Pupils of St John’s RC High School took part in their 3rd annual pilgrimage from the school to the ancient ruins of Balmerino Abbey in Fife. This year, pupils from S6 were joined by Caritas Award candidates from St Paul’s Academy, as well as Bishop Andrew, Fr Jim and Fr Michael. The pupils from St John’s also used this opportunity to fundraise for the school’s St Vincent De Paul Group, which provides much needed help to our pupils and families. The pilgrimage reflected the Jubilee theme of ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ as they gathered in Balmerino and reflected on the site of the Abbey, made sacred again by the prayers and blessings of those gathered together after the 10 mile walk, taking in the Hilltown, the Bridge, Newport and Wormit.
Seán Hagney, Head Teacher of St John’s, said, “Walking together is a great way to get to know one another better, support one another, and enjoy the success of getting to the end together. It also gave us an opportunity to reflect on the ancient Catholic heritage which is all around us, and commit to continuing to live this heritage as pilgrims of hope. This year’s pilgrimage was extra special due to the participation of pupils from St Paul’s, the Bishop and priests of the diocese and made this a really memorable day for us all”.