The Big Pilgrimage was CAFOD's local pilgrimage experience which ran for the first time over weekends in June and July 2024.
We had three hospitality hubs around the country and participants were able to choose whether to walk as part of a group or on their own pilgrimage journey.
At each venue, we were able to offer:
hospitality, refreshments and a warm welcome
space for prayer and reflection
interactive activities for people of all ages reflecting CAFOD’s values of justice, hope and peace.
The venues
Saturday 1 June: St George's Cathedral, Southwark
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St George's Cathedral, Southwark:
We were delighted to welcome you for the first of our Big Pilgrimage events. Participants gathered from 12.00pm in Amigo Hall and were able to have a cup of coffee or enjoy our plentiful variety of biscuits and cakes. Groups grappled with the World Stats challenge and debated their environmental consciousness as part of 'Sometimes, Always, Never'. Others took on the Map of Africa challenge or created prayer poetry.
It was a beautiful and busy day in London - the date of the Champions League final and London was buzzing with supporters of both Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid from the very beginning. Nevertheless, the walking group reported an enjoyable pilgrimage along South Bank as they shared the reflections led by Melissa, Marcella and Andy.
We were grateful to our newest CAFOD ambassador Talia Dean and her friend Miles for coming over to share their musical talent with us. They led us in worship as part of our guided liturgy to finish the day off using a mix of well loved contemporary worship songs as well as some of Talia's own music. As a group we reflected on the Feeding of the 5000 as a guide to how our prayer, action and giving can work together in enabling us to share in the ministry of Jesus.
Saturday 22 June: Ampleforth Abbey, York
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Ampleforth Abbey, North Yorkshire:
We were blessed to have amazing weather and a great crowd of participants including a parish group from St Margaret's, Clitherow, visitors from Burnley, Leeds and St Albans and a group of students from Ampleforth College.
The students shared about their experiences of being young leaders as part of a Question and Answer session in the morning. This included sharing on some of the inspiring fundraising activities they have been engaged in such as putting on an art exhibition. One student even took on the extreme challenge of running 150km in a week as part of the Big Lent Walk.
As a wider group we were privileged to be able to join the Brothers in the abbey itself for the Divine Office of Readings as part of midday prayer.
The pilgrimage walk was a thoroughly pleasant stroll through the grounds of the college and down to Lower Farm Pond with regular stops for reflection. It was a lovely opportunity to get to know many of those that attended and share on some of the questions around what gives people hope.
On arrival back at Alban Roe House we were able to enjoy adoration in the private chapel as part of our guided liturgy to close the day off. We joined in the Teresa of Avila prayer 'Christ has no body now but yours' and shared music, reflections, intercessions and readings.
Saturday 6 July: Cathedral of Our Lady and St Thomas, Northampton
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Cathedral of Our Lady and St Thomas a Becket, Northampton:
The Big Pilgrimage in Northampton was a unique experience in that the day was shared with the Becket Festival, a diocesan celebration of the patron saint, St Thomas a Becket. This gave us the opportunity to start with mass led by Bishop David Oakley followed by an opportunity to venerate the relic of St Thomas. for those that wanted to.
The CAFOD pilgrimage ran from Our Lady of Perpetual Succour in Great Billing along a pretty 4.5 mile route back to the Cathedral. As with the other pilgrimage walks, it was a lovely opportunity to hear people's stories and motivations for being involved. On arrival back, we joined the Becket festival walking group for an ecumencial service in the Cathedral before having the opportunity to share a coffee and a muffin together in the St Thomas' Centre.
Having the additional crowd drawn by the Becket Festival meant that this was a great opportunity for CAFOD to share it's important work and there was particular interest in our selection of World Gifts with the Romero Crosses proving to be a popular keepsake.
X Factor’s Talia Dean launches CAFOD’s Big Pilgrimage 2024
Singer-songwriter and former X Factor finalist Talia Dean has teamed up with CAFOD to launch our first-ever Big Pilgrimage event.
Talia will lead worship songs during a guided liturgy on 1 June at St George’s Cathedral in Southwark.
Supporting the Sudan Crisis Appeal
A year on from its start, the conflict in Sudan has forced millions of people to flee their homes and they are now facing yet another crisis – hunger.
“At least 25 million Sudanese need immediate, emergency help. Families are already going hungry and famine is looming. This crisis threatens to become the worst in living memory.”
Our local partners are already responding but need our urgent support to increase their emergency response. They are supporting both families who have fled violence within Sudan and also refugees from neighbouring countries living in Sudanese host communities.
Food
The funds you raise can help to provide emergency food packages and cash payments to families which allow them to buy their own food at market as well as other essentials like medicine.
Water
Water is also a problem - water pipelines have been damaged, meaning that families are having to fetch water from unsafe locations. With the funds you raise, we can work to repair damage to pipelines and build new ones so that clean water can reach the communities who need it.
The difference your donations can make
£5 can provide clean water to a family
£22 can provide essential medicine and hygiene kits
£40 can provide emergency shelter for a refugee family
£50 can provide emergency food packages
Support the Sudan Crisis Appeal
Join The Big Pilgrimage today and come together in prayer to raise vital funds for our sisters and brothers fighting to overcome poverty.