Year 10/11 GCSE Christianity « Ship of Theseus

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To Walsingham for coursework

June 7, 2009 at 10:19 pm · Filed under Recent Posts, Year 10/11 GCSE Christianity

Hi Sir (here it comes)

“Any chance of you going over to watch the National Pilgrimage to Walsingham on Bank Holiday Monday and maybe take a few photographs for our coursework?”
“You don’t get marks for photographs in coursework” I respond.
“Maybe not sir, but it’s a lot easier to understand if there are picture and anyway you live really near Walsingham.”

Really near is about 15 miles away, which is a long way on a bicycle.

The gathering

So Whit Monday bright and early I arrive in the small North Norfolk village of Walsingham along with hundreds of other people who come to watch/take part in the spectacle.

There were buses from Sunderland, Preston and Wakefield, minibuses from Maidstone, holy ladies from Harwich and the inevitable Marian protesters who set up their stall in the village square, inappropriately named Friday market. It was a jolly affair – a sort of Boy Scout Jamboree only played with clergymen. Hereinafter referred to as “Father” .. all of them.

Shortly after 10.30am a platoon of sea scouts formed up outside the front door of the Anglican shrine and moments later the first of two statues of Our Lady emerged, closely followed by the watchful guardians of the shrine. Behind them came a procession of Bishops and clergy.

Loudspeakers crackled into life and the long procession singing a mixture of Marian hymns and old stock ancient and modern snaked its way up to the Friday Market, past the protesters and their Police bouncers and in to the Abbey grounds, where the Mass was celebrated at midday.

The procession

Mass in the Priory Grounds

Once the Mass was over the congregation formed themselves into small family or parish groups and food emerged from hidden hampers. The whole scene resembled what one might have expected during the feeding of the 5000, but with slightly fewer numbers.

Lunch

Lunch in style

Meanwhile the dignitaries scurried away for their VIP lunch and the hooligan element of the anglo catholic wing of the church squeezed themselves into the village boozer opposite the protester’s pitch.

Shortly before 2.0pm the congregation reassembled in the Priory grounds to hear the Administrator of the Shrine, the Rt Rev’d Lindsay Urwin preached the sermon.

The sermon

Once that was over it was time for the two statues to be hoisted back on to the shoulders of the bearers for the return journey to the Holy House at the Anglican shrine. This time they went the pretty way. Statues, Bishops, clergy, scouts and congregation followed a circuitous route round the village, down the main street, past the, by now nearly voiceless protesters back to the Anglican shrine.

Back home the pretty way

Protesters

Protesting

Home in time for Benediction

“Did you have a good time Sir?”

“Good?” An interesting word… I took a lot of pictures, enjoyed the colour and the pageantry, met a few old friends. Spiritually uplifting? Not really, but perhaps that is not what the National Pilgrimage is all about. It seemed to be about people making statements. In some cases, I suppose, a statement of faith, or registering a protest or even a statement about maintaining law and order from an unyielding policeman. A spectacle? Yes undoubtedly a spectacle and one not to be missed – on a fine day.

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Memories of Walsingham

May 4, 2009 at 10:47 pm · Filed under Year 10/11 GCSE Christianity

This page is intended to help with coursework. But it needs your memories and ideas as well

First of all we went to the Roman Catholic Shrine

Slipper Chapel

You couldn’t have been cold at this stage the sun was still shining.

The interior of this chapel was very silent – a place of prayer.

Inside the Slipper Chapel

Statue of Mary

There was a good deal of symbolism associated with this statue. It is a copy of the staue that was thought to be at the Walsingham Priory until that building was destroyed during the Reformation.

Pilgrims traditionally left their shoes at this wayside shrine and walked the last mile to Walsingham barefoot. Even those with holy painted toenails.

Feet - used for walking!

Memories of the Holy Mile?

Today most modern pilgrims who walk the holy mile from the Roman Catholic shrine wind up at the Anglican shrine, but on high days and very holy days pilgrims crush into the tiny town and once again gather inside the ruins of the Priory Church.

The National Pilgrimage

Pilgrims in the Priory grounds attending Mass at the National Pilgrimage.

This is always quite a jolly affair and the high church element is always contested by the group of protesters who also turn out – but not in force.

We made our way to the Anglican shrine for lunch and a wander round the grounds

Inside can be quite gloomy and dark, but when the candles are lit the holy house is quite awe inspiring. At least I think so.

The main altar at the Anglican

Sprinkling service

Outside there is tranquility, rain and the stations of the cross.

Stations of the cross

Tomb of Jesus

Now its your turn!

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Easter Saturday – did it rain where you were?

April 29, 2009 at 9:18 pm · Filed under Year 10/11 GCSE Christianity

Not really – the weather was overcast but there was plenty of getting wet near York Minster where the Archbishop of York, Dr Sentamu conducted outdoor total immersion baptism on twelve candidates.

This annual event draws a large crowd. Not only are there friends and families of the catechumens, but also pilgrims, sightseers, the curious and inevitably the press.

Not all of those who presented themselves were being baptised in to the Church of England, ministers and pastors of other denominations brought along their candidates and they too duly hopped into the pool alongside Dr Sentamu for this shared experience.

This of course was the Church of England so there had to be a sermon. It was direct, well pitched and let’s face it if you drag along someone like Dr Sentamu from in front of his telly when the football is on, then he’s got to be allowed to say something. For me, he scored more points in that sermon than most football teams manage in one afternoon.

Then came the immersing moment when one by one the intrepid baptismal candidates were plunged into the waters of baptism three times.

Their ordeal was followed by prayer – personal and caring.

“Does anyone else want to be baptised?” asked the Archbishop. Well he was in the water and there seemed to be no point in wasting an opportunity. What was impressive was that he was not prepared simply to “do” the two who came forward. He sought reassurance from the individual and representatives in the crowd, that they would be supported and cared for by their families and local churches.

No question of allowing them in the pool, “You’re not dressed for it!” commanded Dr Sentamu. So it was head over the side just like any other hair washing. Splash, splash, splash and “where is the towel?” Christian caring at its best.