A Reflection on the St Luke's Way

Terence Cavanagh • September 18, 2025

This reflection on the St Luke's Way of the Pilgrimage of Hope was given by Terence Cavanagh, a perpetual pilgrim, at the Cathedral of St Barnabas on 13th September 2025. A video of all four reflections can be found  here.


St Luke's Way is from the Cathedral of East Anglia Norwich to St Barnabas Cathedral Nottingham. It was walked from Thursday 4th September to Saturday 13th September.


Wow! What a privilege this evening to be here. I would like to reflect on three things: Prayer, Places and People


Prayer:

'Take my yoke upon yourselves and learn from me

For l am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls

Yes my yoke is easy and my burden light."


One of the many wonderful experiences during the last ten days has been group prayer and a re-awakening of the importance of the Rosary. Pilgrims from the east on the St Luke's Way in the first two days had a mini pilgrimage to Walsingham. We walked the Holy Mile (some bare foot) , we attended mass in the Slipper Chapel

celebrated by Fr Peter Wygnanski.


Places and People:

Places of hospitality, places of nourishment, around thirty people, that were strangers became friends.

Norwich, Cawston, Walsingham, Dersingham, Kings Lynn, Wisbech, Spalding, Dyke, Grantham, Bingham and finally Nottingham.

We had thirty two day pilgrims in total join Patrick and me on the walk, we encountered in them both physical and made spiritual connections.


And our thanks in no particular order to:

Fr Peter Wygnanski

Fr Peter Rollings (Our Lady of the Annunciation)

Fr James Wisbech (Our Lady of St Charles Borromeo )

Fr Jim Spalding (Immaculate Conception and St Norbert)

Fr Jonathan Grantham (St Mary's)

The Parish Priest (of St Cecilia's) Dersingham

Also the Anglican vicars of St Lawrence and St Agnes, the Methodist minister at the Church centre Bingham and the Eucharistic minister at St Annes Radcliffe.


We are moulded by people, who gave us an example of love and we have been truly blessed.

I would like to finish with the following prayer:


Walk with me O God

Walk with me O God

Walk with me O God


Diolch (thank you).


Terence Cavanagh


More details of the St Luke's Way route can be found below.

THE ST LUKE'S WAY

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I

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St Luke's Way (East) to Nottingham

By Phil McCarthy • September 15, 2025
St Luke's Way The eastern Pilgrimage of Hope Way from the Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist in Norwich to the Cathedral Church of St Barnabas in Nottingham via the National Shrine of Our Lady at Houghton St Giles and the Pontifical Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham at King's Lynn. Patron : Julian of Norwich (c. 1343 – after 1416) English anchoress, mystic and theologian. Julian's writings, now known as Revelations of Divine Love, are the earliest surviving English-language works attributed to a woman. They are also the only surviving works by an anchoress in English. Her feast is celebrated on 13 th May. Overview St Luke's Way starts at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Norwich, leaving the city along the Marriotts Way, crossing the River Wensum towards Cawston, then taking the Pilgrim Cross route to Walsingham along country lanes to the National Shrine to Our Lady at Houghton St Giles. From Walsingham the Way follows tracks and lanes to Dersingham and then crosses the Sandringham estate to King's Lynn. The Way continues alongside the Great Ouse to Wisbech, then across fenland to Spalding and Bourne. The Way uses roads and footpaths to navigate the rolling countryside of Kesteven to Grantham, then follows the Grantham canal near Belvoir Castle across farmland to Bingham, joining the Trent Valley Way at Radcliffe, to arrive at St Barnabas' Cathedral in Central Nottingham. Essential facts: Route length: 155.4 miles Ascent: 1,883 ft Peak elevation: 443 ft (the route is generally flat) The Way can be followed using a GPX file (download below).

St John's Way (South) to Nottingham

By Phil McCarthy • September 15, 2025
St John's Way The southern Pilgrimage of Hope Way from Southwark and Westminster Cathedrals in London to St Barnabas' Cathedral in Nottingham via the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate & St Thomas of Canterbury in Northampton. Patron : St Anne Line (c. 1563 – 1601): English married lay woman, convert and martyr. After the death of her husband, who had been banished for attending Mass, Anne was active in sheltering clandestine Catholic priests. Finally arrested, she was condemned to death and executed at Tyburn. She was canonised in 1970. Her feasts are: 27th February (individual), 25th October (with the Forty Martyrs of England & Wales), 30th August (with SS Margaret Ward and Margaret Clitherow). Overview The Way starts at the Cathedral of St George in Southwark and crosses the River Thames to reach Westminster Cathedral. It then passes through Royal parks to the Shrine of the Tyburn Martyrs. At Paddington the Grand Union Canal is reached. Apart from optional diversions to churches the Canal arm is followed to Northolt where the Way joins the Dog Rose Ramble and then the Hillingdon Trail. At Bayhurst Woods the Way diverts W to Harefield and soon rejoins the Grand Union Canal. Apart from diversions to Rickmansworth, Abbots Langley (birthplace of Adrian IV, the only English pope), and Leighton Buzzard the Canal is followed to Newport Pagnall. After the town the route follows the Three Shires Way, then the Midshires Way, the Northamptonshire Round and finally the Nene Way to Northampton Cathedral. The path leaves the city and rejoins the Midshires Way to Arthingworth and soon after follows the Brampton Valley Way to Market Harborough. The Way continues N on the Rutland Way and then the Leicestershire Round. Where this bends W the path follows the Jubilee Way to Melton Mowbray. The Way crosses farmland to reach Willoughby-in-the-Wolds where it breifly re-joins the Midshires Way before diverting to Keyworth. The Way heads towards Nottingham, briefly following a disused railway line, to finally reach Nottingham Cathedral. Essential facts: Route length: 169.4 miles Ascent: 4,669 ft - the route is mostly very flat Peak elevation: 656 ft The Way can be followed using a GPX file (download below)