It was hard to keep up with the Pilgrim's pace
It would seem they're running a marathon race
With rushing here and busing there
Any other group would be pulling out their hair
But this is a special group, a one of a kind
Our youth of St. Joseph's, a truly rare find
They'll miss the cathedrals, shows, and talks
The abbeys, "Brit" food, and all of those walks
The swims, the grins, and rests in the shade
The love and friendships that were newly made
The leaders, the followers, and the rest of the crowd
The tears, the smiles, and laughing out loud
Some valley lows but many mountaintop highs
An occasional storm but mostly big blue skies
Great memories tucked away, never to forget
Now on a plane home, the perfect sunset
Chris Metzger
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
Saturday (continued)
The driver in London knew not where to go
So we rushed to get ready for dinner and a show
The restaurant--way far to distant from us
So we hitched a ride on a double-decker bus
Keeping twenty-one together was getting out of hand
Until Mary fixed Dawna's shoe with a rubber band
But Dawna's a trouper she never did fret
Her theme song's from Spam-a-Lot: "I am not dead yet"
Our seats at the play were way up in the rafters
we were sure we'd be dealing with nose bleeds thereafter
The theater was hot for the production of Spam-a-Lot
We all waved our papers or programs as fans alot.
Sunday
A blue sky and sunshine in London is rare
But God gave us our Sunday without compare
We saw all the sights from Big Ben on down
But no tea with the Queen--she was out of town
We wound up at St. Paul's for a high Church sung mass
Wren's stone we sat under was incredibly vast.
The organ was loud but the chorus sang pretty
We left there to picnic down in the city.
A real gourmet feast from Mark's and Spencer's Simply Food
Under a St. James Park oak tree was incredibly good
While Kelley and the girls laid in the grass in the shade
Brandon and Corey and the other boys played
The tunes from the band we all did enjoy
Charles led the boys kicking their Hackensack toy
We practiced our thank you's before making the call
with Hackensack skill we did not let the phone fall
The applause from St. Joseph's was heard on speaker phone
Someone had a few tears and they were not alone.
On Westminster Abbey Mary gave her talk
And out of St. James Park to the Abbey we walked
Westminster Abbey was open so enter did most
We walked down Victoria's Street for an English dinner of roast
Our worship went long but the youth were all super
Patrick and Chelsea got tired but they both were real troupers
We ended at midnight then rushed off to bed.
For early tomorrow off to Canterbury we head.
Monday
At Victoria's Station we boarded the train
Most slept ninety minutes their energy drained
We arrived at Canterbury and walked the city wall
'Til we arrived at the gate and saw Cathedral spires tall
The group was slow moving and their weariness showin'
We toured the Cathedral walked on knees up the steps
Then had a great service downstairs in the depths
Where Beckett was murdered and revealed as a Saint.
Many mountaintops were shared and not one complaint
Our last supper dinner was incredibly fine
sitting outdoors on the river under beautiful grapevines
We had so much fun that we missed the early train
It looks like we'll have a late night again.
Dictated by Fr. Marty from the train as the group was headed back to London. They leave London tomorrow morning heading home. There will be no report tomorrow. He will call when they leave Miami on the bus. But the expectation is they will arrive at St. Joseph's about 11 pm.
The driver in London knew not where to go
So we rushed to get ready for dinner and a show
The restaurant--way far to distant from us
So we hitched a ride on a double-decker bus
Keeping twenty-one together was getting out of hand
Until Mary fixed Dawna's shoe with a rubber band
But Dawna's a trouper she never did fret
Her theme song's from Spam-a-Lot: "I am not dead yet"
Our seats at the play were way up in the rafters
we were sure we'd be dealing with nose bleeds thereafter
The theater was hot for the production of Spam-a-Lot
We all waved our papers or programs as fans alot.
Sunday
A blue sky and sunshine in London is rare
But God gave us our Sunday without compare
We saw all the sights from Big Ben on down
But no tea with the Queen--she was out of town
We wound up at St. Paul's for a high Church sung mass
Wren's stone we sat under was incredibly vast.
The organ was loud but the chorus sang pretty
We left there to picnic down in the city.
A real gourmet feast from Mark's and Spencer's Simply Food
Under a St. James Park oak tree was incredibly good
While Kelley and the girls laid in the grass in the shade
Brandon and Corey and the other boys played
The tunes from the band we all did enjoy
Charles led the boys kicking their Hackensack toy
We practiced our thank you's before making the call
with Hackensack skill we did not let the phone fall
The applause from St. Joseph's was heard on speaker phone
Someone had a few tears and they were not alone.
On Westminster Abbey Mary gave her talk
And out of St. James Park to the Abbey we walked
Westminster Abbey was open so enter did most
We walked down Victoria's Street for an English dinner of roast
Our worship went long but the youth were all super
Patrick and Chelsea got tired but they both were real troupers
We ended at midnight then rushed off to bed.
For early tomorrow off to Canterbury we head.
Monday
At Victoria's Station we boarded the train
Most slept ninety minutes their energy drained
We arrived at Canterbury and walked the city wall
'Til we arrived at the gate and saw Cathedral spires tall
The group was slow moving and their weariness showin'
We toured the Cathedral walked on knees up the steps
Then had a great service downstairs in the depths
Where Beckett was murdered and revealed as a Saint.
Many mountaintops were shared and not one complaint
Our last supper dinner was incredibly fine
sitting outdoors on the river under beautiful grapevines
We had so much fun that we missed the early train
It looks like we'll have a late night again.
Dictated by Fr. Marty from the train as the group was headed back to London. They leave London tomorrow morning heading home. There will be no report tomorrow. He will call when they leave Miami on the bus. But the expectation is they will arrive at St. Joseph's about 11 pm.
The Journal of the Journey
The pages are getting thin
We're nearing the end of the book
The journal of the journey
That St. Joseph's Pilgrims took
We shared the youth's adventures
Through Father Marty's poems
No Harry Potter novel compares
To the happenings he wrote home
As the trip comes to a close
It's no where near "the end"
The page has turned for our youth
As a new chapter for them begins
Chris Metzger
We're nearing the end of the book
The journal of the journey
That St. Joseph's Pilgrims took
We shared the youth's adventures
Through Father Marty's poems
No Harry Potter novel compares
To the happenings he wrote home
As the trip comes to a close
It's no where near "the end"
The page has turned for our youth
As a new chapter for them begins
Chris Metzger
Sunday, August 5, 2007
The Melrose Mob had a lot to do
A maddening pace of a motley crew
Racing the gauntlet to get at some eats
Then reflecting the pause with grass under their feet
The Pilgrims gave their talk and the tombs talked of the dead
Tours and tales and hotels to dread
The youth were anxious, anxious to roam
We are anxious to, to have them back home
Chris Metzger
A maddening pace of a motley crew
Racing the gauntlet to get at some eats
Then reflecting the pause with grass under their feet
The Pilgrims gave their talk and the tombs talked of the dead
Tours and tales and hotels to dread
The youth were anxious, anxious to roam
We are anxious to, to have them back home
Chris Metzger
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Thursday(continued)
The "Melrose Place" extra made our schedule run late
But all seemed to agree: The addition was great!
We arrived into Durham about quarter past eight
Thanks to Roy at the college, who had the kitchen crew wait.
The bus had to squeeze down a twisty narrow street
the sides of the bus and the house walls did meet
Our driver courageous "the needle he threaded"
then we got off the bus straight to dinner we headed
With the cathedral rose window as a beautiful backdrop
we sat on the grass berm reflecting on our Holy Isle stop.
Friday
Moose and Danielle spoke on Durham and Cuthbert
Like most of our pilgrims they talked like an expert
We toured the cathedral and enjoyed it indeed
And stopped at the tombs of St. Cuthbert's and Bede
We shot straight to York for the youth to eat
And to have some free time to enjoy York's walking streets.
We met back at four for a tour of York Minster.
Jeremy, our tour guide--with tales a good spinster.
Two incredible cathedrals both in the same day
but the hostel wasn't as nice sad to say
The bland British food gave most of the youth sicks
The dorms were quite dirty "did someone say Auschwitz?"
We could have been miserable but laughed through it instead
All hotels look the same with the lights off in bed
With the late evening reflecting sandstone walls white
We worked on writing collects by the Minsters night light.
Saturday
The youth were all anxious the next morning to leave
We parted without needing to morn or to grieve
Our long ride to London is now done half way
The weather is perfect let's hope it will stay.
Reminder: The Pilgrims will be calling into the 10:15 service and all will speak during announcement time. Can't wait to hear their voices!!!
The "Melrose Place" extra made our schedule run late
But all seemed to agree: The addition was great!
We arrived into Durham about quarter past eight
Thanks to Roy at the college, who had the kitchen crew wait.
The bus had to squeeze down a twisty narrow street
the sides of the bus and the house walls did meet
Our driver courageous "the needle he threaded"
then we got off the bus straight to dinner we headed
With the cathedral rose window as a beautiful backdrop
we sat on the grass berm reflecting on our Holy Isle stop.
Friday
Moose and Danielle spoke on Durham and Cuthbert
Like most of our pilgrims they talked like an expert
We toured the cathedral and enjoyed it indeed
And stopped at the tombs of St. Cuthbert's and Bede
We shot straight to York for the youth to eat
And to have some free time to enjoy York's walking streets.
We met back at four for a tour of York Minster.
Jeremy, our tour guide--with tales a good spinster.
Two incredible cathedrals both in the same day
but the hostel wasn't as nice sad to say
The bland British food gave most of the youth sicks
The dorms were quite dirty "did someone say Auschwitz?"
We could have been miserable but laughed through it instead
All hotels look the same with the lights off in bed
With the late evening reflecting sandstone walls white
We worked on writing collects by the Minsters night light.
Saturday
The youth were all anxious the next morning to leave
We parted without needing to morn or to grieve
Our long ride to London is now done half way
The weather is perfect let's hope it will stay.
Reminder: The Pilgrims will be calling into the 10:15 service and all will speak during announcement time. Can't wait to hear their voices!!!
Friday, August 3, 2007
Quick update
Fr. Marty called. They are too busy today for an official update. However he said they had a beautiful day visiting two of the most beautiful cathedrals--Durham and York Minster. Everybody is happy and healthy! More tomorrow!!
Another Chris Metzger Original
A Dramamine bus ride and barfy B&B
All for the sake of a castle to see
The bangers and mash helped to save the day
Along with a frisbee and soccer in the field to play
Abbeys and isles were next on the list
3 miles no talking who could resist
A time to clean feet, a fun time for sure
Giving your neighbor a wash and pedicure
More abbeys and statues and touristy things
Then off to Melrose for the best ice cream
All for the sake of a castle to see
The bangers and mash helped to save the day
Along with a frisbee and soccer in the field to play
Abbeys and isles were next on the list
3 miles no talking who could resist
A time to clean feet, a fun time for sure
Giving your neighbor a wash and pedicure
More abbeys and statues and touristy things
Then off to Melrose for the best ice cream
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