Walsingham
Youth
Pilgrimage
2025

Day 1 ~ Monday 4th August

A happy band of pilgrims, and their parish priest set out early from Kennington Park, and travelled on the Northern & Elizabeth Lines to the Church of St Michael & All Angels, Abbey Wood , where we met up with our fellow pilgrims from that parish, and the parish of St John, Higham, in the Diocese of Rochester.

On our train journey we were accompanied also by Churchwarden Cassandra, and PCC member, June. Enjoy this page, and scroll all the way down! The Missionary Vicar of St Agnes is deeply grateful to a kind benefactor, who paid for all our Children's tickets. He is a wonderful man, may God richly bless him.

Once we got to Abbey Wood, we met the Vicar, Fr David Sherratt SSC, and Fr Clive Jones SSC, from Higham, and their respective pilgrims and helpers - our new friends!

Once we had loaded up the kit van, and boarded the minibus, we made with haste to England's Nazareth, with a brief refreshment break at the famous Walker's Snacks in Thetford Forest. Upon arrival at the campsite, the wind and rain came at a most inopportune time, but, helping each other, we managed to get all the tents up. After dinner, and opening worship in the Big Top, we processed to the Shrine for our first visit to the Holy House, where a candle for every parish was placed, and by bedtime our tents were happily dry.

As the sun sets, Fr Robert inflates his air mattress.

The image of Our Lady in the Holy House

Day 2 ~ Tuesday 5th August

As a beautiful morning dawns over England's Nazareth, the pilgrims awake to a glorious day. After egg and bacon butties cooked by Fr. Clive Jones, our young pilgrims made their way to a choice of morning Bible Studies; 'Nicaea' - for young, new, and beginner Christians- led by The Revd Alice Smith, and 'Constantinople' for more seasoned disciples, led by Bishop Rowan Williams, who also preached at Mass today.

One of our group as King David, with Revd. Alice Smith.

Bishop Rowan preaching at Mass.

On Tuesday afternoon the young folk enjoyed a range of of activities, including a Football tournament, Street Dance, Bollywood Dance, and chillout time in the hub. Later that afternoon, we had an excellent 'Grill the Bishop' session - Fr Clive's Diocesan Bishop, The Bishop of Rochester, the Rt. Revd. Dr. Jonathan Gibbs, kindly spent time with us in our Marquee, talking about his personal faith journey, and answering some excellent questions from our eager young pilgrims.

After dinner in our encampment with the good Bishop, we joined all the other pilgrims for a walk to the Abbey grounds, where we enjoyed a drama presentation of the story of Walsingham, before processing to the Shrine for open air Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament at the Altar of the Mysteries of Light.

Day 3 - Wednesday 6th August

This day may be described as a day of Bible Study, Bishops, Bubble Balls, and Blessings! Nicaea was led by Rachel Gardner, of Youthscape, who also gave an excellent address at the daily pilgrimage Mass . The Activity afternoon consisted of crafts, football skills, inflatables, ice creams, LEGO workshops , Bubble Football, Combat Archery, and much more.

We met with Bishop Luke of Richborough, and some pilgrims from his other parishes, and also with our very own Bishop Jonathan of Fulham, and other London and Southwark pilgrims. The day ended with a beautiful liturgy in the Big Top, at which young people were able to receive the water from the holy well, Anointing, the Laying on of hands, and Confession. at the end of the service the Bishop of Fulham presided at Compline & Benediction.

Day 4 ~ Thursday 7th August

The last full day of our wonderful pilgrimage. After the now habitual and tasty Bacon and Egg butties served up by Fr. Clive, and Bible studies, we had yet another wonderful Mass in the Big Top. The principal celebrant was Bishop Stephen of Beverley, and the preacher was Bishop Paul of Oswestry. In his powerful and uplifting homily, Bishop Paul reminded us in his robust and confident proclamation, that the 'multitude of the heavenly host' who appeared while the shepherds watched their flocks by night, were not the fancy, sentimental, tinsel clad figures we imagine from Nativity plays - they were a heavenly army -stratias - warriors! as we read in the Greek. We are the Church militant, enlisted in baptism, under the banner of Christ in the fight against sin, the world and the devil. Let us pray that we all continue to fight Manfully under his banner as his faithful soldiers and servants, to the end of our lives.

Bishop Stephen Race presides.

Fr. Robert & Fr. Clive, before receiving the Precious Blood.

After Mass, and lunch, it was a free afternoon, and most of our group went to see the Seaside in Hunstanton, but Fr. Robert, and one of the other helpers, Nancy, stayed behind on the campsite with one of our youngsters was feeling a bit unwell.....she perked up in time for the evening's entertainment - the Cheesy 80s Disco. But before the funky cheesefest, St Agnes' premier young makeup artist went to work on Fr. Robert, and Fr. David...

The canvas

The Artist

A good number of our group went to the Cheesy 80s Disco. Leaders Gabby and Nancy are glammed up and ready to go, and Fr David was in his element, boogeying as though Millwall had won the World Cup

Girl Power!

It's Murder on the Dancefloor! but Fr David won't steal the groove!

Meanwhile, Fathers Robert and Clive preferred a quiet night in, at the Marquee, and were joined by Fr. Angus Beattie, and Fr. Richard Norman from the London Posse. We had non - alcoholic beer, gin, cider and nibbles (Booze, Tobacco, and Vapes were all banned from the Campsite; even for adults! - who said Anglo-Catholics do not appreciate the patrimony of the English Puritans?)...The dancing classes joined us once they'd boogied themselves senseless....

One of the benefits of a non- alcoholic party, strange though such a concept is to priests trained at St Stephen's House, and Mirfield, and an early bedtime, is that in the morning, we were up early, packing our small corner of the camping village, van and minibus fully loaded before the final Pilgrimage Mass on Friday morning. We were determined to be first off the site.....

Final Day - Friday 8th August

The early bird catches the worm. The early church packs the van and minibus. With that done, there was nothing left to do but to praise God, and be nourished by his gift to us of Himself in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, today presided over by the Rt. Revd. Will Hazlewood, Bishop of Lewes.

The preacher at Mass was Fr. Yaroslav Walker, our megaphone wielding compere, who finally switched his linen suit, T Shirt and baseball cap for the priestly vestments, to deliver a powerful message about what it is to be a 'Walking Creed'

Fr. Philip Barnes as a literal Walking Creed!

After the final Mass we hit the road, stopping again near Thetford Forest for lunch and loo break. We got back to Abbey Wood at about 4.30, and from there, the Vicar of St Agnes, met by his Churchwarden Cassandra, escorted the young pilgrims back to their native Kennington, encouraged and strengthened in their faith, having made new friends.

All Glory and Praise to Almighty God, for the intercession of the Blessed Mother, and for the grace of a good pilgrimage. We look forward with great joy to the Walsingham Youth Pilgrimage 2026. Gloria in Excelsis Deo! Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis!

The Vicar of St Agnes is utterly Cream-Crackered!

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