SOME MORE NEWS OF PILGRIMS (Newsletter No 3)                                    JANUARY 1979


LET’S GO BACK TO THE ISLAND

Some very happy memories of the Glastonbury Pilgrimage were situated on the Isle of Wight portion, so some of the Brighton based pilgrims are planning a mini-reunion youth hostelling in the Isle of Wight at the Spring Half-term Holiday (17th­21st February). We will probably stay at Whitwell, near Ventnor, and Totland. The proposed dates are very close, and youth hostels need to be booked in advance, so decide at once if you want to come. Raquel Gonzalez is the chief conspirator, so return the enclosed form to her by the next post.

BISHOP AT PILGRIMAGE REUNION

About 80 pilgrims converged on Farnham for our reunion there in October, on the same weekend as Bishop Cormac visited the parish. It was delightful to meet representatives of all four pilgrimages again, and we were even more delighted that the Bishop could renew his contacts with the pilgrims, which began one very hectic night at Fordingbridge. Jane Rex ably overcame all the organisational difficulties, like competition for use of the hall by taking us for a longer walk, and a recalcitrant publican by hiring Mike Simons and his mobile pub, The Festering Blister, as well as feeding us excellently in true pilgrimage style.

THUMBS DOWN FOR SCOTLAND

Many of you had been enthusiastic about going to Scotland this Easter, when a sequel to the 1977 Lake District holiday and the 1978 North Wales holiday was being discussed. But when it actually came to applying no one wanted to go. So now twenty-one of us are going to take a more modest holiday in the Brecon Beacons. By the time you read this, the group will be complete and all the bookings made.

GABE GETS ENGAGED

The big news on the romantic front is that Gabe Churchill is engaged and is planning to be married during 1979 The very lucky fellow is called Malcolm from Sanderstead It was on a holiday in Scotland, just after the Glastonbury Pilgrimage, that the romance began “It was love at first sight,” says Gabe. We wish them every blessing, and — can anyone help them find a house?

WELCOME OGGIE THREE

Frances Clare Smith was born on December 27th, a daughter for Les and Helen, who met on the first pilgrimage, and a sister for Andrew and Christina. Congratulations! The Baptism will be on Sunday 4th February at 12 noon at the English Martyrs Church, Horley.

ARCHER PILGRIMAGES FOR PORTSMOUTH

Margaret Archer is being persuaded to organise a Diocesan Walking Pilgrimage for the Portsmouth Diocese. She is already organising a day pilgrimage for her fellow students at Heythrop College. Good luck, Margaret, and don’t forget that there are only 1760 yards in a mile! The pilgrimage idea is also spreading to Clifton Diocese. Father Kevin Mortimer, who was the priest who met us at Glastonbury last summer, is organising a group from his diocese to walk part of the Pilgrims Way to Canterbury this year.

NEW ITALIAN TRAFFIC HAZARD

Eileen Mahony never ceases to amaze us in her undertakings. She walked all the way from Hayling Island to Glastonbury with us this summer, and now she is planning a long cycling trip On St Patrick’s Day she plans to set off to cycle alone to Rome. There is a rumour that she is being sponsored by the manufacturers of her artificial hip - they certainly ought to!

FATHER HANS BACK IN KISUMU

Fr Hans Burgman, after spending some time in Europe researching the history of his diocese, is back at work in the shantytowns on the outskirts of Kisumu. About 30,000 people live in these and about the same number in council housing estates, Conditions are extremely bad, he writes, with all the problems of uprooted peasants-turned-townsmen. He is planning about now to move into a small rented house on one of these estates, enabling him to live among the people.

MOGGY WALKS TO LONDON

Not once, but twice this autumn Moira Stephens has walked the long road from Brighton to London, to raise money to finance sick pilgrims travelling with the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes This year the dates are July 19th - 27th Details from the Lourdes Office, Ladywell, Ashtead Lane, Godalming, Surrey, GU17 1ST

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