Reflections of the Papal Visit (7)

Our latest reflection on the Papal Visit is written by Brother Bernard Elliot SJ of the Jesuit Refugee Service.

On Saturday 18 September 2010, I joined the Parish of St Michael and St Martin (Hounslow) on their pilgrimage to the Vigil in Hyde Park.

A previous Saturday we had collected our ruck sack and instructions.  Today we collected our pink wrist bands after the 10 o'clock Mass.  I was not looking forward to the security procedures.  We also had to have with us photographic identity.  There were a lot of items not allowed into the enclosure.  I imagined long queues as belongings were searched: this was why were leaving at midday.

About 25 of us headed for Hounslow Central Station.  We met up with hundreds more at Hyde Park Underground Station.  We had a leader so we stayed together as a group walking in the park to the entrance near Marble Arch.
It was an enormous relief to find the security very well organised, with lots of turnstiles.  Provided the pink wrist band was visible there was little or no delay.

Our leader took us forward, but even though it was not 2 o'clock the immediate front was full.  The parish group rather split, with the younger folk getting as near the stage as possible, we older ones finding more space further back but still in a central position.  There was constant entertainment on stage which was displayed on enormous screens around the venue.

It was a fine afternoon.  Time got lost in talk and the sharing of food.  I had a pilgrim with me from our Drop in Centre in Stamford Hill.  He had carried picnic chairs from Hounslow.  He set out to explore all the people in the venue.  With a digital camera, he photographed many African Communities in traditional dress, enjoying and contributing to the occasion.

There was great excitement when the big screens made His Holiness visible to everyone with the crowds lining the streets.  His presence was very real.  The Adoration of The Blessed Sacrament was shared by everyone in an almost awesome silence.

The whole Service was in our copies of Magnificat (the book of Liturgies and Events to accompany the Papal Visit).  We could not only follow the service: we also knew when it would end.  There was a very definite collecting of belongings before the actual end: memories of St John's Gospel in days gone by (cf.  John, Chapter 6).