A&B Walking Pilgrimage - Newsletter 30

CANTERBURY HERE WE COME

67 pilgrims have registered so far to take part in the Canterbury Pilgrimage. This means that between 75 and 82 will be walking on any one day. But lots of others have promised to join us for a day, and we most sincerely hope that they will. Eight splendid walking days are promised on our short 10 day pilgrimage.

PILGRIM WEDDINGS

Peter Dare (Canterbury Two, Buckfast One and Two, Evesham and Birthdays Pilgrimages) was married to Marion Mallia (who he brought to meet us on the Wessex Pilgrimage) on 10th July at Tunbridge Wells, when I was the officiating priest.

Claire Squire (Sussex Pilgrimage) was married to Steve Fair on 3rd May 1986 (old news this!) . Claire and Steve hope to join us on our pilgrimages again one day — how about East Worthing to Hassocks, Claire?

Equally old news is the wedding of Cecilia Mottram (Canterbury Two, Buckfast One and Sussex Pilgrimages) to Mark Symons at the Sacred Heart Church, Hove on 9th August 1986, just before we set off from there to Bath. Anne McFarlane and Gillian Thorne were bridesmaids, both having walked with her on the pilgrimages. Information that I am in deepest trouble for not having past on before! She is now teaching in a primary school near Newmarket, and still does a lot of walking.

And more late news: Will Parker (Canterbury One and Walsingham One Pilgrimages) is now married, lives in Bristol, and has a son, Sam. Edwina Holmes (Canterbury One and Glastonbury Pilgrimages) was married on 14th May to Terry Turner at St Edmund’s, Godalming.

Paul Dean (Canterbury Two, Sussex and Buckfast Two) was married to Sandra Baker in November 1987.

Chris Kates (Sussex and Evesham) was married to Patricia Hirst on 1st August 1987. Chris is teaching German and French at St Simon Stock’s RC Comprehensive School in Maidstone.

PILGRIM ENGAGEMENTS

Tim Lavy (Sussex and Buckfast Two) is engaged to Jackie Crossan (Canterbury Two, Buckfast One and Two, Sussex, and Evesham) and they will be married on Saturday 20th August at Our Lady Star of the Sea, Portslade, as we commence our pilgrimage to Canterbury.

David Martin (Mr Cool from Buckfast Two and Evesham) is getting married on 19th September.

Caroline Mahon (a frequent day pilgrim) is engaged to Paul Woodrup.

Katrina Doran is engaged to Chris Dobbe and they are planning to get married on 6th May 1989 possibly in Bognor

. The news is also that Dean Gallagher (Buckfast Two and Evesham), and Liz Crease (Evesham) are both engaged but not to one another - who they are engaged to has not been revealed! (I wish my sources would be a bit more definite!)

Michael Bloomfield is at last engaged to Kate Leslie (both of Buckfast Two and Evesham). Michael is working for an independent television company. Kate is in her final year of training as a veterinary nurse.

DEACON ROB

Robert Taylerson (Walsingham Two) was ordained a Deacon on 11th June at the Beda College in Rome, together with 12 others. He is working as a Deacon in Wolverhampton. But at the time of the pilgrimage he will be doing a 30 day Ignatian Retreat, and he promises to pray for us.

NEWS SNIPPETS

Jean Nicholls (Sussex, Papal and Evesham Pilgrimages) has now finished her Master of Science Degree in Environmental Psychology at Surrey University. She will be walking with us to Canterbury. Martyn Thornton sends all Canterbury Pilgrims his warmest greetings but he won’t be walking with us this year. He will be with the army in the Falkland Islands from July to November.

Raquel Gonzalez (Glastonbury and Canterbury Two Pilgrimages) is now a single girl again — she is glad she never committed herself to a church marriage! She is now a qualified nurse working in Switzerland - where the money is much better - but will be home again next year, and wishes us a spiritually and physically rewarding time on the pilgrimage.

Tony and Alice Morwood—Leyland along with Edward and Robert are now happily settled and enjoying life in the Caribbean.

Karin Cooper (Evesham Pilgrimage - one of the most satisfying ‘holidays’ she ever had, she says) has now graduated from London University with an honours degree in Spanish, and is currently working as a recruitment consultant.

Jenny Walker (Glastonbury, Canterbury Two and Buckfast One Pilgrimages) has now completed her degree in English at Stirling, and is now studying Romantics (!) at Oxford. She has been doing a lot of travelling visiting 22 different countries as far flung as Peru and Sumatra.

Claire Kelly (Canterbury Two, Buckfast One and Sussex Pilgrimages) had a great New Year’s Eve party attended by Cecilia Symons (née Mottram, see above), Andrew Mottram and Anne McFarlane.

Andrew Mottram (Canterbury Two, Buckfast One and Two and Sussex Pilgrimages) is now a Chartered Management Accountant and makes/drinks/works for Beefeater Gin.

Jane Marshall has begun a new career as an artist and illustrator and is making a lot of money painting peoples pets ... and houses and children. Quoting the journalist of the local paper, “Dorking artist Jane Marshall has a profitable penchant for painting pets. An appealing pooch, captivating cat or a doleful donkey are choice subjects, with Jane’s dab hand at catching those characteristic expressions which makes her pets’ portrait something special.”

Lucie Carrington (Canterbury Two and Brecon Beacons) is now assistant editor to the Industrial Society, which deals with training in industry.

Pat North (née Burke) is expecting a baby, which I suspect may have arrived by now!

And Frances Dean is a grandmother - Ross Jonathan Dean, son of Jonathan and Lisa.

Jackie Riedlinger (Canterbury Two and Buckfast One) is now working for the Institute of Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton, She is still a keen supporter of Brighton and Hove Albion and is living in Ashtead.

Dawn Willson is now in Lusaka - her husband John is the British High Commissioner in Zambia. Dee, her dog, has had to stay in England with friends in Warwickshire - see official announcement in The Times for Sat 2nd January!

Several envelopes were returned from the last mailing marked “address unknown”. Do you know the present whereabouts of the following pilgrims?

- Adrian Tweedale who joined us on the Sussex Pilgrimage, and who once lived in Haywards Heath.

- Eileen O’Connor from Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, who walked the Papal Pilgrimage with us.

- Stuart Matthews from Hove, once a Cardinal Newman School pupil, who walked with us on the Buckfast One and Sussex Pilgrimages.

- Debbie Dewhurst who completed the Buckfast Two Pilgrimage and who was last heard of in Plymouth.

- Caroline Farrar who also walked with us on the Evesham Pilgrimage and who once lived in Epsom.

- Paul and Adam Greenland once of Farnborough. Paul walked the first Holy Year Pilgrimage, and both joined on the Glastonbury Pilgrimage.

- Therese McDermott who walked the Buckfast One Pilgrimage and went with us to the Lake District that year. She once lived in Banstead, but the last address I have for her was in Ilford.

Please let me know if you have the present address of any of the above pilgrims.

A very smart T-shirt which features the logo of the Canterbury Pilgrims Way exhibition is available from their mail Order Dept, York Archaeological Trust, United House, Piccadilly, York, YOl 1PQ, although you may find it on sale elsewhere. Adult sizes: small (32-34”), medium (36-38”), large (40—42”), ex large (44”) are all £4.75. Children’s sizes (26", 28”, 30” chest) are £3.50. Postage is £1 extra, Credit card orders can be phoned to York (0904) 646411.

Chris Dobbe and James Bisgrove are cycling across France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. They are finding it much more difficult than they had expected, and when they sent me a card, the Pyrenees were still ahead! At least Chris should be fit for the Canterbury Pilgrimage. Dominic O’Hara again led a group along the South Downs Way, for the 10th time, last May, to raise money for Fr Brett and a Holy Ghost Father both working on the African Missions. Margaret Archer organised an Easter Pilgrimage for the Portsmouth Diocese around the Isle of Wight.

On our first ecumenical pilgrimage, the Sussex Pilgrimage in honour of St Wilfred, John Weller was our great inspiration and guide in matters ecumenical. He was a United Reformed Minister and the Ecumenical Officer for Sussex. Last year as we walked to Walsingham he was able to join us again for a few miles as we passed near his home in Edenbridge. I am sad to report that he died in October 1987. He will be remembered in our Masses and prayers as we walk to Canterbury.