Events
Parish Pilgrimage to Italy - Cammino dei Cappuccini, 28th August to 14th September 2023.
A group of six parishioners will be walking the first half of the "Way of the Capuchins" this summer. It is a new route, marking the fifth centenary of the founding of the Capuchin Franciscan reform by linking many of the sites associated with the early history of the order.
The walk is about 130 miles with twelve days of walking.
Easter Picnic, 11th April 2023
Well protected against the elements! Our Easter picnic on Sumburgh Head was preceded by a site tour of Old Scatness, an Iron age village which was in the news that morning as part of Britain's application of UNESCO World Heritage status for the exceptional group of archaeological sites at Jarlshof, Scatness and Mousa Broch. It was an appropriate choice for Easter since this village was occupied at the time Christ rose from the dead.
Holy Land Pilgrimage, 15th - 22nd October 2023.
Fr David Borland of Galloway diocese is organising a pilgrimage to the Holy Land that will include Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, Galilee and Nazareth. Flights from Scottish airports. You will find details in the pdf below:
Prayer Vigil for the People of Ukraine, Friday 24th February 2023, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Shetland Churches came together on the first Friday of Lent to mark the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Our service took the form of a silent silent vigil punctuated with the 15 psalms used by the Orthodox in their Friday evening vespers. Readers came from the Catholic, Church of Scotland, Episcopal Church of Scotland and Methodist congregations.
World Youth Day, Lisbon 2023.
Shetland Summer Pilgrimage to Papil, Burra Isle, Friday 12th August 2022.
Mass was celebrated in Papil cemetery with a group of eleven parishioners. The ruined kirk is near the site of an important medieval Catholic church dedicated to St Lawrence. It dated from the 12th century. Before that there was a Celtic monastery here in the 8th century.
We celebrated a votive Mass of St Lawrence in memory of Rodney Jamieson who had a great love of this place and lived nearby. Rodney died on 24th March this year.
Power of Grace Tomintoul Retreats for Youth.
Fundraiser for Ukraine, Saturday 26th March 2022.
This event raised £1,918.13 for the Ukraine Emergency appeal. Many thanks to all who took part.
Pilgrimage to Eshaness, 13th August 2021
A votive Mass of the Holy Cross was said in the ruins of the medieval Cross Kirk at Eshaness as a summer pilgrimage. This chapel remained a place of Catholic devotion long after the Reformation.
Wedding of Emma Hopper and Brendan To at Blairs Chapel, 9th July 2021
Emma, a parishioner from Ollaberry, married Brendan from Inverness at a wedding ceremony just outside Aberdeen in July. They have now settled in Shetland. Photo by Dani Rose Photography.
St Columba Pilgrimage, Shetland, June 2021.
Fr Ambrose, Marsali and Pete took part in the Friends of the Holy Land 'Pentecost Challenge' as a fund-raiser for the education of Christian children in the Holy Land.
It began as a 'virtual pilgrimage' from Bethlehem to Nazareth by walking the equivalent distance (84 miles) along the length of the main island of Shetland from Sumburgh Head in the south to North Roe in the north. In the end it was 131 miles since there had been extensive detours to avoid traffic and to take in as many sites as possible associated with the early Christian history of Shetland. This year we are commemorating the 1,500th anniversary of the birth of St Columba of Iona, and it was Celtic monks who were probably the first evangelists of Shetland.
Midnight Mass at St Margaret's, 25th December 2020
The Church before people started to arrive. The red glow comes from the Quartz heaters. In place of sung carols this year we had musical versions played by the music group on organ, guitar and Shetland fiddle.
Our crib set has been a part of the parish Christmas celebrations since the Jesuits took over the parish in 1954.
Second Concert for Africa, 12th September 2019
We held a fundraising concert for the four Ghanaian students our parish are sponsoring through their tertiary education in the form of a "Songs of Praise" evening of hymns and poems. It was a huge success and raised a total of GBP 864.50 for the Education Bursary Fund. Since we began fundraising in September 2018 the parish has raised over five thousand pounds for this cause. More details of the students we are supporting will be found on the Africa Fund page. (See link in sidebar).
This evening concert was also the first time we used our new wall-mounted quartz heaters in the church. These were bought from money left to the parish by the late Wilma Laurenson of Lerwick.
Summer Pilgrimage to Bressay, 14th August 2019
We celebrated a Vigil Mass of the Assumption of Our Lady in the medieval ruins of St Mary's Church, Cullingsburgh, at 3p.m. on Wednesday 14th August. This was an early Christian site and the 10th Century Bressay stone was found near here in 1852. We were blessed with fine weather and had a splendid day on the island. We were joined by Deacon Paul Rooney from Liverpool and seminarian Aidan Matheson from Scots College, Rome.
Seminarian on Summer Placement in Shetland
Aidan Matheson, who has just completed his first year of studies at Scots' College, Rome, was with us from 17th July until 27th August. He assisted with various apostolates around the parish and half way through his stay went sailing with parishioner Marsali Taylor. This photo was taken near Vementry. We wish Aidan well with the remainder of his studies in Rome.
Chapel for one opens on Yell
Parishioners Anne and Peter Dobbing have opened an inter-faith chapel in the grounds of their B&B at Gutcher. The "Sixteen Chapel" has been constructed from recycled and gifted materials and has caught the imagination of the press since it is large enough only for one person. An article in "The Times" credits it with being the U.K.'s smallest chapel.
The chapel was blessed by Fr Ambrose on 1st June during an inter-faith garden party. It is open daily to anyone seeking a place for quiet prayer or contemplation. Location: The Old Post Office, beside the ferry terminal, Gutcher, Yell.
Fr William Damah preaches Mission Appeal, 12th May 2019
Fr William Damah, originally from Ghana but now working in the Diocese of Motherwell, preached at all Masses on 12th May on behalf of the Spiritan Missionaries working in Ghana. The appeal raised GBP 366.73.
On the following day we made an excursion to the island of Unst, the northernmost point of the British Isles. Fr William is pictured here on board a replica Viking ship at Haroldswick. The longboat was built with the intention of recreating a Viking voyage from Sweden to America and sailed as far as Shetland before being found unseaworthy! It has now taken its place in a display of Viking heritage in Unst.
