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Thursday, 15th October 2009

In the evening of Thursday 15th October 2009, after they had left Westminster Cathedral, the relics of St Thérèse came to the Hospital of Saint John and Saint Elizabeth, and Saint John's Hospice, as their final stopping point of their journey around England and Wales.

The relics have been touring the country as part of their continuous mission around the world, following the Saint's wish to be a missionary, formally recognised by Pope John Paul II's declaration of her as Patron of Missions.

The visit to St John's Wood was planned to be for the benefit of the sick and dying, and several hundred pilgrims came to venerate the relics in the Conventual Church of St John of Jerusalem at the heart of the Hospital complex.

Many Hospice patients came to the church, together with other pilgrims from the local parish of Our Lady, Lisson Grove, and the neighbouring parishes of Swiss Cottage and the Rosary Church, Marylebone, and local convents and old-peoples' homes, including Barbara Brosnan Court.

We were also very pleased to welcome the Little Sisters of the Poor from St Anne's Home, Stoke Newington. Some of the Order of Malta Lourdes pilgrims were also present.

The Relics arrived at 5.00 pm, and after the short service of greeting, there followed an hour of silent veneration. For those patients in the Hospital and Hospice who were unable come to the Church, a Relic of St Thérèse was taken round the wards by one of the Chaplains during the time of veneration.

At the invitation of the Chairman of the Hospital, Bishop Alan Hopes, auxiliary of Westminster, celebrated a sung Mass at 6.15 pm the close of the visit, which was attended by more than 200 people. The 18th century vestments worn had been restored by one of the patients present at the Mass.

As the relics left the church at 7.30 pm to begin their return journey to France, a piper played "The Little Flower - St Thérèse of Lisieux" a new composition written specially for the visit to the Hospital.