For information regarding our September 2017 Pilgrimage to England: Mary’s Dowry, please read below.
Please call 202-536-4555 or email [email protected] to have us hold a place for you. We expect a quick sellout!
Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages
England: Mary’s Dowry
August 31—September 10, 2017
Heathrow, Canterbury, London, Walsingham, Cambridge, Ramsgate, and Norwich
An Invitation from Leonie Caldecott:
Dear Friends,
I would like to extend a warm invitation to you, to join me for our “England: Mary’s Dowry” pilgrimage.
The tradition of referring to my country as Our Lady’s Dowry goes back to medieval times, specifically the reign of Richard II (1377-1399) and the prayer he made to Our Lady of Pew at the time of the Peasants’ Revolt. The dowry tradition is associated with placing England under Our Lady’s special protection, consecrating the country to her by right, as the Bride of the Holy Spirit. The famous Wilton Dyptich (photo right), now in the National Gallery, depicts King Richard enacting this spiritual “exchange.” But it is as relevant today as it ever was.
What is a dowry if not the riches that a woman brings to her husband? What are the riches of the Church, in a particular place, if not her saints? We shall be tracing the history of the British Church through these “living stones” on fire with the love of God, as we travel from the Carmelite Shrine of Our Lady in Aylesford, moving on to Canterbury and Ramsgate, London and Walsingham, “England’s Nazareth,” where we will celebrate the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin on September 8th. Our final evening will be in Norwich, home of that great English mystic Mother Julian, whose writings have brought comfort and strength to so many down the centuries.
We have worked hard to create a unique and special nine days. I hope you will enjoy every aspect of your time with us, from places of great spiritual and historical resonance, to the people we shall meet, all of whom are examples of how the Church is still thriving in my country, in spite of centuries of persecution and obscurity. I look forward to meeting you and sharing this beautiful Marian journey with you!
— Leonie Caldecott
“Inside the Vatican Pilgrimages is collaborating with our friend in England, Leonie Caldecott on this pilgrimage. Leonie is the wife of the late Stratford Caldecott, with whom, in the 1990s, Leonie founded the Second Spring Centre for Faith and Culture and its journal. Leonie is the editor of the UK/Eire edition of Magnificat and running courses and events on Catholic culture in the UK. Leonie is also the UK editor of the online journal Humanum, published by the John Paul II Institute in Washington DC. Leonie will travel with us on the entire pilgrimage.”

Pilgrimage Overview
Travel with Leonie Caldecott, Deborah Tomlinson, and friends of Inside the Vatican magazine
England: Mary’s Dowry
Heathrow
Canterbury

Cathedral Gate Hotel

Canterbury Cathedral
London

Grange Wellington Hotel

Westminster Cathedral
Walsingham

Dowry Retreat House

Slipper Chapel

Additional Information
Cost

Join Inside the Vatican for this once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage!
For more information or to reserve your spot, contact our US Office at 1-202-536-4555 or email us at [email protected]