Carmelites in Walsingham 2024

June is the month for the annual Carmelite Pilgrimage to Walsingham. This will be taking place on Saturday 22nd - Saturday week. As we are an Order under the special patronage of Our Lady, it is a particularly appropriate activity for us Seculars. I am always impressed by those who do it barefoot. I haven't yet been able to bring myself to imitate them. I had a humiliating experience in one of the recent pilgrimages when I noticed that a young boy was barefoot alongside me. We were chatting and then he asked me why I wasn't barefoot. I muttered about having delicate feet, which is true, but nonetheless I found it mortifying with him being just a lad. On the other hand it was lovely to see him giving me an example. Sometimes the young ones can be a great inspiration, and what they do lingers in the memory.