Lough Derg is offering new options this year for experiencing the
thousand-year-old pilgrimage island, including an art and spirituality
day, a youth pilgrimage and a reflection day.
The 2011 programme of events got under way last weekend with the
launch of the day retreats on the penitential pilgrimage site.
The
retreats, introduced over a decade ago for pilgrims who wanted to
experience Lough Derg but found the traditional three day pilgrimage too
onerous, will run on most days throughout the rest of May and will
resume again in August and September.
Some of this year’s retreats have particular themes, such as Meditation for Beginners, Understanding your child and A light on angels.
The traditional three-day pilgrimage will run from June 1 to August 13,
following the renowned Lough Derg regime of fasting, barefoot trails on
the Stations of the Cross and staying awake overnight.
One of this year’s innovations is a one-day retreat programme entitled Exploring Spirituality through Art,
on May 25, which is aimed at people interested in expressing
spirituality through art or using art to explore their spirituality.
The discussion will be led by Paul Grey, with a panel of three artists -
Ann Cassidy, Dara Hand and Una Agnew, representing the mediums of art,
photography and poetry.
The programme also affords participants time to explore their own personal vision through art.
From August 5 through 7, Lough Derg is hosting a youth pilgrimage,
aimed at school leavers preparing for college and graduates embarking on
a career.
This is run along the lines of the adult three-day
pilgrimage, and will include workshops designed for the target groups of
young people focussing on decisions about their futures.
On September 7 another innovative variation for guests of Lough Derg called a Reflection day,
will feature discussions and individual exercises with a great deal of
unguided time to allow participants make their own reflections privately
in the context of the island’s scenery and prayerful environment.
On August 19, Lough Derg is repeating a successful innovation of
recent years and inviting parents and children to the island for a
Family Day experience with age-appropriate spiritual activities for
children and a more traditional programme for their older companions.
Other events to be run during the summer include Pure Oxygen, an
all-night music vigil and several quiet days in which pilgrims are
invited to spend a completely unstructured day on the island for
personal contemplation and reflection.