On Wednesday 2nd July, Year 7 students at Bishop Thomas Grant School took part in a special day with a difference. We were Pilgrims of Hope, answering the call from Pope Francis to walk and pray with our feet in this Jubilee year! The day started with a ‘Bishop Thomas Grant Prayer for Pilgrims’ and then we set off on foot with our Head of Year, RE teachers, Form Tutors, 6th Form students and made our way to English Martyrs church in Streatham. We were full of excitement, looking forward to spending the day together as pilgrims.
Upon entering the church, the bustle and chatter of the pilgrims faded into a peaceful silence, and everyone found their pew. My eyes wandered upwards, and I was captivated by the beautiful statues, stained glass windows and most significantly, the names inscribed on the ceiling – honouring the English Martyrs whose stories of faith and persecution give the church its name. We listened as we were told fascinating facts about the church, deepening our appreciation for its history and significance. Fr Paul led us in a decade of the Rosary and Fr Francis celebrated Mass with us, sharing a thoughtful homily on the importance of finding light in the darkest of times and the importance of holding on to hope. We even had time for a Faith Trail where we discovered even more about the history and special features of English Martyrs church!
Though we had hoped to continue our pilgrimage to St George’s Cathedral and to walk through the Holy Door, an unexpected issue with the trains and some heavy rain meant we had to return to school for the next phase of our spiritual journey. The change of location did not dampen our spirits, as the RE department had already devised plenty of activities to keep us occupied. We were presented with a variety of creative ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ challenges. In groups, we were tasked with recreating the logo for the Jubilee year, a brilliant ice-breaker activity encouraging us to work together and to share lots of laughs too! We also wrote poems centred on the theme of Hope, pouring our thoughts and dreams for a better world onto the page. Our final mission was to make the word ‘Hope’ with each of our four Houses responsible for a letter. The photographs of our efforts from the top floor of the building are brilliant!
Even though our journey did not follow the exact route that had been planned, the experience was both meaningful and memorable. It was a day full of prayer, reflection, creativity, and togetherness. We prayed with our feet and our hearts. We were reminded that hope can be found and celebrated wherever we have a community of people who have shared beliefs and values.
Thank you to the staff for giving us such a brilliant day; it is one we will remember for years to come!
Here is what Year 7 students had to say about their day as Pilgrims of Hope:
“Our pilgrimage of hope was a meaningful experience that brought our year group together to reflect on faith, community, and the power of hope. It was filled with prayer, creativity and connection. It reminded us how important it is to pause and find purpose in our spiritual journey.” Lucia
“The pilgrimage taught me that the BTG community’s strength is belief in God… I really connected with my religious self, more than I had before.” Orla
“Looking back, I felt excited before the day began, not knowing what was ahead, but after the experience I felt closer to my faith. The day helped me to understand what it means to walk in hope and how people in the past and in the present held on to their faith and purpose, even in the hard times.” Aidan
“It was important because we got to grow closer to God, and we went to Mass which is the highest form of prayer a Catholic can experience.” Jordan
“It’s not only about the place we are going to, but also the journey there…I felt peaceful as in all the walking, praying and reflecting, it brings a calm after the journey ends.” Julia
“The pilgrimage showed me that there are many ways to develop our faith and that we are all one big community that wants to get closer to God. It brought our BTG values to life!” Amanuel
“Praying the Rosary felt peaceful and calming. Doing it with others made it more meaningful.” Sophia
“English Martyrs church was stunning, and the history was fascinating, especially the gorgeous stained-glass windows and many other delicate details! It made me think about those have died for their faith and have gone before us.” Cara
“I really enjoyed it when we re-created the Pilgrims of Hope logo with our bodies, it was a great example of teamwork.” Sophia
“The pilgrimage helped up to reflect on our actions, choices and to remember how privileged we are to have these opportunities as not everyone does.” Klara
