News from the Forward in Faith Regions

Vocations Weekend

The London Region of Forward in Faith are again holding a Vocations Weekend for young men aged between 18 and 24. It will take place over the weekend Friday 20th – Sunday 22nd February, 1998 at Turvey Abbey, Bedford. Details are available from Fr Malcolm Gray at Holy Trinity Vicarage, Kings Avenue, Winchmore Hill, London N21 3NA (Tel & Fax: 0181 360 2947)

A Trio of Pilgrimages

Fr Malcolm Gray (see above) is also leading three pilgrimages next year: from Easter Tuesday, 14th April until 23rd April, he will be going to the Holy Land; from 11th May to 18th May, he will at Our Lady’s Shrine at Fatima, in Portugal; and from 28th September to 4th October at the Shrine of S.James at Santiago de Compostela. This last pilgrimage follows immediately upon the Forward in Faith National Assembly in 1998 and might be a very welcome way of recovering from the rigours of that event! “To book now is essential to secure a place” says Fr Gray, the Forward in Faith Regional Dean for London, so if any readers are interested, they should get in touch with him as soon as possible.

London Events

On Saturday, 22nd November – the Eve of Christ the King – Forward in Faith London Region will be holding their annual celebration at Christ the King, Gordon Square. The Bishop of Fulham will presiding at a Solemn Mass at 12.00 noon and the Bishop of Richborough will be the preacher. Priest wishing to concelebrate should contact Fr Gray on 0181 360 2947. Those who have attended previous London celebrations will testify what uplifting occasions they are and we hope that Christ the King will again be packed to the doors. Why not combine the celebration with a little Christmas shopping?

When Fr Gray isn’t leading pilgrimages, he is – well – arranging pilgrimages! And so Forward in Faith London are repeating their Day Pilgrimage to Boulogne – which was so successful earlier this year – on Saturday, 9th May 1998. Eighteen coaches have already been booked and Forward in Faith London are looking forward to at least 900 members crossing the channel for a Concelebrated Mass in the Cathedral of Notre Dame at 12.00 noon. Details can be had from Fr Gray, or from Geoffrey Wright (0181 805 5107) or Len Gibbs (0181 452 0507).

Rome and Assisi

As if to prove that the Regional Dean for London is not the only Pilgrimage Leader around, our Sub Dean for Anglia, Fr Keith Haydon, the Vicar of Walsingham, is jointly leading an ecumenical pilgrimage, with Fr Michael Rear of the RC Shrine, to Rome and Assisi next May, from the 6th until the 16th. Fr Haydon assures us that, despite the recent tragic news from that city, Assisi remains on the itinerary and a brochure may be had from him at Walsingham Vicarage, Church Street, Walsingham, Norfolk NR22 6EH. (Fuller details of this pilgrimage will be appearing in the next issue of Forward! plus, out at the end of this month.)

Two South West Events

On Tuesday, 7th October, nearly one hundred people found their way to the small Dartmoor village of Shaugh Prior, and the Church of S.Edward, King and Martyr. They were there to join Forward in Faith member and Licensed Reader John McIver to give thanks for thirty years of his minsitry as a Reader. The Bishop of Ebbsfleet was the Celebrant and Preacher – hot foot from his visit to the Forward in Faith Readers’ Conference in London in September – and he spoke of the changing role of Readers and the importance of all forms of lay ministry. Friends from the parish, family and Forward in Faith members from the area enjoyed lavish Devon hospitality in the church hall and wished John many more years of service.

The following day, the Regional Dean for Tamar, Fr Robin Ellis, invited clergy from the dioceses of Truro and Exeter to meet the Bishop of Ebbsfleet. There was a pleasing response, with over fifty priests attending a very lively day. Bishop John celebrated mass in S.Mary’s, Bickleigh and the remainder of the day was spent in the gracious surroundings of the Moorland Links Hotel at Yelverton and included a question and answer session with the bishop, a report on the National Assembly by Fr Sam Philpott and the announcement of a Resources Day at Truro, being run this month by Fr Alex Allardice. (Details: 01726 842488)