Registrations Open!

Our Lady of Chartres

Registrations for this year’s Pilgrimage to Chartres are now open!  The 30^th Chartres Pilgrimage has, as it’s theme, “The Family, Cradle of Christendom.”  We hope you are able to join us for this unforgettable experience in honour of Our Blessed Mother.  

The 19^th British Pilgrimage leaves London on Friday, 25^th May 2012 at 7:30 AM.  (There should be a Mass of Departure in Westminster Cathedral Crypt at 7:00 AM as usual).  The Registration Form should be completed and returned with a deposit of £30 per person by the Feast of the Annunciation (25 March 2012).  We arrive back in London about 8PM on the following Tuesday, 29 May 2012.  The programme is expected to be the same as last year with Mass before departure; Ferry to France; overnight stay Friday at the Hotel ibis, Aulnay sous Bois; 3 days of Pilgrimage; a hot meal and overnight stay at the Chatelet in Chartres; Mass in Chartres Cathedral Crypt; and return via Eurotunnel to London.  We are pleased to be able to maintain the cost at £250.00 (£125.00 for Children). 

We expect to have at least one Juventutem (Youth) chapter and one adult chapter and further chapters will be added as necessary.  We hope to have the usual support from our priests, Frs. Martin Edwards, Gerard Byrne, Alex Redman, Bruno Witchells, Bede Rowe, and Mark Withoos.              

Further information and updates will be posted to our website. Please ask if there is anything which you do not understand (leave a comment or contact us).

Chartres 2012

It's never too early to start thinking of ... Chartres 2012.  Dates for the diary:  25 to 29 May 2012!

How was Your Pilgrimage?

Fr Anthony Mary, Alpine Redemptortist, Papa Stronsay

Fr Martin Edwards, PP St Mary Magdalene, Southwark

Fr Gerard Byrne, PP St. Brendan's, Corby, Northampton  

The British Pilgrims have returned triumphantly from France, good weather resulting in an overwhelming majority of the Pilgrims being able to complete the whole of the gruelling 70 mile walk!  Pontifical Mass in Chartres Cathedral, celebrated by the auxillary Bishop of Nanterre, Mgr Brouwet (in the presence of the bishop of Chartres, Mgr Pansard) was it's usual magnificent self.  The Cathedral was packed and the British Chapters found themselves the first chapters not to get in the Cathedral.  Tantalisingly close!!  However, we had a great view of the large screens at the front of the Cathedral and the processions of banners and clergy.  We were also given the privilege of meeting the Bishop of Chartres (wearing his purple for the first time) who came over to express his opinion that his Cathedral was the most beautiful in the world; a sentiment to which the British Pilgrims heartily agreed!  A refreshing meal in a local restaurant and a good night's rest in a local hotel completed the day for the London bound pilgrims.  The next day, we had 5 Low Masses in the Crypt of Chartres Cathedral, one for each of our 5 priests who were staying overnight.  At the time of our group Mass (9:15 am) it was heartening to witness a further 3 Masses at the same time in adjoining chapels--one for Fr Withoos, chaplain to St Edward's Chapter, one for the Canadian Pilgrims, and one for the Irish Pilgrims.  The Sacristan was kept very busy and did an admirable job.  A relaxing few hours viewing the Cathedral or having a coffee in the square precipitated the relatively unremarkable return to London where goodbyes were said on the Piazza of Westminster Cathedral at about 8 PM.  Photos to follow.

How was your pilgrimage?  Please use the comments box to let us know! Feedback on improvements or things which went particularly well this year are also appreciated.

Last Orders!

We are now making the final arrangements for our Pilgrimage to France.  We have registered, with the French Organisers, Notre Dame de Chretiente, 106 British (and other) Pilgrims which means we will have 3 good sized Chapters, Our Lady of Walsingham, St Alban and St Edward.  At least 6 priests will be joining us:  Frs. Martin Edwards, Gerard Byrne, Mark Withoos, Alex Redman, Bede Rowe and Bruno Witchalls.  Four of these will be joining us on the Coach from London and two will be joining us in France.  We have finalised the Pilgrimage booklets which will shortly be printed.  We are planning a small chant booklet as Joseph Shaw, Chairman of the Latin Mass Society, has offered to provide some basic chant lessons enroute and it is hoped to be able to form a small choir to sing the final Mass on the Tuesday morning in Chartres Cathedral Crypt.  Meditations on the Theme of this year's Pilgrimage are also being prepared.  Less than 4 weeks to go!

Itinerary Update

Following an update to the Notre Dame de Chretiente website and confirmation from Clarkes, we have updated the Itinerary.  Please take a look.  The most serious changes are to the times and places of Mass during the Pilgrimage and the place for lunch on Whit Monday.  Departure times from London and return to London are unchanged.

Chartres 2011 Update!

Less than 2 months to go! Our Coach from London is now full and we will be joined in Paris by a group of 18 Americans from St. Ann's, Still River. There has been very little from the French organisers of late providing news of any changes to the programme, so assume everything is unchanged for the time being. Unfortunately, it appears that our usual driver, Colin, will not be able to join us this year as he has left Clarkes, so we will need to break in a new driver. Colin has been taking us for about 10 years and knows all of our idiosyncrasies, so he is bound to be missed. 

Can I still Join?

The Pilgrimage proper starts at 6 AM at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday, 11 June, so you can join the British Chapters there. You will obviously need to make your own travel and accommodation arrangements.  Your luggage should be put on the lorry marked "Etrangers." You should be able to spot the British chapters amongst the crowd as we should be the only ones flying the the Union flag!  However, we will need your Registration Form with a cheque for £40.00 to cover the Registration Fee. Please note that we must know that you are coming in order to allocate you to the appropriate chapter, provide a hymn book and allocate tent space as necessary. It is not possible to “turn up and go!” We will need the Registration Form by 10 May (Updated!) in order to have time to complete the registration procedures with the French organisers.

Theme for 2011

The theme for Chartres 2011 is "The Gospel of Life" and so this year's Pilgrimage will, in effect, be a great Pro Life March.  Each day of Pilgrimage has a sub-theme and a Patron Saint.  On the first day of Pilgrimage, the "saint" will be Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the sub-theme is "The Gospel of Life, a Gift of God"; on Pentecost Sunday, our patron is Saint Maria Goretti and the sub-theme is "The Gospel of Life, a Gift for Man"; and the Patron for Pentecost Monday is Our Lady of Guadalupe and the sub-theme is "Proclaim the Gospel of Life."  Under the information section of this Website, there are biographies of Blessed Mother Teresa and St. Maria Goretti and information on Our Lady of Guadalupe can be accessed by clicking the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. There is also a Presentation of the Theme for 2011 here.  Rally under the Banner of Life!