|
The same but different
I always enjoy our annual parish pilgrimage to Walsingham and find that each year it is the same but different.
In many ways this year was very different because the building work on the new accommodation was not finished so the road outside Stella Maris had traffic lights and there was a crane in the shrine grounds. Also this year we were a much smaller and childless group. But there were fewer pilgrims in the Shrine perhaps because of reduced available accommodation and there were also no children in any other group. So the Shrine was really very quiet and peaceful. We were fortunate with the weather and I enjoyed sitting in the garden.
As usual all the services were very devotional especially our own Masses on the Saturday morning in the Guild of All Souls chapel and in the Holy House on Sunday morning with our own intercessions. We also had a very enjoyable trip on Sunday evening to Blakeney Point and then to take a little nightcap at 'The Bull'. Friday and Saturday evenings we joined other pilgrims in the Norton Room and the food in the Refectory was as delicious as ever. The weekend went all too quickly and we had our Mass and Last Visit which is always sad, on Monday morning.
I am already looking forward to our pilgrimage next year which will be from Friday 24th to Monday 27th April 2009. Please put the date in your diary now and anyone who hasn't been to Walsingham with us before would be most welcome.
Eve McQuater
|
