Well, the pilgrimage has finally begun and what a difference from twelve months ago. Instead of the grey skies, umbrellas and rain capes of last year the sun definitely has his hat on today as you can see from the photographs. After a solemn but joyful procession in the bright, warm sunshine we were able to celebrate our opening liturgy in the beautiful Rosary Basilica.
Archbishop Vincent was the main celebrant and he also gave the homily. He picked up on the theme from the first reading (from Isaiah: 'oh come to the water, all you who are thirsty. . .') and said that everyone who comes on pilgrimage, comes, in a sense, thirsty. That is, we are thirsting for something, we have a need of some kind. Many people are thirsting for peace between people, either people they know or in the larger sense of peace in the world. But we come on pilgrimage with all sorts of 'thirst.' And he reminded us that the Blessed Virgin Mary always brings us to her Son.
We had a lovely presentation of the Rosary in the underground (Pius X) Basilica tonight. Some of the pupils from St Dominic's school and the seminarians led us through five decades from the four differents sets of mysteries. They introduced each one with the appropriate Gospel verse and illustrated it with a series of stories from different people of all ages who've found themselves helped at, and through, difficult times in their lives by praying this beautiful prayer. It was very well done.
People are beginning to relax after the strains and stresses (for some more than others) of the journey here. I reckon we're all in the pilgrimage 'zone' now.
