STAR GAZERS   The Walsingham Children’s Pilgrimage 19th - 21st March 2010 for children aged 7-11   Please telephone the Hospitality Dept (accom@olw-shrine.org.uk)  to enquire about availability - you will then be sent a booking form. For details about the programme for the weekend contact the Education Department (ed@olw-shrine.org.uk).   Read on for a report on the 2009 Children's Pilgrimage

AN AMAZING WEEKEND!

Janet Marshall - our Education Officer - writes about the 2009 Children's Pilgrimage

Yet again with Spring sprung upon us we welcomed just under 200 7-11 year olds and their leaders to Walsingham for the annual children’s pilgrimage weekend at the end of March 2009.

‘Amaze’ was the title and amazed we were as usual by the enthusiasm, spiritual awareness and commitment of these young pilgrims. Throughout the weekend we explored different aspects of this theme …God’s AMAZING love for us shown by the cross, The AMAZING news received and accepted by Mary at the Annunciation, and AMAZING power given to us through the gift of the Holy Spirit available to each one of us as we continue our every day journey.

As usual it was non stop fun and action starting with some amazing action singing in our First Visit led by ‘Ish’ of Ishmael fame. Ish had us all dancing in the aisles with his own dynamic children’s worship songs. Again he led us off on our Holy Mile walk on Saturday morning from the Slipper Chapel with gusto.

This was Bishop Lindsay Urwin’s first Children’s Pilgrimage here and he vibrantly led the teaching ministry throughout and even took to the floor for the Saturday night Disco! Other highlights of the weekend were our fabulous worship band led by Deacon Rachel Gouldthorpe, not forgetting our very own teen star on the drums, Greg Gallagher, and some stunning I.T. and animation on screen produced by Fr Simon Rundell and his daughter Emma.

There’s too much to mention really from snakes and giant creepy crawlies brought by ‘Kate’s Mini Monsters’, the inspiring ‘Costa’s Fire’ theatre presentation in the shrine, awesome silence, praise and prayer as the children gathered for Benediction after being soaked on their mile walk! Lots of art and craft workshops and a giant assault course in the shrine grounds and finally truly amazing Mass on Sunday when we ‘lifted high the cross’  as the church was decked overhead from pillar to pillar by over 200 brightly coloured crosses from around the world bearing all our names and our written prayers for the world.

Their verdict…..’ It rocked. What date is it next year?’

Ours ‘Let’s get over this one first!’

But huge Thanks to all our volunteer team who helped us stage it, all shrine staff and to the leaders who brought these children. You were AMAZING!

	Visit the Shrine Photo Gallery for more photographs

For further information on any of the special events please contact us or use the request form.