The Saints’ Way

Collette Oliver sets off on a Cornish pilgrimage in honour of Our Lady, St Joseph, the Five Wounds of Christ and the Holy Martyrs of England

We're off! Getting together at the start of the pilgrimage

Sharing with friends over a cup of coffee what I considered nothing more than a passing notion about a possible pilgrimage to Lanherne, in Cornwall, I was surprised by the joyful and lively response of, ‘let’s do it!’. Hence, after just a few short weeks of frantic planning, a wonderful group of young people set out in glorious sunshine.

The pilgrimage was in honour of Our Lady, St Joseph, the Five Wounds of Christ and the Holy Martyrs of England. We were accompanied by a family friend and pilgrimage chaplain, Fr Gerard Byrne, who travelled down from Corby, Northamptonshire, and Abbe Aaron Zelinski, seminarian of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest based in Torquay. Our destination was Lanherne Convent in St Mawgan, Cornwall, where a High Mass for the Vigil of Pentecost had been arranged at the finish. Lanherne Convent played a central role in the preservation and restoration of the Faith in the Southwest, being associated with many of the saints, particularly St Cuthbert Mayne and others, hence a fitting place to conclude our spiritual journey.

Starting at the 13th century Celtic cross in the graveyard at Lanivet, we followed the Saints’ Way, the ancient pilgrimage route from Ireland to France. With sun shining and spirits high, we proudly carried the banners of Our Lady, the Sacred Heart, Saint George’s Cross and the Cross of St Piran – patron of Cornwall.

We travelled four miles to the Church of St Clement in Withiel where we stopped for lunch and a welcome rest in the shade, and then on towards Breock Downs where the landscape changed to a flat and open plain with fields on both sides. Peacefully grazing cows became an enthusiastic congregation, skipping alongside as ‘Hail Redeemer, King Divine’ sang out over the countryside; St Francis of Assisi would have approved!

Replenishing our bottles with well water at an isolated farmhouse, we headed for Little Petherick, where we would spend our first night in the Church Hall, with permission to celebrate, in the adjacent Church of St Petroc Minor, the first Tridentine Mass since Reformation days.

In glorious sunshine we approached Padstow along the estuary where the sea came into view. Our route took us around the harbour and through the town as we sang ‘Faith of Our Fathers’ en route to the Church of St Petroc. It was here that we felt a deep kinship with ancient pilgrims, as the church boasts a 16th century pulpit adorned with scallop shells, highlighting its importance on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela. Just one of our many fun experiences occurred at Padstow, when the boys hilariously enacted their own photographic and iconic ‘Iwo Jima – Padstow or Pacific’ moment with banners flying!

The first Tridentine Mass at St Petroc Minor since the Reformation

Leaving the churchyard via the kissing gate, Abbe Zelinski recounted the life of St Petroc as we headed out into the fields and then straight towards the coast. With the sea sparkling in the distance, we turned onto the coastal path towards Harlyn Bay, being met by a smiling Kate Miller with our support car and lunch. Suitably refreshed, we continued on the coastal path where curious campers stopped us to ask what we were doing. Our younger pilgrims were both a joy and a wonderful example of Christian witness in their lively responses to these curious onlookers, attracted by the many banners being carried and the excited banter of lively young people.

Raising the flag!

Singing and praying, we came off the coastal path and descended to Trevethan and on to our night stop at St Eval. The landscape changed to flat, open fields with the church spire visible from a distance – reminiscent of approaching Chartres, in fact, albeit on a small scale. We were met with tea, cakes, and much needed chairs for tired but happy pilgrims to sit on. Sadly, our chaplain had an emergency to attend and had to leave us after experiencing a most glorious sunset – just one of many shared magical moments experienced but with no hint of the storm to come.

During the night the heavens opened after two truly gorgeous days of wonderful sunshine! Cheerful and undaunted, and looking forward to the 10am Mass at Lanherne, the whole party donned waterproofs and set out in the lashing rain to splosh merrily through puddles along open roads until we reached the turning for Mawgan Porth, where, plunging once again onto country tracks, we headed into the beautiful Vale of Lanherne – a well posted path in the woodlands and ancient pathways. We were surprised at our progress and arrived at Lanherne Convent in good time, if a little wet, enjoying a ‘Fatima moment’ as the skies cleared, and the rain abated; Our Lady of Lanherne was truly smiling upon us this day! We were met by our own priest, Canon Tanner, Prior of the Shrine Church of Holy Angels in Torquay, and Canon Montjean, visiting from New Brighton.

We were incredibly blessed to have High Mass of the Vigil of Pentecost in the Chapel of Lanherne Convent with the Carmelite Sisters singing the chants from the choir. The chapel was adorned with red roses as this feast is known as ‘The Pasch of Roses’. The colour and fragrance of the rose was, in times past, an emblem of the tongues of fire that rested on the Apostles’ heads that first Pentecost. This feast, like Easter, had the honour of the administration of Baptism. White Sunday, as Pentecost is also known, takes its name from the white garments worn by the newly baptised at the vigil.

This three-day spiritual journey of faith gave us many graces, joys and blessings as we travelled the ancient paths of Cornwall, with many shared experiences and prayers and it was fitting to finish the pilgrimage at the ancient Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Lanherne (1376AD), where the cloistered Carmelite nuns still continue the ancient traditions of the church. Deo Gratias!

Collette Oliver is the home-schooling mother of seven children, and a fervent attendee of the Latin Mass at the Shrine Church of Holy Angels in Torquay, administered by the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

Glorious sunshine