Parishioners are spending the Feast of OLW packing their bags to go on Pilgrimage to Walsingham on Monday.

Around two dozen parishioners lead by Fr Mark & Fr Tristan will make their pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in this Centenary Year.

Following a Mass and Springing at Holy Trinity Church, Tarleton the pilgrims will travel by road to the Shrine on Monday.

Fr Hope Patten, appointed as Vicar of Walsingham in 1921, ignited Anglican interest in the pre-Reformation pilgrimage. It was his idea to base a new statue of Our Lady of Walsingham on the image depicted on the seal of the medieval Priory. In 1922, this statue was set up in the Parish Church of St. Mary, and regular pilgrimage devotion followed. From the first night that the statue was placed there, people gathered around it to pray, asking Mary to join her powerful prayer with theirs. This work of intercession continues to this day.

The Master of the Guardians of the Shrine is the Bishop of Burnley, Rt Revd Phillip North CMP.

After a week of devotions at the Shrine, and following the Last Visit to the Holy House pilgrims will travel back on Friday.

Pictures of the Pilgrimage will appear here day by day.

DAY 1

Sprinkling & Blessing of Pilgrims                       Fr Tristan leads 1st Visit to Holy House

DAY 2

Mass this morning was said in the Barn Chapel. The Chapel has a steel sculpture – Crucifix –  by David Begbie and was created in 1988 for Winchester Cathedral and was given to the Shrine in 2004. The arresting figure of Christ has no hands; Christ has no hands but our hands – derived from the prayer of S. Teresa of Avila.

Preaching Fr Mark reminded us that Pilgrimage is a time to build up our strength and skills to be Christ’s hands in the world.     “On this Feast of St Vincent de Paul we thank God for his work among the poor, and pray that we his church will do that in our day and in our place”.

DAY 3

Pilgrims Group Photo

Below are a selection of photos of the clergy and Colin Barnes (Thurifer) taking part in the worship at the Shrine today. Vivienne Goddard read the lesson.

Fr Mark Presided at the evening Liturgy of the Procession of Our Lady of Walsingham and Benediction.

DAY 4

The Day began with Fr Mark Celebrating Mass for the Feast of St Michael and All Angels in the Holy House. In his address he reminded us that there are Archangels for Proclamation, Healing and Protection. “Not  a bad Mission statement for the church”, he claimed.

Later Fr Tristan lead us in Stations of the Cross.

During the afternoon a number of pilgrims walked to the Slipper Chapel and the Roman Catholic Shrine.

DAY 5

Fr Mark said Mass in the Guild of All Souls Chapel and Fr Tristan lead us in the rites of ‘The Last Visit to the Holy House’…..and so the drive back up north.