As I entered into Sabbatical mode on 1 January, it felt particularly strange – three months of having no parish commitments faced me, and I have to confess, I was not 100% sure how I was going to deal with it. I had four weeks planned for a retreat to Assisi in Italy, but at that point the rest of the time seemed to stretch out ahead of me waiting for something to fill it.

As I look back, it is with some surprise at the speed with which those weeks have gone by. I decided in January to spend a few days in Whitby preparing for the journey to Italy, and getting into the frame of mind to be away from the parish for this prolonged time. It was a joy to be by the seaside, and to make some use of the surrounding countryside for walks along the coastal path, and spending time sat on the pier looking out over the North Sea.

On my return, my mind turned to packing and preparing to catch my flight out. The flight was at an unreasonably early hour, which meant a trip to the airport the night before, and an airport hotel for (half) a night, before heading to the terminal at 0400! All went well, and I landed in Rome and caught a train to Assisi. Then, forgetting just how far out of the old city the railway station is, I began the walk up to my apartment, which was exhausting trundling my suitcase, but did give me a true feeling of being on pilgrimage!

Waking up in the bright sunshine and relative warmth of Umbria in January, it did seem strange when I arrived at the Basilica for the first time to see an enormous Christmas tree in the Piazza, together with numerous Crib scenes which adorned the town (Christmas 2023 was the 800th year of St Francis setting up the first Crib scene in Greccio). This was because I had arrived before the end of the Christmas season at Candlemas.

I felt it was right to make a first visit to the tomb of St Francis (in the crypt of the Basilica), before doing the same across the city at the tomb of St Clare. St Francis’ tomb became a regular feature of the Retreat, as I made a practice of attending Mass in the Basilica most mornings, followed by a time of prayer at the tomb. Each day would then be concluded with Vespers in the Basilica above (my Italian got to the point where I could just about join in with the liturgy and get at least the gist of some of the sermons!)

I spent the time walking around the streets of the mediaeval city, and visiting some of the places St Francis would have seen and known, Santa Maria degli Angeli, Rivotorto and San Damiano in the plain below, and the Hermitage some 5km up the mountain above Assisi. It was there that I had a profound sense of God’s presence and guidance, as I sat in the silence of the chapel before the Blessed Sacrament. This guided me to pray for renewal, both of my own priestly ministry, and of our parish as we look to a new future.

It is so often in the aftermath of a strenuous journey, in the silence that follows, just like the disciples at the Transfiguration, that God’s voice can be heard. And this was very much so in this moment. I remain convinced that he has great plans for the church in this place, and that we can only realise those plans if we have the courage and determination to place our trust in him, and put ourselves into his hands. I returned down the mountainside having had something of a Transfiguration moment determined to act on that voice.

I recommitted myself to the pattern of prayer I had adopted at the beginning of my time, and prayed fervently for this renewal to be realised. I would ask that we might all engage in similar prayer for renewal – the renewal of our enthusiasm for the Gospel, the renewal of our love for God’s people, and the renewal of our hope in God’s Church.

By the end of the four weeks in Assisi, I was wondering where the time had gone. But it had been a time of spiritual nourishment and refreshment, and I think, though it is always sad to leave a place of such beauty, both in the mediaeval streets, and in the stunning decoration of the churches, with magnificent frescos by Giotto and Cimabue, it was the right thing to do. As we were reminded in that story of the Transfiguration, we cannot stay at the top of the mountain, revelling in the glory, but rather we are called to go back down to earth and live out the experience we have had in our day-to-day lives.

Since returning to Accrington, I have spent some time in quiet reflection and reading, as well as taking time out walking in the Lake District (though with the weather, it was almost swimming!), and have had a few days on the Llyn peninsula in Wales, with opportunities for walking along the North Wales Coastal Path.

I hope I have returned refreshed and ready to get back into the swing of ministry in our parish, and I pray that the experiences I have had will inform how I seek to guide us in the next phase of our spiritual journey. It is good to return at the time we celebrate the feast that stands at the heart of our faith – Holy Week and Easter – and it is this truth that we all are called to proclaim afresh to each generation. St Francis did that in his day, in his determination to rebuild the church in the 13th century. May we have that same determination in the 21st century, that the church in Accrington might truly be rebuilt and be fit for the call to mission for many years to come.

If anyone is interested, there are a selection of photos from Assisi available online on the following link: https://tinyurl.com/Assisi2024

I can certainly recommend Assisi as a place for a wonderful break, whether for a couple of days or for longer. It is a very special place where you can enjoy all that an Italian city has to offer – sunshine, good food and hospitality, together with the opportunity for spiritual nourishment at the many churches and shrines in the city.

I would like to take this opportunity to offer my thanks for you understanding and good wishes as I have been away during these last three months. I appreciate that this has put extra burdens on members of the PCC and churchwardens, in making sure all that needs to be done has been done. And particular thanks to Fr Jordan, for his willingness to step in as sole priest in the parish during this time, and his good humour in dealing with the extra responsibilities these months have brought for him. It has meant so much to know that the parish has been in such good hands!