Our Pilgrimage Day in London

Priorities in Pilgrimage
Bishop David Hope chaired a day in London looking at pilgrimage in the 21st century on March 12th.

It attracted delegates from all over the country.
A brief synopsis follows:


Bishop David Hope:

Loves the quote:
"Doing is a very deadly thing"
Caring less for doing - rather more for being.

Preoccupation with being busy.

Pilgrimage is a journey

Exploring new places: lots of information: all interesting: "at the end of the day the purpose of going on pilgrimage is to be closer to Jesus Christ".

Call to a deeper expression of discipleship.

Jesus inviting us to be friends of God on a journey.

Still moments on a pilgrimage when you can make space: different sites affect different people differently.

Finding time for the divine light to radiate in our lives and being.

Importance of pausing, stopping, reflecting……..

When we return - the gifts of the spirit should be more obvious within us.

We come back to our lives, our parish: pilgrimage makes a difference.

Dr.Gavin Wakefield
St.John’s College, Durham

Pilgrimage belongs to many religious traditions.

Christian pilgrimage: focused on Christ: shaped by the call of Jesus.

Stations of the Cross - a kind of pilgrimage close at hand.

History of Christian pilgrimage outlined.

Early Irish Christians
value in the very act of journeying - and not necessarily related to what God had done in the past.

They went because they were worried about what might happen in the future:

Martyrdom
various concepts explained

-deep engagement with God
-seeking the way of the cross

being on the move with Christ

Brendan
historical figure: 5th century
monk/abbot
based in Ireland
traveller
he went all over Europe
new monasteries founded
voyage of Brendan

Columba
6th century
founding of monastery on Iona
deaconed at 19
these monks loved going on journeys
he didn't travel as much
563 - Columba took 12 monks with him from Ireland to Scotland
Iona set up
went on many more journeys
centre for prayer, mission and politics
Irish monasteries were not places of peace and quiet
like a village - people trying to follow Christ in that place

Mark 1.35 -Jesus also did the same


Aidan
Founded monastery on Holy Island
Further development of prayer in Irish tradition
Wonderful rhythm of the day
Tide ebb and flowing on Lindisfarne
Aidan = with a definite mission
He also needed time away to be with God and pilgrimage was not always an option
Farne Islands
Aidan encountered those who needed to know the message of Christ.
He wanted to enable other people to be able to grow.


Summary:
Monasticism and Pilgrimage were all bound together.
Spiritual Rhythm
Monks did it the other way round: in the monastery they engaged with people, pilgrimage was about withdrawing from the world and going off to meet with God.

Points to note:

1) Pilgrimage today usually has a known destination.
Irish way - not always the case

2) Pilgrimage today is usually highly organised.
Not in their case

3) Journey is the outward expression of the inner journey.

Pilgrimage

many different ways

eventually does become a withdrawal from the world

don't organise God out of the event

it is the unexpected in which God can make himself known

If pilgrimage enables you to meet with God - embrace it.
Canon Martin Warner
Master of the Guardians of the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham

Recounted the history of the Shrine

Slipper Chapel – slipping in to pray.

1922 Father Hope Patten begins to restore the Shrine.

Rediscovery of the well was important.

250,000 people go on pilgrimage to Walsingham every year.

Story of the Holy House

Story of Annunciation

Story of Mary’s YES to God

Bringing the whole of life to us.

Praying at the Shrine:

Intercessions:
Narrating the human condition
Every day, without fail, at 6.00pm

Water:
The waters of the well
Baptism transforms our lives

Adoration
Just being there
People come from our large cities to link up with creation

Stations of the Cross and Processions
Most groups do this reenacted symbol- a liturgical reminder/ a restoration of confidence

Eucharist
Fed with the bread of heaven
Citizens of Heavenly Jerusalem

The way in which we should remodel love.

Pilgrimage is where we grow graciously into what God as in store for us.