Hundreds of people joined this year’s Batley Torchlight Procession, which took place on the evening of Monday 7 October, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Parish Priest Fr Eamonn Hegarty welcomed celebrant Fr Paul Grogan, with Fr Simon Lodge and Fr Stephen Webb – plus many other clergy and laity from Batley and beyond.
Fr Marc Homsey brought a large group of CathSoc students from the various Leeds Universities – and school groups came from as far away as Menston and even Goole!
As in recent years, the Procession began at St Mary’s Catholic Primary School with prayers, readings and a homily and children from the Diocese of Leeds Schools Singing Programme (SSP) leading the music.
Participants then walked by torchlight to the nearby Church of St Mary of the Angels for Benediction. The statue of Our Lady carried with them was placed in her position of honour – and the church was packed with the faithful in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: the Real Presence of her Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ.
The traditional hearty supper of pie and peas in the Parish Hall rounded off the evening (and may well have also ’rounded-off’ some of the pilgrims…).
Next year’s Batley Torchlight Procession will take place on Monday 6 October – and the 2025 Jubilee of Hope will give an even more special significance to all our diocesan processions and pilgrimages – and to the places of worship across our diocese which the Bishop has designated as ‘Pilgrimage Churches’…
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