On Saturday 1 September just over 40 of us will set off on our September Pilgrimage. Like the last two years we are staying in Britain, this time visiting the North-East. What on earth are you going there for, you might be asking yourself. Lots of reasons.
For religion, the evangelization of England from the north started at Lindisfarne off the Northumberland coast, and those opening centuries were blessed with many great saints like Aidan and Cuthbert, Bede and Wilfrid. For sightseeing there is the beautiful coast, including Lindisfarne itself and highlights like Bamburgh. Durham and its cathedrals is one of the finest old cities of the UK, and Hadrian’s Wall snakes its way through the area. Then there is Newcastle itself where we will be staying, a lively and friendly city with its renovated Riverside, a bit like our Bay.
As always our week could be described as a Pilgrimage / Holiday, a time to relax and enter on the journey that not only will take us to these fascinating places and others. The real pilgrimage is an internal one, where we hand over the week to the Lord. He takes us, especially through our daily Mass in fine settings, on an inner pilgrimage, as he does on all such journeys. If we let Him!
Please remember the pilgrims in your prayers, as we will in ours. If you want any intentions to be remembered please put them in an envelope and let me have them before this Friday. Please note that because we are leaving at 8.30 to get to Newcastle, Mass that day will be at 7.30am.
Fr Matthew
