Walsingham with Bishop Athanasius Schneider

Design made entirely with flower petals (red, white, and gold), by the Sisters for the Octave of Corpus Christi. Father Thomas Crean is offering the Holy Mass at the altar.

Dear Friends and Family,

The past two weeks had so many blessings that it's hard to know what to choose to write about! I would have to say though that the 5 days with Bishop Schneider were the highlight.

I am writing this email Sunday morning, during the Octave of Corpus Christi here at Lanherne--a beautiful Octave where almost every day is the Mass of Corpus Christi. You see above a beautiful design with flower petals done by the Sisters. The celebration included a procession on Thursday, and adoration and benediction every day throughout the octave.

In a few minutes I will be heading to Plymouth, where I will offer the Mass of Corpus Christi (external solemnity), followed by a procession including flower girls spreading petals before Our Lord, then the Baptism of the newest member of our congregation, then a reception. Should be a wonderful Sunday.

Also, Fr. Thomas Crean, O.P., a learned Dominican who, among other things, has written a book to respond to Richard Dawkin's work "The God Delusion," is spending much of the summer here. It is a blessing to have his fraternal presence, including a meal and discussion with him each evening.

So now on to the visit of Bishop Schneider...

He arrived in England last Thursday for a Mass and talk in London, before traveling to Walsingham--England's major Marian shrine--on Friday to spend 4 days with the young Catholic families of The National Association of Catholic Families. I was asked to accompany him throughout the entire trip, to essentially as his personal assistant. It was a real privilege to get to know him personally and to essentially spend every waking hour with him for those 5 days.

A brief outline of the events:

-Thursday noon I had lunch with him and Dr. Joseph Shaw, head of the Latin Mass Society for England and Wales.

-Thursday evening: Mass at St. Mary Moorfield's, conference on the Church Militant, and dinner at a local restaurant with him and the leaders of the Latin Mass Society.

-Friday morning: serve his private Mass at the Brompton Oratory. It was only the two of us at this Mass. In some ways, it was my favorite Mass with him. I was quite edified by his devotion and reverence, and it was very nice to simply be able to pray with him without worrying about some of the finer points of episcopal functions.

-Friday 10AM: 5-hour drive to Walsingham, stopping for lunch in a little village. Upon arrival in Walsingham, we went straight to EWTN's studios where he was interviewed for 90 minutes. During that time a member of EWTN showed me the replica of the "Holy House"--a replica of the house the Virgin Mary lived in, in Nazareth, as revealed to the visionary at Walsingham in 1061.

-Friday evening: dinner with a lovely couple who live in Walsingham, and about 12 members of the National Association of Catholic Families, including two lovely babies! Dr. Ward and his wife, the founders of the association (Dr. Ward has also been a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life and held various other positions--and has a great sense of humor!), were there.

-Saturday morning: I celebrated a 7:45 AM quiet low Mass in the Slipper Chapel, which has been standing all these centuries. Then there was the rehearsal for Bishop Schneider's afternoon Mass, a visit with Bishop Schneider to the old Abbey grounds, lunch with a local couple. A few shots of the town:

-Saturday Afternoon: 1:50 PM official welcome by the families. The 200+ people there (vast majorithy were children), were almost all camping in a large field reserved for them. As we arrived with Bishop Schneider they formed a long receiving line on either side of a path leading to their main tent. They applauded, knelt to receive his blessing, and welcomed him very warmly as we walked to the tent, where there was a nice opening ceremony of offering flowers to Our Lady.

-Sat Afternoon: I gave my first o three talks to boys ages 13-15. The adults were with Bishop Schneider throughout, and boys and girls were divided by age group among priests, brothers, and sisters. Then followed Bishop Schneider's pontifical Low Mass, at which I was the first assistant priest. The poor Bishop.... he probably earned time off from purgatory by being patient with me. But on the whole it came off pretty well.

-Saturday evening: dinner back in the field tent with Bishop Schneider and others, then Confessions, then a brief time to pray in the chapel (while a version of line-dancing was taught to the children in the tent), then at 9:30 PM I gave a talk to the young adults ages 18 - 35. Lastly, I exposed the Blessed Sacrament for all-night adoration, and headed off to bed (in a house where the Bishop was staying).

-Sunday AM: give Benediction and repose Blessed Sacrament, then I offered a 7:30AM low Mass for most of the families there (the other families would attend the noon Mass of the Shrine, where Bishop Scheider would preside and preach). 10AM second talk, then accompanying the Bishop back towards the chapel and helping him prepare for Mass. Noon: a bit of time to pray, then speak with a religious sister, then back to help the Bishop unvest and walk him over to lunch. Lunch with young men--in the  tent in the field, and with the Shrine's rector: Msgr. Armitage.

-Sunday PM: help Bishop prepare for procession, then serve as one of his deacons on mile-long procession with Blessed Sacrament. It was beautiful! We walked the old pilgrim's route from the Slipper Chapel. The Bishop carried the monstrance the whole way, under the canopy, preceded by young girls and nuns strewing flower petals, followed by the rest of the group, constantly praying the rosary. Benediction in town, then a mile walk back with a good young priest, Fr. Wisenant.

-Sunday evening: dinner with Bishop and young people, then talent show put on by young people--it was quite good!--then Confessions. 9:45PM head back to house.

-Monday AM: 7AM low Mass in Slipper Chapel then serve Bishop's 8AM Mass. Breakfast with Bishop. Final talk to 13-15 young men, then screening and reading people's (written) questions to Bishop for Q & A. Then 11AM departure.

-Departure: quite moving as everyone sang and wished the Bishop well. A final interview with EWTN, then the drive back to London. A final 2 hours with the Bishop--just he and I--to talk in the airport before he caught his flight. My own flight back to Lanherne.

Above all, it was such a joy to be with these good, young, large families. The weather was gorgeous and it seemed a taste of Heaven. And it was such a joy to get to know the Bishop better, to seem him interacting with people in so many small ways, and to have quite a lot of time to discuss various things with him.

It is now evening and I need to head to Adoration to pray Vespers, help with Benediction, and then have dinner with Fr. Crean, so I'd best go...

May Jesus and Mary watch over you and guide you.

In Cordibus Iesu et Mariae,
Fr. Pillari