At 7.15am tomorrow morning over 40 pilgrims will gather in church for a Mass of Our Lady of Walsingham. The service will be followed by devotions at the shrine of OLW, located at the rear of the Church, before we all hop aboard a coach and prepare for a drive into the countryside. Yes it is that time of year again, tis Mary’s month of May and we set out for Walsingham itself!
The pilgrims will arrive at lunch time and a first visit to the holy house will be followed by a picnic lunch in the grounds. We will then spend the rest of the day worshipping, relaxing and eating together! As the sun sets in the Norfolk sky a fair few will be gathered together in the rear of ‘the bull’ no doubt, where a couple of drinks will be enjoyed before bed.
Sunday morning will begin with early Mass in the Shrine for our party, celebrated by myself (no excuses for the Bull crowd- those hooting with the owls need also soar with the Eagle!) There will then be the option of Solemn Mass at the parish church or Stations of the Cross in the grounds. The sprinkling at the well will be followed by the final visit and procession before we all troop back to Kent. Half way home it is a great S. Barnabas custom to stop in Thetford forest for tea and home made cakes!
This annaul pilgrimage is certainly something of a tradition. I am reliably informed that we have not missed a year since before the second world war! It is also a time of great joy, as we all come together and spend time together as a church family. Photographs to follow late on Sunday…the ones used today were taken last year!
