Papal Pilgrims Preparations

8 July 2010

The Clifton Diocese Papal Visit Coordinator Father Michael McAndrew has had an enjoyable and busy few days.  He’s been in touch with all our parishes with information about how local people can be pilgrims at the public papal visit events in Birmingham and London.

On Tuesday (6 July) Father Michael received the exciting news detailing the plans setting out how people throughout our diocese can be with the Holy Father’s during his historic visit to the United Kingdom.

Father Michael’s task, as our local coordinator for the papal visit, has been to let our parish communities know the number of pilgrim passes they have be allocated.  These numbers have been worked out for us nationally according to parish statistics.   As requested by the national organisers Father Michael is now also gathering contact details of local pilgrim leaders.   The local pilgrim leaders will be responsible for collating the details of those wishing to attend each of the papal events.  You need to speak with your parish priest to find out who you local pilgrim leader is.  Your local pilgrim leader will be confirmed by Friday 16 July - so they may not be in place at present.  

There are two large public events in England during the papal visit.  The Mass of Beatification for Cardinal John Henry Newman will be celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at Cofton Park in Birmingham on the morning of Sunday 19 September.

The national organisers have arranged coach travel for all pilgrims who will be part of the Mass of Beatification for Cardinal John Henry Newman.  Coaches will be arranged nationally by the papal visit organisers.  Therefore pilgrims will not have to, and are unable to, arrange their own transport to the Cofton Park Mass.

Again, for the London vigil of prayer in Hyde Park on Saturday 18 September, the number of pilgrim passes allocated to local parishes has been worked out for us nationally according to parish statistics.  Pilgrims are asked to make your own travel arrangements to Hyde Park but enter Hyde Park in groups with your local pilgrim leader.  It is anticipated that Hyde Park will open in the late morning; the prayer vigil will begin in the early evening and will end at 9.00 pm.

Father Michael has sent striking new posters to all our parishes welcoming Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom.  You can download your copy in the multimedia panel on the right.

Father Michael explains more about the recently confirmed practicalities in today’s podcast which you can listen to in the multimedia panel on the right.

Father Michael's most recent audio update is still online.  Father Michael will be with us again soon here on cliftondiocese.com passing on all the important papal visit news as soon as he knows it.

There's more papal visit news in our article from earlier this week, and on Monday (5 July) our Youth Ministry Coordinator Dave Wheat told us about the excitement and planning that’s going on with young local Catholics as look ahead to the papal visit.

The official website thepapalvisit.org.uk is the best place to find out the most up-to-date information in the build up to the special time in the life of the Church in our countries.