...of some 40 young men from this Jesuit High School in the USA came to London on a pilgrimage, visiting various Catholic sites, and I was asked to lead them on a Catholic History walk....it turned out to be a wonderful day.
Things began with the whole group arriving for a Mass celebrated by their priests here - the atmosphere reverent, the altar servers will drilled, a beautiful start to the day. Then on to a full programme of walking and exploration...at one point, as we stopped by the river for me to explain the story of London Bridge (Romans, Viking battles, Great Fire 1666 etc etc) I decided to clamber up on the wall of the Embankment so all could hear me - a sudent clambered up too, to grip me carefully, as the river surged below. Some one took a pic - Auntie Joanna enthusiastically telling 1,000 years of history on the banks of the Thames, held carefully in place by Jesuit-trained student strength. And the whole day was like that - the group interested, attentive, fun,delightful to be with. By lunchtime I was ready for refreshment - the excellent lunch to which the two priests treated me, and our great conversation tackling all sorts of issues, was a joy. And then on to Westminster, still following the river - and things finished by Big Ben, and, gloriously, the clock chimed just on cue...
The group was due to go on to Tyburn for Benedictiion. Fr H. made a kind speech and then made the Sign of the Cross and, without being prompted, the young men bowed their heads and together, prayed aloud that glorious Ignatian prayer "Lord, help me to serve you as you deserve..." To stand in the street at Westminster with that great prayer surging up, was something I will remember always. And then they invoked various saints including St Edmund Campion... who defended the Faith with such surpreme courage just yards from where we were standing...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment