“Mary for Everyone” is the theme of this year’s pilgrimage season at the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham: Mary holds up her son for all people to adore, and is given to all of us as a model disciple and mother of the church.

Members of St Thomas’ have been going on an weekend pilgrimage to Walsingham for a number of years, and those who have gone, young and old, have always been deeply moved by their experience. Time spent in prayer, time spent resting, and time spent in fellowship with one another (inevitably involving food and drink) are the essential elements which combine together to make a pilgrimage such a valuable and enjoyable time. Walsingham has been a place of pilgrimage since the 12th century. Although called the “Shrine of Our Lady”, the focus is not only on Mary, but on every aspect of the incarnation. The image of Our Lady of Walsingham, with the infant Christ on her knee, is not actually the main focus for devotion – it is really the Holy House, a life-sized model of the house at Nazareth where Our Lady lived and where (according to some versions at least) the angel Gabriel brought the good news of the incarnation.

The pilgrimage programme includes meals together, worship with other pilgrims on Saturday evening and Sunday morning and afternoon, and opportunities for worship with our own parish group (though nothing is compulsory). There is also plenty of free time to wander off and explore the area, including the nearby coast.

We will be making our own way there, arriving for supper and Mass on Friday evening (10th October), and finishing on Sunday afternoon. The cost for meals and accommodation is £92.05 for adults, £55.23 for children, and free for under 5s – but places are rapidly being booked up. If you aren’t able to come this year, we will be going next year: we are already booked in for the weekend of 5th – 7th June 2009. See Fr Matthew for more details.

At Walsingham, we will be praying for the intentions of our parish. If you have something in particular you would like us to pray for at the shrine, please let Fr Matthew know. Those who aren't going to be in Walsingham are likewise asked to pray for those who will be there, and for the work of the Shrine. The work of the Shrine is also the prayer intention at Mass on the last Saturday of each month, and a light burns perpetually in the Holy House at Walsingham as a sign of Our Lady's prayers continual prayers for the parish.

Visit the Shrine's website to learn more about Walsingham