Just having returned from seven days in Scotland, I had to take a few moments to remember all that I saw and did. Let’s start with geography.
Scotland is really a beautiful mix of lochs (lakes), glens (valleys) and mountains (bens). Even though it can be seriously cold and stormy as one travels north of England, we were blessed with sunshine and a steady sea breeze throughout. Interestingly, the sun doesn’t seem to set in Scotland. We were blessed with a colorful horizon until 10 PM or so every evening. By 4:30 am it was alright daylight!
Edinburgh (pronounced Edin-burrow) is an ancient city—now a busy metropolis. We attended Sunday morning Mass at the Roman Catholic Cathedral. The priest was a young Scot with a delightful accent who gave a nice homily to about 1000 people at the 11:30 AM Mass. I noticed that the liturgy was a mix of old and new. A choir of about 20 people sang most of the Mass parts in Latin (including the Gloria and Creed). They processed into the Mass singing and did the same for the recessional. For Communion, we knelt at the Communion rail while the priest and a woman lay minister distributed Communion. Communion cups were optional over to one side. At the end of the Mass everyone knelt for the final prayer and blessing. Following Mass, everyone was invited into a cafeteria where lunch was served. Some of us enjoyed fresh croissants, jam and coffee or tea. I introduced myself to him after Mass as a visiting American priest. He was shocked and said, "I haven't seen the likes of your kind around here! Will you have a wee bit of tea with us?"
Next, we walked to Edinburgh Castle which overlooks the city. Built on an ancient volcano, its high walls are surrounded by lava rock. Inside the castle, we were able to visit various rooms such as the royal residence (where King James VI was born), the crown jewels, the great hall where knight’s armor and weapons are displayed, and a special room where the “stone of destiny” sits—an ancient squared stone on which medieval kings were crowned. Statues in the castle reminded me of the important figures of Scottish history: King Robert the Bruce, William Wallace and more. We were also privileged to witness a marriage ceremony between an American and Scotsman. He was dressed in formal kilt while she was in traditional white. After they were married, a wonderful bagpiper let loose on his pipes!
The next day we visited Loch Lomond—the largest fresh water loch (lake) in Britain. We took a tour boat around the loch where we were able to see huge castles and estates where some of the rich and famous have stayed. In the nearby village of Luss, we visited a small church (Church of Scotland) which was celebrating its 1,500th anniversary! While the present building was built in the 1800’s, the parish itself has existed for 1,500 years! The minister was dressed in tartan pants (red plaid) and a long black overcoat with a Roman collar. He was the epitome of a Scotsman and was very hospitable as he welcomed our group of Roman Catholics into his Church! Apparently, he has a large outreach to students from Europe who come to his parish for retreats and mission work.
The last few days of our time were spent in the seacoast city of Oban. Oban is an important link to the islands which sit off the west coast of Scotland. Among the most famous is Iona. Iona was the place to which St. Columba came bringing Christianity to the region. The old abbey was built in the 6th century and is surrounded by huge Celtic crosses—some dating back 1000 years or so. Nearby are the ruins of an old "nunnery" Iona is a peaceful island with only a few hundred residents. From the mainland, it takes about 40 minutes to arrive by ferry boat.
One of the more laid back events during our time in Scotland was a visit to a little distillery which makes some of the finest Scotch Whiskey in the area. Not only were we treated to some samples but enjoyed a great meal that evening with Scottish dancers, fiddlers and bagpipes. Outside the restaurant is the most important thing in the area—a highland cow that is the biggest animal I’ve seen up close. Highland bulls are covered with long fur and a huge set of horns. I took some great photos of him (his name is Hamish).
Other sites in Scotland included a trip to a cemetery that has Viking gravestones, a brief visit to Loch Ness (no monster to be seen), and some smaller castles along the Scottish coast. All in all, it was a memorable seven days.
And, no, I didn't try on a kilt!
Fr. Perry
