Fr Raniero Cantalamessa OFM.Cap, Preacher to the Papal Household, will be the guest preacher at the 2017 National Pilgrimage on Monday, 29th May. The National weekend will feature 40 hours of prayer (starting on Saturday, 27th) including an ecumenical vigil in S. Mary's Parish Church, Little Walsingham on the Sunday evening.
The event is the Shrine's response to Thy Kingdom Come, a global prayer movement which the Archbishop of Canterbury is inviting people around the world to join. The wave of prayer will start in May and run for 10 days between Ascension and Pentecost.
The Anglican Bishop of Norwich (The Rt Revd Graham James) and the Roman Catholic Bishop of East Anglia (The Rt Revd Alan Hopes) will join prayers for the unity of the Church. The celebrant at the National Pilgrimage will be The Bishop of Chichester (The Rt Revd Martin Warner).
The Shrine's Priest Administrator, Fr Kevin Smith, is looking forward to welcome Fr Cantalamessa on his first visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham and hopes that pilgrims from all over the country will be present on this significant day in the life of the Shrine as part of its witness to the nation.
The Bishop of Burnley (The Rt Revd Philip North), Master of the Guardians commented - "Each day at Walsingham we ask Mary's prayers for 'the conversion of England'. This year, we will be more aware than ever of making that prayer in thecompany of the whole church. It is really exciting that the National Pilgrimage will be a Beacon event in Thy Kingdom Come, a massive and international wave of prayer for the evangelisation of our land. It will be an amazing privilege to welcome Fr Cantalamessa as a guest of the Anglican Shrine. I hope that all who love Walsingham will want to make the pilgrimage that day - and that those unable to be there will join us in prayer."
For full details of the National Pilgrimage Weekend click here.
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