This wonderful tradition is a tremendous witness to our faith walking along the busy streets of Reading, beginning at Watlington Street and finishing at the Forbury Abbey grounds. Along the way we sing hymns (both English and Polish) and hear readings from the Bible and finish with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, stopping at a couple of stations, where beautifully decorated mini-altars have been set up on the route.
It is a lovely family occasion and some of the children wear their traditional polish dress and sprinkle petals in front of the procession. Recently, they have kindly invited the other Catholic Churches in the Loddon Valley and Central and West Reading Pastoral Areas to join them and it is getting more and more popular each year. Imagine what an impact it would have on Reading if all the parishioners of all the Churches showed up.
The feast of Corpus Christi is the one time in the year when our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is exposed not just to faithful Catholics but to all the world. This is a time when we as Catholics can show our love for Jesus Christ in the Real Presence of the Eucharist by honouring Him in a very public way. It is also a wonderful way in which we can show our love for our neighbours by bringing Our Lord and Saviour closer to them in their everyday lives.