Pastoral Centre makes visit to Glendalough

Yvonne, Eugene and Conor

We know that summer is approaching here at Benildus Pastoral Centre when we find ourselves bringing students down to the Garden of Ireland and the Holy Monastic City of Glendalough.

Although the weather threatened to compromise the experience in the beginning, the sun came out and delivered to us, as ever, a very special day with 60 5th year girls from St. Raphaela's School.

It was wonderful to witness their engagement, enjoyment and stillness, particularly at St. Kevin's Holy Well, where they pin their prayers and petitions by virtue of strings to the branches of the surrounding trees.

It was a lovely occasion for the team as a whole because it marked an emergence from Covid for two of our team members. We had managed to avoid Covid for two years but unfortunately the latest upsurge here in Ireland caught us out. Thankfully, we are well again and ready for lots more retreats to Hazelwood and pilgrimages to Glendalough throughout May.

Also in recent weeks, we travelled out to schools delivering "The World is your Oyster" programme - which heightens the awareness of social justice, injustice and the world in which we live.

It was received very warmly with enthusiastic engagement from the students. All in all, we are in for busy times in the coming weeks and we welcome all the activity, fun, spirituality and reflections.