Scottish Catholic Observer

Throughout the day young Catholics carried the relics of St Andrew, which are normally kept in St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh, but were brought for the day to St Andrews.
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More than 150 young Catholics were led by Archbishop Leo Cushley to St Andrew’s in Fife as the annual National Youth Pilgrimage took place on Saturday August 31.

The day was organised by the Catholic Youth Service of Scotland who hold a ‘Pilgrimage of Faith’ every year to various religious locations around the country.

This year’s pilgrimage involved a procession around four of the key places of religious significance in the town of St Andrews.

Throughout the pilgrimage the young people carried the relics of St Andrew, which are normally kept in St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh, but were brought for the day to St Andrews.

Destination

The archbishop led the young people to St Salvator’s College Chapel, the second oldest of St Andrews University’s three Colleges, established in 1450.

Then the young people were taken to the Town Kirk of Holy Trinity Church where they met the local Church of Scotland minister, Rev Marion Paton.

She welcomed the group with the inspirational words: “Although we may have different backgrounds in Faith, we have one destination: Jesus Christ, whom we are called to know and love each day.”

The pilgrimage continued in the St Andrews University buildings where the young people paused at the statue of Bishop Henry Wardlaw, the founder of St Andrews University.

Relics

As they passed the various University lecture rooms, Archbishop Cushley encouraged them to reflect on their lives by telling them that, although it is important to grow in knowledge like the students who come to the university, it is perhaps more important to grow in ‘wisdom of the heart,’ growing closer each day to Jesus Christ and His love.

The final part of the pilgrimage took the young people to the historic St Andrews Cathedral, consecrated in the 14th century, where they took part in the ‘Prayer Service of Veneration of the Relics of St. Andrew,’ with each person coming forward to ask for God’s blessing.

The archbishop reminded the young people that St Andrew knew Christ intimately as a friend and this pilgrimage was an opportunity for each one of them to draw close not only to St Andrew but to Christ himself.

Kristina Keenan, from Paisley Diocese, summed up the feelings of the young pilgrims as she prepared for the final Mass in St James Church, saying: “It makes me happy to be a Catholic and to know that I have Catholic friends around the country.

“I am happy to share my Faith. Today has given me an opportunity to renew my love of Jesus.”