The very first "Arundel & Brighton Walking Pilgrimage" was at Easter 1975, to celebrate the Holy Year. The following are press releases and press cuttings from that time. Sorry about some of the picture quality, those are original cuttings! I've not tried to correct the various inaccuracies in these reports...
If you were there, or recognise someone on the pictures, let me know
R. C. DIOCESE OF ARUNDEL & BRIGHTON
(EAST & WEST SUSSEX & MOST OF SURREY)
Diocesan Information Officer: Father Patrick Olivier
ST. JOSEPH’S HALL, STORRINGTON , PULBOROUGH, SUSSEX, RH20 4HE.
TELEPHONE STORRINGTON (090 66) 2172
CATHOLICS TO WALK ROUND DIOCESE ON PILGRIMAGE
Two Catholic priests and thirty laypeople, mostly teenagers, aim to make a 240—mile pilgrimage around their diocese, in the fortnight beginning on Easter Monday, March 31st. Starting and finishing at Arundel Cathedral, they will walk almost completely round Sussex and Surrey, thus ‘beating the bounds’ of the Arundel and Brighton Diocese’. Others have committed themselves to walk part of the way, and it is hoped that many more will join in ‘for the day nearest to their own parish.
Father Bill Haynes, of St. Joan of Arc church, Farnham, is the principal organiser. He was prompted to arrange this event in conjunction with the Holy Year now being kept in Rome. A Holy Year occurs every 25 years. This year, Catholics from all over the world are going on pilgrimage to Rome to pray for reconciliation and renewal - for peace between God and man, peace between men, and a new determination to lead better lives. Father Haynes says about this local pilgrimage: “It will be more like the medieval idea of making a difficult journey as an act of prayer, living as a Christian community with one’s fellow travellers, and accepting discomfort in the spirit of penance.”
The pilgrims will walk an average of 17 miles a day, crossing some of the most beautiful countryside of the North and South Downs and the Weald. They will sleep on the floors of church and school halls, where supper and breakfast will be provided. The spirit of prayer will be continued throughout the fortnight. Each day, Father Haynes and his fellow organiser, Father Bob Garrard, of the Sacred Heart Church, Caterham, will celebrate Mass with the pilgrims, and during the course of the day they will all say together the pilgrimage prayers. Often, they will visit churches on their route, including some Anglican village churches. Bishop Michael Bowen, the Bishop of Arundel and Brighton, will join the pilgrims during the last day, Sunday April 13th, and walk with them to Arundel Cathedral, where he will celebrate the closing Mass at 5.30 p.m.
TWO Woking teenagers, Mary Marsh-Collis and Imelda Marsh-Collis, will take part in a 240-mile pilgrimage around their Roman Catholic diocese from Easter Monday. Starting and finishing at Arundel Cathedral, they will walk almost completely around Sussex and Surrey, thus "beating the bounds" of the Arundel and Brighton Diocese. Other Woking people have committed themselves to walk part of the way, as on Wednesday, April 2nd, the pilgrimage will pass along Tongham - Ash -Brookwood - Knaphill - Ottershaw - Addlestone route. Two priests will accompany the pilgrims, who will walk an average of 17 miles a day, crossing some of the most beautiful countryside of the North and South Downs and the Weald. They will sleep on the floors of church and school halls, where supper and breakfast will be provided. Mass will be celebrated each day, and during the day prayers will be said. The Rt. Rev. Michael Bowen Bishop of Arundel and Brighton will join the pilgrims on the last day, Sunday, April 13th, and walk with them to Arundel Cathedral for the closing Mass at 5.30 p.m. The event has been arranged in conjunction with the Holy Year now being observed in Rome.
SOME of the 27 young pilgrims who set off from Arundel Cathedral on Sunday for the 240 - mile pilgrimage around the Sussex and Surrey boundaries of the Roman Catholic diocese of Arundel and Brighton to commemorate the church’s Holy Year.
They return to the cathedral on Sunday, April 13, in time for the afternoon mass celebrated by the Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Michael Bowen.
On Monday night they slept at the Convent of Mercy, Midhurst, and on Tuesday morning set off for Farnham. They are walking about 17 miles a day, sleeping mostly in church and school halls. Each day they attend mass and will visit churches on the route.
The journey will take them up to Weybridge and along to St. Leonards before they make their way back to Arundel.
The Bishop is to join the pilgrims on the last day of their walk from Beeding to Arundel.
Cheerful, no matter what the weather. Some of the Catholics-mostly teenagers-at St. Joan of Arc Church, Farnham on Wednesday morning before the start of the day's pilgrimage. In commemoration of Holy Year for which pilgrims from all over the world travel to Rome, in Surrey, Hampshire and Sussex, Father Bill Haynes of Farnham has organised this pilgrimage through the Arundel Deanery. The start was on Monday at Arundel and walking about 17 miles a day, the pilgrims will end the walk at Arundel on April 13th. Wednesday's "stint" was from Farnham to Tongham, Ash, Brookwood to Weybridge.
MORE than 300 youngsters representing churches throughout the diocese passed through Ash and Farnham on a two-week pilgrimage round the Surrey and Sussex borders. The pilgrimage was organised by the Roman Catholic diocese of Arundel and Brighton as a contribution to Holy Year. St. Joan of Arc Church, Farnham, acted as hosts to the youngsters when they arrived wet and tired after a trek through bad weather. The pilgrims spent the night in the church hall. They left Farnham full of enthusiasm early the next morning despite wind and rain, and walked through Tongham to St. Michael and All Angels Ash, where they rested for an hour. At mid-day they left to walk over the Ash ranges, and then on through Brookwood to Ottershaw and Addlestone. One of the organisers of the pilgrimage is the Rev. Bill Haynes, of St. Joan of Arc Church, who is accompanying the walkers. His fellow priest, Father John Calver, said: "The aim is to make a difficult journey as an act of prayer, and for the walkers to get to know and live with one another in a Christian spirit." Below: Father Haynes leads the walkers after a rest at St. Michael and All Angels Church.
And did those feet... Imelda Marsh-Collis and her sister Mary, of Woking (left), learn that while the spirit is willing the flesh is weak when making a 240-mile pilgrimage around the Roman Catholic diocese of Arundel and Brighton. The pilgrimage is being held as a part of Holy Year. The girls are members of The Church of Our Lady Help of Christians, Byfleet
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STORY-telling kept Chaucer's pilgrims happy as they ambled through "Aprille showeres sweete," but sheer determination kept a couple of Woking pilgrims on their feet as they trudged through mud, snow and drenching rain.
Teenage twins Mary and Imelda Marsh-Collis joined a 24O-mile pilgrimage around their Roman Catholic diocese to mark Holy Year. "It really was great fun. I would do again." said 16-years old Imelda. But the twins missed two day's walking because of sore feet
"We stayed in gyms and convents and church halls Sometimes we were a little squashed and we did not have very good cooking facilities,'' said Imelda. She hopes to have a chance to join the pilgrimage again. "I did it because it was a challenge and because it was Holy Year," she said. The twins' enthusiasm has not been shaken, even by an angry farmer. hungry donkey, high winds, snow and six inches of mud. The pilgrims were rewarded for their perseverance.
R. C. DIOCESE OF ARUNDEL & BRIGHTON
(EAST & WEST SUSSEX & MOST OF SURREY)
Diocesan Information Officer: Father Patrick Olivier
ST. JOSEPH’S HALL, STORRINGTON , PULBOROUGH, SUSSEX, RH20 4HE.
TELEPHONE STORRINGTON (090 66) 2172
PILGRIMS COMPLETE 240-MILE CIRCUIT OF THEIR DIOCESE
On Sunday April 13th, twenty—five Catholics - many of them teenagers-completed a 14-day, 240-mile walking pilgrimage which beat the bounds of Arundel and Brighton Diocese, encircling Sussex and Surrey, from Arundel back to Arundel.
Bishop Michael Bowen joined the walkers for the last seven miles, and led them in their final Mass of thanksgiving at Arundel Cathedral. He praised the pilgrims for their courage in undertaking the long exercise, and for persevering in it to the end. He also read a telegram from Rome which brought the congratulations and blessing of Pope Paul for the pilgrims. It read: “The Holy Father has learned with pleasure of special pilgrimage being made on foot by young people of the diocese. His Holiness gladly invokes upon all participating in this praiseworthy act of prayer and penance abundant rewards from God, and especially the grace to appreciate more deeply the gifts of faith and love in the Christian life. To you (Bishop Bowen) and to all taking part in this pilgrimage, the Holy Father cordially imparts his apostolic blessing.”
OVER 200 WALKERS IN ALL
Father Bob Garrard, of Caterham, kept a tally of those who joined the pilgrimage. Apart from the nucleus of twenty-five, thirteen other people walked for several days each, and a further 184 joined in for one day at various parts of the route.
Father Bill Haynes, of Farnham, the principal organiser, said “The great thing about it was the wonderful Christian community spirit that was formed. People walking together for a fortnight and sleeping on floors of small church halls each night cannot maintain any illusions about each other. Their real selves are revealed, they become very honest with each other, and very much closer as a result. Everyone helped everyone else over difficult patches - in personal problems or when they were tired and sore.”
Many people in the parishes where the walkers stopped joined them for Mass or prayers, and provided them with food and hospitality. Fr. Haynes said they too had shared in the pilgrimage spirit. He recalled that a lady had remarked to the pilgrims after Mass one morning: “You radiate peace and joy.”
