The Mercy Pilgrimage

Pilgrimage Newsfeed - Day 1

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The "cross" that we wore on the Mercy Pilgrimage, made by Ceri John Chenery

Our Van Driver Ceri Potts

Registration for the Mercy Pilgrimage outside the Cathedral Centre in Arundel Diocese of A&B John Chenery Original Tweet

Arundel Cathedral, where we attended the 10.00am mass, was ready for the wedding of the Earl of Arundel. John Chenery Original Tweet

We walked up through Arundel Park. This is the view towards the sea. John Chenery Original Tweet

Geoff front marked with me. John Chenery Original Tweet

Sue couldn't resist the swing Ceri Potts

Lunch on the decking at The George and Dragon pub in Houghton John Chenery Original Tweet

and down in the garden John Chenery Original Tweet

The pub is historic. The pedant might comment that he wasn't Charles II yet at this time. John Chenery Original Tweet

View of the pub. John Chenery Original Tweet

On to St Nicholas Church, Houghton, for prayers John Chenery Original Tweet

Relaxing before prayers. John Chenery Original Tweet

Approaching Amberley Ceri Potts

Another prayer stop at St Michael's, Amberley John Chenery Original Tweet

For the rest of the day, I was too busy front marking to tweet. We walked along the South Downs Way with extensive views all round; difficult to capture the essence in a couple of photos anyway. It was a humid day and it was good to feel the breeze up there. Then we descended sharply to woods into Storrington where we stayed with the Chemin Neuf community who inhabit the monastery which adjoins the RC Church of Our Lady of England. The pilgrims stayed there previosuly in 1985 when the monastery belonged to the Premonstratensian Canons. We had the luxury of showers before our dinner which Margaret cooked. John Chenery Original Tweet

After dinner we had a reflection/adoration service in Our Lady of England church, which adjoins the monastery: John Chenery Original Tweet

Pilgrimage Newsfeed - Day 2

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Our setting off prayers were in the Chemin Neuf "shrine in the field" John Chenery Original Tweet

Our Lady of England church. John Chenery Original Tweet

Not a very hilly day but here we ascend a slight incline. John Chenery Original Tweet

"Elevenses" stop in Ashington John Chenery Original Tweet

Louise is doing the drinks car John Chenery Original Tweet

Following the Mercy Pilgrimage with interest. Have a great time everyone. John and Lesley Brennan John Brennan Original Tweet

At that drinks car location, Louise took this photo of mud-splattered John Carmody. He had become completely stuck in the mud and been rescued by the heroic pilgrims from Banstead parish. John Chenery Original Tweet

St George's Church, West Grinstead John Chenery

The pilgrimage destination: Our Lady of Consolation, West Grinstead, which is the official Marian Shrine of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. John Chenery Original Tweet

After mass in the garden of the shrine: walking pilgrims mingled with those who had come by coach. Each deanery of the diocese had sent one coach, and others had come by car for the day's celebrations. John Chenery Original Tweet

In classic pilgrim style, we had only arrived at West Grinstead just in time for the 3pm mass (well, the back markers made it for the homily!). We had been delayed by a combination of nettles, aforementioned mud, humidity and spending too long in the mid-morning pub. The church was full and we were in the overflow marquee, watching proceedings on big screens. So only once mass was over was I able to make it to our official pilgrimage destination, the Holy Door: John Chenery Original Tweet

The door was the entrance to the church of Our Lady of Consolation: John Chenery Original Tweet

and in the church was the image of Our Lady of Consolation: John Chenery Original Tweet

Another view of the outside of the church. John Chenery Original Tweet

The "cross" that we wore on the Mercy Pilgrimage, made by Ceri John Chenery