Walsingham Pilgrimage
Jo Stanfield tells about her first pilgrimage to Walsingham:It is rare to encounter something new. By that I mean not a new film, a new colleague, a new dress, but a totally different and amazing experience that you feel has made a difference to your life. I was persuaded to join the Walsingham pilgrimage this year by the enthusiasm of others who had been before. Not without my doubts: “The Rosary!!?” “Sprinkling!!?” I looked forward at least to a pleasant weekend in rural Norfolk. However, the reality was so much more than I ever imagined. It is quite difficult to describe my reactions; it really is special!
There was, from the moment we met for Mass at Christ Church, a feeling of delightful companionship and anticipation. It struck me how only a few years ago, a group of people from disparate branches of the Church would not have contemplated such a trip together. This was a true experience of what we have in common, rather than being divided by our differences! I enjoyed spending time with you all.
Walsingham itself was astonishing. I found the atmosphere one of true holiness and peace, which reached into the depths of hopes and anxieties which occupy my inner self. The activities in and around the Shrine provided a focus for a true renewal of the spiritual. In addition, the fellowship was agreeable, the accommodation comfortable and the food plentiful (rather too plentiful for my waistline, I fear!) There were some very memorable moments. One of the most moving for me was reading the names of the sick for whom prayers had been asked, on the first evening. It was very humbling to read the long list, knowing that every name I spoke meant something to someone in the candlelit Holy House. Stations of the Cross in the garden was lovely too; being outside added a new dimension to this most poignant service. Then there was the candlelit procession and the very uplifting Sunday Mass at the (packed) Parish Church of S Mary. During the weekend it struck me very forcibly that everyone around me looked happy. They smiled at each other, friends and strangers alike. Despite this pervasive sense of joy, I had been warned in advance that I might cry. I thought it unlikely, but on the last afternoon when we gathered for our final visit to the shrine the culmination of such an uplifting spiritual and emotional experience proved too much and I found myself sobbing as we left to collect our luggage. I just didn’t want to leave, and I wasn’t by any means the only one. I was grateful for a sympathetic arm from my friend Julia, and an understanding word from Fr Neil!
I came to Walsingham at the end of a very difficult two years. There were several things I really hadn’t dealt with and my faith had taken a beating. In those tranquil, hallowed surroundings I found it possible to shed a great deal of painful “baggage”. Although everyday life will, no doubt, gradually encroach on the sense of peace I brought away with me, I am sure it cannot quite eradicate the Walsingham experience!
Before I went, someone told me that the unique thing about Walsingham is that the air between earth and heaven is a little thinner there. A fanciful idea, I thought. Now I think she may be right. At any rate, I have booked for next year!
