REGINA |64
REGINA: What were the illuminating Catholic sites for you?
AMANDA: Visiting the Sacred Heart Church in Limerick was probably the most illuminating for me. Learning the history behind the abandoned church and seeing the on-going works with our very own eyes was fascinating. The huge effort that they are putting into the restoration of the church is very encouraging and it gives me hope knowing that there are still many people who love God so much and will do anything to ensure that the generation of tomorrow will continue to have a place to worship Him.
EMILY: Really all of them were. We got to see pieces of Catholic Ireland in its various stages: the very beginning (Monasterboice), the “height” and then the subsequent ruin during the Reformation and other historical conflicts, (Murrisk Priory, Muckross Abbey, and Mellifont Abbey; St. Oliver Plunkett’s relics), and the present day efforts to renew the life of the Church in Ireland amidst the ruin and the decreasing Mass attendance and interest in the faith ( Silverstream Priory and Sacred Heart Church).
MARCO: Sacred Heart Church in Limerick was the most illuminating Catholic site for me. The Church sat vacant for a few years and is currently in use again. I think that is symbolic of how the Church in Ireland can also rise up again.
REGINA: Did you have any spiritual highs or lows on the trip?
AMANDA: I think everyone was on a spiritual high on the day when we had Mass on the ruins of Murrisk Abbey and then proceeded to climb Croagh Patrick! The whole experience was surreal. The trip was too short for any lows.
EMILY: Definitely no spiritual lows from my perspective, but many spiritual highs, including standing in the ruins at Murrisk Priory while Fr James cleared the altar at the end of a beautiful Mass. There we were on the shores of Clew Bay at the base of Croagh Patrick, as the winds blew, crows flew above our heads, and heavy clouds rolled along above us. We stood in silence for a while in the ruins of this holy place where the Mass had once been offered so many times. While I felt sad about the fact that Ireland has drifted so far away from the Church in so many ways, I also felt deeply grateful for my life, my Faith, and all that brought our group there to be together in that moment.