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Walking as Pilgrims of Hope Conference Report

Phil McCarthy • July 19, 2024

In preparation for the 2025 Jubilee with its motto ‘pilgrims of hope’ the Hearts in Search of God project held a conference. The aims were to help dioceses and other Catholic organisations to undertake walking pilgrimage during the Holy Year confidently, and to build a community of people involved in walking pilgrimage. There were 32 onsite participants with 75 registered to join online. The event was recorded, and the content of presentations and discussions will be used to create a resource on walking pilgrimage and the Jubilee. 


Participants met at the Church of St Mary Moorfield, 4/5 Eldon Street, in the City of London. The City is the square mile inside the ancient Roman walls of Londinium. It is a city, ceremonial county and local government district with its own Lord Mayor, Corporation and police force. During the Nineteenth Century it was the centre of global trade. In 2022 London came second after New York in the Global Financial Centres Index. Before the Great Fire of 1666, there were over 100 churches in the City. By the start of World War Two there were just under 50, half of which were badly damaged by bombing, 5 beyond repair. By the late 1960s after restoration and rebuilding there were 39 Anglican churches in good condition. Some are now redundant or used for other purposes. There is only one Catholic church in the square mile, and our pilgrimage started there. 


We were welcomed by Fr Chris Vipers, Parish Priest & Director of the Agency for Evangelisation, Archdiocese of Westminster who described the history of the church and parish. We listened to St Luke’s account of the Walk to Emmaus, and Cath McCarthy, my wife and a spiritual director, led us in prayer. Fr Chris blessed us, and we set off. During our 1.2 mile walk we passed the churches of St Botolph, St Ethelburga the Virgin with its Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, St Helen, Bishopsgate, St Mary Axe, St Andrew Undershaft, St Peter-upon-Cornhill, St Michael, Cornhill (built on the remains of the Roman Basilica), St Edmund, King & Martyr, St Clement (of ‘oranges and lemons’ fame), and the site of the former Church of St Laurence and Corpus Christi College. Finally we arrived at 1 Angel Lane, the office of CCLA, who generously provided the conference venue. 



We were welcomed by Willie Hartley Russell, Client Investments Director, CCLA. CCLA (Churches, Charities and Local Authorities) Investment Management is the UK’s largest charity fund manager with £13 billion in assets. It is well known for managing investments for charities, religious organisations and the public sector. Uniquely, CCLA is owned by its investors. It is a pioneer of ethical and responsible investment and launched a Catholic Investment Fund in 2021, designed to reflect the teachings and mission of the Church. I am grateful for their generous hosting of the conference. 


The conference started with an explanation from me of why we should walk as ‘pilgrims of hope’ in the Jubilee and what we know of the practical implications of the Papal Bull of Indiction for the Jubilee and the document on indulgences.  


Next was an inspirational online presentation by Juliana Kazemi on ‘Walking pilgrimage as personal transformation and formation in faith’ based on her experiences as an American pilgrim on the Cornish Celtic Catholic Way. She described what inspired her and her family to walk as pilgrims in the UK during 2023, and then to plan to return in 2024. She explained what the pilgrimage means to her and shared her ideas about how we might inspire more people, especially the young, to walk as pilgrims of hope during the Jubilee. She argues that pilgrimage is an antidote to many of the disillusions of our time through walking, beauty and tradition. Her wonderful presentation can be watched by clicking on the button below.

TALES FROM THE CORNISH CELTIC PILGRIM WAY

After lunch we had two panel discussions with contributions from experts on walking pilgrimage. They were: 


How to plan a pilgrim route to maximise the spiritual, physical and social benefits of the walk, by Andrew Kelly, creator of the Augustine Camino and Shrine Director


How to risk assess a route for health & safety and how to brief walkers about the risks, by Rowan Morton-Gledhill, Director of Communications for the Diocese of Leeds and coordinator of the St Wilfrid’s Way Camino


How to organise group pilgrimages including group safeguarding and event insurance, by John Chenery, Arundel & Brighton Ecumenical Walking Pilgrimage coordinator and Alison Gelder, Pilgrim Cross representative 


How to organise and undertake a school pilgrimage to ensure a safe and spiritual experience for all involved, by Stuart Keene, Assistant Headteacher & pilgrimage organiser, St Edward’s School, Poole 


How to engage young people in walking pilgrimage, encourage them to join existing pilgrimages and organise their own, by Beth Przybylska, Strategic Project Director of Catholic Youth Ministries Federation (CYMFed)


How to offer pilgrim accommodation as sanctuaries rather than stopovers, by Dawn Champion, Head of Community Operations, British Pilgrimage Trust 


The challenges of building fundraising into a pilgrimage project, by Dom De Boo, Community Fundraising Executive CAFOD 


The day ended with prayer led by Sr Margaret Donovan, Sister of the Holy Cross. The Sisters of the Holy Cross CIC has supported the project with grant funding, and I am very grateful to them. The conference was followed by a convivial dinner.


The day was productive. The learning from the presentations will contribute to the group pilgrimage resources page of the Hearts in Search of God website. Hopefully every diocese and many other Catholic organisations will be inspired and encouraged to undertake walking pilgrimages during the Jubilee, perhaps alongside people of other churches and faiths. 


Phil McCarthy

GROUP PILGRIMAGE RESOURCES
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St Matthew's Way The western Pilgrimage of Hope Way from St David's Cathedral in Cardiff to St Barnabas' Cathedral in Nottingham via St Chad's Cathedral in Birmingham and the Shrine of St Chad in Lichfield. Patron: St Melangell (c 7th or 8th Century) Welsh hermit, consecrated virgin and abbess. According to her hagiography, Melangell was a princess who fled an arranged marriage and became a consecrated virgin in the wilderness of Powys. She saved a hare from a prince's hunting dogs and is associated with protection of wildlife. Her feast is celebrated on 27th May. Overview: The Way starts at St David's Cathedral in Cardiff. The route soon joins the Welsh Coast Path to Newport and then Chepstow. Here the Way turns inland following the Offa's Dyke Path through the Wye Valley to Monmouth. The route follows the Wye Valley Walk to Ross-on-Wye where the Way joins the Herefordshire Trail to Ledbury. The Geopark Way and the Three Choirs Way (3CW) are followed over the Malvern Hills. After Malvern the Way continues on the 3CW until the River Severn is crossed and followed to Worcester. The Monarch's Way is followed to Droitwich Spa and then the John Corbett Way to Bromsgrove. Here the Monarch's Way is regained until just before Illey the Way diverts into central Birmingham along the Illey Way. From the Cathedral of St Chad in Birmingham the Way follows the St Chad's Way , at first along canal towpaths. The Way passes through Sutton Coldfield before joining the Heart of England Way to Lichfield. The route joins the Trent & Mersey Canal towpath to Burton upon Trent and then on to Sawley. Here the Way diverts to Long Eaton and then follows the Way of Blessed Cyprian Tansi along the Broxtowe Country Trail and finally the Beeston Canal towpath to central Nottingham and the Cathedral of St Barnabas. Essential facts: Route length: 215.6 miles Ascent: 11,178 ft Peak elevation: 1,378 ft Average walk day length: 14.5 miles Average walk day duration: 6 hours First walking day: Thursday 28th August 2025 Number of walking days: 14.5 Number of rest days: 1.5 End date: Saturday 13th September 2025 at St Barnabas' Cathedral, Nottingham Pilgrims are invited to join the Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at 11.15 on Sunday 14th September at St Barnabas' Cathedral. Details of the day pilgrimage stages will be available when day pilgrimage booking opens in April 2025. See the route below.
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St Mark's Way The northern Pilgrimage of Hope Way from the Cathedral Church of St Anne in Leeds to St Barnabas' Cathedral in Nottingham via the St Marie's Cathedral in Sheffield and the Chapel of the Padley Martyrs. Patron: St Hilda of Whitby (c. 614 – 680) abbess and key figure in the Anglo-Saxon Church. Hilda founded and was the first abbess of the monastery at Whitby which was the venue for the Synod of Whitby in 664. She was widely recognised for her wisdom and learning and trained five bishops. Her feast is celebrated on 17th November. Overview: The Way starts at Leeds Cathedral and follows the Transpennine Trail (TPT) SE beside the Aire & Calder Navigation to Mickletown. Here the path veers SW to continue on the TPT along a disused railway line and then the River Calder to Wakefield. The Way follows the TPT again beside the former Barnsley Canal and then along a disused railway to Wombwell. The route turns SW along the Barnsley Boundary Walk to Elscar, and then across farmland to briefly join the Old Salt Rd, beside the A629. The Way soon joins the Sheffield Country Walk and follows this beside the Sheffield Canal to reach St Marie's Cathedral in central Sheffield. From here the Way joins the Padley Martyrs Way , leaving the city through Endcliffe Park and then climbing Houndkirk Moor to arrive at the Chapel of the Padley Martyrs. The path then follows the River Derwent to Matlock. The Way leaves the Derwent at Ambergate and turns E, through Ripley and then along the former Cromford Canal to Eastwood. Here the route joins the Robin Hood Way to Strelley where the Way veers E to Kingsbury and finally reaches St Barnabas' Cathedral, central Nottingham. Essential facts: Route length: 107.6 miles Ascent 3,615 ft: The route is mostly flat with the only significant climb on Day 4 over Houndkirk Moor Peak elevation: 1,388 ft Average walk day length: 13.5 miles Average walk duration: 5-6 hours First walking day Sat 6 September 2025 Number of walking days: 8 Number of rest days: 0 Last walking day: Saturday 13 September: arrival at St Barnabas' Cathedral Nottingham for evening prayer and social celebration Sunday 14 September, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: pilgrims are invited to join the 11.15 Solemn Mass at St Barnabas' Cathedral Details of the day pilgrimage stages will be available when day pilgrimage booking opens in April 2025. For a detailed map of the route click the button below.
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St Luke's Way The eastern Pilgrimage of Hope Way from the Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist in Norwich to the Cathedral Church of St Barnabas in Nottingham via the National Shrine of Our Lady at Houghton St Giles and the Pontifical Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham at King's Lynn. Patron : Julian of Norwich (c. 1343 – after 1416) English anchoress, mystic and theologian. Julian's writings, now known as Revelations of Divine Love, are the earliest surviving English-language works attributed to a woman. They are also the only surviving works by an anchoress in English. Her feast is celebrated on 13 th May. Overview The Way starts at the Cathedral and leaves the city along a disused railway line. The route follows the Walsingham Way along lanes to Great Ryborough. The path then follows the Way of the Annunciation to Fakenham and onto the National Shrine to Our Lady at Houghton St Giles and then Walsingham. The Way follows lanes to Dersingham and soon joins the Norfolk Coast Path to King's Lynn. The Way continues to Wisbech, Spalding, Bourne and then crosses farmland to join the Danelaw Way. The route continues along paths and tracks to Grantham. From there the route crosses farmland to Bingham and soon after joins the Trent Valley Way to central Nottingham and finally St Barnabas' Cathedral. Essential facts: Route length: 158.7 miles Ascent: 1,886 ft Peak elevation: 443 ft (the route is generally flat) Average walk day length: 15.8 miles Average walk day duration: 6 hours First walking day: Tuesday 2 September 2025 Number of walking days: 10 Number of rest days: 1 End date: Saturday 13th September 2025 at St Barnabas' Cathedral, Nottingham Pilgrims are invited to join the Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at 11.15 on Sunday 14th September at St Barnabas' Cathedral. Details of the day pilgrimage stages will be available when day pilgrimage booking opens in April 2025. For a detailed map of the route click the button below.
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St John's Way The southern Pilgrimage of Hope Way from Southwark and Westminster Cathedrals in London to St Barnabas' Cathedral in Nottingham via the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate & St Thomas of Canterbury in Northampton. Patron : St Anne Line (c. 1563 – 1601): English married lay woman, convert and martyr. After the death of her husband, who had been banished for attending Mass, Anne was active in sheltering clandestine Catholic priests. Finally arrested, she was condemned to death and executed at Tyburn. She was canonised in 1970. Her feasts are: 27th February (individual), 25th October (with the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales), 30th August (with SS Margaret Ward and Margaret Clitherow). Overview The Way starts at the Cathedral of St George in Southwark and crosses the River Thames to reach Westminster Cathedral. It then passes through Royal parks to the Shrine of the Tyburn Martyrs. At Paddington the Grand Union Canal is reached. Apart from optional diversions to churches the Canal arm is followed to Northolt where the Way joins the Dog Rose Ramble and then the Hillingdon Trail. At Bayhurst Woods the Way diverts W to Harefield and soon rejoins the Grand Union Canal. Apart from diversions to Rickmansworth, Abbots Langley (birthplace of Adrian IV, the only English pope), and Leighton Buzzard the Canal is followed to Newport Pagnall. After the town the route follows the Three Shires Way, then the Midshires Way, the Northamptonshire Round and finally the Nene Way to Northampton Cathedral. The path leaves the city and rejoins the Midshires Way to Arthingworth and soon after follows the Brampton Valley Way to Market Harborough. The Way continues N on the Rutland Way and then the Leicestershire Round. Where this bends W the path follows the Jubilee Way to Melton Mowbray. The Way crosses farmland to reach Willoughby-in-the-Wolds where it breifly re-joins the Midshires Way before diverting to Keyworth. The Way heads towards Nottingham, briefly following a disused railway line, to finally reach Nottingham Cathedral. Essential facts: Route length: 173.3 miles Ascent: 4,931 ft - the route is mostly very flat Peak elevation: 656 ft Average walk day length: 14.9 miles Average walk day duration: 6 hours Number of walking days: 11.5 Number of rest days: 1.5 Start date: Monday 1st September at St George's Cathedral, Southwark, London End date: Saturday 13th September 2025 at St Barnabas' Cathedral, Nottingham Pilgrims are invited to join the Solemn Mass for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at 11.15 on Sunday 14th September at St Barnabas' Cathedral. Details of the day pilgrimage stages will be available when day pilgrimage booking opens in April 2025. For a detailed map of the route click the button below.
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