As usual on the last Sunday of June, our Annual Diocesan Pilgrimage to Pluscarden took place this year: Sunday 25 June.
This one was notable above all because of the numbers attending. There were well over 600 people present: the largest number we have ever seen for such an occasion. Two very large marquees were erected, each equipped with large screens amd sound systems to transmit live-streamed film of the Mass: both were filled to capacity for the liturgy.
As before, the very "Catholic" composition of our diocese was on full display. As well as the native Scots, there were sizable contingents of people from Poland, and Africa (especially Nigeria) and India. There were also many English, Americans, French, Filipinos, Irish. Prominence was given this year in particular to our resident Ukrainian guests, many of them of Greek Catholic Rite. Their Chaplain gave a speech at the end of Mass, about the suffering of his people, and a small Ukranian girl in national costume offered an example of bold Ukranian spirit by playing her violin for the crowds.
Bishop Hugh wanted to focus attention this year on the servers of the Mass; so around 60 of those came, from all over the Diocese, and a group was formally inducted into the Guild of St. Stephen during the liturgy.
Dry weather held out until moments before the Mass began at 3.00 p.m. Many took advantage of that to picnic in the grounds of the Abbey. Many in this time also took the opportunity to go to confession, or to spend time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament exposed in our Lady Chapel.
As usual Mass featured the Diocesan Choir, and a Children's Choir, and the Nigerian Choir, and our own monastic Choir.
By the end of Mass the rain was descending heavily, so the planned Marian procession to the garden was abandoned. Our Lady's litany and other prayers were neverthless sung in full, with Bishop Hugh and his assistants standing before our own usual Lady shrine.
At one point during the Mass one of the Marquee screens went blank. Oh no! What could be the source of this technical fault? Happily it was soon discovered and corrected. Actually not so very technical, after all. Someone had quietly pulled out the relevant plug from its socket, in order to plug in their own phone for re-charging.
