UK: Bishop to join second leg of ACN’s Scottish pilgrimage
A bishop will be joining the pilgrimage of a leading Catholic charity that retraces the steps of a famous Scottish saint in order to raise money for persecuted Christians in Nigeria and Lebanon.
Bishop John Keenan of Paisley will join the team from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN)’s Scottish office when they complete the second leg of their walk which follows the steps of St Margaret after she was shipwrecked in 1068.
Lorraine McMahon, Head of Operations in Scotland for ACN, said: “On the second leg of our journey, around 11 miles from South Queensferry to St Margaret’s Chapel in Edinburgh Castle, Bishop John Keenan will join us.
“In true St Margaret style there has to be a charitable purpose to why we do this. We are asking everyone to donate to our JustGiving page.
“Half of the money raised will feed families in Lebanon at St John the Merciful Table and half will go to ACN’s widows and orphans project in Nigeria.”
Donations of £60 are enough to feed a refugee family at the St John the Merciful Table in Lebanon, that feeds 1,600 people every day, or to contribute the clothing and feeding of orphans who have lost their parents at the hands of Boko Haram.
Ms McMahon said: “Our ACN team in Scotland have been inspired by the story of St Margaret of Scotland. By her strength, her faith, her kindness, her sense of justice and her alms giving.
“As a result we decided as a team to follow her example and do something to commemorate her feast day”.
Explaining the route of the first leg of the pilgrimage, she said: “We walked 10 miles starting at North Queensferry onto Dunfermline Abbey, passing Malcolm’s Tower and then onto pray before her relic in St Margaret’s Church in Dunfermline.”
Ms McMahon finished with some words for ACN’s benefactors.
She said: “Thank you. To all of our benefactors who have already made a donation, your support will means such a lot to our projects in Lebanon and Nigeria. To those who have not yet donated but would like to and will – thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
“St Margaret of Scotland, help us to live by your example so that Christ’s mercy and goodness is visible in today’s world.”
At the time of writing, the Scottish team had raised £784 of their £1,000 target.
- To donate, please visit ACN Scotland’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/acn-scotland