Cardinal Vincent Nichols invites all Catholics on pilgrimage to see the relics of St Bernadette in England & Wales

The Archbishop of Westminster has invited Catholics to undertake a personal pilgrimage over the coming two months to see the relics of St Bernadette as they travel around England and Wales from 3rd September-1st November.

In a letter to the Catholic community of England & Wales HE Cardinal Vincent Nichols recognised that the Covid pandemic had made pilgrimage journeys of all kinds difficult, but the arrival of the relics of St Bernadette: “offers us a welcome opportunity to bear active witness to our Faith, joining with one another across our many communities to encounter God’s love and find spiritual, emotional, and psychological healing and renewal.”

Delivering his homily at the final Mass of the Westminster Pilgrimage in Lourdes last week, Cardinal Vincent also invited everyone present to think on the question, ‘what is the treasure you have received on this pilgrimage that you want to take home?’ It could be either an act of kindness or inspiration, or it might be ‘a moment of real irritation and frustration, that seems as if you’re taking home a stone in your shoe. But that stone might well be gold if we ponder it hard enough.’

The treasure that Cardinal Vincent said he’d take home was the realisation that, while Bernadette saw a ‘beautiful young woman’ as she met Mary and discovered more over the eighteen apparitions, the real question is ‘what did Mary see when Bernadette was in front of her in the Grotto?’

“What does Mary see in each one of us as she looks at us, there in front of her?” said the Cardinal.

“Surely she sees in us something of the same potential and goodness that she saw in Bernadette.”

Concluding his letter of invitation to all Catholics to visit the relics, Cardinal Vincent said: “We thank God for the faith of St Bernadette and for the many gifts and graces the relic tour will bring” .

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FULL TEXT OF CARDINAL’S LETTER:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,

In September and October this year, the relics of St Bernadette will undertake a very special pilgrimage, journeying from Lourdes in France to cathedrals and churches across England, Scotland, and Wales.

For many of us, the opportunity to enrich our faith through the experience of pilgrimage has been difficult or impossible over the last two years, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pilgrimage St Bernadette’s relics will undertake this autumn offers us a welcome opportunity to bear active witness to our Faith, joining with one another across our many communities to encounter God’s love and find spiritual, emotional, and psychological healing and renewal.

As we welcome the relics of St Bernadette to the United Kingdom we are also reminded of the special significance of Lourdes as a place of pilgrimage and of love, where people of all ages serve and care for the sick and the most vulnerable in our society.

I would encourage those people who are able to, to consider continuing the journey begun by the relics of St Bernadette this autumn, joining with people from their parishes and dioceses to travel on pilgrimage to Lourdes in the weeks and months ahead.

We thank God for the faith of St Bernadette and for the many gifts and graces the relic tour will bring.

Yours devotedly,

✠ Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Archbishop of Westminster

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TOUR SCHEDULE:

Registering to attend the Relic Tour this Autumn

The churches and cathedrals hosting St Bernadette’s relics have a fixed capacity for visitors. To ensure the comfort and safety of pilgrims, visitors will be asked to register to attend with a dedicated timeslot. Further details of how to book your place will be shared on this page in the coming weeks.

Register Here

Archdiocese of Westminster

St Thomas of Canterbury:
60 Rylston Road, Fulham, SW6 7HW

Arrive: 00:30 03/09/2022
Depart: 10:30 03/09/2022

Westminster Cathedral:
Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, SW1P 1QW

Arrive: 11:00 03/09/2022
Depart: 09:30 05/09/2022

Immaculate Heart of Mary:
Hayes, Middlesex, UB3 2AB

Arrive: 10:30 05/09/2022
Depart: 10:00 06/09/2022

St Marys University Chaplaincy:
St Mary’s University, TW1 4SX

Arrive: 10:45 06/09/2022
Depart: 22:00 06/09/2022

St John Fisher:
Shepperton, TW17 0DH

Arrive: 22:30 06/09/2022
Depart: 10:15 07/09/2022

Bishopric of the Forces

Cathedral Church of St Michael and St George:
Aldershot, GU11 2BY

Arrive: 11:00am 07/09/2022
Depart: 08:30am 08/09/2022

Portsmouth Diocese

Portsmouth Cathedral:
Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist, PO1 3HQ

Arrive: 09:30 08/09/2022
Depart: 10:00 09/09/2022

Plymouth Diocese

Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface:
Wyndham Street W, Stonehouse, Plymouth, PL1 5ER

Arrive: 13:00 09/09/2022
Depart: 12:00 10/09/2022

Clifton Diocese

Clifton Cathedral:
Cathedral Church of Saints Peter and Paul, BS8 3BX

Arrive: 14:00 10/09/2022
Depart: 11:00 11/09/2022

Archdiocese of Cardiff

Metropolitan Cathedral Church of St David:
38 Charles Street, St David’s Centre, Cardiff, CF10 2SF

Arrive: 12:00 11/09/2022
Depart: 12:00 12/09/2022

Menevia Diocese

Menevia Cathedral:
Cathedral Church of St Joseph, SA1 2BX

Arrive: 13:00 12/09/2022
Depart: 11:00 13/09/2022

Shrewsbury Diocese

Shrewsbury Cathedral:
Cathedral Church of Our Lady, Help of Christians and St Peter of Alcantara, SY1 1TE

Arrive: 13:00 13/09/2022
Depart: 09:00 14/09/2022

St Werburgh’s Parish, Chester:
Grosvenor Park Road, Chester, CH1 1QJ

Arrive: 10:00 14/09/2022
Depart: 16:00 14/09/2022

Wrexham Diocese

Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Sorrows:
Regent Street. Wrexham, LL11 1RB

Arrive: 16:30 14/09/2022
Depart: 09:00 15/09/2022

St Winefride’s Well Shrine:
Plessington House, Greenfield St, Holywell, CH8 7PN

Arrive: 09:45 15/09/2022
Depart: 16:30 15/09/2022

Shrewsbury Diocese

Carmel Convent:
12 Grosvenor Place, Merseyside, CH43 1UA

Arrive: 17:30 15/09/2022
Depart: 19:00 15/09/2022

Archdiocese of Liverpool

St Mary’s R.C. Church:
Mount Pleasant, Chorley, Lancashire , PR7 2SR

Arrive: 20:30 15/09/2022
Depart: 10:00 17/09/2022

Cathedral Church of the Risen Christ:
James’ Mount, Liverpool , L1 7AZ

Arrive: 11:00 17/09/2022
Depart: 14:30 17/09/2022

Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King:
Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, L3 5TQ

Arrive: 15:30 17/09/2022
Depart: 07:00 20/09/2022

Salford Diocese

Cathedral Church of St John the Evangelist:
250 Chapel St, Salford, M3 5LE

Arrive: 08:00 20/09/2022
Depart: 07:00 21/09/2022

Catholic Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain

St Alphonsa of The Immaculate Conception Cathedral:
St Ignatius Square, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 1TT

Arrive 20:00 21/09/2022
Depart: 07:00 22/09/2022

Lancaster Diocese

Saint Peter’s Cathedral:
Balmoral Rd, Lancaster, LA1 3BT

Arrive: 08:00 22/09/2022
Depart: 06:30 23/09/2022

Our Lady and St Joseph’s Church:
Warwick Square, Carlisle Cumbria, CA1 1LB

Arrive: 07:30 23/09/2022
Depart: 08:30 24/09/2022

Carfin Grotto

Carfin Lourdes Grotto:
100 Newarthill Rd, Motherwell, ML1 5AL

Arrive: 11:00 24/09/2022
Depart: 08:00 01/10/2022

Hexham and Newcastle Diocese

St. Mary’s Cathedral:
Clayton St W, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 5HH

Arrive: 11:00 01/10/2022
Depart: 11:00 02/10/2022

Middlesbrough Diocese

Saint Mary’s RC Cathedral:

Cathedral House, Dalby Way, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough TS8 0TW

Arrive: 12:00 02/10/2022
Depart: 13:00 03/10/2022

Ampleforth Abbey:
Ampleforth Abbey, York, YO62 4EN

Arrive: 13:30 03/10/2022
Depart: 17:00 03/10/2022

Leeds Diocese

St Anne’s Cathedral:
Great George St, Leeds, LS2 8BE

Arrive: 18:30 03/10/2022
Depart: 17:00 04/10/2022

Hallam Diocese

St Marie’s:
Cathedral and St Peter in Chains in Doncaster, S1 2JB

Arrive: 18:00 04/10/2022
Depart: 12:00 05/10/2022

St Peter in Chains in Doncaster:
Chequer Rd, Doncaster, DN1 2AA

Arrive: 12:30 05/10/2022
Depart: 18:00 05/10/2022

Middlesbrough Diocese

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church:
Our Lady of Lourdes and St Peter Chanel Parish, Hull, HU5 2DH

Arrive: 19:00 05/10/2022
Depart: 07:00 06/10/2022

Nottingham Diocese

Saint Bernadette, Scunthorpe:
Ashby Road, Scunthorpe, DN16 2RS

Arrive: 08:00 06/10/2022
Depart: 17:00 06/10/2022

Cathedral Church of Saint Barnabas:
N Circus St, Nottingham , NG1 5AE

Arrive: 18:30 06/10/2022
Depart: 10:30 07/10/2022

Archdiocese of Birmingham

St Chad’s Cathedral:
Queensway, Birmingham, B4 6EU

Arrive: 16:30 07/10/2022
Depart: 19:30 08/10/2022

The Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes:
Uxbridge Street, Hednesford, Staffordshire, WS12 1DB

Arrive: 21:00 08/10/2022
Depart: 19:00 09/10/2022

The Immaculate Conception Parish, Bicester:
The Causeway, Bicester, OX26 6AW

Arrive: 21:00 09/10/2022
Depart: 14:00 10/10/2022

Northampton Diocese

Cathedral Church of Our Lady Immaculate and St Thomas of Canterbury:
Primrose Hill, Northampton, NN2 6AG

Arrive: 15:00 10/10/2022
Depart: 09:00 13/10/2022

East Anglia Diocese

Cathedral of St John the Baptist:
Unthank Road, Norwich, NR2 2PA

Arrive: 11:30 13/10/2022
Depart: 09:00 15/10/2022

Our Lady of the Assumption & the English Martyrs:
Hills Road Cambridge, CB2 1JR

Arrive: 10:30 15/10/2022
Depart: 09:00 16/10/2022

Diocese of Brentwood

Cathedral of St Mary and St Helen:
28 Ingrave Road, Brentwood, CM15 8AT

Arrive: 10:00 16/10/2022
Depart: 12:00 17/10/2022

Archdiocese of Westminster

St Josephs Catholic Church:
Bedwell Cres, Stevenage, SG1 1NJ

Arrive: 13:00 17/10/2022
Depart: 08:15 18/10/2022

Diocese of Brentwood

Our Lady of Lourdes, Wanstead:
51 Cambridge Park, London, E11 2PR

Arrive: 10:00 18/10/2022
Depart: 09:00 19/10/2022

Archdiocese of Southwark

St. George’s Cathedral:
Westminster Bridge Road, London, SE1 7HY

Arrive: 09:45 19/10/2022
Depart: 10:00 21/10/2022

Arundel and Brighton Diocese

St Dunstan’s:
Shaftsbury Road, Woking, GU22 7DT

Arrive: 11:30 21/10/2022
Depart: 08:00 22/10/2022

Cathedral Church of Our Lady and St Philip Howard, Arundel:
Parsons Hill, Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9AY

Arrive: 09:00 22/10/2022
Depart: 14:00 23/10/2022

The Abbey of Our Lady, Help of Christians, Worth:
Paddockhurst Road, Turners Hill, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 4SB

Arrive: 15:00 23/10/2022
Depart: 18:00 24/10/2022

Archdiocese of Southwark

The Friars, Aylesford:
Aylsford, Kent, ME20 7BX

Arrive: 19:00 24/10/2022
Depart: 13:00 28/10/2022

Archdiocese of Westminster

Our Lady of Willesden:
1 Nicoll Road, Willesden, London, NW10 9AX

Arrive: 16:00 28/10/2022
Depart: 09:15 30/10/2022

HM Prison Wormwood Scrubbs:
Du Cane Road, London, W12 0AE

Arrive: 10:00 30/10/2022
Depart: 14:00 30/10/2022

Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London

Cathedral of the Holy Family in Exile:
Duke Street, London W1K 5BQ

Arrive: 15:00 30/10/2022
Depart: 07:00 01/11/2022