Shrewsbury pilgrimage

The Diocese of Shrewsbury is a Roman Catholic Diocese, part of the Birmingham Archdiocese.

Each year, Bishop Brian Noble leads the Shrewsbury Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. The Pilgrimage tends to be scheduled around the end of July, and commences from many points within the Diocese - as far East as Stockport, West as Wallasey on the Wirral, and South as Telford. Many hundreds of young people attend, to help cater for the needs of those Pilgrims who require special help. Many of the Pilgrims are not religious or from other faiths other that Catholicism, but appreciate the benefits that those with a Christian belief.

Each Pilgrimage is organised by Fr Peter Sharrocks, and his team of unpaid volunteers. There are frequently as many as 800 pilgrims who partake. Although some Pilgrims make their own way, the vast majority travel on the Diocesan coaches (up to 11) to the North of France, and then on to Lourdes on chartered TGV's (up to 2. Fr. Sharrocks team also charters a flight for those Pilgrims who are unable to travel for the 24 hours overland.

The Pilgrimage has a website at [http://www.shrewsburypilgrimage.co.uk www.shrewburypilgrimage.co.uk] that is updated with details of the forthcoming pilgrimage, photos of previous Pilgrimages, and details about the history and ethos of the Pilgrimage.