Better Late Than Never...

Having been ridiculously busy of late, and unusually disinclined to go anywhere near my computer during my week off, I have suddenly realised that I never did get around to publishing my photos from the recent LMS pilgrimage to Aylesford.

Very remiss of me.

The music was a real treat - and there was a thrill associated with the thought that it had been composed by a contemporary of St. Simon Stock, the founder of the shrine at Aylesford. The Kyrie has to be the longest I have ever encountered: I have never been at a Mass where the celebrant gets to sit down while waiting to get to the Gloria!

The Mass was in the Relic Chapel. During the sermon, Fr. Tim reminded us that St. Simon's skull was kept in the reliquary behind the altar...

I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Aylesford. I am astonished by how little is made of the fact that this is the place where St. Simon Stock had a vision of Our Lady, and then started the devotion of the Brown Scapular. The place is relatively close to where I live, only 45 minutes down the motorway, but I don't go there as often as I could - mostly because I associate the place with dreadful diocesan liturgy and horrible school trips... and damp (which makes my joints ache.) However, none of these factors were in evidence for the LMS pilgrimage!

Part of the fun of pilgrimages is getting to meet up with friends - I discovered that Paul Smeaton had apparently let the side down by turning up without a tie. His punishment was to be forced to model the proposed new Juventutem London tie by Seán... I sincerely hope that was a joke, as the tie has got to be one of the most ghastly items I have ever encountered...

After the Mass I had a lovely chat with the Reluctant Sinner, though we had to make a mad dash back so as to make it back for Fr. Tim's talk.

After the talk, we finished the pilgrimage with Benediction...

I didn't take many photos on this occasion, but Joseph Shaw took lots, and they can be found on his excellent Flickr site. I even found a photo of me which I consider acceptable...

(I'm the blonde wearing black, on the right-hand side, with a mantilla...)