ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

STORIES FROM MCCABE - ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME!

Written by Revd Penelope Swithinbank

The Via Francigena is an ancient pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome, first recorded by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, leading across France, over the Alp and down through northern Italy and Tuscany, and finally to Rome itself.  Until fairly recently, it was almost unknown except by a very few stalwarts and even now, it is far less busy and ‘touristy’ than the more famous Camino de Compostela. 

We’ve led many pilgrimages on the Via Francigena down through Tuscany and into Lazio, and have reached Viterbo. Now it’s time for the final week’s walk into Rome itself. Whether you’ve walked any or none of the route, this promises to be another glorious week, with its departure from everyday life, on a journey, in search of spiritual well-being, and to spend time walking with God. It’s walking at the 3 mph speed of your soul, as someone once said, which is our natural walking pace.  It’s a slowing down - slowing down in order to catch up. To pay attention to God, to one’s soul, to the world around us.

What’s involved? Well, walking mostly!

But also, enjoying moments of sheer bliss – and sheer hell if you have blisters or can’t get to the top without vast effort. Rest each night at interesting and well-chosen hotels; appreciate time with the Lord as you are led through different Spiritual experiences either while walking or later in the evening devotional slot.

 Just 7 days to recalibrate – to think, to breathe, maybe to pray. To connect with your steps as perhaps you’ve never done before. To make those steps count. It could well be life changing.

And then there’s helping one another and encouraging one another especially when it’s raining, or you’ve got blisters, or you feel you can’t walk another step! Sharing provisions and rain equipment and sunscreen - whatever you have that another needs. It’s unforgettable!  You’ll come back changed in one way or another. One of our pilgrims heard a calling to full time ministry; another began a writing career when he discovered the joy of a daily journal while on the pilgrimage. 

For over 1,000 years pilgrims have walked this route, traced their steps along the ancient strade bianche (white stony tracks) over the hills and alongside verdant vineyards. Still, it is each and every step YOU’LL take that calls to you. 

We’d love for you to join us on this Pilgrimage to Rome, next May - 2025 is a Year of Jubilee of HOPE and this will be our guiding theme for the Pilgrimage. 

 For full details click here

 The Revds Kim & Penelope Swithinbank have led many Pilgrimages over the years, and enjoy tramping the hills and vales near their home in Bath. They have worked in churches in the UK and the USA. Find out more here www.penelopeswithinbank.com

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Walk into Rome with us in the Jubilee Year of 2025

a very special pilgrimage

Walk into Rome, on pilgrimage, in the Year of Jubilee 2025

 Pope Francis has declared 2025 as a year of Jubilee * with the theme of Hope

 Join us on pilgrimage, walking from Viterbo into Rome, some 60 miles, followed by time in Rome itself.  It will be organized for us by McCabe Pilgrimages   https://www.mccabe-travel.co.uk

and the Revds Kim and Penelope Swithinbank will be your pilgrimage leaders.

 We will be walking the final 60 miles of the Via Francigena, the ancient pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome, on the Via Cassia through the Lazio area, in late spring. Etruscan roads and Roman roads, strade bianche (white farm tracks) and footpaths, followed by the unavoidable walk through the outskirts of Rome .... and then the amazing crossing of the Tiber and into St Peter’s Square.

Walking on Roman roads!

This diagram is taken from ATG; our walk will be different but with the same route and (a few) ups and (some) downs and the flat stretch into Rome itself and then – the fabulous walk across the Tiber to St Peter’s Square.

Our theme will of course be HOPE. The jubilee year already has lots of preparations in place; there is a Jubilee hymn, prayer, and Pilgrimage Card. It’s all very exciting as we think about the HOPE we have in the Lord.

Places are limited to 25, and we don’t want you to miss out on this very special opportunity, so pop over to the McCabe website and book now! We’d love to have you join us.

Hope to see you in Viterbo and on to Rome!

I run on coffee….

there’s always time for a gelato for him…. but our favourite one is in the Trastavere in Rome!

*“Jubilee” is the name given to a particular year; the name comes from the instrument used to mark its launch. In this case, the instrument in question is the yobel, the ram's horn, used to proclaim the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This (Jewish) holiday occurs every year, but it takes on special significance when it marks the beginning of a Jubilee year. We can find an early indication of it in the Bible: a Jubilee year was to be marked every 50 years, since this would be an “extra” year, one which would happen every seven weeks of seven years, i.e., every 49 years (cf. Leviticus 25:8-13). Even though it wasn’t easy to organise, it was intended to be marked as a time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation, and involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of misappropriated land, and a fallow period for the fields.

Quoting the prophet Isaiah, the Gospel of Luke describes Jesus’ mission in this way: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord,” (Luke 4:18-19; cf. Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus lives out these words in his daily life, in his encounters with others and in his relationships, all of which bring about liberation and conversion.

In 1300, Pope Boniface VIII called the first Jubilee, also known as a “Holy Year,” since it is a time in which God's holiness transforms us. 

When prayers are answered

Why I am surprised by answers to prayers?  He may be a God of surprises, but shouldn't we expect and anticipate an answer when we talk with Him?  When we share with Him our hearts, our desires, our needs, our cares?

I've heard that there are three answers to prayer - yes, no, wait. 

 I think I've had all three several times recently. Did I tell you what's happened?

bright cheerful daffodils are brightening the grounds, all around the front garden, in the orchard ... a wonderful gift last August from a friend!

- All those seemingly unsolvable problems from 6 - 9 months ago have each been answered well - but I had to learn to wait!  Among them - the cottage was sold, the health issues have disappeared, and other answers too, solving several problems 

- bookings are beginning to happen, people are coming on retreat and we are watching in humble amazement as the Lord blesses those who come 

- a significant donation has been given (from the USA) so that the chapel and the parking area can be finished, work which will be done in April. How we thank God!

- another much smaller donation has been pledged, which enables the office to be finished

- there are a handful of regular supporters/Friends of the Vine, supporting the work through monthly giving. Not nearly enough yet, but it's a start. I'm being paid again after several months of no income at all

- a full house for the Volunteers Week, with people coming to work on getting the house and grounds ready for the summer. They are going to be sponsored for their physical hours of work (3 -4 hrs each afternoon) and the money raised will go towards the purchase of the summer house, a much-needed further quiet space for retreatants to use. Join in sponsoring them  - without doing any physical work you can help towards the project!  CLICK HERE TO SPONSOR A VOLUNTEER!

- a single donation to enable someone to come on retreat for 2 nights who otherwise couldn't afford it and another payment for a specific individual to come for a few nights

- some rest, refreshment and renewal for us. We escaped for a week, the first time we have had a week away as just the two of us for over a year. It was wonderful; we were really blessed especially through some very helpful books - we both highly recommend "The Day is Yours - slow moving spirituality in a fast moving world" by Ian Stackhouse. It's being worked out in new daily rhythms of grace applied to our life at Mays Farm! 

- the provision of a Christian part-time housekeeper! Realising it's no longer possible for me to cook, housekeep, garden, as well as lead retreats, provide spiritual direction and hospitality, now that there are more people here. So we are grateful for the unexpected provision of Rachel, who spent her teenage years in a Christian retreat centre, attends a local Vineyard church and goes to New Wine and has been on several retreats herself. Please pray for her as she begins with us on Monday March 31  (part time, 2-3 hours every Monday - Friday)

- you have been praying and supporting us! THANK YOU.

Thank you for your prayers thus far. Please keep praying - 

the ministry can't do this without you!

*  *  *  *  *  *  

Upcoming Retreats: 

Have a peek at our website - some of the most popular retreats are

 Hotel de Chocolate (click for link)

and SEND YOUR VICAR AWAY - or your pastor or minister (click for link)

SOME OTHER DATES for your diary: 

Individual retreats & Away Days 

May 3 - 30, June 2-6

Available for you to come for a night or three to be rested, refreshed and renewed. Join in the rhythm of prayers if you would like, but take plenty of time to BE and to 'remain in The Vine'

Spiritual Direction available on request

STOP'N'BE! June 13-15 in association with the national retreat event

part of the national retreat events for the weekend of June 13 - 15 2014

A time to step away from normal routines and try some space and sanctuary.

Ideal for those who have not experienced a retreat before.

A guided retreat but with plenty of down time.

And breakfast in bed if you would like!

arrive Friday June 13th afternoon, depart Sunday June 15th.

48 hours of time to BE!

WRITERS' WEEKEND RETREAT

Friday July 11 - Sunday July 13

A weekend of peace and quiet!

If you're a writer: time and space to get on with your opus magnum; chat with others over meals for further inspiration; encourage and support each other in getting down to the actual words on a page! And morning and evening hemming of the day with a guided devotional time to provide spiritual nourishment.

If you just want space, time, peace ... this is the weekend for you! Breakfast in bed, time to relax, read, pray .... AND WRITE!

Your hosts are each published writers.

Maximum of 5 people. Private en-suite rooms. Full board. 

Available for individual retreats and Away Days

July 14-July 31

Available for Individual retreats and Away Days

August 1 - 27

THE VIA FRANCIGENA

THE PILGRIMAGE IN TUSCANY

September 1-8 still has spaces available if you would like to come on this holiday with a difference - click HERE for information

Available for individual retreats

Sept 8 - Oct 31

WRITERS' WEEKEND RETREAT

Sept 19-21

A weekend of peace and quiet!

If you're a writer: time and space to get on with your opus magnum; chat with others over meals for further inspiration; encourage and support each other in getting down to the actual words on a page! And morning and evening hemming of the day with a guided devotional time to provide spiritual nourishment.

If you just want space, time, peace ... this is the weekend for you! Breakfast in bed, time to relax, read, pray .... and WRITE!

Your hosts are each published writers.

Maximum of 5 people. Private en-suite rooms. Full board. 

Curiouser and curiouser cried Alice

 

Early thoughts from a Pilgrimage ... 

Last week we (the other pilgrims and I)  walked in Tuscany -  from San Gimignano to Montalcino.  A mere 65 miles of the ancient Cammino, which goes from Canterbury to Rome, a total of 1300 miles. We called it a Pilgrimage for we wanted to make it a time when we intentionally spent time to draw closer to God.

And on the way we met Alice.

Rucksack on back, skin tanned, legs strong -  walking from Hertfordshire to Rome. Alice graduated earlier this summer from her studies of mediaeval history; left her home in Hertfordshire on June 23rd  and set out to walk to Rome. Take time to think. Cogitate on what may lie ahead for her. And meet her parents in Rome on September 23.

We were fascinated, astonished, curious. Why do it? Where did she stay at night? Would she be there in time? What did her parents think about it? And is it changing her, or her attitudes or beliefs?

Her tales were of sordid campsites in northern Europe, of a night finding nowhere to sleep and walking on in the dark - 30 miles without a stop, and then of warm Italians and welcoming Catholic churches and convents and parishes; and of how their faith was drawing her in, causing her to reconsider her agnosticism and making her wonder about becoming a Roman Catholic. And of calling her mother every other day to reassure her.

Later that night, when we had toiled up a hill to stay at the  Fattoria Pieve a Salti and were sitting by the pool under the setting sun, we prayed for her, for her safety and for her faith.  Thought of her sleeping in the parish church at Buonconvento, and of the 201 km she still has to walk to reach Rome.

Maybe some of us felt inadequate - our 65 miles felt very tiny in comparison. Most of us felt old - Alice is 22, our pilgrim party contained two who are 73, one who is 70 and one who is about to be; several in their 60's and 50's.

But comparisons are not always reality.

As we arrived in Montalcino after a long steep incline  at 20% there was a grand sense of achievement.

Physically -  many of the pilgrim party were not used to long walks each day, steep hills, strange beds, learning long sections of  Psalm 27: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple...

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock...

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”

Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

And spiritually  - thinking of how the deer desires, longs, pants  profoundly for water in the intense heat, especially the day we were unable to refill empty water bottles and the sun was hot and the path long and steep. How deep is our desire and longing for the Lord in our lives?

Or our ability to walk at all, being so wonderfully complex in our makeup, walking so slowly as we revelled in God's creation of us.

Remembering one morning of how He walks beside us. One pilgrim spoke of the intense sense of  the Lord's Presence beside her as we imagined His walking alongside us - and of how that Presence was accompanying her ever since.

One morning, married couples held hands and prayed together as they walked - one couple said they had not walked hand-in-hand for thirty years. Nor prayed together like that. You could almost see their marriage strengthen.

65 miles. 12 pilgrims (although only 10 made it the whole way). 6 days of walking. Too much pasta and plenty of water. No blisters, no falls, no casualties. God walked beside us, watched over us, drew us closer to Him. And each other.

And now it's over.

And already some are looking forward to next year and walking the next part - Montalcino to Vitterbo.

Come with us? Curious though it may be, walking in order to spend intentional time with God seems to work.