Chesterton Knew The Importance of Ecumenical Dialogue

Chesterton Knew The Importance of Ecumenical Dialogue

Wednesday 11 July 2012

If A Chesterton Pilgrimage Is Worth Doing, It's Worth Doing Badly


After last year’s annual GK Chesterton Pilgrimage, I told the World that, “Next year we will walk to Beaconsfield from London!” Then on the 11th June I put up the details on my blog:

Fr Schofield joins the Chesterton Walking Pilgrimage June 14th - London.

Right, we're off! Well at least Fr Nicholas Schofield and myself are. After last year's Annual GK Chesterton Pilgrimage, some idiot (yes it was me) announced that next year we will be walking to Beaconsfield from Campden Hill, Kensington, London (where GKC was born & Baptised). Now I've looked it up, only 23 miles in a straight line!...................

So far so good, then my toothache came back with a vengeance! I saw the dentist on the 13th, started on antibiotics and lots of pain killers, at 1am on the 14th, unable to sleep my Wife said, “Have you asked Chesterton to sort it out”. I said the Chesterton Prayer and asked him to stop the pain and by 3am I was asleep. When I got up at 6am my tooth was fine, but I could not get out of bed due to sickness induced by the antibiotics! My Wife phoned and emailed Priests etc and the Pilgrimage was off!

The 30th July will be the 90th anniversary of GK Chesterton’s Conversion , therefore on the nearest Saturday (28th July) the delayed 2nd annual Chesterton Pilgrimage will take place. No doubt GKC wants us to remember his Coversion, as well as the many Converts who will tell you that they are Catholic today because of GKC.

The day will of course start at about 9am (when Stuart wakes up and realises he has slept through the alarm again - Wife) at St George's Church of England Church, Aubrey Walk, London, W8 7JG, where GK Chesterton was baptised. Here we will read the first paragraph of Chesterton's Autobiography, say the Chesterton Prayer and then march (stroll slowly) off in the direction of Uxbridge looking for a cafe where we can stop for breakfast.

Uxbridge parish seems to be about half way between Kensington and Beaconsfield. Fr Nicholas Schofield is quite happy to have an Old Rite Mass in his parish at 1.30pm on the day for those of us who have walked from Kensington that morning, but all are more than welcome to join us for the Mass. If we find one or two people who can sing it will be a Missa Cantata. The Church is Our Lady of Lourdes and St Michael, Osborn Rd, Uxbridge, UB8 1UE. (Father will not be able to join us on the walk this time)

And then onto Beaconsfield. Upon arrival in Beaconsfield, we will go to GK Chesterton's graveside and recite the prayer for his beatification. And that is all I’ve made up so far.

Let me know if you plan to attend, on Twitter @stuart1927 or email info@goodcounselnetwork.freeserve.co.uk or on Face Book, tell Good Counsel.

At the moment, The Good Counsel Network has no money, so I will do this as a sponsored walk. Good Counsel is having trouble supporting a number of Mothers who have chosen to keep their babies and not to abort them. You can post donations, payable to; The Giuld of Our Lady of Good Counsel, P.O. Box 46679, London, England, NW9 8ZT or online.

God Our Father, Thou didst fill the life of Thy servant Gilbert Keith Chesterton with a sense of wonder and joy, and gave him a faith which was the foundation of his ceaseless work, a charity towards all men, particularly his opponents, and a hope which sprang from his lifelong gratitude for the gift of human life. May his innocence and his laughter, his constancy in fighting for the Christian faith in a world losing belief, his lifelong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and his love for all men, especially for the poor, bring cheerfulness to those in despair, conviction and warmth to lukewarm believers and the knowledge of God to those without faith. We beg Thee to grant the favours we ask through his intercession, the end of abortion in this Country [and especially for……] so that his holiness may be recognized by all and the Church may proclaim him Blessed. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

1 comment:

Gareth Hurley Blog said...

I'll be with you in spirit. if (if? ha ha!) you stop for food, just be thankful I'm not there nicking sundry items from your meagrely piled-high plate. Chomp chomp. Good luck.