Diocesan News
‘Journey to the Cross’
Scores of people – young and old – from more than a dozen different parishes, including pupils from an RE department in a local secondary school, have signed up to take part in a virtual pilgrimage in the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe.
‘Let’s Journey to the Cross’ is a joint initiative by the diocese’s Children’s Ministry, SEEDS, and its ministry for young people, Derry and Raphoe Youth.
Would–be pilgrims were asked to sign up for the Lenten initiative so that between them they would complete the 3,500 miles from Derry and Raphoe to the Holy Land. Among those taking part will be Bishop Andrew Forster.
The initiative is being coordinated by Derry and Raphoe’s Diocesan Children’s Officer Kirsty McCartney. Kirsty had invited people to walk in their own communities – and within their own ‘bubbles’ – so that their journeys would comply with local Covid guidelines.
“Families and those taking part will be using their daily exercise, in their local areas, to make up the miles,” Kirsty said. “For some this will be walking, while others may cycle, skip, hop or even scoot! It’s about spending time outdoors and being with God.
“This journey is not only about physically covering the miles,” Kirsty explained. “We will be able to journey together spiritually as we spend some time looking at journeys Jesus took in the Gospels. Our first journey, on Ash Wednesday, will look at the Temptations of Jesus. Each week the different ideas will be posted on our Diocesan Website and our Facebook page. There will be a range of activities to take part in.”
Kirsty says the virtual pilgrimage has been so popular, they’re on course to walk the whole distance to Jerusalem and back again. With people still signing up, participants have already pledged to complete a total of more than 6,000 miles. “This means by the time we get to Easter Sunday, we will have covered the distance to the cross and then some, and with more miles being tallied as we go, I am hopeful we’ll be able to cover the distance not only to the cross, but the return journey as well.”
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Communications Officer, Derry & Raphoe
Mr Paul McFadden
028 7126 2440
07525 826290
press@derryandraphoe.org