Guild Banner heads Corpus Christi Procession at Covent Garden
Members of the London Metropolitan Region again participated in the Corpus Christi Procession, at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Maiden Lane, on Sunday 11 June 2023. This year, His Eminence, Cardinal Nichols, was the celebrant.
Following last month's blessing and installation of the 1930s Guild banner at Corpus Christi Maiden Lane, the banner was carefully lowered by and prepared for the Corpus Christi procession around Covent Garden. Thank you to Michael and Phil, our London Region Events Co-ordinators for organising.
You can view photos of the Mass and Procession here:
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Below are a few comments from our members after attending...
Michael Hammond (Police Sergeant, Charing Cross Police Station) regularly serves at Corpus Christi and was married at the church too. Michael reflected:
"It was a great privilege for me to be able to represent the Guild at the Corpus Christi Procession for the second year running. It’s a wonderful opportunity to participate in a public witness to our belief in the Real Presence of Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and bearing Him through the heavy crowds of Covent Garden is a privilege, and maybe an opportunity to show people who have never seen a Catholic liturgy what we believe. The Mass was very well attended, and the procession – headed by our Guild banner – was in good voice. For me personally, being based at Charing Cross Police Station, it’s lovely to be helping in a parish which is on my 'patch' so to speak."
Phil Inman (Detective Constable, Hounslow Police Station)
"Blazing hot weather and a packed church greeted Guild Members for the Solemnity of Our Lords Body and Blood. It was a wonderful thing to see members old and new, attend and take part in the procession around Covent Garden. I am left with a sense of promise and optimism, every Guild member that I spoke with wanted to see more and do more. I hope that it marks the beginning of a great future in which members come together to support, encourage and edify each other in their walk of faith. Even more than this, I am left with the sense of having found a new home - Guild members are now so common place at Maiden Lane that I was asked, in all innocence, by a member of the congregation to identify to her a statue of St. Gianna Berretta Molla. Our faces have become so well known that even the worshippers think we work there."
Katalin Gego (Police Constable, Bromley Police Station)
"I attended the Mass and Procession with His Eminence Cardinal Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster at Corpus Christi Church Procession in Covent Garden. It was my first time attending the Corpus Christi Church and Procession. The Mass was beautiful and it was a great privilege walking around the heavily crowded Covent Garden singing hymns and representing the Guild. It was lovely to meet other members of the Guild and pray together."
Pat Allen (Custody Sergeant, Romford Police Station) remarked:
"On attending Corpus Christi Catholic Church as a member of the Catholic Police Guild (CPG), this being my second attendance, Mass this year was celebrated by His Eminence, Vincent Cardinal Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. Attending a Latin Mass is one of the best experience a person can do for a spiritual encounter, hearing soul reaching Gregorian hymns, the incredible smell of incense really takes you deep into the heart of the mass.
We were blessed with sunshine and clear blue skies for the Eucharistic Procession around Covent Garden, also showing the 1930s Metropolitan & City Catholic Police Guild banner. We walked at nice slow steady pace, with hymns being sung. Both Eucharistic Procession and Covent Garden, enriched with history.
I’m just getting to grips with ecclesiastical Latin. The last time I heard or muttered Latin had be close to 35 years plus as an altar boy. Now as a serving Police officer and practising Catholic, brought up in a strict Irish family, I believe strongly in that policing and Catholic morals go hand in hand. With the Catholic Police Guild this has reinforced my belief in having a strong Catholic presence, having a strong community – I have already met a few members of the CPG and I can clearly see a strong community growing. Deus Benedicat, Pat."
Next Year, the Solemnity of Corpus Christi and Procession falls on Sunday, 2nd June 2024
Our public display of faith and the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist may attract people who see the procession and invite them to join into closer communion with Christ. We pray those who are reading this may become next year’s participants.
