At the invitation of Rt Rev. Hugh Gilbert OSB, of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen (Scottland), Our Lady of the Angels Province friar, Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv., who serves as our Provincial M.I. (Militia Immaculatae) Assistant as well as a professor in the St. Paul University Canon Law Program (Ottawa, ON), traveled to Scotland with the relics of St. Maximilian M. Kolbe, OFM Conv. (the same relics that spent 2016 touring throughout the ministries of our province), on pilgrimage from January 20-23, 2017.

The relics were first received, on January 20th, at the chapel of Kings College, University of Aberdeen, where our friars of our Blessed Agnellus of Pisa Custody, Friar Jakub Czaika, OFM Conv. and Friar Maximilian McKeown, OFM Conv. are chaplains.

On Saturday, January 21st, the relics traveled to Pluscarden Benedictine Abbey where they were received and venerated by the monks and faithful from the surrounding area of Elgin and elsewhere. That same day, the relics returned to Aberdeen for the Saturday evening vigil Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral.

Fr. Jobe Abbass, OFM Conv.

On Sunday, January 22nd, the homily at all four packed Masses (two in English and two in Polish) focused on the relics and life of St. Maximilian. Fr. Piotr Cuber, OFM Conv. visiting from Hermenze, Kraków, who serves as the director of the MI in Poland, preached at the Polish Masses. The friars and the diocese had publicized the pilgrimage which successfully attracted a large number of faithful from Aberdeen and some from as far away as Edinburgh and Glasgow.