Norwich, UK
A new UK pilgrimage initiative has been launched by the Roman Catholic church, using a network of pedestrian routes linking all the cathedrals.
Titled ‘Hearts in Search of God’ it is the result of an initiative by former CEO of Caritas UK, Phil McCarthy.
Catholic pilgrims walking at Clifton in the UK. PICTURE: Phil McCarthy
Phil McCarthy. PICTURE: Courtesy picture
“My interest in pilgrimages started in 2008 when I did a long distance walk from Canterbury to Rome, and then later from Rome to Istanbul,” he told Sight. “The first walk was a pilgrimage but I didn’t realise it at the time. I wasn’t even sure what a pilgrimage was, but along the route I found I became a pilgrim due to the way people greeted and helped me.”
McCarthy said he wanted to “show that these pilgrimages were possible in the UK”.
“In 1538, pilgrimages were banned and all sites were destroyed. I’m trying to rewrite something of our history by creating one walk from each [Roman Catholic] cathedral to a shrine in the diocese. These walks will raise awareness of pilgrimages and act as a bridge between the Christian and the secular world. Lots of celebrities now go on pilgrim walks and I wanted to encourage people to do it in a catholic context.’
McCarthy said he has walked every route on the website, discovering unexpected links and paths along the way. All the walks are unique and designed to walked on foot using public transport when necessary. Details of each walk can be downloaded and includes background notes about places, natural features and shrines along the way. The latter include medieval monastic site of Strata Florida in Central Wales, with its gigantic pilgrim statue, on the Cistercian Way.
“Some of the walks are through very beautiful countryside such as the Lake District, or follow coastal paths, or through woods as in Northumbria where I am creating a walk through the Kielder Forest,” explained McCarthy. “There are also ones through urban areas and towns reflecting the need to connect with urban and industrial heritage such as in South Wales where a route connects with a shrine built by miners in Wales.”
“One of the walks is from South Lancaster to Preston. It passes the Lancaster canal and ends at the Saint Alphonso cathedral in Preston, organised by emigrees from the Indian state of Kerala with their own Catholic style. They were surprised to see me roll up!”
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Funding to set up the website and research the walks was provided with a grant from the Sisters of the Holy Cross. While the website currently features all the walks McCarthy has completed so far, he plans to complete the remainder of the walks this year before linking into the 2025 Holy Year, which has been declared by the Pope as a year of “Pilgrims of Hope”.
“I want to engage people, encourage them to go walking, discover nature, the sites and the history. I am planning a small conference later this year involving all the dioceses.”
Pilgrims resting in the UK. PICTURE: Phil McCarthy
McCarthy indicated that the response to the initiative so far has been positive.
“The Bishop of Nottingham walked the first day of the Nottingham walk with me,” he said. “I have had a lot of support and there has been a lot of appreciation in the various dioceses. I think it is something of interest especially after the pandemic. Going on a pilgrimage appeals to people of all faiths and none, as well as Catholics. There is a questionnaire people are encouraged to fill in on the website, and I often find their motivation is to recharge, discover and exercise.”
Jack Woolley, a representative of Marketing Nottingham, said that pilgrimage routes and the tourism that surrounds them were “very important for our visitor economy” in the area.
“In many instances, these trips take place over multiple days and so are a great source of bookings for local hospitality providers.’
