Tuesday 31 May 2016

High winds and holiness in a field in Norfolk

The bank holiday weekend at the end of May signals the start of our family pilgrimage to Walsingham. Together with around 60 other Catholic families we spend from Friday through Monday camping in a field, sharing food, conversation, support and prayer. It's a wonderful spiritual retreat complete with penances of high winds, cold nights and driven rain. Yet despite the privations (no showers for 4 days!) we always feel refreshed -- if physically tired -- after the pilgrimage. The daily Masses, the communal prayer (morning prayer, Rosary, night-time prayer), the talks and the fellowship all combine to provide a spiritual shot in the arm

This year we were particularly blessed to have Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke as our guest. His Eminence had kindly given his time to spend several days in a wet field in Norfolk with a small number of Catholic families: what a boost to our vocations that was. And what a gift to the Church ++Burke is. Please pray for this holy, humble and charitable prince of Holy Mother Church.