Last Monday the 3rd of September at an early hour, 30 pilgrims boarded the coach to Stansted Airport. Our parish pilgrimage had begun!

Our flight to Lourdes was uneventful and after registration at the refurbished Astoria Hotel we had our first visit to the Domain and Mass at the Chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows. The pilgrimage began in earnest on Tuesday with morning Mass at the Poor Clare Convent conveniently opposite the hotel. It is always a pleasure and a privilege to celebrate Mass at the convent. After that we had a walking tour of Lourdes and some of us had a first experience of the Baths. Later in the afternoon we participated in the Eucharistic Procession.

On Wednesday a number of us went to Gavernie with Mass at the old abbey church of St Savin, a beautiful former Benedictine abbey.

Today is the Feast of the Assumption - a Holy Day of Obligation. Masses are at 8am, 10am and 7.30pm.

Spirit in the City is a celebration of Christian faith in the heart of London, hosted by the Catholic churches in the West End.  The annual festival aims to share the Good news of Christianity, and welcomes people of all faiths, ages and walks of life in the middle of the entertainment district. It gives an opportunity to raise deeper questions about life. We are all searching for new ways to connect with God and others around us.  The events feature live music, workshops, talks, opportunities for prayer, reflection and reconciliation.

Spirit in the City was born as an initiative of the local churches in 2006, as response to the desire to share something of the Catholic faith with visitors and the West End community.

The festival is on now - Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 7-9 June
. It includes different types of prayer, talks about faith and outreach in the programme.

People are searching for something more significant in their lives with meaning and purpose. We all deserve a response to these deep desires and Spirit in the City aims to be one!

Arandora Star Memorial

The inauguration of a new memorial to the London Italian Victims who died on The Arandora Star on 2 July 1940 will be held on 2 July 2012. Mass will be celebrated at 6.45pm at St Peter’s Italian Church, Clerkenwell, followed by the unveiling by The Ambassador of Italy.

The weather held and it proved a wonderful day for our parish's first communicants.

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