The Crowning of Our Lady of Walsingham

When I went to St Dunstan's for the Divine Mercy Service on Mercy Sunday they announced that there was a Pilgramage going to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham on the following Saturday.

I signed up and at 7am I was there ready and waiting to be picked up by the coach.

I set off in a group of 39 for a 4 or 5 hour journey to Walsingham. I did not know a single person, but it was a wonderful trip!

On the way there we prayed the rosary 3 times and prayed from many intentions as well as singing a few hymns. It was a prayer meeting on wheels.

The picture above is of the statue of Our Lady which was carried at the front of the mile long procession over the fields from the centre of the village where she was crowned with flowers before we set off.

Even along the procession people prayed the rosary together in groups as we walked along. I may not have known anyone at the beginning of the trip, but I was blessed to meet many Catholic Brothers and Sisters as the day wore on.
She was carried with great reverence and love to the Shrine of Walsingham and placed in front of the Chapel of Reconciliation where you can see her sitting in the photograph above. The window is beautifully etched and sadly the picture does not do it justice.

There was a service of reconciliation and many, many people waited in line to make their confession, unfortunately not everyone was able to as there were just not enough priests available to meet the demand.

There was a beautiful mass at the end of the day, before we set off for home. Below is a closer picture of Our Beauliful Lady.

The coach set off home and once again we prayed the Rosary together and sang hymns. We stopped off for an evening meal on the way home during which I sat with several of my new friends.

On the rest of the journey I had seveal discusions about my new faith and my journey so far. There was also lots of laughter and fun on the way home and one of the men sitting behind spoke to the gentleman who had been leading the rosary. He then anounced to the coach that I was a new convert received at Easter and the whole coach applauded and Albert the rosary leader smiled at me and said "Welcome Home"!

By the time I reached home I was filled up both Spiritually and Emotionally and had made new friends in 4 more churches.