Pilgrimage of Hope - Holy Door 2 St Mary & St Boniface Cathedral, Plymouth

On Wednesday 14th May 2025, twenty-two people from Liskeard, Sclerder Abbey, and Saltash, visited St Mary & St Boniface Cathedral Plymouth, where we were very warmly received by the Legion of Mary. As part of our St Neot Group, Liskeard, who were doing our second open door – part of our Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee Year programme in the Diocese of Plymouth. We were given a detailed tour and talk on the history of the cathedral and then had the opportunity to have our passports stamped – Pilgrim Bear Francis had his passport stamped too!
We were able to see the Jubilee Icon by Ethiopian artist Mulugeta Araya – commissioned by CAFOD to celebrate and commemorate the Jubilee Year 2025, Pilgrims of Hope. Unfortunately, we were unable to see the National Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima, a hand craved statue blessed by Pope John Paul II in 1982, which had left on Monday for the next tour destination St George’s Cathedral, Southwark. Fortunately, 3 people from Liskeard visited the cathedral on Saturday 10th May 2025 and were able to see the statue of Our Lady of Fatima.
We then said a prayer of thanks; a prayer for the new Pope Leo XIV; the Jubilee Prayer and a Prayer for Peace and we sang ‘Make me a channel of thy peace. The Legion of Mary then led us in a decade of the ‘Glorious Mysteries’ Rosary.
We then retired to the parish room for refreshments, reflection and where we had a catch up with old acquaintances and the opportunity to make new ones.
Finally, we returned to the cathedral for the ‘Divine Mercy’ before saying our goodbyes and returning to Liskeard.
On Sunday 18th May 2025 we warmly welcomed at our 11 o/clock Mass in Liskeard the Mayor of Liskeard Christina Whitty and the Councilors of Liskeard.
On Saturday 31st May 2025 we began the society of The Legion of Mary in our Parish, 3 of our four churches were represented to form a Praesidium on the Visitation of The Blessed Virgin Mary, two members of the Legion of Mary from the Plymouth Curia, along with Fr Cyriacus joined us for our first meeting. Weekly meetings will be held every Tuesday at 11:00am.
As part of the Diocese of Plymouth, Pilgrims of Hope Jubilee Year 2025, on Sunday 1st June 2025 Fr Cyriacus from Our Lady and St Neot, Liskeard exchanged pulpits with Fr Mark Skelton from Most Holy Trinity, Newquay. Both priests were warmly welcomed by both churches.