This year, in place of the annual Diocese of Westminster pilgrimage to Walsingham, on Saturday 12th September Cardinal Vincent Nichols led a ‘virtual pilgrimage’, by celebrating a Mass in honour of Our Lady of Walsingham at Westminster Cathedral. The pilgrims included both the socially-distanced and mask-wearing congregation in the cathedral, as well as those joining the celebration of Mass from home via a live stream.

The homily for the virtual pilgrimage Mass was delivered by Mgr John Armitage, the outgoing Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham, who recently came to the end of his five-year term in the post. He is succeeded by Mgr Canon Philip Moger, who will take up his new responsibilities and be formally inducted as Rector this month.

In his homily, Mgr John Armitage acknowledged the difficulties Catholics have faced this year, in not being able to attend holy places such as churches or pilgrimage sites:

‘The words of Our Lady invite us to come to Walsingham, for, ‘all who are afraid or in any need will find help in this place.’ (Pynson Ballad.) We can all recognise our fears and our needs, but at this moment in time, it is difficult for us to ‘come to this place’, so we join together, united in prayer in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; because whether we are on pilgrimage or at home, the same thing unites us: the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ.

‘For all the beauty of the Shrine of Walsingham, there is something much greater, for all the beauty of this cathedral, there is something greater, and it is contained in God’s Word.’

In the face of this year’s extraordinary events, Mgr John invites us to follow the example of Mary, to encounter God’s Word, to share in Mary’s joy at the Annunciation, and to say ‘yes’ to God, as Mary said ‘yes’:

‘Mary, as the first disciple, invites us to share in her Joy at the Annunciation, when the ‘Word became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14).

‘This joy, which can only reside in our heart, in not simply an emotion, or strong feeling; it is the knowledge that we are loved, and this knowledge is the greatest antidote to fear and anxiety. We can’t always be happy, but we can always have the strength of joy in our lives.

‘Our world still walks in darkness, for so many of our brothers and sisters have not seen the great light.

‘This light is known only through a human encounter, for the Word became flesh and lived among us. Therefore, the world waits for women and men, who have said ‘yes’ to God in their lives, to be beacons of light to those who live in darkness.

‘Each moment in history demands great sacrifices, acts of love and kindness, acts of graciousness and radical generosity to address the darkness that so besets our world. The challenge of renewal within the Church is not about administration, it is about a renewal of the personal and generous response in the lives of its members to say ‘yes’ as Mary said ‘yes’.’

Read the full text of Mgr John Armitage’s homily below:

When someone once asked a British Prime minister what he was afraid of, he replied, ‘Events, dear, boy events!’ It is fair to say that, in our time, we are in the midst of a whole range of troubling ‘events’, which for so many create fear and anxiety across our world.

The only written record we have of the events of 1061, when Our Lady appeared to the Lady Richeldis in Walsingham, is contained in the Pynson Ballad, published in 1485 and named after Richard Pynson, the printer to King Henry VII. I warmly recommend it to you.

The words of Our Lady invite us to come to Walsingham, for, ‘all who are afraid or in any need will find help in this place.’ Pynson Ballad. We can all recognise our fears and our needs, but at this moment in time, it is difficult for us to ‘come to this place’, so we join together, united in prayer in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass; because whether we are on pilgrimage or at home, the same thing unites us: the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ. For all the beauty of the Shrine of Walsingham, there is something much greater, for all the beauty of this cathedral, there is something greater, and it is contained in God’s Word. Churches and shrines are important, as they are powerful symbols of the message, and we have come to appreciate them all the more when we were unable to attend, for they are signposts, places of proclamation, reminders of the message that gives us life, when we take to heart the message that comes through the life of Jesus Christ, ‘I have come to give you life, life in abundance.’ (John 10:10).

From time to time, the prophets and the saints have reminded us of the transformation of our lives that is possible through the encounter with God’s Word. Mary, as the first disciple, invites us to share in her Joy at the Annunciation, when the ‘Word became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14). This joy, which can only reside in our heart, in not simply an emotion, or strong feeling; it is the knowledge that we are loved, and this knowledge is the greatest antidote to fear and anxiety. We can’t always be happy, but we can always have the strength of joy in our lives. This joy will enter into our life if we abide in God’s love, for, ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.’ (John 15:9-11).

After the Annunciation, our Lady went quickly to visit her Cousin Elizabeth. The words, ‘went quickly’, give us an insight into the heart of Mary. Her elderly cousin was to give birth, but she does not hesitate, she hurries to be with her, journeying across difficult territory, a pregnant Mother, yet she puts Elizabeth and her needs first. When she is with Elizabeth, her great prayer of thanksgiving explains her generosity. ‘My Soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my saviour … for he that is mighty has done great things for me.’ (Luke 1:46-49). She is generous because she recognises that God has been generous to her, and she wishes to share this bounty with others. The first to recognise this blessing in Mary is St John the Baptist who ‘leapt in his mother’s womb’ (Luke 1:41), for he is in the presence of his saviour. This is a transforming message in the life of every woman and man, the realisation that God has done great things for me, and walks with me always, for, ‘You will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you though I seem lost and in the shadow of death, I will not fear, you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.’ (Thomas Merton).

From the moment of her conception, Mary was blessed by God, blessed in order that salvation could come to the ‘people who walked in darkness’ It was through Mary’s ‘yes’, that these ‘people saw a great light’ in her son, Jesus.

Our world still walks in darkness, for so many of our brothers and sisters have not seen the great light. The Nativity of Mary, which we celebrated earlier this week, and the ‘yes’ of Mary, enabled that light to shine upon us. This light is known only through a human encounter, for the Word became flesh and lived among us. Therefore, the world waits for women and men, who have said ‘yes’ to God in their lives, to be beacons of light to those who live in darkness.

Each moment in history demands great sacrifices, acts of love and kindness, acts of graciousness and radical generosity to address the darkness that so besets our world. The challenge of renewal within the Church is not about administration, it is about a renewal of the personal and generous response in the lives of its members to say ‘yes’ as Mary said ‘yes’.

At the Annunciation, the message of the Angel ‘greatly troubled’ Mary, but he said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, for the power of the most high will come upon you.’ (Luke 1:30). Like Mary, we are sometimes afraid, afraid of what is happening in the world, what is happening in our family and country. Like Mary, we may be afraid of what God may be asking of us, to be a ‘light in the darkness’. Yet the Archangel reassures us, as he once reassured Mary, for, ‘Nothing is impossible for God’ and so we join with Mary Our Mother and say, ‘Behold the handmaid, (the servant) of the Lord, let it be done to me according to God’s word.’