A pilgrimage to Navan, a concert, expert speakers and worship in the cathedral form the blend of the annual conference on the theme of The Sacred Presence which will be held from 20-22 May 2011.
John Joe Spring,the co-ordinator of the B.A. programme in Pastoral Theology and a well known expert on Celtic Spirituality is the principal speaker at the conference on the theme of The Sacred Presence which will be held from 20-22 May 2011.
The organisers write, “In our modern world people often live through their days with little awareness of the rhythms of the changing seasons or of the Sacred Presence at the heart of life. Our ancestors in the faith lived with deeper awareness of the cycles of the natural year and marked out the times and seasons and holy places with insight and wisdom. We invite you to come and hear John Joe Spring speak about this subject and also about the concept of Heroic Sanctity which was a central feature in the early church’s monastic and missionary tradition. Music and Mythology are also a part of this year’s conference.”
The conference begins with a presentation in the Cathedral on the Friday evening at 7.30 p.m. on The Celtic sense of the sacredness of time, the annual calendar and the ‘thin place.’
The programme continnues:
Saturday 21st May
9:30a.m. Morning Prayer in the cathedral
10:00a.m. Morning coffee/tea in 9, Vicars’ Hill
10:30a.m. to 12:30p.m. From Heroic Quest to Christian Mission.
Morning workshop with John Joe Spring on the Celtic understanding of the Heroic Quest. He will also explore the Celtic idea of Heroic Sanctity, which was a central feature in the early monastic and missionary tradition.
2:00p.m. Walking pilgrimage to Navan (shared cars can be arranged for those who would prefer not to walk).
At Navan we will have opportunity for tea/coffee, while watching a visual presentation of the myths and legends associated with this ancient place. Afterwards we will walk the short distance to the hill of Navan and share outdoor Celtic Prayer, weather permitting.
7:30p.m. Martin Donnelly in Concert in the cathedral
Martin Donnelly from Co. Antrim writes discerning nature poetry, in the pattern of Patrick Kavanagh, which has been set to music.
Sunday 22nd May
11:00a.m. The Celtic Eucharist. Preacher, Rev’d. Kiran Young Wimberly, Pilgrimage Director.
For fees and further details, Email: contact@celtic-spirituality.net