Our Visits to Walsingham

Over the last few years members of the church have made a five day annual pilgrimage to Walsingham.
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                         The Diary of Pilgrim
                                 August 2010

Monday
Our pilgrimage started, as in previous years, on Bank Holiday Monday when we assembled in St. Helen's Church for Mass at 9 o'clock before departure at 9.45am. Having been joined by pilgrims from two other churches there were now some 29 of us aboard the coach, the youngest being only 8 years old and the oldest 92, it was good to settle down for the long journey and contemplate leaving all our cares behind.

Our first stop was at the Blythe Service Station just at the right time for coffee and toilets before the second leg of our journey with an afternoon stop at The Farm Shop before the final stretch, by-passing King's Lynn and on towards Walsingham where we arrived at The Shrine at about 3.30pm. Collecting our cases we walked in silence, to show our respect for the Pilgrimage Mass for the sick which was taking place, to the Green Room where we were allocated rooms before joining Evening Prayer in the Shrine Church in late afternoon.

Some of the group stayed on for Shrine Prayers and Rosary while others made their way to the Norton Bar for an apperatif before supper at 6.30pm. We then visited the Holy House before retiring to bed after a somewhat tiring day

Tuesday
My day began with an early rise at 6.00am and a stroll down to the village store for the papers for some of the ladies before breakfast at 8.00am. Most enjoyable it was, too. I then went to the morning Mass with the rest of the party, in the Holy House where we celebrated the life of one of our northern saints, Saint Aiden of Lindisfarne.

While the rest of the party visited Wells by the Sea I stayed behind so that I could meet with a very good friend of mine who had come over from Ely to visit me. It was so good to see him again and our chat together did us both a power of good.

The main body of the party arrived back from its excursion in time for supper after which we attended the Liturgy of Healing and Reconciliation in the Shrine Church and which for me was the highlight of the pilgrimage and a most moving experience.

Wednesday
Another social breakfast at 8.00am followed by the Stations of The Cross and Veneration of the Relic of the Holy Cross. At mid morning we attended the Pilgrimage Mass held in the Shrine Church where the celebrant was Fr. Stephen Gallagher, the son in law of one our parishioners, who gave an excellent sermon with much laughter from the congregation

After lunch we had some free time so six of us walked along the former railway track to the Slipper Chapel and the R. C. Shrine at the Church of St. Giles at Haughton before retracing our route back to Walsingham for evening prayers.

Thursday
Our group met for Mass in the Chapel of the Guild of All Souls before a late breakfast. We then travelled to Blickling Hall, now owned by the National Trust, where Anne Boleyn was born, circa 1501, to enjoy three hours visiting the house and gardens not forgetting, of course, the shop. Departing Blickling we stopped off at Holt for afternoon tea before arriving back at the Shrine for evening prayers and rosary.

Friday
After Mass at 8.15am, followed by breakfast, we departed mid morning for the long journey home to the North East

Wood engraving by Cordelia Jones of
St. Seraphim's Orthodox Church,
formerly the railway station at Walsingham

The Line of Heaven By Christ was made
With Heavenly truth the Rails are laid
From Earth to Heaven the line extends
To Life Eternal where it ends.
Repentance is the Station then
Where Passengers are taken in.
No Fee is there for them to pay
For Jesus is Himself the Way.
God's Word is the first Engineer,
It points the way to Heaven most dear.
Through tunnels dark and dreary here
It does the way to Glory steer
God's Love the Fire, His truth the Steam
W hich drives the Engine and the Train.
Come now poor Sinners, now's the time
At any station on the Line
If you'll repent and turn from sin
The Train will stop and take you in

Thanks to Eric Younghusband for the above
and Mick Maxfield for the two images below.

Please click on a photograph to see an enlargement

 

Below are a collection of photographs taken by Mike Maxfield during pilgrimages in other years

You will be taken to an enlargement of each photo if you click on it.