You miss out on the unmatched awe when you are not a pilgrim. I joined a pilgrimage to the Queen of Holy Rosary at Aylesford, Kent, in East London. Goan Association (UK) organised their annual pilgrimage for people in the London area on the last Sunday of September 2022.
Indeed, the first word that comes is WOW! The Friars is a tranquil, relaxing and peaceful place with historical buildings dating from the middle ages. The monastery has navigated through challenging times like the Reformation and the World Wars before returning to the original owners – the Carmelite Religious Order. The 750 years of faith history is a sandwich for a pilgrim choosing to walk in the Peace Garden, the Rosary Walk or sit in the Church sanctuary or outdoors in prayerful silence.
Are you a Pilgrim? Why Not?
People with good intentions identify themselves as pilgrims. Once on a pilgrimage site, even I get tempted to be carried away by attractions and activities. I fail to attend the quintessential part of the pilgrimage.
I have an odd definition of a pilgrim. I consider that there are three types of people: tourist, traveller and pilgrim. Each behaves accordingly on a pilgrimage site.
The definition, please! A tourist wants others to make things interesting for them. In contrast, a traveller is someone who searches for interesting things and later will show a tourist or leave marks for a tourist to visit. But a pilgrim is a person who is searching for God and God makes all things intriguing and beautiful. It may take a while, but once you experience it, there is no going back from being a pilgrim.
Finding God is the goal of a pilgrimage.
Pilgrims spend more time discovering God than searching for interesting things about a place or visiting tourist spots on the to-do list. Finding God is the goal of a pilgrimage.
Just a quick test, are you are pilgrim? Do you spend less time at sale stalls buying religious items? Do you have a to-do list to visit the exciting places in the area?
What should I do to become a pilgrim?
“Father, on a pilgrimage, we do three things,” a senior lady told me a month ago. “We have confessions, Mass and rosary.” It is a simple idea – easy to remember and do it.
In addition, the Aylesford pilgrimage had a reflection talk, benediction and lovely church music, apart from the social activities before heading home.
Pilgrims do small acts of devotion. At Aylesford, Pilgrims visited the church sanctuary, prayed before the relic of Padre Pio and lit votive candles near a statue of the Virgin Mary – some even clicked pictures near the procession statue of Mount Carmel.
Pilgrims do small acts of devotion.
Pilgrims share a testimony of faith with their friends or newcomers/visitors. They don’t shy away from inviting others to pray or do a novena. Pilgrims listen to the faith stories of fellow pilgrims.
Pilgrims place their deepest concerns, health issues and intention before a saint or God. Pilgrims open their hearts to God, often with tears running down their eyes. For a pilgrim, God is the ultimate remedy for the maladies in life.
What do pilgrims often fail to do?
On a pilgrimage, time is paramount. Before the group’s spiritual activities and food breaks, you must do several things. You don’t want to go home feeling guilty – Oh, I have missed that or blaming others – you should have told me about it earlier. Such behaviours will only rob the joy of a pilgrim.
Pilgrims pray a special prayer while at the holy site. Some are even aware of the plenary indulgence of visiting the place or an altar. It is one prayer you often lift to God about yourself, your family or the people around you.
Pilgrims bring prayers of other people to God. Pilgrims pray for other pilgrims. I usually pray to God (or to the saint) to listen to the prayers of people who come to pray at the sacred site. Pilgrims don’t forget that other people carry heavier burdens than themselves. They offer prayers to lighten the burdens of others.
Pilgrims spend time listening to God. Pilgrims often shut their senses to be in the presence of God. They avoid audio-visual or sensory distractions to soak in the sacred ambience. Yes, pilgrims do feel the unique spark of the Divine. It may be a moment, but it feels like an eternity. And they know it is done – it is time to move ahead with joy like never before and return to their daily routine. I am sure you have had such experiences. Do feel free to share in the comments section below. It does help other pilgrims.
Pilgrim offers no excuses. They have enough time to do the things that matter. Pilgrims are content, no matter what happens. They are grateful for experiencing a blessing. When you meet one such pilgrim, you begin to wonder, why do I complain so much? Pilgrims make others see life as beautiful – always.
Pilgrim is as personal as it gets
When people do ask me how I am? I often respond with a monosyllable: great! And then comes the other half like a full punch line, “If I am not, I make sure I am great again.”
As a priest on pilgrimage sites, you are the most sort after person often to bless the symbols of faith items freshly purchased from the religious store. Yes, for confession when needed or to talk for a brief moment.
Along with other priests, I sat for confession. Yes, the sacrament of reconciliation on the open lawn area across the pond. People soon queued up for outdoor confession with a pleasant cold breeze and the warm morning sun at Aylesford.
I walked from confessions to celebrate Mass for the pilgrims. In the sacristy, I met Fr Patrick D’Souza, the Goan Chaplain, and the other friars helping us to set things up. I delivered an eight-minute homily with pilgrims eager to listen more, or I assume it to be true.
Post lunch break was the reflection talk followed by Benediction. I had not spoken for over 15 minutes for a while. I decline engagements for long speeches nowadays. But Fr Patrick suggested taking this up. I started saying, “I’ll see if I can do it – speak for more than fifteen minutes. I was glad someone kept the count – It was for almost 28 minutes. And the pilgrims were still with me, listening to scripture exegesis and personal testimonies and connecting the dots in their spiritual life. If you are among those who heard me that day, please share your thoughts in the comments – constructive criticism – even if you have incongruous suggestions.
After the benediction, we returned to the sacristy to get our things and head home. I spoke to the assisting friar (a monk-priest with a brown robe fastened with a white cord around the waist), expressing my wish to return to spend some quiet time in prayer and wander aimlessly on the 40 acres site.
Thanks to Ravi Vaz, the president of the Goan Association UK, and volunteers for offering Goan pilgrims an opportunity to meet and celebrate faith and have fun, and food amid the frolic.
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About the Author
Feroz Fernandes, a Catholic Missionary, identifies himself as an Uncommon Priest. Father Feroz loves adventure in the apostolate. Check out his debut book The Uncommon Priest: Incredible Stories You Never Read on amazon. And also, the YouTube Channel: Feroz Fernandes promotes a better understanding of scripture.
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