Epiphany 2005

Fond du Lac Pilgrimage 2004

On a beautiful crisp autumn morning in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, a procession of pilgrims began to assemble. Soon the street began to vibrate with the sound of the large Fond du Lac High School Band in full uniform mixing with the voices of bishops, priests, deacons and laity marching to the hymn "To be a Pilgrim." Escorted by the police, the large procession of pilgrims wound its way through the city of Fond du Lac to the Cathedral of Saint Paul.

Inside the magnificent Cathedral, a solemn pontifical Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Robert S. Morse. Bishop Frederick Morrison preached an inspiring sermon. It was a miraculous day. For the first time since the consecrations in Denver on January 28th in 1978, the bishops and clergy of the Anglican Province of Christ the King, the Traditional Anglican Communion, the Anglican Church in America, the Anglican Catholic Church, and the American branch of Forward in Faith had united as pilgrims to the Shrine of Blessed Charles Grafton.

May God grant that this memorable event will lead to a closer exchange and bond between these separate communities of faithful Anglicans. The pilgrimage ended as the Cathedral sounded to the great Litany of the Saints and the pilgrims placed their lighted tapers in the beautiful chapel dedicated to the saintly bishop.