Bishop Alan is inviting the people of the diocese to come to the Cathedral on a day of pilgrimage in September. He says: “At 3pm on Saturday 10th September I will celebrate Mass in the Cathedral together with Dean Fr Martin Boland. The Mass will be the culmination of a day of pilgrimage for the people of our diocese and everyone is invited to enter through our Door of Mercy in this Year of Mercy. The theme of the pilgrimage is the suffering of children in our midst.”
As President of Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society, he says, he would like “to make this a very special day of prayer for all our children. More and more we see children suffering and our day of pilgrimage will be a show of solidarity with them and a raising of consciousness about their plight.”
Steven Webb, director of bccs, and his team are to co-ordinate the day and deal with any enquiries. He says: “We recognise that not everyone can manage to make a pilgrimage to somewhere far off but we hope that people all around the diocese will be able and will want to make a short pilgrimage to the Cathedral through the Door of Mercy and to celebrate Mass with their Bishop and Cathedral Dean.
“Throughout the Year of Mercy services have been held at the Cathedral for various groups of people who, like all of us, are in need of God’s Mercy. As Diocesan Bishop and President of Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society, Bishop Alan is inviting representatives from each parish across Essex and East London to come together in pilgrimage holding all those children who are suffering in our diocese in their prayers as they travel to and through the Door of Mercy.”
Bishop Alan has sent a prayer to all parishes to be used in aid of those children who are in need in our community. He says: “Parishioners are invited to travel in prayer to Brentwood and to bring individual private petitions to the Cathedral though the Door of Mercy. Some will want to walk and that is great but others will not be able to do so. Everyone is invited to travel as they can and want to, but to do so in prayer and in solidarity with children in need across Essex and East London.
“It would be a very special day if we can get representatives of every parish from every corner of our diocese coming together in pilgrimage. Together we can recognise the suffering of so many children in our midst and pray, not only for their aid but also for a greater recognition and understanding of the needs of the younger generation.”
For further information please contact bccs : 01268 784544 / [email protected]. Download a poster here: Pilgrimage Poster
Pilgrimage prayer
Father in Heaven,
We thank you for the work and witness of the Brentwood Catholic Children’s Society.
In this year of Mercy we ask you for your continued guidance in all that we do and all that we are.
As we walk in pilgrimage in support of the Society help us to become more and more aware of our need to be Christ for others in our service, in our example and in our generosity.
We make this prayer through Christ Our Lord.
Amen