In Search of the 'Apostle to England'
Mario Mancini, an Italian Pilgrim to England, came to Merseyside in search of the 'Apostle to England'!
I am Mario Mancini, from Viterbo (Italy). I am 82 years old but only a few years ago I learned the story of our countryman Blessed Dominic Barberi of the Mother of God. He was proclaimed Apostle of England and of Ecumenism by Saint Pope Paul VI during the II Vatican Ecumenical Council for his missionary work throughout the West Midlands in the 19th century, but his memory was since forgotten in his birth town. On the contrary he is greatly revered in that part of England where he spent his life. So, I was happy to find out that the Archbishop of Liverpool designated his Shrine (in Sutton – Saint Helens) as a Jubilee Church.
In Viterbo we are very fond of the “Francigena” Pilgrim Way that brings us to the Apostles’ graves in Rome, and I understood that the best way to mark the Jubilee was to walk to the Shrine of the “Apostle of England”. I was lucky to be in touch with Dr Phil McCarthy who has done an astonishing job mapping a Pilgrim Way for every English & Welsh diocese. He has selected an itinerary to avoid the busiest motor routes, to touch the more interesting features and give priority to country paths. He prepared a detailed explanation of the crossroads throughout the built-up areas and of the pathways in the woods and in the open countryside including some thought-provoking comments about the main buildings and/or local interesting locations. It was essential for my two days walk. Phil’s project included a Pilgrim “Credenziale” to record the stamps I was collecting along the road.
I started from Liverpool Christ the King Metropolitan Cathedral, and, in the Ecumenical spirit stopped in the Anglican Cathedral in front of it. In both churches I had the same welcome and their stamp on my Pilgrim Passport. I stopped also at the Beatles’ House as a tribute to my eighteen old age memories. It was a Sunday, and I participated in the Holy Mass at the Redemptorists’ Bishop Eton church, where I got another stamp. I passed by a few other locations but couldn’t access them. I left the Liverpool town using the beautiful Trans Pennine Trail and I found myself in the magnificent England countryside. Next stop was for a late lunch in Cronton: they put just a signature in my card. I stopped overnight at Rainhill, next to the St Bartholomew Church, to be ready the next morning (Monday the 25th of August) to arrive at the big Blessed Dominic’s celebration on his feast day at the Sutton Shrine.
The next day, as an old geologist, I couldn’t miss the programmed visit to the disused site of a coal mine. The Forestry Commission has transformed the wasteland into woodland: it was so successful that I lost myself, but I could find somebody to redirect me. I was in time for the celebration where I was welcomed by some of the people that I met years before.
All in all, it was a unique experience. I was not used to so long a walk, but it gave me some strong sensations I couldn’t have otherwise: to follow the very footstep of my fellow countrymen bringing back to these places the Roman Church with love and passion, to be part of the real life of a country, to open the soul in a prayer through all the features of Creation.
On the way back to the Airport I visited the Manchester Jubilee Church of St Mary’s, ‘The Hidden Gem’ and the Manchester Anglican Cathedral where I explained the meaning of my trip and they insisted on putting a double stamp on my Pilgrim Passport. Back home I downloaded a Certificate of my Pilgrimage from Phil’s “Hearts in Search of God” website.
Mario Mancini
PS When at the Rainhill Hotel they asked me for my documents I realized that I left all of them behind, so I gave as I.D. my Pilgrim Passport and that was it!
