On Saturday 26th September, a group of students and staff travelled to Walsingham to join with the Leeds and Middlesbrough Diocesan Pilgrimage.
It was an early start and a long coach journey however upon arriving in Walsingham, the sun was shining brightly, and everyone was in good spirits for the day ahead. The day involved Mass celebrated by Bishop Marcus, the procession along the Holy Mile, and sometime of prayer and Benediction in the grounds of the old Abbey.
Vimbayi reflected on her time in Walsingham:
"As this was my first ever pilgrimage, I was not fully sure what to expect other than that it would be a day of prayer, worship and walking. However, from the moment I stepped into the coach I realised there was much more to the pilgrimage, including the lovely community that surrounded me and the time we spent together in silence and prayer. I believe it was a great experience to meet other people who share the same faith as me. It was also a great opportunity to hear about the different stories and experiences that brought people to the Catholic faith. Hearing their stories inspired me to deepen my own faith and encouraged me to reflect more deeply on having a personal relationship with God. Overall, the Walsingham pilgrimage was a beautiful and fulfilling experience and I would encourage others to consider taking part in it."
Walsingham has long been a place of pilgrimage, since 1061, when Richeldis de Faverches had a vision of Our Lady in which she saw the house in Nazareth where Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to Mary. In the vision, Mary commissioned Richeldis to build a replica of this house in Walsingham. While the original shrine was destroyed during the Reformation, a small chapel, known as the Slipper Chapel, was restored in 1894 and pilgrims once again returned to Walsingham. This chapel is now recognised as the Roman Catholic National Shrine of Our Lady.
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