Parishioners from Our Lady and St Thomas of Canterbury, Harrow on the Hill in north London, were delighted to make the journey to Cofton Park for the beatification of John Henry Newman. In the picture, above, they show their joy despite the cold and damp at Cofton Park and a journey that started at 1.30 am in Pinner with other pilgrims from the Harrow deanery.

Pilgrim leader Desmond Gaynor said: “The massed choirs were thrilling, particularly in Newman’s ‘Praise to the Holiest’.
“And the Pope’s homily, like all his homilies on the visit, was beautiful and will need more reflection and prayer later. The whole event was thoroughly uplifting.”

The group included Audrey Hamilton, Rose Layson, Dee Williams, Desmond Gaynor, pilgrim leader, Eamonn Hamilton and Miguel De Sousa.