Pilgrimage to Pentecost
“The entire Church, as beloved pope John Paul II used to say, is one great movement animated by the Holy Spirit, a river that travels through history to irrigate it with God’s grace and make it full of life, goodness, beauty, justice and peace.”
Pilgrimage to Pentecost
Pilgrimage to Pentecost is a course designed to guide participants on a spiritual pilgrimage towards Pentecost. You can join a group in person at one of the "Hub" locations around the Archdiocese or on Zoom; or follow the course on your own at home.
As pilgrims on this journey, we will be following the example of Our Lady and the first disciples, who prepared for the first Pentecost together, by reflecting on the Scriptures and devoting themselves to prayer.
The Pilgrimage to Pentecost runs during Eastertide from the 2nd Sunday of Easter (Divine Mercy Sunday) to the Saturday after Pentecost Sunday. We have prepared it for the Southwark Archdiocese in 2025, as part of the celebrations for Jubilee 2025 and two significant diocesan anniversaries. However, you could use it in subsequent years during Eastertide or, with suitable adjustments, at another time of the year.
Pilgrimage to Pentecost has three principal components:
The Course Booklet: a specially written booklet, grounded in scripture and tradition, with daily scripture-based reflections and a Pentecost Novena for the 9 days leading up to Pentecost Sunday. To be purchased here or for bulk orders email.
Six weekly sessions: each with a video consisting of worship, a short talk and a testimony professionally filmed at Southwark’s Jubilee Churches and Shrines. The films will be available to watch on the Archdiocese’s YouTube channel, even for those not taking part in an organised group.
In-person Pilgrimage Day: we are encouraging every ‘pilgrim’ to attend the Archdiocesan Jubilee Celebration Day at The Friars, Aylesford on Pentecost Saturday, 7 June – this is an important part of the Pilgrimage, because at the Closing Mass Archbishop John will pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit – a new Pentecost - on those present and on the entire Archdiocese.
Session Talks
Week 1/2nd week of Eastertide
Introduction
Week 2/3rd week of Eastertide
“Love, creation and delight” God’s love for us
Fr Mark Wharton
Week 3/4th week of Eastertide
“Fall, redemption and freedom”
Dying he destroyed our death
Fr Behruz Rafat
Week 4/5th week of Eastertide
“Called to be an Easter People” Living in the light of the Paschal Mystery
Canon Gerard Bradley
Week 5/6th week of Eastertide
“Called to be a Pentecost People”
Filled with the Holy Spirit and equipped for mission
Fr Joseph Edattu
Week 7/10th week in Ord. Time
“Keeping the fire burning”
How to keep on track
Fr Stephen Langridge
Week 6/Pentecost Saturday 7 June - Archdiocesan Jubilee Celebration Mass - Archbishop John Wilson - in-person. Video to be released later.
More on the Pilgrimage to Pentecost
Pilgrimage Booklet
There is a page for each day of the pilgrimage. Each daily page has a short passage from Scripture, a reflection on the theme, a quote from a pope, saint, Church document or hymn, a prayer and a suggestion for something practical you might do that day.
Leaders
We are fortunate enough to be partnering with St Anthony Communications to film these sessions to create an easy-to-deliver course for parishes. They will be able to watch at home, or alone, but ideally you will journey together with others on this pilgrimage. With this in mind, we are developing a suite of resources to support the delivery of this course.
Being a hub
If you are interested in being a hub please email us at southwarkrenewal@rcaos.org.uk
Hub locations found below.
Further questions?
If you have any questions we would be happy to answer them – email us at southwarkrenewal@rcaos.org.uk
Locations
You are welcome to sign up to any of the hubs listed below; Tuesday evenings unless otherwise stated. Various groups are also meeting in homes and parishes around the Archdiocese! Are you interested in hosting? Contact southwarkrenewal@rcaos.org.uk
Cathedral
Amigo Hall, (next to St George’s Cathedral) Lambeth Rd, London SE1 6HU.
Zoom
Online places will be limited. Wednesday evenings. Priority to bookings from Southwark Archdiocese and otherwise ‘first come, first served’.
Canterbury
Canterbury, meeting in homes of parishioners at St Thomas of Canterbury, Canterbury, on Tuesday evenings times to be notified.
Beckenham
St Edmund of Canterbury Church Hall, Village Way, Beckenham BR3 3NP - Wednesday rather than Tuesday evenings, (8 to 9.30pm followed by refreshments).
East Ham
St Michael's Catholic Church, 21 Tilbury Road, East Ham, London E6 6ED
Thanet
Holy Family - Birchington & Westgate, Thanet, 44 Minnis Road, Birchington, Kent CT7 9SF - meeting on Tuesday or Thursday evenings, to be confirmed.
West Croydon
St Mary’s, West Croydon, 70 Wellesley Road, Croydon CR0 2AR - meeting on Monday evenings starting at 7.45 pm following Mass at 6.45 pm.
Bostall Park
St Thomas More, Bostall Park, 402A Long Lane, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 5JW - meeting on Friday evenings, starting 7 pm, in the church hall.
Tunbridge Wells
St Augustine’s Catholic Church, Crescent Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 2LY – meeting Mondays at 6 pm, starting 28 April – no need to register, just turn up.
Gravesend
Gravesend, meeting Friday evenings at 7pm - at St John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 192 Parrock Street, Gravesend, Kent DA12 1EN
New Malden
St Joseph's Catholic Church, Montern Road, New Malden, KT3 3QW
Thornton Heath
St Andrew's Catholic Church, 45 Brook Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7RD - meeting Thursdays from 7.30 pm, starting 1 May - no need to register, just turn up.
Sevenoaks
St Thomas of Canterbury, 12 Granville Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1ER.
Tooting
St Boniface Catholic Church, 185 Mitcham Road, London SW17 9PG – Tuesdays but one week later than Cathedral (i.e. starting Tue 6 May), 7.15-8.30 pm.
Twickenham
The Church of St James, 61 Popes Grove, Twickenham TW1 4JZ - Wednesday evenings from 7.30-9 pm, with tea/coffee from 7.15 pm.
South Norwood
St Chad’s Catholic Church, 5 Whitworth Road, London SE25 6XN – meeting Mondays from 7.30 to 9.30 pm, starting 28 April – no need to register, just turn up
Waddon
St Dominic’s Waddon - meeting in someone’s home, address to be notified on registration - on Tuesday evening.
Our Speakers
Fr Mark Wharton
Fr Mark was ordained as a Southwark priest in October 2022. He is serving as the Catholic university chaplain at the University of Kent, Canterbury.
Fr Mark originally comes from the North-east and studied with the Dominicans in Oxford before completing his seminary formation at St John’s, Wonersh for the Archdiocese of Southwark.
Fr Mark is particularly interested in how the Moral teaching of the Church can interact with psychology to help people grow in virtue. In his spare time he loves cooking and American Literature.
Fr Behruz Rafat
Father Behruz, known as Father Behr, was ordained a Catholic priest 14 years ago on the feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. Father Behr was born in Tehran, Iran, and grew up in South London. He trained for the Archdiocese of Southwark at Saint John’s Seminary, Wonersh.
He has served in parishes in South London and Kent. Most recently he was a resident priest in Corpus Christi parish in Tonbridge before being appointed as parish priest of Tenterden.
He has a wide range of interests including film, music and literature and enjoys meeting people from all walks of life and all faith backgrounds.
Canon Gerard Bradley
Canon Gerard graduated from King’s College London in 1983, having gained a Batchelor’s degree in Music. He worked for a short period as Assistant Choir Master at Portsmouth (RC) Cathedral and completed formation for priesthood at St John’s Seminary Wonersh.
Ordained as priest in 1991 by Archbishop Michael Bowen, his first post was as assistant priest in St Thomas of Canterbury parish, Rainham.
In September 2000, he was appointed to join the formation staff at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh with responsibility for the Spiritual Formation programme and as house spiritual director. He is now Episcopal Vicar for the South West London area.
Fr Joseph Edattu VC
Fr Joseph serves as the Director of the Divine Retreat Centre UK in Ramsgate. In 2014, Fr Joseph came to the UK as the Administrator and Associate Director of the newly inaugurated Divine Retreat Centre UK, where he has worked tirelessly to spread the Good News.
During the Covid pandemic, Fr Joseph spearheaded the transition to online ministry, starting with the daily livestreaming. Pre-covid, Fr Joseph travelled the globe and has taken the Gospel to countries across the world. Post-Covid, he continues to travel the world virtually, delivering the Good News to tens of thousands daily.
Archbishop John Wilson
Archbishop John was born in Sheffield. He studied for a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology and religious studies at the University of Leeds and began formation for the priesthood for the Diocese of Leeds at the Venerable English College, Rome in 1989.
On 10 June 2019 he was appointed Archbishop of Southwark by Pope Francis on the retirement of Archbishop Peter Smith. His Installation took place in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark, on 25 July 2019, the Feast of St James the Apostle.
Fr Stephen Langridge
Fr Stephen read Philosophy and Theology in Oxford before training for the priesthood in Rome. In addition to a wide parish experience, he has served as full-time Diocesan Vocations Director.
Fr Stephen is currently parish priest of St Elizabeth’s in Richmond, since October 2015. He has a passion for evangelisation and discipleship, and if you ask Fr Stephen to sum up the purpose of the parish, he will say it is to form intentional disciples who joyfully live out the mission of Jesus Christ.