As part of the Jubilee pilgrimage season 2016, Lough Derg will host special themed days of retreat on themes of ecumenism and living with suicide. The themed retreats aim to offer the opportunity for people to come and experience the nurturing peace of the sanctuary of Saint Patrick.
The first themed day is a ‘day of quiet’ which will take place on Friday 2 September. The quiet day is a self-directed day which will allow time for reflection and spiritual regeneration and a break from the turmoil of modern life.
The second themed retreat day will be an ecumenical day of ‘friendship and prayer’, inviting friends and neighbours from different Churches to celebrate their Christian faith together. This will take place on Wednesday 14 September and will be of particular interest to inter-Church groups. The keynote speaker on this special day will be Church of Ireland Bishop of Meath & Kildare, Bishop Patricia Storey.
The final themed retreat day for this pilgrimage season will take place on Wednesday 21 September with a special focus on living with suicide. The theme for the day will be ‘Seeking Strength, Finding Comfort’, and the day aims to give people affected in any way by suicide an opportunity to hear the experiences of some involved in suicide awareness.
Aside from these themed days, the one-day pilgrimages will continue through the end of August and into September for those who still wish to visit the Holy Island.
The dates for one day pilgrimages to Lough Derg in August and September are as follows:
August: 29, 30
September: 3, 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 17, 18, 24
For more information on Lough Derg pilgrimage season please visit www.loughderg.org.
ENDS