Walsingham Retreat - 2009

Processing to the Slipper Chapel with the statue of Our Lady of Walsingham

Every two years the CA Hospitalité holds a retreat at Walsingham - organised with Jim Walton.

The latest retreat took place on 24 - 26 April 2009, led by Fr Simon Blakesley.

It was a beautiful sunny weekend and full of great friends – all of which made it all the more special. On Friday and Saturday, Simon discussed many of the teachings of the Church, and taught us a number of new things. Our main theme of discussion was the life of Our Lady, and how she is written about in the New Testament; we followed her life from when she first discovered she was pregnant, right up to Jesus’s death. Simon then helped us to understand
the place Our Lady has in the Catholic Church. On Sunday, we processed down to the Slipper Chapel on a glorious sunny day, led by Simon.

Thank you to Fr Simon and to Jim Walton for organising another wonderful retreat.

A message from Colette Sharrock, President:

In 1988 the first CA Hospitalité weekend retreat was held in Walsingham, instigated by David Lewis and others. Jim Walton was working at Elham House at that time and became involved in the organisation. In 1991 Jim himself then took on the co-ordination of a further CA retreat and subsequently has been organising these bi-annually ever since, with, I may, say great expertise.

At the end of this years retreat, Jim approached me to say he felt it was time to move on and hand over the reins to someone else. He will be a difficult act to follow, but if there is anyone out there who feels they might like to take on this job, please let a member of the Council know. Jim has promised to give his full help and support. Hopefully the next retreat will be in 2011, so plenty of time to prepare!

Meantime, Jim, on behalf of the Hospitalité, may I offer our heartfelt thanks for all the hard work over the past 20 years; those of us who have been lucky enough to attend these retreats, have enjoyed them immensely.