Order of Malta - Drimnagh - Knock 2010

26th - 29th August 2010 Order of Malta National pilgrimage to Knock

Again this year we participated in the four day Knock pilgrimage.
We were a group of thirteen guests and seven helpers.

We were the biggest group of guests and helpers and we provided support and assistance to other groups of guests from the Finglas Day Centre and the Lorcan O'Toole centre in Crumlin.

We stayed at the St. Catherines Rest Centre which is run by the St. Vincent De Paul.
The place was spotless, the staff were welcoming, there was plenty of food, it is a very homely centre.

There was on special guest with us this year who joined in on many of our activities and was most welcome, his Highness the Grandmaster of the Order of Malta Matthew Festing. He reminds me of Pope John Paul II, a man of the people, he had that same kind of openess and genuine kindness and wanting to communicate with the members and guests. He was in Knock on a private visit with the Monsignor of Knock.

As part of our programme we;

• Visited the Knock Museum
• Had mass in Ballintubber Abbey
• Done a scenic drive across through Pontoon
• We were hosted to lunch by the Ballina Unit and the put on some fine music and Irish dancers for our entertainment.
• In the conservatery at St. Catherines we had a lovely "Memories" reflective session for our group led by Reene Dilworth (McDonnell), the true life stories stretched back almost a hundred years, one of our guests is 99 years of age and is as fit as a fiddle both physically and mentally. I am only sorry that I didn't have a video or digital recorder, you just could not make up some of the stories.
• We also participated in a number of other cermonies at the Prayer Guidance Centre and the Bascilica
• On the Friday the whole group got together for a night of music and singalong. One of our friends from the St. John Ambulance Brigade in the UK done barman and there must be some Irish blood in him because he did not serve English measures and throughout the night as the last drop left your glass there was another dropped beside you, he can come again.
• On the Sunday many other units from around the country joined us for the formal day of the Pilgrimage, it was great to see so many attending the parade this year.