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Source: (consider it)
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Thread: My pilgrimage
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The Scrumpmeister
Ship’s Taverner
# 5638
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Posted
Next month I plan to make a pilgrimage to the parish of Our Lady & St Thiebault in Gorze, France. I hope to be there for the feasts of Epiphany and Theophany (which are different feasts in our church calendar).
It's difficult to put into words how much this means to me. I came to Orthodoxy in 2005, and a large part of that was through exposure to the Western Rite, although it was completely inaccessible to me locally, and what little connection I did have was severed when I was ordained a reader, as my bishop at the time was opposed to the Western Rite.
Still, throughout my years in my Byzantine Rite parish and diocese, I longed to belong to the Western Rite and developed a fascination with the Western Rite parishes in France. One of the flagship parishes was the Gorze parish, where they have a functioning prayer community made up of laity, clergy, and a nun, and where they serve the Western Mass beautifully. I often looked at the videos from this parish, showing baptisms, ordinations, and services from various feasts.
However, I belonged at the time to the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the church to which this parish belonged was considered "uncanonical", so they were strictly off limits to me.
When I used to watch those videos years ago, I never for a moment thought that I would one day belong to the Western Orthodox Church but, through circumstances, this is where I now find myself and I am increasingly happy. I have visited my bishop's monastery a couple of times, and that has been good for me for all sorts of reasons - not least of which because when I needed a church home and was feeling very hurt and isolated, my bishop welcomed me and took me in just as he found me. However, visiting the Gorze parish feels like putting a stamp on my having finally come home. I will at last be able to take part in what always seemed like a distant dream, as well as get to meet my wider church family apart from just those people attached to the monastery.
After a difficult three years in my personal and spiritual life, I feel more grounded in my faith and for excited about the direction that is taking for the first time in a long time.
I'm so very grateful and just wanted to share that here. I ask you all for your prayers and invite you to share your own similar experiences if you wish.
Here, here, and here are some of my earliest and favourite videos from the parish.
![[Axe murder]](graemlins/lovedrops.gif)
[ 27. December 2017, 21:43: Message edited by: The Scrumpmeister ]
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If Christ is not fully human, humankind is not fully saved. - St John of Saint-Denis
Posts: 14741 | From: Greater Manchester, UK | Registered: Mar 2004
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Lothlorien
Ship's Grandma
# 4927
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Posted
It is good to hear that you have found somewhere which is home to you. Best wishes and prayers for your pilgrimage.
If others take up the idea, can I offer a gentle reminder that hosts have to check all links. Please stick to no more than three as the Scrumpmeister has done? Thanks. That means all links, not just to videos.
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Posts: 9745 | From: girt by sea | Registered: Aug 2003
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Nick Tamen
Ship's Wayfaring Fool
# 15164
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Posted
How wonderful, Scrumpmeister! I rejoice with you, and pray that your pilgrimage will bring expected and unexpected blessings,
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The first thing God says to Moses is, "Take off your shoes." We are on holy ground. Hard to believe, but the truest thing I know. — Anne Lamott
Posts: 2833 | From: On heaven-crammed earth | Registered: Sep 2009
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Piglet
Islander
# 11803
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Posted
I'll join in the chorus wishing you every blessing in your pilgrimage, Scrumpmeister, and hope that those blessings continue after your return.
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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
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Posts: 20272 | From: Fredericton, NB, on a rather larger piece of rock | Registered: Sep 2006
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Rossweisse
High Church Valkyrie
# 2349
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Posted
Blessings to you, and best wishes for a successful pilgrimage.
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I'm not dead yet.
Posts: 15117 | From: Valhalla | Registered: Feb 2002
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Ian Climacus
Liturgical Slattern
# 944
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Posted
I am so very happy for you. For your finding a welcoming home, a home in the Western Rite and for your upcoming pilgrimage: it sounds wonderful.
You must report back on all that happens.
God grant you safe and profitable travels!
Posts: 7800 | From: On the border | Registered: Jul 2001
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MaryLouise
Shipmate
# 18697
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Posted
Prayers and blessings. Beautiful videos and I'd love to hear more about your pilgrimage.
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“As regards plots I find real life no help at all. Real life seems to have no plots.”
-- Ivy Compton-Burnett
Posts: 646 | From: Cape Town | Registered: Nov 2016
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The Scrumpmeister
Ship’s Taverner
# 5638
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Posted
Thank you, all, for your good wishes and kind words. I really am happy.
I'll certainly report back once I've had a chance to process the experience.
quote:
Originally posted by Ian Climacus:
I am so very happy for you. For your finding a welcoming home...
This is what lies at the heart of it, I think. If anyone had told me a few years ago that I would be sitting in an Orthodox monastery, discussing with my Orthodox bishop the collapse of my marriage and receiving nothing but compassion, support, and welcome, I would have laughed, but that is exactly the situation in which I found myself in Holy Week. In the Russian Orthodox Church, merely speaking out against the injustices and hurt caused to queer people earned me an excommunication for "bringing the church into disrepute", and that was without a marriage under my belt. My mind is blown at the contrast.
Because of those circumstances, though, it means that I don't get to receive the sacraments very often. There is only one parish of the Western Orthodox Church in the UK and UK train fares mean that it is less costly to go to France. However, I follow the calendar for readings and I'm rendering some of the basic offices into English so I can pray those. It makes me all the more appreciative of those opportunities when I can make my confession and receive Communion. To be able to do this next weekend and also celebrate two of the great feasts of the church is a real gift to me.
quote:
Originally posted by MaryLouise:
Beautiful videos...
Yes! ![[Yipee]](graemlins/spin.gif) The videos are so lovely.
I can't wait to experience the worship there in person. This particular rite is not used anywhere in the UK and it is very beautiful. It is used at the monastery but when I go there I work. (On my last visit in October, I was the choir at the Sunday Mass. ![[Smile]](smile.gif) ) At this parish, there's a full complement of servers, singers, and an established congregation. While the worship is beautiful in the monastery, it would be good to experience the rite as it was intended.
[ 28. December 2017, 09:45: Message edited by: The Scrumpmeister ]
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If Christ is not fully human, humankind is not fully saved. - St John of Saint-Denis
Posts: 14741 | From: Greater Manchester, UK | Registered: Mar 2004
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Ian Climacus
Liturgical Slattern
# 944
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Posted
Blessed Epiphany!
(a day late...)
I hope you made it there safely, and in time.
Posts: 7800 | From: On the border | Registered: Jul 2001
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