The Way of Our Lady of Fernyhalgh and St Alphonsa is ready to walk!
The Way of Our Lady of Fernyhalgh & St Alphonsa is a Pilgrim Way for the Diocese of Lancaster and the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain.
The Diocese of Lancaster already has the St Mary's Way, created by the Robinson family, which starts at the Cathedral of St Peter in Lancaster, traverses the Lake District northwards to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary at Cleator. This new Pilgrim Way also starts at the Cathedral, but heads south along the Lancaster Canal towpath out of the City, passing the Polish Church of Our Lady Queen of Poland. The path leaves the canal to reach the cycle path to Condor Green where it heads east to re-join the Canal to reach Garstang. After visiting the Church of SS Mary & Michael the route continues south and then east to cross the M6.
The route passes through farmland to reach the Church of St Thomas the Apostle at Claughton. The Way then visits the Church of St Francis, Hill Chapel near Goosnargh, and the Church of St Mary at Fernyhalgh. Shortly afterward the Ladywell Shrine is reached. The route continues into Preston to the churches of St Thomas of Canterbury & the English Martyrs, St Walburge, St Wilfrid and finally St Alphonsa’s Cathedral of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain.
The route is 33.8 miles long and is mainly flat, easy walking with plenty of historical interest and beauty.
The Syro-Malabar Church is an Eastern Catholic Church based in Kerala, India, in full communion with the Pope and the worldwide Catholic Church. The Church traces its origins to St Thomas the Apostle in the first century AD and uses the East Syriac Rite liturgy. It is headed by the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar. Significant migration of Syro-Malabar people to the UK occurred from 2000 onwards. In 2016 Pope Francis established the Syro-Malabar Eparchy of Great Britain. There are 68 priests serving 4 parishes, 52 missions, 30 proposed missions and nearly 50,000 Syro-Malabar Catholics in Great Britain. St Alphonsa's in Preston is the Cathedral of the Catholic Syro-Malabar community in Great Britain.
