Walsingham is alive with people here for all sorts of reasons this week. Aside from the Youth Pilgrimage, which begins in earnest this evening, there's a large number of people here for the New Dawn conference which is held each year, around the same time, for Roman Catholic faithful. It's wonderful to see whole families taking time out to come together for a week of teaching, prayer and fellowship. Is this the only form of pilgrimage which our own beloved shrine doesn't meet (yet)?
This morning I went to the early Mass in the Shrine church, celebrated at S. Augustine's altar, and then spent a Holy Hour in the Priory. If you've never been into the Priory church, do take time to visit it if you can. This was my first visit there - in all these years! - and there was a wonderful sense of prayer and devotion. I hope and pray that the community continues to grow - in every sense. It's also great to have the Franciscans here - seeing them around and spending time with them really does make a difference.
After a fortifying sandwich in the Norton Rooms I'm hoping (if the weather holds out) to walk down to the Slipper Chapel this afternoon.
It's easy to get lost in it all here, and I'm really grateful for the opportunity to do just that.
This morning I went to the early Mass in the Shrine church, celebrated at S. Augustine's altar, and then spent a Holy Hour in the Priory. If you've never been into the Priory church, do take time to visit it if you can. This was my first visit there - in all these years! - and there was a wonderful sense of prayer and devotion. I hope and pray that the community continues to grow - in every sense. It's also great to have the Franciscans here - seeing them around and spending time with them really does make a difference.
After a fortifying sandwich in the Norton Rooms I'm hoping (if the weather holds out) to walk down to the Slipper Chapel this afternoon.
It's easy to get lost in it all here, and I'm really grateful for the opportunity to do just that.
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