Traditional Retreat at Douai Abbey 4th -6th July 2008

Fr Matthew Pittam wrote, a few months ago, about the power of Marian processions. Father writes:-

Young Catholic Adult
Marian procession 2016

"It was several years ago now that the suggestion came from my parish branch of the Union of Catholic Mothers that we have a May procession and devotion in honour of Our Lady. Older members of the parish reflected that such an event had not taken place since the 1960s and that it had gradually dwindled as clergy and laity became unenthusiastic about this public act of witness and prayer. Such devotions had been seen as obsolete in the wake of the “spirit of Vatican II”.

It was decided that for the first year this devotion would be low key but we agreed to give it a go. Remarkably about 30 people turned up on that initial occasion. Since then the attendance has grown and it has become a real focus for many of our younger families and is now seen as a major event in the parish’s calendar.

Young Catholic Adult 
Marian procession 2016

When I first spoke to some other clergy about our endeavours many poured scorn on it as “folk religion” and felt that we were reintroducing something that was outmoded and archaic. But for my parish the May procession is an attractive event and many parishioners now bring non-Catholic family and friends (the high tea afterwards may also be part of the draw). So what some may dismiss as sentimental has actually become evangelistic.

In my parish the procession has brought new confidence and has reignited interest in more traditional devotions. After a few successful May processions the parish council suggested having a Corpus Christi procession, and this has also proved to be popular, attracting those beyond the boundaries of our small rural parish.

As Catholics we need to be inventive about evangelisation but we can also look to forms of devotion from the past that we have abandoned. Many of these have the capacity to speak to our own generation in a fresh way."

For the full article see:-  http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2016/05/27/parishes-across-britain-are-reviving-may-processions-in-honour-of-mary/.