From Southend to Aylesford 2016

The 50th Annual Pilgrimage to Aylesford Priory Sunday 12th June 2016

This was the 50th pilgrimage to Aylesford of Province 12 although it is now known as the Southern Provinces pilgrimage and the many coaches and travellers brought with them the rain and overcast conditions but this did not dampen the mood at all.  When our full coach left Southend-on-Sea early that morning, we were basking in glorious morning sunshine but we all knew that the weather would change. There was a time when we used to depart from Southend by boat and meet coaches at the other side of the Estuary but for the time being, we will continue to serve the local parishes by putting on a coach with local pickups for now.

Every Sunday nearest the feast of Saint Columba, the Knights have made Aylesford in Kent its spiritual home.

Umbrellas to the ready

Ever since the Knights helped with the rebuilding of the Priory after World War Two of which many of our deceased members were personally involved with, we have made the pilgrim journey to celebrate Mass, and this year we were honoured to have Reverend Father Innocent Obonyi M.S.P. presiding for us and on this 50th anniversary it was fitting that Father Innocent said Mass for us as the Provincial Chaplain for Southwark Province 12. Assisting with Mass were Reverend Deacons Alan Boxall and John Newman, and with pilgrims crammed into the sides under shelter from the rain, Father Innocent preached his homily about forgiveness in this Year of Mercy. Present were Supreme Knight Brother Charlie McCluskey and Deputy Supreme Knight Brother Bertie Grogan, and Brother Charlie commented after Mass that if we took Father Innocent around the parishes to talk about the Knights then our numbers would swell to twenty thousand.

Reverend Father Innocent Obonyi

Due to the adverse weather, the Full Knighthood degree was transferred from after the homily to immediately after Mass had finished so that it could be carried out in Saint Joseph's chapel where seventy brothers from twenty-four Councils were raised to full Knighthood. We were delighted that four of our members at Southend 192 were part of those raised to full Knighthood and the rain held out for photos afterwards.

Our four from Southend-on-Sea

In the afternoon, we processed en masse through the 'Rosary Way' finishing in the open air church for Benediction, recitation of our Act of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Our Lady and sang the National Anthem in honour of Her Majesty's 90th birthday before all departed our separate ways home with renewed vigour and undampened spirits.

Thank go to Liam and his wife Sandy for their efforts with filling the coach.

Walking the 'Walk'

Walking the 'Walk' for the Brentwood Catholic Children's Society (BCCS)

Group photo at the end of the walk with certificates

On Saturday the 4th June, the Knights ran our annual seafront sponsored walk for the BCCS from Our Lady Help of Christians and Saint Helen in Westcliff-on-Sea to the parish hall of Saint George and the English Martyrs in Shoeburyness. A walk of various guises has taken place each year for must be over twenty years without a nod towards the archives but it must be noted that this would not happen without the support of our parish priest at Saint Helens; Father Joseph who without his support this annual event would stumble. Father Joseph gives us our starting point; a Mass for everyone involved to participate and not just those walking.

We are also thankful to the parish of Saint George who allow us to use the hall for rest and refreshments at the end and we have not always had clear established start and finish points in the past.

Margaret

There are several other key players who also play a major part in the success of our walk - Julie from the BCCS who is ever present in the hall at the finish in her own time to meet and greet the weary travellers and hand out certificates with gratitude. Husband and wife Frank and Val who open and set up the hall and provide hot drinks and a mountain of biscuits for the walkers to enjoy and always with a welcoming smile which really does help. Also thanks must go to Margaret who every year raises extraordinary amounts of funds for the BCCS and without Margaret we really would miss the effort and promotion that she brings.

Frank and Val

So what happened this year? Well, the return of the winter weather we had during the week was pleasantly replaced by the 'right' walking weather when we set off. It wasn't too hot and it wasn't too cold with cloud cover and no wind. A contrast to previous years which have either been blistering hot sunshine or persistent drenching rain. Cars were left in Shoeburyness early in the morning and those from Shoeburyness were collected and taken to Saint Helen's for the start of the 10am Mass.

One of the pier trains in the gloom of the cloud and below the train are the still waters of the Thames Estuary

We had fourteen walkers in total with John and Hilary making the train journey (not the pier train) from Stratford to Westcliff-on-Sea to walk separately to the main group and met us in the hall at Saint George's. We had Brian walking from Saint John Fishers in Prittlewell having locked up that church after morning service and walking the extra journey to meet us on route, and a thank you must go to Faustina who did most of the walk despite not being well and stopped on route to get the bus back home.

As always the seafront walk is never a race and we have a Knight to the front of the column of walkers and one at the rear to keep an eye anyone who may need some assistance and also to stop our chairman from pretending to tie his shoe laces while the others continue and then nipping into The Castle pub for a swift pint before catching a taxi back to the fold before anyone notices. That last sentence may not be true but it is always best to be prepared!

Walking along the seafront in Westcliff-on-Sea with the tide in (to the left of the picture)

It is always fun to find out who was first to reach the hall and then to shock them that as 'winners' they have to do a lap of honour which naturally is the whole walk again. We did the five and a half miles in good time and the walk gives those walking an opportunity to catch up and talk and it is surprising to not realise how quickly the walk can be finished when one walks with others in conversation and taking in the beautiful views along the seafront.

It is early days yet before we find out how much the whole event raised. Exposure and promotion is always good and the funds raised go towards the great work that the BCCS do not just in the Catholic schools around Essex but their demand sees them regularly called to other schools to help young children also and it is an honour for us to be able support them in any way we can.

We hope to be able to continue to run the walk again around May/June 2017 and we always welcome new people taking part as every penny raised regardless of the how much or little or always very much appreciated.

Thank you to all who took part and to all who supported in any way.