimage along Saint Brendan sites, a symposium on Ecology and Celtic Christianity, a talk about The Community of Aidan and Hilda, and a Sunday service to be broadcast on radio. Pray for us.

Excuse me - the sea is rough. I feel sick.