Monday, May 18, 2009

The Season of Pilgrimages and Retreats [UPDATED]

May and September seem to be the months for pilgrimages and events surrounding Catholic young adults.

The famed Chartres pilgrimage organized by Notre Dame de Chretiente, and which has a particularly international flavour, occurs at the end of May surrounding the Feast of Pentecost -- in just a short while in point of fact, from May 30th to June 1st.



The Americans do something similar, inspired by Chartres, in later September (Sept. 23-26th this year), the "Pilgrimage of Restoration" to the Shrine of Our Lady of the North American Martyrs in Auriesville, New York.



In Canada, the annual Marie Reine du Canada pilgrimage to Notre Dame du Cap (Our Lady of the Cape) coordinated with the FSSP in that region also occurs in September (Sept. 5-7th this year).



While not a pilgrimage per se, but yet in a similar spirit, in Britain Young Catholic Adults -- which is affiliated with the International Juventutem Federation -- sent in news of a three day retreat to Douai Abbey which they hold, also in September:
Some Good News! Young Catholic Adults Douai Abbey Retreat Gets Bigger and Better

During the weekend of the 18-20 September 2009. Young Catholic Adults (YCA are part of the international Juventutem Federation) will be running a Traditional Retreat at Douai Abbey in the south of England, the weekend will be led by Juventutem Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr de Malleray. Summorum Pontificum must be working - at least in a "brick by brick" fashion, just look at the following:-

-For the first time Young Catholic Adults will be using the main Abbey Church for Mass

-For the first time YCA will be organising a Missa Cantata, sung by the Douai Singers; this will be followed by a Marian Procession

- YCA has booked out the whole of the retreat complex this year, on the advice of Douai Abbey itself, as the monks were so pleased with the YCA retreat last year

Places are limited so please book early

-YCA will have the retreat centre to itself

-There will be a social in the evening

- Fr. de Malleray FSSP head of Juventutem will preach the retreat, all Masses will be in the Extraordinary form

- There will be a Sung Mass (Missa Canta) on Saturday 19th September 09’ at 10am. The choir will be the Douai Singers, in the main Abbey Church, followed by a Marian Procession at 11am (starting from the main Abbey Church) around the extensive grounds of the Abbey (weather permitting, if the weather is poor there will be Marian devotions in the main Abbey Church )

More information on this, including costs, how to book, and events open to the public can be found on their website. (Please also view the other websites above if you think you might be interested in attending one of those pilgrimages.)

A few photos from their 2008 retreat will give a sense of the Douai event:









For those of you who are going to these events, or other similar pilgrimages, do remember to keep the NLM in mind by sending us your news of these events, and in particular, your photographs and video.

May I also take this opportunity to again encourage our priests, religious and laymen and women to also consider coordinating and beginning your own equivalent types of pilgrimages and retreats in your own regions. Specifically, pilgrimages and retreats centered around the public celebration of the Mass and the Divine Office.

Similarly, this would also be a good opportunity to encourage again the establishment of young adult groups -- such as Juventutem -- for our Catholic young adults, similarly focused, providing an outlet for the study of the Faith, encouraging a solid foundation in living the liturgical life, for apostolic work, and to give social times for Catholic fraternity and fellowship.

Needless to say, this can occur in the context of both the reform of the reform and the usus antiquior.

UPDATE


Following upon this post, the following was reported to the NLM:
Sat, June 6th - Pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC

Priests and seminarians of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter will be performing the 14th annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC this Saturday, June 6th. This pilgrimage is to make reparation for the sins of our nation. Those who would like to accompany the Fraternity for the last day of the walk can meet them as they reach the cathedral of St. Matthew around 1 pm. The pilgrimage will end with a Solemn High Mass at 6 pm in the traditional Roman rite in the crypt chapel of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

For further details, please contact Mr. Gregory Bartholomew, FSSP, at: gbartholomew@olgseminary.org


(From the 2008 Mass offered at the Shrine by Fr. Jonathan Romanoski, FSSP)

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