By DEACON BARRY MELLISH
I am writing this on the 26 June, a couple of weeks or so after the Pilgrimage to Aylesford and have had time to digest and reflect on the experience. My first thoughts are that we were blessed with the weather. We have just had a heatwave and to be walking in 30-degree temperatures would not have been fun. We never had really heavy rain and, when it did really pour, we were either in church or the final Mass had finished, so thank you, God.
I think my lasting feeling is one of great gratitude; gratitude to those who organised the walk, gratitude to those who offered hospitality along the way, gratitude to the strangers that we met along the way and shared stories with us and, most of all, gratitude to my six companions who, with me, made up “The Magnificent Seven”.
The pilgrimage reaffirmed that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
We all brought something different to the walk, we shared our stories and we shared our faith and helped each other along the way.
Most of all, it is a feeling of gratitude to our Lord who was there with us every step of the way. No matter how heavy my burden was – and sometimes my daysack seemed to weigh a ton – it was nothing compared to the weight of the Cross that he carried for me.
He gave his life for me, the least I can do is try to help others carry their cross.