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The Island of
Iona and its
Abbey
by Thomas Ryan,
C.S.P.
This past
August, after
leading some
days of retreat
outside of
Dublin, Ireland,
for an
international
gathering of
assistants in
Jean Vanier's
l'Arche
communities for
the handicapped,
I made a
pilgrimage to a
place I have
been hearing and
reading about
for years: Iona
Abbey in
Scotland.
Iona is a small
island about 3
miles long and
one and a half
miles wide off
the west coast
of Scotland
where in 563
Columba founded
a Celtic
monastery that
was very
influential in
its missionizing
influence
through France,
Switzerland,
Italy, Germany,
and as far as
Egypt. Sacked by
Viking raiders
in 975, it was
rebuilt and
reinhabited by
European
Benedictines in
the 12th century
until Henry
VIII's Edict for
the Dissolution
of the
Monasteries in
the 16th
century.
After World War
I, Rev. George
MacLeod, a
visionary
Presbyterian
parish minister
in Glasgow, saw
the ruins of the
abbey on the
island of Iona
as a symbol of
European
civilization. He
called
Protestants and
Catholics,
clergy and lay
people, to work
together in
restoring it as
a sign of hope
for the future.
Today, Iona
Abbey,
completely
rebuilt, is at
the heart of an
ecumenical
Christian of 220
non-residential
members living
mostly
throughout
Britain with a
few overseas,
1500 Associate
Members, and
around 1700
Friends. The
members, men and
women from many
backgrounds and
denominations,
are committed to
a Rule involving
daily scripture
reading, sharing
and accounting
for their use of
time and money,
action for
justice and
peace, and
regular meeting
with other
members in their
area.
In their work,
members pursue
concerns of the
Community
relating to
relevant
approaches to
worship, the
promotion of
peace and social
justice,
supporting the
cause of the
poor and the
exploited,
political
activity in
combating
racism, and work
for
environmental
protection.
Running through
all their
engagements is a
commitment to
strengthening
interdenominational
understanding
and solidarity
in the gospel,
and the
promotion of
interfaith
dialogue.
The Community's
administrative
headquarters are
in Glasgow,
which also
serves as a base
for work with
young people. It
has a bi-monthly
magazine
Coracle, and a
publishing
house, Wild
Goose
Publications
(the Celtic
symbol for the
Holy Spirit is a
wild goose).
Iona Abbey
welcomes up to
50 guests each
week from all
over the world,
as well as
hundreds of
pilgrims every
day during the
summer months.
The Abbey
generally
provides neither
retreat nor
conference, but
an opportunity
to share in
Christian
community with
people from many
different
backgrounds.
Guests and staff
share all
aspects of
life-meals,
daily worship,
programme
activities,
chores and
social events.
It is staffed by
a resident group
who commit to
living and
working there
for one, two, or
three years.
About 25 other
volunteers come
to work with the
core staff for
six weeks or
more to insure
the smooth
running of the
Abbey's
ministries of
hospitality,
prayer, and
social justice
education.
In 1997,
Catholics
throughout
Scotland sought
to contribute to
the cause of
Christian unity
by raising money
to establish a
permanent
presence on the
island in the
form of a house
of prayer called
Cnoc a' Chalmain
("the hill of
the dove"), a
ten minute walk
from the Abbey.
It has three
single rooms for
pilgrims of all
faiths, each
with a scenic
view across the
Sound of Iona
toward the
western Scottish
highlands. It is
one of the
quietest
lodgings to be
found on the
island. The
Abbey is a much
larger and
busier place.
Pilgrims staying
at Cnoc a'
Chalmain
generally walk
to the Abbey to
participate in
its thrice-daily
prayer services.
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