Scotland

Dear Parishioners,

Latha math! Good day to you all! I just returned from Scotland and was surrounded by Gaelic and thought to add a proper Gaelic greeting to you all. I hope the Lord has blessed you these last two weeks.  

Over the last 10 days, Fathers Allder, Lyons, and I hiked as much as we could. A few highlights were visiting the Isle of Skye, Glencoe, Largs, and Fr. Augusta on the southern tip of Loch Ness. Of these, Bidean nam Bian or the Peak of the Mountains, located in the valley of Gleann Comhann, was an incredible spot to hike deep into the Mountain veil with stunning views and rewarding waterfalls. Another called The Fairy Pools follows the shadow of a large foothill formation, the remnants of an enormous volcano that erupted roughly 60 million years ago. We also stayed two nights with the Benedictine Sisters of Largs, who have perpetual adoration available to the public. We created a little scandal by entering the cloister by accident and had to be released by mother superior since the doors locked behind us!

We were blessed to encounter various people in our travels who would question us about the Faith or just stare at Fr. Allder who traveled everywhere including hikes in his cassock 🙂 While there we learned about the beautiful and tragic history of the Catholic Church in Scotland. The Faith was introduced in the 500s with Saints like Columba, Ninian, and Kentigern (Mungo). These figures established the foundational monasteries, churches, and dioceses across Scotland. For over 1000 years, the Scottish people received the grace of the Eucharist and the rich traditions of the Church. However, this all came to a swift end. In 1560, the Scottish Protestant reformation came on the heels of King Henry VIII's English break with Rome. Almost overnight, Scottish Protestants formed a Parliament abolishing any papal authority and outlawing the Latin Mass with severe punishments. Like the mainland Reformation, the Church was too slow to address the issues of widespread corruption, wealth, and moral laxity within the clergy. Recently Scotland was contending with massive loss of Faith and has become a land of Secularism with the Muslim population gradually taking over. With these situations in mind, we were blessed to offer Mass each day for the people of Scotland, those we meet, and for their return to the Catholic Faith.

Having completed our journeys, I am so grateful to have traveled overseas and am excited to be back with you all! However, now that I'm back, the reality is setting in that School starts next week!  So, I will be gearing up for classes and the new Sophomore curriculum. In the meantime, please pray for our administrators, teachers, parents, and students. May God bless you all this week!

Tìoraidh an dràsda! (Cheerio for now!)

Fr. Luke Fleck