Reflections on
Adoremus – my first pilgrimage to Walsingham
Just
over a couple of months ago, I made my very first visit to the Shrine
of Our Lady of Walsingham - a particularly sacred place in Norfolk
affectionately known as England's Nazareth, and where many Christians
frequently gather to worship the Lord. Many parishes and other groups
make their pilgrimage there, and my first encounter was with Adoremus
(a pilgrimage for young adults, aged eighteen to thirty-five). I
thoroughly enjoyed my first time at Walsingham, and as soon as our
weekend there ended, I found myself looking forward to my next
pilgrimage.
During
the weekend, we had a series of workshops where we discussed various
aspects of Christian living, vocation, and practising evangelism. As
well as finding such a chance to openly discuss the Christian faith
with other like-minded people in this way particularly valuable, one
of the most significant things I was reminded of was how all
Christians have a common vocation in our Baptism. This is then
supplemented by our distinct vocations (such as to academia,
priesthood, teaching, nursing, foster care, a combination of these,
and many more). What a great joy, to be united with Christ and my
fellow brothers and sisters in Christ by our common Baptism, as well
as in the wide variety of ways in which God's gifts are manifest in
us and our lives.
We
spent many hours together in worship, and our first visit to the Holy
House is an experience which I will always remember. The stunning
altar and statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary was most striking to me;
no amount of searching for pictures of the Shrine on Google Images
could have prepared me for the experience of actually visiting the
Shrine and praying there! Some of us returned there the following
evening spontaneously to say Evening Prayers together there. The Mass
at St. Mary's Parish Church was also very moving, together with a
procession of the Blessed Sacrament afterwards. But perhaps my
favourite service we all attended was on the Saturday evening - after
a beautiful Mass, we received the liturgy of Reconciliation
(including the anointing by the priests), and we then prayed for a
while afterwards in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the
Shrine Church. With no time limit, and no need to think of anything
else at all at that time, we could easily keep our eyes focused on
Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) - something we should always aim to do
throughout our lives, at all times and in all places, as best as we
can.
On
the Saturday afternoon of the pilgrimage, we had some free time. Many
walked the Holy Mile to the Slipper Chapel (something I would like to
do on my next pilgrimage to Walsingham); others stayed at the Shrine;
and some of us went for a nice and relaxing walk by the sea in Wells.
I was in the latter group, taking photos of the beautiful seascape as
I went. Especially since my first Walsingham pilgrimage, I now often
pray when I go to the beach. I'm often in Church when I pray;
certainly, I find it especially easy to focus on my prayer when I'm
in a magnificent building like St. Michael's Croydon. But I also feel
very lucky indeed to be able to pray anywhere - for God created all
things, and He is omnipresent (that is, present at all times and in
all places). To pray somewhere where the natural beauty of His
creation is so powerfully evident, such as at the beach, for me is
always a wonderful and moving experience.
In
many ways, the Adoremus weekend felt to me like a retreat. A
different context; a different set of surroundings; a different
setting. Only the previous weekend, I'd been on a wonderful retreat
at Cumberland Lodge (Windsor) with the Chaplaincy of King's College
London; again, a weekend of interactive classes and other activities,
fellowship and worship, and in a different setting. This was also
very helpful to my process of discernment. But I think that while a
pilgrimage has all of these characteristics of a retreat, it is also
distinct from being a retreat; we make our pilgrimage to a particular
place, and - in the case of Walsingham - to a Shrine where Marian
apparitions have occurred, and to a place where Christians from all
around the country are drawn to see - and drawn to be.
Over
the past couple of months, I've observed the positive impact my first
visit to Walsingham has had on my journey in the discernment process,
my devotion (especially when praying the Angelus and the Rosary), and
my faith as a whole. Together with the experiences of my time so far
at St. Michael's, I feel I now have a much greater understanding and
appreciation of the person and role of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To
take a couple of further examples, I often think of that feeling of
awe when I first visited the stunning Holy House in the Anglican
Shrine - especially as I say Morning and Evening Prayers in Church.
Moreover, whenever I serve at Low Mass, I am usually either near or
facing the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham - a comforting daily
reminder to me of how a candle is lit in the Shrine Church at
Walsingham, where St. Michael's is prayed for there every day,
together with many other Churches.
One
of the things I loved the most about the pilgrimage was meeting the
community with whom I stayed there; like-minded people, new friends
and Church family, and we all had a wonderful time together. In
pilgrimage, in worship, in prayer, and of course in fellowship and
friendship during our free time at meals and at the pub! I will
continue to keep in touch with all those I met there, as we journey
onwards together in the Christian faith - and I'm hugely looking
forward to my next pilgrimage to Walsingham.
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